NEW ORLEANS - National and Regional Athletes and Coaches of the Year for the 2026 NCAA DIII Indoor Track and Field season were announced by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) boasting three individuals from Centre College.
Award winners were determined by a vote of USTFCCCA member coaches. Only those individuals from USTFCCCA member programs are eligible for awards.
Great Lakes Region Awards
Serena McNeilly captured the Great Lakes Region Field Athlete of the Year Award along with being named the 2026 Most Outstanding Field Performer at the NCAA Division III Championship.
McNeilly scored postseason points in field events by the bushel. She amassed 33 of them at the NCAA DIII Indoor Championships, winning both the high jump and pentathlon, placing second in the triple jump, and fourth in the long jump. Three of those performances resulted in PRs: pentathlon (3782), high jump (1.79m/5-10½), and triple jump (12.30m/40-4¼). Earlier in the season, McNeilly won both the high jump and triple jump, and finished third in the long jump at the SAA Indoor Championships.
She was joined by her coaching staff with head Coach Lisa Owens claiming the Great Lakes Women's Coach of the Year and Ernest Mosheleketi taking the women's assistant coach of the year in the Great Lakes Region.
Owens led the Colonels to a third-place team finish at the NCAA DIII Indoor Championships, winning three events. Those titles came from two athletes – Serena McNeilly in the pentathlon and high jump and Chloe Hein in long jump. McNeilly scored in two other events in earning DIII Most Outstanding Field Performer honors, and Hein twice extended the DIII all-time record in the long jump.
Mosheleketi coached the two Colonels to account for all three of Centre’s event titles in finishing third as a team at the NCAA DIII Indoor Championships. Serena McNeilly won the pentathlon and high jump and scored in two other events in earning DIII field Most Outstanding Performer honors, while Chloe Hein won the long jump title to culminate a season that saw her twice extend the DIII all-time record.
National Awards
Serena McNeilly was named the 2026 NCAA DIII Women’s Indoor Track & Field National Field Athlete of the Year. McNeilly, who hails from Radcliff, Kentucky, scored a whopping 33 points at the NCAA DIII Indoor Championships, winning both the high jump and pentathlon, placing second in the triple jump, and fourth in the long jump. Earlier in the season, McNeilly amassed 26 points at the SAA Indoor Championships behind victories in the high jump and triple jump, plus a third-place finish in the long jump.
Ernest Mosheleketi was named the 2026 NCAA DIII Women’s Indoor Track & Field National Assistant Coach of the Year. Mosheleketi coached the two Colonels to account for all three of Centre’s event titles in finishing third as a team at the NCAA DIII Indoor Championships. Serena McNeilly won the pentathlon and high jump and scored in two other events, while Chloe Hein won the long jump title to culminate a season that saw her twice extend the DIII all-time record.
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