ANTKOVIAK, JOHNSON EARN AGAIN EARN NAIA MIDWEST AWARDS FROM USTFCCCA

NEW ORLEANS, La. –  For the second consecutive track season, Olivet Nazarene University's Hannah Antkoviak and Zontavius Johnson have been named the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches' Association (USTFCCCA) Women's Indoor Track Athlete of the Year and Women's Indoor Assistant Coach of the Year, respectively, for the Midwest Region. The USTFCCCA announced their end-of-season awards Friday.

The two earned the same accolades for the NAIA Midwest Region's outdoor season in 2023, a season in which Johnson coached Antkoviak to a national title in the women's 400-meter hurdles at the NAIA Outdoor National Championships.

Antkoviak, who hails from Allegan, Michigan, is ranked first nationally in the 600 meters at 1:31.65, a mark that only two women in NAIA history ran faster since 2011 (Helen Crofts and Addy Wiley). The ONU standout is also ranked third nationally in the 400 meters at 54.17 OT and anchors the nation's second-fastest 4×400 relay squad.

Johnson, in his second year at ONU, coached athletes who scored 106 of the Tigers' 244 points in winning the CCAC Indoor Championships, breaking two meet records. His athletes top-3 nationally in three events, led by national 600 leader Antkoviak. Three of his crews rank Top-4 in the national #EventSquad rankings, led by a No. 3 in the 400.

The Tigers will close out the indoor season at the 2024 NAIA Indoor Track & Field Championships, which will begin Thursday, Feb. 29 at the Sanford Jackrabbit Athletic Complex in Brookings, S.D. You can watch the Championships live at the NAIA Network.

--ONU—

*Contact: Evan Wild, Sports Information Director, ewwild@olivet.edu