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Date: December 7, 2004
Contact: Bill Sodoma

 

Aitken named New England Region Coach of the Year

WATERVILLE, Maine -- Colby College head coach Deb Aitken has been named the New England Region Coach of the Year in women's cross country by the NCAA Cross Country Coaches Association.

Aitken, who also won the award in 1993 in cross country and has won a regional track and field coaching award as well, helped Colby to its best finish ever at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships. The Mules finished in fifth place after coming into the NCAA meet ranked ninth in the country.

Aitken previously was honored as the New England Small College Athletic Conference Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year by a vote of the league coaches.

Aitken, a Skowhegan, Maine, native helped the Mules to fine finishes all year in the competitive New England Region in her 20th season as coach. Colby's third-place finish at the New England Regional meet put the Mules into the NCAA meet at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Aitken has had five teams make the NCAA meet. The Mules' best previous finish was 10th place in 1994.

Besides the five teams in national competition, Aitken also has coached 10 individual runners to national competition and those athletes have earned 11 All-America honors.

The Mules took fourth place in the NESCAC Championships at Colby on October 30, but the three teams in front were all ranked nationally in the top five.