March 10, 2008

COLUMBIA, Mo. - The USTFCCCA (U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association) named Missouri Associate Head Coach Brett Halter as the Midwest Region Men's Assistant Coach of the Year on Monday. Halter, in his 14th year as a Mizzou assistant, once again has a throws group that is considered one of the most formidable in the country.

The Tiger throwers have had another banner season. Chris Rohr (Lee's Summit, Mo.) led a 2-3-4-5 in the 35-lb. weight throw at the Big 12 Conference meet, and Tiger senior Nate Englin (Mounds View, Minn.) won the shot put conference crown as Mizzou's male throwers accounted for a league-high 42 points at the Big 12 meet. In addition, Rohr has the second-best collegiate throw of the year in the weight at 73-6¾.

Joining Rohr at this weekend's NCAA Indoor Championships will be Tyler Dailey (Joplin, Mo.) in the weight throw, and possibly Englin in the shot put.

On the women's side, Krishna Lee (Kansas City, Mo.) and Shernelle Nicholls (St. Andrews, Parrish) is expected to earn births into the national championships in the shot put while Elisha Hunt (Linn, Mo.) looks to be a lock for a spot in the weight throw event. Official accepted entries will be announced later Monday evening. The NCAA Indoor Championships will be held this upcoming Friday and Saturday in Fayetteville, Ark.

During the outdoor 2006 season, Halter was named the USTFCCCA Mideast Region Assistant Coach of the Year for Throws. The outdoor award system uses the same four regions established for NCAA Regional qualification and a coach in each event group per region is recognized. Whereas, the indoor award system is based on the nine regions used during the cross country season and only one assistant per region (among all event groups) is given honors.

Halter also coaches Christian Cantwell (Eldon, Mo.) who just won his second IAAF World Indoor title, becoming only the second in indoor world championship history to have won two Golds in the men's shot put (Ulf Timmermann).

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