ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Coming off of three University Athletic Association Indoor Track and Field Championships and securing the program's fifth straight UAA Indoor Championship, the top-ranked Washington University in St. Louis women's track and field team highlighted the league's 2024 indoor awards. After winning three league titles, and for the second time in three years, senior
Emma Kelley was named the most outstanding running performer. Additionally, head coach
Jeff Stiles and staff were named the women's coaching staff of the year, as announced by the league on Monday, March 4.
Kelley, who secured three titles, ran the third leg of the winning distance medley relay (DMR) event. She then won the 800-meter event, and was the achor in the winning 4 x 400 relay team.
Kelley and the DMR team paced the league, earning a time of 11:39.79. The Bears bested Emory University by nearly two seconds.
Kelley posted the fourth-fastest mark in Division III history in her 800-meter UAA win, racing to a time of 2:05.98 to win the event by nearly five seconds. Kelley's mark set a new meet record in the process.
Finally, Kelley and the 4 x 400 meter relay team spun a winning mark of 3:48.84 to earn the event victory by nearly three seconds.
Kelley, who is having a historic season, currently ranks in the top-two in all of Division III this season in two events.
Kelley owns the fastest 800-meter mark in Division III with her curved track adjusted time of 2:05.34. The next fastest 800-meter time in Division III is currently 2:09.80.
Furthermore, Kelley ranks second in all of Division III with a 400-meter curved track adjusted mark of 55.29.
Kelley and the 4 x 400 meter relay team owns the fourth-fastest time in Division III of 3:48.84.
For the fifth straight season, head coach
Jeff Stiles and staff has been named coaching staff of the year. This season, Stiles, along with associate head coach
Ray Williams, and assistants
Tommy Davis,
Gordon Reiter, Lane Lohr,
Nick Kolesky, Kyle Laker,
Richard Lincoff,
Konstadina Spanoudakis took home the award for the 2024 indoor season.
In Stiles' 16 seasons as the track and field coach, he has earned the indoor coaching staff of the year award nine times.
WashU won five event titles and set three meet records at the 2024 UAA Indoor Championships.
Kelley and the Bears will head to Virginia Beach, Va. for the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships, Friday-Saturday, March 8-9. The championship will be held at the Virginia Beach Sports Complex.
