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Vigilante Named Southeast Region Women's Coach of the Year
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NEW ORLEANS – Virginia head coach Jason Vigilante has been named the Southeast Region Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year, as announced by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The honor marks Vigilante’s seventh by the organization and third as a head coach.
Vigilante led the Cavalier women to their second NCAA Southeast Regional championship in three years last weekend. No. 12 Virginia entered the meet as the top ranked team in the region and defeated No. 21 North Carolina, 65-100, for the title. The Cavaliers placed four in the top-25, each earning all-region honors, while junior Morgane Gay became the fourth Cavalier to earn a top-five finish in the nine-year history of the championships, finishing fourth.
In addition, redshirt senior Stephanie Garcia became the second Cavalier to earn four all-region certificates throughout her career, finishing 10th overall. Sophomore Barbara Strehler and freshman Katherine Walker also earned All-Southeast Region honors for Virginia.
In just his third year at Virginia, Vigilante has led the women’s cross country program to two regional titles (2008 and 2010) and its best finish at ACCs in 17 years. This year, the then-No. 24 Cavaliers placed three in the top-10 to upset No. 12 Duke and No. 17 North Carolina and finish second to No. 3 Florida State, Virginia’s best finish since taking runner-up honors in 1993.
Vigilante has been tabbed the Southeast Region Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year twice (2008 and 2010) and also garnered 2009 Southeast Region Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year honors from the USTFCCCA as a head coach. At the conference level, he was named the ACC Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year in 2009 and the ACC Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2008.
Prior to coming to Virginia, Vigilante was honored by the USTFCCCA as the 2008 National Assistant Indoor Coach of the Year and the South Central Region Coach of the Year. In 2005, he was named the National Assistant Outdoor Coach of the Year and the Midwest Regional Coach of the Year for distance.
Virginia will conclude its season on Monday at the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Ind. The Cavaliers’ men’s and women’s teams have both advanced to the national meet for the third-straight year. The women’s 6k race will begin at approximately 12:08 p.m., followed by the men’s 10k race at approximately 12:48 p.m. Both championship races will be streamed online via NCAA.com.