NEW ORLEANS – Regional Athletes & Coaches of the Year for the 2023 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field season were announced on Friday by the U.S. 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.

Award winners were determined by a vote of USTFCCCA member coaches at the conclusion of the regular season. Only those individuals from USTFCCCA member programs are eligible for awards.

Men’s Track Athlete of the Year

SOUTH REGION – Saminu Abdul-Rasheed – Florida Memorial

Abdul-Rasheed, who hails from Nanumba, South Ghana, reigns as the NAIA’s top 100-meter runner with a remarkable time of 9.97, which puts him among the fastest athletes in NAIA history. He ranks second in the NAIA in the 200m with a time of 20.50. Abdul-Rasheed emerged victorious in both the 100m and 200m at the Sun Conference Outdoor Championships.