The Iowa Central track and field program added plenty of hardware to the trophy case this past spring.

Along with both the men’s and women’s teams finishing in the Top-4, the Tritons earned several coaching and athlete honors.

Lea Grady, Tyler Lienau and Winrose Chesang picked up awards from the USTFCCA for the Midwest Region as throwers and runners of the year, with Nigel Bigbee, Justin Anderson and Jordan Burkholder earning coaching honors.

Grady earned the outdoor female field athlete of the year, Lienau the outdoor male field athlete of the year and Chesang was named the outdoor women’s track athlete of the year.

Chesang won both the 10,000 and 5,000 at nationals for the Tritons.

“Winrose is one of those athletes that never complains about a single run or workout,” said Dee Brown, the director of track and field at Iowa Central. “She does everything you ask and them some. She takes care of herself, manages her sleep well, gets to the training room often. I never had to worry about her.

“She is so deserving of this honor. She is one of those quiet people that likes to fly under the radar.”

Grady, a freshman, finished third in the shot put and fifth in the hammer throw at nationals.

“Lea had an outstanding season and will be the top returning freshman in the NJCAA going into the 2020 season,” Burkholder said. “She has been working hard this year while transitioning from the glide to rotation in the shot put and is on pace to break the school records in both the shot and discus.”

Lienau, a sophomore, was fifth in the hammer throw and sixth in the discus. He will continue his career at the University of Iowa.

“Tyler took advantage of his summer and came back on campus in great shape ready for the season,” Burkholder said. “Throughout the course of the outdoor season, he improved his best discus mark by over 20 feet and hammer by 23.

“He is a hard worker and will do great things at Iowa.”

Bigbee was awarded the coach of the year title, Burkholder was the outdoor women’s assistant coach of the year with Anderson earning the men’s honor. Bigbee also won the ICCAC Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year.