NEW ORLEANS – The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association (USTFCCCA) announced its Regional Athletes and Coaches of the Year for the 2019 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field season on Thursday and Jordan Downs was named the 2019 NAIA Great Lakes Region Men’s Field Athlete of the Year.
Downs, a senior from Merrillville, Indiana, is ranked in the top-5 nationally of two different field events. His long jump mark of 7.75m (25-5¼) that he turned in at the NCCAA Outdoor Championships has him ranked second, while his 4.85m (15-11) vault from the Crossroads League Outdoor Championships has him fourth nationally. Downs won both of those events at the conference meet and added another first-place effort in the triple jump.