SALISBURY, Md. – The Salisbury University track and field teams saw three of its personnel earn major Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference (C2C) awards for the 2023 outdoor season, as revealed on Thursday afternoon. Kai Smith and Marlyse Haack swept Men's and Women's Rookie of the Year, respectively, while head coach Jim Jones fronted the Men's Coaching Staff of the Year.
 
Smith, a freshman from Upper Marlboro, Md., secures the Indoor-Outdoor Rookie of the Year sweep after medaling four times at last month's C2C Outdoor Championships. He captured a trio of gold medals, including in the 200 meters (21.61) and 400 meters (personal-best 48.48) and as first leg of the 4x400-meter relay team (3:22.32), as well as a silver anchoring the 4x100-meter relay team (41.65). Smith earned Men's Track Athlete of the Meet honors after helping the Sea Gulls win their first C2C men's championship in eight years.
 
The award adds to Smith's ample collection for the outdoor season: he was All-Mid-Atlantic Region in the 200 meters, 400 meters and both relays, and his 4x100-meter team won the Eastern Collegiate championship at the 127th Penn Relays in April.
 
Haack, a freshman from Waretown, N.J., takes home Rookie of the Year laurels after finishing top-five in all five of her events and medaling in four at the C2C Outdoor Championships. She won a silver medal in the triple jump (personal-best 10.99m, 36-0.75) and as the first leg of the 4x400-meter relay team (4:18.60). Haack also earned bronzes in the long jump (personal-best 5.21m, 17-1.25) and as second leg in the 4x100-meter relay (49.86), plus a fifth-place showing in the 200 meters (26.29).
 
Jones, who just completed his 24th season leading the Salisbury track and field program, is C2C Men's Outdoor Coach of the Year for the 11th time overall and first time since 2015. He and his staff oversaw a breakthrough 200-point performance that secured the men's team championship by 24 points over second-place Christopher Newport. The Sea Gull men won eight gold medals, plus seven silvers and eight bronzes, and swept the podium in the discus and javelin throws.
 
Jones also saw two of his athletes qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Rochester, N.Y., with Rashawn Markman finishing 10th in the triple jump and Cameron Hasko 16th in the javelin throw.
 

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Salisbury University is a proud member of NCAA Division III with primary membership in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, along with the New Jersey Athletic Conference for football and men's and women's swimming, and the Coastal Lacrosse Conference for men's lacrosse. With over 500 student-athletes in 21 varsity sports, SU is recognized as one of the most competitive intercollegiate athletics programs regardless of division, and dedicated coaches and staff that foster excellence on-and-off the field. The Sea Gulls have celebrated 23 team national championships, 24 individual national champions, 196 conference championships and 44 Academic All-Americans.

To Make Tomorrow Yours at Salisbury University, and learn more about Sea Gull Athletics' tradition of excellence, visit www.SUSeaGulls.com or on social media @SUSeaGulls.