Watts Named USTFCCCA Atlantic Region Women’s Indoor Track & Field Coach of the Year
NEW ORLEANS, LA - After leading the Claflin Lady Panthers indoor track & field team to one of their most successful seasons in school history, the honors just keep rolling in. Claflin University women's track & field head coach Malcolm Watts was named the 2025-26 United States Track & Field/Cross Country Coaches' Association (USTFCCCA) NCAA Division II Women's Indoor Track & Field Atlantic Region Coach of the Year.
The honor comes after leading the Lady Panthers to a dynamic season. This season, the Lady Panthers reached several milestones. The team's top accomplishment included placing second in the 2026 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Women's Indoor Track & Field Championship. The team totaled 123.5 total points to earn the second-place finish at the meet. The ranking was the highest the team ever achieved since joining the CIAA. Claflin junior jumper
Jhnyia Knuckles was also named the 2025-26 CIAA Women's Field Athlete of the Year.
The team also made its mark on a regional level with several honors. The Lady Panthers finished the 2025-26 indoor track & field season as the top-ranked team in NCAA Division II Atlantic Region. The team also earned several honors along the way including 11 selections to the USTFCCCA All-Region Team. Claflin sophomore sprinter
Morgan Coverson-Springs was named the USTFCCCA Indoor Track Athlete of the Year.
The accomplishments didn't end on a national level, Claflin sophomore
Morgan Coverson-Springs finished second in the women's 60m hurdles at the 2026 NCAA Division II Women's Indoor Track & Field National Championship Meet. She ran an 8.31 to earn the second-place finish. Knuckles placed 16
th in the women's triple jump with a 38' 9" (11.81m) jump. With their finishes, both student-athletes earned spots on the USTFCCCA All-America Team.
The honor marks the second regional honor for Watts as he was named 2024-25 USTFCCCA NCAA Division II Men's Indoor Track & Field Region Coach of the Year.
For more information on Lady Panthers track & field, contact the Claflin University Office of Athletics Media Relations at (803) 535-5548 or log on to
www.athletics.claflin.edu.
