SWCC’s Evans named assistant track and field coach of the year

Last month, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association released their athletes and coaches of the year.

Southwestern Community College’s Mark Evans was named the NJCAA Midwest region’s women’s assistant coach of the year.

In each category, one winner is selected from each region — Atlantic, Central, Midwest and West.

Evans joined the SWCC track & field program in 2018 after two years away. He was formerly employed by the college for three consecutive seasons assisting SWCC’s track & field program from 2013-16.

During his first stint at SWCC, Evans helped produce numerous NJCAA National Qualifiers in sprints and jumps.

Additionally, he helped lead the Spartan program to its first ever NJCAA All-American honors in high jumper Seth Starks.

He helped coach track & field for the Creston Community School system more than 20 years, at the middle school and high school level.

He was a member of the Iowa Army National Guard for eight years.

This year, he coached national qualifiers in the shot put, hammer throw and javelin, while also helping athletes achieve school records in the same events.

The Spartans’ throwers rank highly in the USTFCCCA Event Squad Rankings, placing fourth in javelin, fifth in discus, and 12th in shot put.

Thrower Molly Venteicher became Evans’s fourth All-American this year in the weight throw.

Evans is also employed by SWCC in transportation where he assists with maintenance of the buses and shuttles.

In addition to his work at the college, Evans works as a mailman for Creston.

Other Iowa junior college awards went to Iowa Western for women’s coach of the year, women’s field athlete of the year and women’s track athlete of the year.

Iowa Central’s had the men’s coach of the year, men’s assistant coach of the year and men’s field athlete of the year.

Indian Hills took the award for men’s athlete of the year.