ERIE, Pa. – Mitchell Obenrader (Fryburg, PA/North Clarion) was selected as the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Mideast Region Field Athlete of the Year and assistant coaches Kayla Kregel and Katie Patterson earn Assistant Coaches of the Year honors.

Obenrader is set to do something at NCAAs that very few have done in the history of DIII. He qualified in the javelin throw and is the top-ranked athlete in that discipline (67.50m, 221′ 5″), is seventh in the shot put (17.07m, 56′) and is top-20 in the discus throw (48.65m, 159′ 7″). According to records, no male has qualified for NCAAs in all three events as far back as records are kept, which is 1974, and no man has done the javelin-shot put combination since 1989.

Kregel earned Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year honors in her first year at Behrend. She led her sprinters and other athletes to big PRs this season. NCAA qualifier Paige Allen has improved from 12.30 to 11.92 in the 100 meters and 25.53 to 24.66 in the 200 meters under coach Kregel’s guidance. Kregel helps all athletes with strength training, and in turn, a women’s team of just 17 athletes scored 276.5 points to win the Colonial States Athletic Conference Championships.

Patterson was tabbed the Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year. A former distance runner now in her third year coaching throws for the Lions, has guided good athletes to big improvements this season. Top thrower Mitch Obenrader won the conference championship in all four throws and the Behrend men scored 59 points in the throws. She will guide Obenrader to the NCAA Championships as the top seed in the javelin, in addition to the shot put and the discus.