Eubanks, Coaches Win USTFCCCA Regional Outdoor Awards

NEW ORLEANS – Senior Maurice Eubanks, assistant coach Adonis Stanley and head coach Larry Rodgers were the recipients of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) regional awards for the 2011 NCAA II Outdoor Track and Field season announced Friday by the association.

Eubanks, a native of Siler City, was named the USTFCCCA Southeast Region Male Track Athlete of the Year. The senior will compete in the 100m dash and 200m dash at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships, May 26-28, in Turlock, Calif. Earlier this season, he boosted a strong performance at the Southeast Region Championship taking a first-place finish in the 200m dash, a second-place finish in the 400 meters and two wins as a member of the Braves' 4x100m and 4x400m relay squads.

Stanley, in his second season as a graduate assistant coach, was named USTFCCCA Southeast Region Assistant Coach of the Year. During the 2011 season, he coached two individual athletes and a 4x100 relay team to NCAA Provisional Qualifying marks. At the Southeast Region Championship, the sprint squad finished first in the 100m and 200m dashes, first in the 4x100 and 4x400 relays and second in the 400m dash to assist the Braves to the team title. Stanley has coached 42 top-five finishes this season, including meets during the indoor season.

Rodgers, in his 30th season as head coach of the track and field program, was named USTFCCCA Southeast Region Head Coach of the Year. The UNCP men's track and field team claimed the 2011 Southeast Region Championship and a No.1 standing in the region with Rodgers at the helm. The Braves will be represented in the 100m dash and 200m dash at the 2011 NCAA Outdoor Championship meet.

Eubanks and Karlos Jordan were among five individuals to earn USTFCCCA All-Region honors in five events in the inaugural season for outdoor track and field in Division II. In the southeast region, Eubanks received all-region honors in the 100m dash, 200m dash, 400m dash, 4x100m relay and 4x400m relay. Jordan was awarded honors in the 100m dash, 200m dash, long jump, 4x100m relay and 4x400m relay. 

The UNCP men's track and field team included 10 athletes with all-region accolades to account for 23 outdoor track and field honors. Pardon Ndhlovu (800m, 1500m, 5000m, 4x400m relay) collected four honors, AJ Davis Jr. (shot put, discus throw, hammer throw) added three, while Darrell Greene (hammer throw), Malcom Jones (4x100m relay), Sesh Parker (4x100m relay), Chris Schroll (3000m steeplechase), Duane Thompson (long jump) and Jon Williams (4x400m relay) each registered an all-region honor.

A total of 1,250 athletes receive 1,838 all-region nods in the inaugural outdoor class. The top five from each region in individual events and each member of a relay ranked in the region's top three have earned the all-region distinction for the 2011 outdoor season.