National Athletes and Coaches of the Year for the 2024 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field season were announced on Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Lee University track and field athlete Cale Kassen, was named USTFCCCA National Men's Field Indoor Athlete of the Year.
Kassen, who hails from Valley View, Texas, shattered the NCAA DII heptathlon record in winning the combined event at the 2024 NCAA DII Indoor Track & Field Championships.
He amassed 5801 points, which included an all-time collegiate heptathlon best in the 60-meter hurdles of 7.71. Kassen set personal records in six of the seven events at the NCAA Championships.
Earlier this year, Kassen was named the Gulf South Conference Indoor Male Field Athlete of the Year. Kassen was also named the Most Outstanding Overall Performer and Most Outstanding Track Performer at the Gulf South Conference championship
Men's Track and Field Associate Head Coach Lane Fletcher is very excited of Kassen's accomplishments. "I am extremely proud of Cale this indoor season for venturing outside of his comfort zone to contest the heptathlon. He was eager to learn new events and coachable. Cale exceeded everyone's original expectations. Going into the indoor national meet I felt he was capable of winning and even setting the record. It's one thing to dream it, another to work for it, and the hardest to make it happen.
I am so excited about the outdoor season with the end goals of winning the decathlon and also competing at the Olympics trials."
Member coaches voted on these honors following the conclusion of 2024 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships two weeks ago in Pittsburg, Kansas, but considered performances throughout the season when voting on these honors.