Toledo Director of Track and Field/Cross Country Kevin Hadsell has been named the 2012 Ohio Division I Collegiate Coach of the Year, as voted on by the Ohio Collegiate Cross Country Coaches’ Association.
Toledo Director of Track and Field/Cross Country Kevin Hadsell, shown here receiving the Mid-American Conference Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year Award from Dr. John Steinbrecher, commissioner of the conference, has been named the 2012 Ohio Division I Collegiate Coach of the Year.
Hadsell ranks second all-time in MAC history with five Coach of the Year Awards in women’s cross country.
“It is always nice to be recognized by your peers,” Hadsell said. “I take a tremendous amount of pride in representing The University of Toledo. We have something special here, so I’m proud anytime that is recognized and to be associated with this program and our student-athletes.”
With Hadsell at the helm, the Toledo women’s cross country team continued to establish itself this fall as one of the elite national programs.
The Rockets received their highest national ranking in program and MAC history at No. 15, while claiming their third straight conference championship and fifth in program history. They dominated the MAC field, scoring a conference-low 24 points to break their previous record of 33 points in last year’s race. Eight of the nine Toledo runners earned All-MAC honors.
Hadsell and the Rockets then moved on to finish fifth at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Race, earning an NCAA Championship berth for the third year in a row.
Toledo became one of only four MAC schools to qualify for the NCAA Women’s Cross Country Championships and the only one to appear in multiple national finals. Toledo also is one of only 17 programs to qualify for the last three NCAA Championships.
The Rockets finished 28th at the national championship, keeping them ranked in the top 30 of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association National Coaches’ Poll, a streak that extends back to the 2011 season.
