CCC Sweeps 2025 NAIA West Region Outdoor Track & Field Awards

Men’s Track Athlete of the Year – Dylan Uhrich, British Columbia
Uhrich, a senior from Vancouver, British Columbia, has been one of the top distance runners in the NAIA this season. He leads the nation in the steeplechase with a time of 8:49.44, which ranks seventh all-time in NAIA history and stands as the fastest performance in the event since 2021. Uhrich also holds the fourth-best time nationally in the 1500 meters and ranks eighth in the 5000 meters.

Men’s Field Athlete of the Year – Tyler Jones, Eastern Oregon
Jones, from Richland, Washington, is currently ranked third in the NAIA in the high jump after clearing 2.15m (7-0½) at the Northwest Nazarene Open. He is one of just four NAIA athletes to clear that height this season, cementing his place among the elite field event performers nationally.

Men’s Coach of the Year – Ben Welch, Eastern Oregon
In his 34th season at the helm, Welch guided the Mountaineers to the 2025 CCC team title, winning nine events at the conference championships. Under his leadership, EOU has broken two program records this season and holds top-10 national #EventSquad rankings in six disciplines, highlighted by a No. 2 mark in both the steeplechase and decathlon.

Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year – Steve Weiler, British Columbia
Now in his fourth year as Lead Endurance Coach, Weiler helped lead UBC athletes to two event titles and a third-place finish at the CCC Championships. His distance squad has been among the most dominant in the NAIA this season, holding the top two times nationally in the steeplechase and top-10 marks in the 1500 and 5000 meters.

Women’s Track Athlete of the Year – Charlotte Bowman, College of Idaho
Bowman, from Rockland, Idaho, has been a force in sprint events all season and remains undefeated in the 100 meters, ranking sixth in the NAIA with a season-best of 11.60. At the CCC Championships, she totaled 38 points, including a win in the 100 meters and runner-up finishes in the 400 meters and both sprint relays, along with a third-place showing in the 200 meters.

Women’s Field Athlete of the Year – Sonya Urbanowicz, British Columbia
Urbanowicz, from Nanaimo, British Columbia, made headlines earlier this season by setting a then-NAIA record in the pole vault with a clearance of 4.20m (13-9¼) at the Beach Invitational. She captured the CCC title in the pole vault to help lead the Thunderbirds to the women’s team championship.

Women’s Coach of the Year – Laurier Primeau, British Columbia
In his 10th year as UBC’s head coach, Primeau guided the Thunderbirds to a dominant showing at the CCC Championships, where they scored a program-record 239 points and won 11 events. Under his direction, UBC holds the No. 1 national #EventSquad rankings in the 800 meters, 1500 meters, and hammer throw.

Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year – Catherine Watkins, British Columbia
Watkins, in her fourth season leading the UBC endurance group, coached Thunderbird athletes to two event titles at the CCC Championships. Her distance runners currently own the NAIA’s top times in the 800, 1500, and steeplechase, along with three other top-five marks nationally.