Lananna Named 2026 Outdoor ACC Men’s Coach of the Year

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Atlantic Coast Conference office announced the yearly awards Friday (June 26), naming Virginia Director of Cross Country and Track and Field Coach Vin Lananna the 2026 Outdoor ACC Men’s Coach of the Year.

 

After being named the Outdoor ACC Women's Coach of the Year last season and the Outdoor ACC Men's Coach of the Year in 2024, Lananna earned his third straight ACC Outdoor Coach of the Year honors after leading the Virginia men to the second outdoor conference title in three years. Another successful year in Charlottesville for Lananna also included being named USTFCCCA Southeast Region Men's Coach of the Year for cross country after the Virginia men won the 2025 ACC Cross Country Championship and recorded the highest program finish (7th) since 1984 at the 2025 NCAA DI Cross Country Championships.

 

The Cavalier men won the 2026 ACC Outdoor Championships in Louisville, Ky. scoring a total of 110 points. Virginia beat Florida State in second place with 96 points and Virginia Tech in third with 88 points. This marks the second Men's ACC Outdoor Championship team title outright in program history as Virginia tied Florida State in 2009. 

 

In his seventh year as Director of Track and Field and Cross Country/Associate Athletics Director at Virginia, Lananna led the Cavalier men to the ACC Championship title scoring a total of 110 points including three individual ACC Champions in Brett Gardner (3000m Steeplechase), Jeremiah Nubbe (Hammer) and Justin Wachtel (10,000m). Gardner won his second straight crown in the steeplechase and first in the Virginia uniform as he competed for NC State last season. Gardner led the third 1-2 finish in four years in the event for the Cavaliers as Nathan Mountain finished in second place. Wachtel led the 1-2 finish in the 10,000-meters as Will Anthony secured the silver. The Indoor ACC weight throw bronze medalist and NCAA runner-up, Nubbe bested the field to win the hammer throw competition. The Cavaliers men achieved a total of 18 All-ACC honors. 

 

Virginia qualified 34 athletes, 14 of which were men, to the NCAA East First Round where nine men qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships. In Eugene, Ore. three Cavaliers earned spots on the podium and First Team All-America accolades. Gary Martin recorded his highest career finish at the National Championships with a third-place finish in the 1500-meters. Jeremiah Nubbe finished fourth in the hammer throw while Brett Gardner finished seventh in the 3000-meter steeplechase. Three Cavaliers including Will Daley (5000m), Nathan Mountain (3000m Steeplechase) and Nikolaos Polychroniou (HT) earned Second Team All-America honors. The Virginia men finished 19^th in the team standings with a total of 13 points.