Dan Waters, Doris Lemngole Collect USTFCCCA South Region Honors
11/27/2024 10:12:00 AM | Track & Field, Cross Country
Doris Lemngole was named South Region Women’s Athlete of the Year and Dan Waters was honored as the men’s and women’s South Region Coach of the Year
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama cross country head coach Dan Waters and sophomore phenom Doris Lemngole were named the South Region Men's/Women's Coach and Women's Athlete of the Year, respectively, announced by the United States Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association.
In his 14th year at the helm, Waters led the UA men's and women's squads to two top-20 finishes at the 2024 NCAA Cross Country Championships, a program sweep at the South Regional Championships and an additional pair of top-two finishes at the Southeastern Conference Championships, highlighted by the women's second conference title in three years.
A mere five months after capturing her first track and field national title (3,000m steeplechase), Lemngole used a late-race breakaway at the NCAA Cross Country Championships to secure her second national title of the 2024 calendar year. The standout sophomore clocked 19:21.0 to garner her first cross country national championship crown after first claiming the 2024 SEC women's 6k crown.
Dan Waters – USTFCCCA South Region Men's and Women's Coach of the Year
- Head coach Dan Waters led Alabama to a program sweep at the South Regional Championships, as the men won their eighth regional title in program history and the women their fifth crown
- Waters guided the Tide to a pair of top-two team finishes at the SEC Championships, featuring the women's fourth victory and second in three years
- In total, Waters saw UA earn a combined 12 top-two team finishes during the 2024 season, with nine of those being first
- The announcement marks the fourth time Waters has earned South Region Women's Coach of the Year honors and the first time of his career to be named the Dave Walker South Region Men's Coach of the Year
- Waters is now the third coach in program history to be named the South Region Men's Coach of the Year, giving Alabama a total of eight honors dating back to 1999
Doris Lemngole – USTFCCCA South Region Women's Athlete of the Year
- Doris Lemngole clocked a top-two finish in all six of her races this season, including victories at both the SEC Championships and the NCAA Cross Country Championships
- The announcement follows Lemngole receiving SEC Women's Runner of the Year honors
- Lemngole was also named the SEC Women's Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year before also landing on the First-Team All-SEC and USTFCCCA All-America lists
- She is the second Crimson Tide student-athlete to be named the women's South Region Athlete of the Year, following Mercy Chelangat in 2020 and 2021
- Overall, Alabama has earned women's South Region Athlete of the Year accolades three times, including three of the last five
Players Mentioned
