NEW ORLEANS, La. (November 19, 2021) - Postseason awards for the 2021 NJCAA Division II Cross Country season were handed out on Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) following the conclusion of the 2021 NJCAA Division II Cross Country Championships, which were held this past weekend at Pole Green Park in Richmond, Virginia.

Heading the list of award winners from Region 8 are four men's runners - Daytona State College's Andy Martinez, Sebastian Hernandez, and Christian Ruocco, and Tallahassee Community College's Leo Rutledge - who earned USTFCCCA All-America honors. Like the NJCAA, USTFCCCA bestows All-America status upon runners who finishes among the Top 15 at the 2021 NJCAA Division II Cross Country Championships and belong to a USTFCCCA member program.

Martinez (5th), Hernandez (7th) and Rutledge (9th) all placed inside the Top 10 in the Men's Championship 8K while Ruocco finished 12th.

Daytona State also swept the Atlantic Region awards on the men's side. Martinez was recognized as the Men's Athlete of the Year while his coach, Judy Wilson, was named Men's Coach of the Year.

Wilson guided the Falcons to the NJCAA Region 8/FCSAA State Championship and a runners-up finish at nationals.

On the women's side, Daytona State's Harleigh Bilz Crist was named Atlantic Region Women's Athlete of the Year. Crist finished 17th at the NJCAA Championships. 

Pasco-Hernando State College's Jacki Wachtel was named Atlantic Region Women's Coach of the Year. She guided the Bobcats to the NJCAA Region 8/FCSAA State Championship and an eighth-place finish at nationals.