Hokie ClubNEW ORLEANS, La. – Virginia Tech director of track & field and cross country Dave Cianelli and associate head coach and throws coach Greg Jack have earned regional coaching awards for the Southeast Region for the 2012 indoor track & field season as announced Monday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
Cianelli was named the Men’s Coach of the Year for the Southeast Region for the second straight indoor season. This season, Cianelli led the Hokies to a runner-up finish in the ACC Championship as Tech’s men have been ranked No. 1 in the region for the entire season and currently rank No. 11 nationally. The Hokies had two individual conference champions in senior All-American Marcel Lomnicky (weight throw) and redshirt senior Ryan Witt (800 meters) and five others who earned All-ACC honors.
Jack, who has built one of the nation’s elite throwing programs at Tech, was named the region's Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year. This season, Jack guided Hokie weight throwers to a 1-2-3 finish at the ACC Indoor Championship, which contributed 24 points to the Hokies 95½ point total, as Lomnicky, junior All-American Alexander Ziegler and junior All-American Denis Mahmic swept the podium. Jack guided all three men to personal bests in the event this season. Lomnicky and Ziegler both hit the NCAA automatic qualifying standard and currently rank No. 2 and No. 3 in the NCAA in the event. In addition, freshman Luka Mustafic earned All-ACC honors with a third place finish and personal best in the shot put.
Last year Jack was the Men’s Southeast Region Outdoor Assistant Coach of the Year and in 2010, he was named the Men’s Southeast Region Indoor and Outdoor Assistant Coach of the Year.