WC’s Durr, Duncan and Combs earn USTFCCCA Regional awards
Pictured (l-r) are JJ Durr, Faith Duncan and Ron Combs. (Wilmington College photos)
Wilmington College’s Faith Duncan, JJ Durr and Ron Combs were recognized by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) as the Great Lakes Region Indoor Track & Field Women's Track Athlete, Men's Field Athlete and Women's Assistant Coach of the Year, respectively.
Duncan, a four-time National Champion, was named the first USTFCCCA Indoor Great Lakes Region Women's Track Athlete of the Year for Wilmington and is the fourth Quaker to be awarded for the indoor or outdoor season, track or field.
Duncan won the 5000-meter race on March 14 with a time of 16:31.42, besting second place by a margin of just under eight seconds. Then she won the 3000-meter on March 15 with a time of 9:22.45, besting second place by just a shade over four seconds.
Duncan is the second Quaker to win two USTFCCCA Regional Athlete of the Year awards, after winning the 2024 National and Great Lakes Region Cross Country Athlete of the Year. Ashley Johnson won Great Lakes Region Field Athlete of the Year for both the indoor and outdoor seasons in 2007. Callen Martin won the Great Lakes Region Track Athlete of the Year for the outdoor season in 2009.
Duncan will look to be the first Quaker to earn three USTFCCCA Regional Athlete of the Year awards in an academic year, during this upcoming outdoor season.
Durr is the first Quaker men's athlete to earn a USTFCCCA Great Lakes Region Athlete of the Year for the indoor or outdoor track & field season.
Durr, the National Champion in the Weight Throw, won with a throw of 20.14 meters (66 feet, one inch), winning by 0.06 meters (3.5 inches).
Durr joins Simon Heys, who won the 2023 Great Lakes Region Cross Country Athlete of the Year, as the only Quakers men to win a USTFCCCA Regional Award.
Combs earns the Quakers’ first Regional Assistant Coach of the Year award. He has helped guide Duncan to her four National Championships and also helped earn the women's track & field team an eighth place finish at the NCAA Division Indoor Track & Field Championships with 20 points.
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