NEW ORLEANS – After guiding the University of South Alabama men's cross country team to the team title at the end last month's Sun Belt Conference Championship meet, Jaguar cross country coach Parker Cowles was named the Sun Belt's Coach of the Year on the men's side as announced by the league office on Thursday.

The team title was the program's first team championship since 2014 and the ninth overall in program history, while the 39 points scored were the eighth-fewest recorded by the Jaguar men at a conference meet and the fewest since scoring 28 when capturing their seventh title in Little Rock, Ark., during the 2006 season.
 
South placed five runners inside the top 11 spots: Kirami Yego (first-team), Onesmus Kemboi (second team), Thomas Sand (second team), Warno Potgieter (second team) and Nate Pudner (third team) – all of which earned all-conference accolades – en route to the dominant performance.

Cowles' marks the eighth time a Jaguar coach has received the honor on the men's side and the first since David Barnett, who did so after the 2014 meet. Others to be named coach of the year by the SBC on the men's side: Lee Evans (2006), Brad Bowman (1999), Steve Thomas (1996 and 1993), Bruce Coldsmith (1991) and Ed Kelley (1981).

Also on Thursday, Yego, a freshman from Kapenguria, Kenya, was selected as both the Sun Belt Newcomer and Freshman of the Year as a result of his third-place finish in the men's 8k where he crossed the line with a time of 24:39.1.

With Yego's selection as newcomer of the year, South Alabama has had a runner receive the honor in back-to-back seasons as Kemboi received the award last season. Yego is also the third male cross country runner to be named the league's freshman of the year, joining former Jags Michael Pienaar (2014) and Alex Shields (2009).

During the 2020 season, Yego led the Jag men in three of their four races, placing first and second, respectively in the first two races of the season. Yego was also named the league's runner of the week on Sept.17.

2020 Sun Belt Conference Cross Country Men's Newcomer and Freshman of the Year
Men: South Alabama, Kirami Yego (3rd overall)
Women: Grace Booher, Troy (10th overall)

2020 Sun Belt Cross Country Men's Coach of the Year
Men: Parker Cowles, South Alabama
Women: Jesse Duvall, Arkansas State

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/WeAreSouth_JAGS. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Finish Line Club, the track and field and cross country specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund.  All donations to the Finish Line Club go directly to support the South Alabama track and field/cross country programs.  For more information on how you can join visit:  jaguarathleticfund.com/finishlineclub

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