May 15, 2026
NEW ORLEANS, La. – Regional Athletes and Coaches of the Year for the 2026 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field season were announced on Thursday by the United States Track & Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
Each of the five regions – Great Lakes, Midwest, South, South Central, and West – honored both genders’ top track athletes and field athletes as well as the top men’s and women’s head coaches and assistant coaches.
Awards winners were determined by a vote of USTFCCCA member coaches. Only those individuals from USTFCCCA member programs are eligible for awards.
Many of these honored athletes and coaches are headed to the 2026 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships next week in Asheville, N.C.
Five individuals from the Frontier Conference received recognition. They are:
Men’s Field Athlete-of-the-Year – Midwest Region: Dylan Dahlgren – Dickinson State (N.D.)
Dahlgren was the only athlete in the Midwest Region to qualify for the NAIA Outdoor Championships in three field events. He ended the regular season ranked sixth nationally in the hammer throw, tenth in the shot put and 13th in the discus throw.
Dahlgren won the hammer at the Frontier Conference Outdoor Championships with a record throw and finished runner-up in the discus and fourth in the shot put.
Men’s Field Athlete-of-the-Year – West Region: Carson Krack – Carroll (Mont.)
Krack ended the regular season ranked first nationally in the decathlon with 7526 points, a score that puts him ninth in NAIA history.
He totaled 26 points in field events at the Frontier Conference Outdoor Championships, winning both the decathlon and long jump, as well as finishing third in the high jump.
Women’s Field Athlete-of-the-Year – Midwest Region: Chloe Gunderson – Dickinson State (N.D.)
Gunderson ended the regular season ranked first nationally in the discus throw and second nationally in the shot put. Her shot-put personal record of 15.71m (51-6½) ranks her sixth in NAIA history.
Gunderson scored 25 points in throwing events at the Frontier Conference Outdoor Championships, winning both the discus and shot put, and finishing fourth in the hammer.
Women’s Coach of the Year – Midwest Region: Alex Glover – Dakota State (S.D.)
Glover, in his first year as head coach, led the Trojans to its first outdoor conference team title since 1997, winning the Frontier Conference Outdoor Championships with 167 points and capturing three event titles.
All four of Dakota State’s throwing crews rated top 10 in the national #EventSquad Rankings.
Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year – Midwest Region: Tanner Gust – Dickinson State (N.D.)
Gust coached the Blue Hawks’ throwers to win three titles at the Frontier Conference Outdoor Championships, led by Field Athlete MVP Chloe Gunderson.
Nationally, his athletes combined to rank No. 1 in the shot put and discus throw in the #EventSquad Rankings, plus No. 3 in the hammer throw.