NEW ORLEANS – The Sun Belt Conference on Thursday announced its 2023 Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Awards for Freshman of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, Coach of the Year, Runner of the Year and the All-Conference Teams.
The Men’s and Women’s Freshman of the Year honors go to the top-finishing freshman at the Sun Belt Conference Championships who is in their first year competing for their institution. ULM’s Carlo Martinez-Jaramillo claimed the Men’s Freshman of the Year honor, while Arkansas State’s Rahel Broemmel captured the Women’s Freshman of the Year accolade. Martinez-Jaramillo placed eighth at the Sun Belt Championships in a time of 25:15.4 (8K). Broemmel was fourth at the Sun Belt Championships in a time of 17:06.7 (5K).
James Madison sophomore Katherine Lawson earned the Women’s Newcomer of the Year honor, which was voted on by the league’s cross country coaches. Lawson finished 11th in her first Sun Belt Championship race, crossing the finish line in 18:02.9. The Drake transfer helped the Dukes finish second overall with 89 team points, the program’s best Sun Belt finish in school history.
ULM’s Carlo Martinez-Jaramillo was also named the Men’s Newcomer of the Year. Martinez-Jaramillo led the way for the ULM Warhawks at every meet this season, finishing in the top five at the ULM Warhawk XC Invite, the McNeese State Cowboy Stampede and the LA-Tech Mook 4 Invite. He was also ULM’s first runner at the Alabama Crimson Classic where he finished 65th.
Arkansas State’s Jesse Duvall was named the Women’s Coach of the Year, as selected by his peers. Duvall led Arkansas State to its fourth Sun Belt Conference team title in five seasons – its fifth overall. The Red Wolves led at both splits and at the finish by over 40 points until winning with 48 points. Four of the Red Wolves’ scoring five finished with all-conference honors, led by Freshman of the Year Rahel Broemmel, who took fourth.
App State’s Brad Herbster was selected as the Men’s Coach of the Year, as selected by his peers. In his first season as App State men’s distance coach, Herbster led the App State men’s cross country team to its first Sun Belt title since 2019. The Mountaineers scored 28 points – the lowest team total at the championship meet since 2013 – and five Mountaineers earned all-conference accolades after finishing in the top-13. Herbster guided senior Oliver Wilson-Cook to a second-place finish (24:40.4) and three Sun Belt Runner of the Week honors this season. Over the course of the season, Herbster coached the Mountaineers to a pair of second-place finishes at the Firetower Project Run (Sept. 1) and Covered Bridge Open (Sept. 15) as well as a top-10 team finish at the Live In Lou Cross Country Classic (Sept. 30).
The Sun Belt announced the Men’s and Women’s Runners of the Year, which are awarded to the Sun Belt individual champions, at the championship meet. The Men’s Runner of the Year is South Alabama’s Teagan Flanagan and the Women’s Runner of the Year is Coastal Carolina’s Molly Jones for the second consecutive year.
2023 Sun Belt Cross Country Awards
2023 Sun Belt Women’s Coach of the Year: Jesse Duvall, Arkansas State
2023 Sun Belt Women’s Newcomer of the Year: Katherine Lawson, James Madison
2023 Sun Belt Women’s Runner of the Year: Molly Jones, Coastal Carolina
2023 Sun Belt Women’s Freshman of the Year: Rahel Broemmel, Arkansas State
2023 Women’s First-Team All-Conference
Molly Jones, Coastal Carolina
Abby Herring, Marshall
Ellie Wolski, Coastal Carolina
Rahel Broemmel, Arkansas State
Isabela Ross, Southern Miss
2023 Women’s Second-Team All-Conference
Jaybe Shufelberger, Arkansas State
Miranda Stanhope, James Madison
Elizabeth Martin, Arkansas State
Jasmine Donohue, App State
Kylee Mastin, Marshall
2023 Women’s Third-Team All-Conference
Katherine Lawson, James Madison
Starlynn Costa, South Alabama
Mary Beth Bailey, Arkansas State
Amilia Wise-Sweat, Coastal Carolina
Charleen Elizondo, South Alabama
2023 Sun Belt Men’s Coach of the Year: Brad Herbster, App State
2023 Sun Belt Men’s Newcomer of the Year: Carlo Martinez-Jaramillo, ULM
2023 Sun Belt Men’s Runner of the Year: Teagan Flanagan, South Alabama
2023 Sun Belt Men's Freshman of the Year: Carlo Martinez-Jaramillo, ULM
2023 Men’ First-Team All-Conference
Teagan Flanagan, South Alabama
Oliver Wilson-Cook, App State
Calbert Guest, App State
Dwayne Lillie, App State
Dawson Mayberry, Arkansas State
2023 Men’s Second-Team All-Conference
Jacob Pyeatt, Arkansas State
Garrett Bivens, App State
Evan White, Marshall
Carlo Martinez-Jaramillo
Cash Kunkel, Arkansas State
2023 Men’s Third-Team All-Conference
Rylan Brown, Arkansas State
Natnael Enright, Arkansas State
Jonah Bird, App State
Jonathon Hrivnak, Texas State
Ethan Mychajlonka, Arkansas State