Redwine Named Big 12 Coach of the Year; Battle, Sultanova Honored
May 18, 2005
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas head track and field coach Stanley Redwine was named the Big 12 Men’s Outdoor Head Coach of the Year on Wednesday. In addition, junior thrower Sheldon Battle was named Outdoor Performer of the Year and Ekaterina Sultanova took home Freshman of the Year honors. The conference outdoor track and field coaches selected the honorees.
Redwine, who is in his fifth season at the helm, led the KU men’s team to a remarkable turn around in 2005. The Jayhawks went from finishing 12th in 2004 with six points, to placing fourth in 2005 with 85 points. The Jayhawks have also qualified 28 athletes for the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships, May 26-28. Under the tutelage of Redwine in 2005, the KU men’s had two Big 12 Champions and 15 All-Conference selections.
He coached junior Benson Chesang to the 2004 Big 12 cross-country individual crown, making Chesang the first-ever KU Big 12 conference champion.
In his four seasons at KU prior to 2005, Redwine coached 12 Kansas athletes to 18 All-American honors, and the men’s and women’s teams have combined to set 26 school records. This is his first ever Coach of the Year honor.
The men’s fourth-place finish (2002) and the six-place finish on the women’s side (2003) ties for KU highest league finish.
Battle received the high scorer accolade for his performances at the Big 12 Outdoor Championships this past weekend. The Jamestown, N.Y., native tallied 28 points at the conference meet after claiming first place in the discus (188-10) and hammer throw (210-00). Battle almost scored a trifecta in the throwing events, but finished second in the shot put competition (63-10 ½). The transfer from Mesa Community College had already regionally-qualified in the three events earlier in the season. Battle is the second KU male thrower to sweep both the high point award and performer of the year honors in the same season. KU legend Scott Russell did it twice (1999 & 2002).
Sultanova took home her first Big 12 individual crown in the women’s pole vault, tying the league meet record of 13-5 ¼ on the last day of the championships. A native of Krasnodar, Russia, Sultanova edged Kansas State’s Breanna Eveland in a jump-off to win the championship. It was the Jayhawks first pole vault title since 1999 (Andrea Branson, 13-4 ¼) and KU’s first female Freshman of the Year since 2002 (Brooklyn Hann).
