The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AS he prepares his 11 athletes for National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCA) National Indoor Championships this weekend, Rolando ‘Lonnie’ Greene said he’s elated to have been named the Women’s Team Coach of the Year for the Southeast Region.

The Bahamian head track and field coach at the University of Kentucky, his Wildcats’ assistant coach Tim Hall and sprinter Abby Steiner were all awarded honours by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.The Southeast Region comprises of 35 Division I schools in Virginia, North Carolina South Carolina and Kentucky. University of Kentucky is ranked first in the Southeast Region.

“Being named regional coach of the year speaks about the body of work that I do in the region,” Greene said. “It has nothing to do with the NCAA itself.

“I think if the award is given after the Nationals, it would include the work you do in the NCAA in the particular season that we are in. But for now, it’s always good when you win. It’s always good when a young man or young woman gets into a big pressure situation and you come out with an award like this.”

This is the fifth time that Greene has won a men’s or women’s Regional Coach of the Year award from the USTFCCCA, but his first in Kentucky.

“Anytime your peers select you as the coach of the year for any season, in this case, the indoor season, it’s a blessing,” Greene stressed.

“There are some great coaches in our region, but they voted for Lonnie Greene, our assistant coach Tim Hall and sprinter Abby Steiner. For that, I’m honoured. I’m blessed.”

Prior to coming to Kentucky in 2018, Greene was the recipient of the honour three times on the men and women sides at Purdue where he was the head coach for six years from 2012.

He also collected a number of titles as an assistant at Arkansas before he went to Purdue.

“I think every coach in their desire is to win a national championship or a conference championship,” said Greene, who came close but has not reached the mountain top.

“That’s the pinnacle in my mind. I haven’t gotten a national championship yet, but it feels good to be able to win another coaches’ award.”

A former track star for the AF Adderley Tigers, Greene spent 16 seasons in the SEC, two with Arkansas as the associate head coach in charge of sprints, hurdles and horizontal jumps and multi events.

In each of his two seasons with the Razorbacks, Greene was named USTFCCCA South Central Regional Assistant Coach of the Year. In 2004, he was named National Assistant Coach of the Year.