May 22, 2006 – ATLANTA – Morehouse head track and field coach Willie H. Hill has been named the South Region Coach of the Year for the 2006 outdoor season.

Cited for his achievements by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, Hill will receive an award Wednesday at Emporia State University, site of the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

Coach Hill coached the Flying Maroon Tigers to an eighth-place finish at the NCAA Division II indoor championships and followed that up with a strong outdoor season, winning the SIAC championship by more than 40 points. Hill has led the Morehouse cross country team to 12 consecutive SIAC titles.

The coaches’ association also tabbed Morehouse freshman Damian Prince as the NCAA South Region Athlete of the Year. Prince, from Decatur, Ga., won the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles and placed second in the open 400. His time of 50.91 makes him the top-seeded entrant at this year’s outdoor nationals, scheduled for May 25-27. Prince will receive an award at the banquet preceding the national meet.

Other SIAC athletes receiving regional awards include:

Lynnsey Dailey, of Fort Valley State, who further solidified her status as one of the greatest talents in the history of Division II track. Dailey ran the 100-meter hurdles in a sizzling 12.98, the fastest time by a Division II performer this season by more than a half-second. She also ranks No. 2 in the 400-meter hurdles at 58.38. The versatile Dailey has a 19-6¼ best in the long jump that ranks her sixth nationally and she is the SIAC heptathlon champion.

and
Brandon Rhoulac of Albany State, who won the SIAC title in the triple jump, also finishing second in the high jump and third in the long jump. The defending NCAA outdoor champion in the triple jump has a season’s best of 53-2¼.