No. 1 Taylor's Halterman Earns Nation's Top Award from the USTFCCCA
UPLAND, Ind. – Taylor freshman Jaynie Halterman was named the NAIA National Women's Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association on Nov. 26, becoming the first TU athlete to earn the association's top award.
National athletes and coaches of the year were voted on by USTFCCCA member coaches based on results of the entire 2024 NAIA cross country season.
Halterman put together a perfect season, taking home the individual title in each of her six races.
For context, 1,277 total individual races were completed by the freshman's competitors during those six meets, and Halterman topped them all.
The Thompson's Station, Tennessee, native set an individual program record in four of TU's six meets, including breaking her own 6k program records at both the Crossroads League and NAIA Championships.
Halterman capped her 2024 campaign by becoming the NAIA's Individual Champion while setting the national meet 6k record with a time of 20:24.7. Fittingly, she now has the USTFCCCA's supreme honor to go with it.