By: Tito Chapman
Monroe College assistant coach, Shirvon Greene was announced as the 2020 Atlantic Region Men’s and Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) at the NJCCA Indoor Championship Banquet. The regional awards event was held on Thursday 5 March, 2020.
This year marks the sixth consecutive year that Greene has copped this award. A feat he is proud to have accomplished.
According to Greene the team fought through adversity and injuries.
He expressed that:
The sixth award feels like the first. The team worked hard despite fighting through adversities. We had a rough season and a rough start to the indoor Championships but we pulled through. That is why this award is more valued and equivalent to the first time I captured it.
Greene further lamented:
I am elated to share my success with the athletes because of the diverse composition of the team. It is worthy to note that Kittitian Ka’jon Parris, a fellow country man was apart of the 4×800 relay national championship team.
Greene expressed thanks to the Athletic Directors: Luis Melendez, Chazia Weste, Sandy Rodriguez, Jessica Rayford; School President Marc Jerome and School Chairman, Stephen Jerome for making the transition for the athletes alot easier.
Greene’s co-worker, Coach Hogg also took home the 2020 Atlantic Region Men’s and Women’s Coach of the Year for the sixth straight time.
Together they have steered the Mustangs Women to a No. 6 ranking and the Men’s Mustangs to a No. 10 ranking.
Faten Laribi
Both the Men’s and Women’s 4×800 relay teams captured the national championship.
The men’s 4×800 relay team of Phelani Maduwa, Ka’Jon Parris, Christopher Spellman and Keron Charles picked up a big win on Saturday after clocking in at 7:43.02, edging out Mesa Community College by 1.61 seconds. The Mustangs’ female counterparts also captured the 4×800 relay national championship on Saturday, defending their national title from the previous year.
Monroe College
The “Golden Girls,” as dubbed by the Mustangs’ coaching staff, successfully defended their first-place finish from a year ago on Saturday. The foursome of Thobile Amon, Joanna Archer, Thulisile Amon and Faten Laribi clocked in at 9:11.88, just under two seconds faster than the second-place team, New Mexico Junior College, to pick up the win.
Monroe CollegeIn addition to the coaches winnings, atheltes Joanna Archer and Geoffrey Bwalley won the Atlantic Region Male and Female athlete of the year respectively. Archer who hails from Guyana, won the award based on her excellence in middle distance races while Bwalley copped the award for his excellence in long distance races.
The relay teams first-place finishes earned them First-Team All-American honors.
The 2020 NJCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships was held from Friday, March 6, through Saturday, March 7, at the Liberty University Indoor Track in Lynchburg, Va.
