Wutz and Layne win USTFCCCA Regional Awards

MILLIGAN, Tenn. (November 10, 2021) – Milligan University graduate student Lemi Wutz was named the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) South Region Athlete of the Year and head coach Chris Layne was honored as the region's Coach of the Year on Wednesday.

Wutz earned First-Team All-AAC honors with a runner-up finish at the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Championships. She helped the Buffs to their 16th AAC title as Milligan had five of the top seven overall finishers and a team score of 18.

Wutz was the Buffs' top finisher in four out of five meets this season and has posted top-four finishes in every outing in 2021. She matched Milligan Hall of Famer Hannah Segrave's all-time 5k record with a 17:08 time at the Queen City Invitational and took first place in the NAIA Southern States Challenge on Oct. 23 with a 17:32 mark.

"Lemi was really good when she got to us, but it's been great to see the consistency she's had at a little different level this season," said Layne. "She pours everything into every session and every race. Unfortunately she was a bit under the weather at the conference meet so I'm happy to see her get credit for her body of work thus far."

Layne repeats as the regional coach of the year. Milligan's women have been nationally ranked in 52-consecutive polls and matched their highest ranking in program history at No. 2 in 2021. The Buffs have been ranked No. 2 nationally for all five in-season polls this fall.

Milligan's women will make their 19th-consecutive trip to the NAIA National Championships in 2021. The Buffs finished seventh with a pair of All-Americans at last season's championship