New Orleans, LA --- Worcester State head coach Mat Lemaire has been selected by his peers from around the region as the US Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) New England Women's Indoor Track Coach of the Year for helping to guide the Lancers to an outstanding showing during the 2011-12 indoor track postseason.
On February 11, the Blue and Gold started their strong start by capturing their third-consecutive MASCAC Indoor Championship while their final tally of 238 points tied the meet record. Three student-athletes and the 4x200 meter relay team would impress with New England Alliance crowns as WSU also placed second in the Alliance standings, just 32 points off of Southern Maine's first-place mark.
In what will go down as one of the finest team postseason performances in program history, Worcester State scored 51 points at the Division III New England Championships the following week for sixth overall – the highest finish for a public institution at the meet.
In addition to their school record setting point total at the DIII New England's, junior Briana Wise (Worcester, MA) took home the 60 meters and 200 meter crowns and sophomore Christy Deininger (N. Attleboro, MA) followed with the top spot in the 60 meter hurdles. The 4x200, the 4x400 and distance medley relay teams also scored points with record-setting performances.
Wise would follow up her tremendous finish on February 24, by earning the NEISCAAA 200 meter title and become the first-ever indoor female student-athlete to earn an individual crown at the meet. With 13 team points, it also marked the highest final spot and scoring total for WSU at the New England Championships.
At the ECAC Division III Championships just six days ago, Worcester State placed ninth as a team to reset the team record for points. Wise and Deininger highlighted the Lancers with All-ECAC accolades in the 60 and 60 meter hurdles, respectively, while Wise won her fourth 200 meter title this postseason with a new meet and facility record.
Freshman Amanda Caldarone (Danvers, MA) garnered All-ECAC honors in the long jump and the 4x400 meter relay crew made up entirely of first-year collegiate sprinters reset program mark for the third-time this season.
Wise is competing this evening at 6:35 PM (central time) as the 13th ranked student-athlete in the 60 meters at the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships in Grinnell, Iowa.
Over the course of this 2011-12 indoor campaign, the WSU women have established or broken 12 school records. In the five seasons that Lemaire has been head coach, the Lancers have reset 14 indoor program standards.
This past fall, Lemaire was also honored as the Turfer MASCAC Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year as the Blue and Gold placed second to tie for their second-best performance at the meet. The female harriers also placed 20th at the NCAA Division III New England Cross Country meet, their highest finish ever.