Watts Named USTFCCCA NCAA Division II Region Coach of the Year
NEW ORLEANS, LA - After another terrific season, the honors just keep coming in for Claflin University track & field. Claflin University track and field head coach Malcolm Watts was named the United States Track & Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Men's Indoor Coach of the Year.
The honor capped a terrific 2024-25 men's indoor track & field season for the Panthers. This season, Watts led the team to their third straight Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Men's Indoor Track & Field Championship. The Panthers dominated the field, scoring 138.5 total points. The championship included first place finishes in the men's 60m dash, the men's 400m dash, the men's 800m run, and the men's distance medley relay.
Watts' success carried into the national level where Claflin University had two student-athletes qualify for the 2025 NCAA Division II Men's Indoor Track & Field National Championship Meet. Juniors
Jaevon Riley and
Jonathan Flemister both qualified and were selected to compete for national championships in their respective events. Riley ran a 47.19 to place seventh at the national championship meet while Flemister placed 12
th in the men's 200m dash with a 21.28.
With the effort, the two student-athletes earned spots on the USTFCCCA All-America Team. Riley earned first team All-America honors while Flemister earned second-team All-America honors.
On a regional level, four Panthers were named to the USTFCCCA All-Region team. In addition to both Flemister and Riley, junior distance runner
Reginald Gore and senior
Zion Murry both earned spots on the all-region team. Murry earned his spot on the all-region team with the second-best men's 800m run time in the region. He ran a 1:52.11 at the USC Invite while Gore recorded the third-best time in the region with a 1:52.14.
With the honors in tow, the Panthers will turn their attention to the outdoor track & field season. For more information on Claflin University track & field, contact the Claflin University Office of Athletics Media Relation at (803) 535-5548 or log on to
www.athletics.claflin.edu.
NEW ORLEANS, LA - After another terrific season, the honors just keep coming in for Claflin University track & field. Claflin University track and field head coach Malcolm Watts was named the United States Track & Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Men's Indoor Coach of the Year.
The honor capped a terrific 2024-25 men's indoor track & field season for the Panthers. This season, Watts led the team to their third straight Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Men's Indoor Track & Field Championship. The Panthers dominated the field, scoring 138.5 total points. The championship included first place finishes in the men's 60m dash, the men's 400m dash, the men's 800m run, and the men's distance medley relay.
Watts' success carried into the national level where Claflin University had two student-athletes qualify for the 2025 NCAA Division II Men's Indoor Track & Field National Championship Meet. Juniors
Jaevon Riley and
Jonathan Flemister both qualified and were selected to compete for national championships in their respective events. Riley ran a 47.19 to place seventh at the national championship meet while Flemister placed 12
th in the men's 200m dash with a 21.28.
With the effort, the two student-athletes earned spots on the USTFCCCA All-America Team. Riley earned first team All-America honors while Flemister earned second-team All-America honors.
On a regional level, four Panthers were named to the USTFCCCA All-Region team. In addition to both Flemister and Riley, junior distance runner
Reginald Gore and senior
Zion Murry both earned spots on the all-region team. Murry earned his spot on the all-region team with the second-best men's 800m run time in the region. He ran a 1:52.11 at the USC Invite while Gore recorded the third-best time in the region with a 1:52.14.
With the honors in tow, the Panthers will turn their attention to the outdoor track & field season. For more information on Claflin University track & field, contact the Claflin University Office of Athletics Media Relation at (803) 535-5548 or log on to
www.athletics.claflin.edu.
