BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) announced its women’s outdoor track & field awards Thursday and it was déjà vu for Birgen Nelson (Sr., Edina) and Head Coach Aaron Lund. For the second straight year, Nelson was named MIAC Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year, while Lund earned his second-straight Women’s Coach of the Year Award, as voted on by his peers.
Nelson took home four titles at the 2023 MIAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships, winning the 100- and 400-meter hurdles, the 100-meter dash, and was a part of the winning 4×100 relay team. Nelson won the 100-hurdles with the second-fastest all-conditions time in DIII history — only to her own 13.32 set earlier in the season. Nelson set a new school record in the 100-meter with an 11.71 — the sixth fastest in DIII this season, while her 400-hurdles time of 59.87 ranks second in the country this year. Nelson helped the Gusties 4×100 relay team break a facility, program, and conference record with a time of 47.15. Nelson is the first athlete to repeat as MIAC Women’s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year since Nikki Arola of St. Thomas did so in 2008 and 2009.
Lund was named MIAC Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Coach of the Year for the second year in a row after guiding the Gustie women to their second-straight outdoor track & field championship. In Lund’s fourth season at the helm, Gustavus came away with eleven All-Conference spots and six MIAC titles. Lund is the first repeat recipient of the MIAC Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Coach of the Year award since St. Thomas’ Joe Sweeney won two in a row in 2013 and 2014.
Macalester’s Journey Amundson was named 2023 Women’s Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year, while Bethel’s Nora Wilhelm received the conference’s inaugural Rookie of the Year Award.