Blake Named NEC Coach of the Year, Women's Track All-Conference Selections Announced
Women's track won its first NEC Outdoor Championship in program history.
On Thursday afternoon, Central Connecticut head coach Eric Blake was named the 2019 Northeast Conference Women's Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year for the first time in his career after leading the women's team to its first NEC Title in program history.
The honor marks the 13 th Coach of the Year award (8-XC; 3-Outdoor; 1-Indoor) Blake has earned during ten seasons at the helm of the cross country and track and field teams. He was recently named the 2018 Northeast Conference Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year.
In addition, the league announced the 2019 All-NEC selections, highlighting one major award winner for the Blue Devils. Senior Dawn Hubbell was named the 2019 Most Outstanding Performer (distance) after taking home the gold in the 5,000 meter run with an impressive time of 17:37.05.
Joining Hubbell on the All-NEC first team is junior Megan Brawner who earned the gold in the 1,500 meter with a time of 4:44.66.
Central earned All-NEC second team in six events. Senior Sierra Nesmith earned the silver in the 400 meter (55.99), 400 meter hurdles (1:00.88), and triple jump (11.91m). Sophomore Angie Rafter took second place in the 800 meter (2:13.72) and senior McKenna Kilian was named to the team after a 1.67 meters in the high jump. Hubbell also placed second in the 10,000 meter with a time of 38:48.15.
Freshmen Ashley Dana and Danyelle Engels were named to the NEC Outdoor All-Rookie Team. Dana completed the 800 meter in an impressive time of 2:16.82 and Engels recorded a distance of 11.14 meters in the shot put.
