The United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association has named a pair of Northwest Missouri State University indoor track and field competitors as its Central Region Track & Field Athletes of the Year.

Senior Kevin Schultz (Platte City, Missouri) has earned the Central Region Indoor Field Athlete of the Year. Schultz helped lead the Bearcats to a second-place finish at the MIAA Indoor Track & Field Championships with an individual point total of 22.5 points. In the high jump, Schultz has jumped over 7’0″ seven times this season. He has a season-high jump of 7’1.75″ and he holds the school record, MIAA record and was the 2019 MIAA indoor champion. Schultz ranks No. 3 in the nation and No. 1 in the region in the high jump. Schultz set the Northwest school record in the heptathlon with 5,309 points, while winning the MIAA indoor title. Schultz ranks No. 5 in the nation and No. 1 in the region in the heptathlon. He is also part of the NCAA automatic qualifier in the 4×400 relay at the MIAA championship meet. Schultz will compete in the heptathlon, high jump and 4×400 relay at the 2019 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships in Pittsburg, Kansas.

Freshman Omar Austin (Tampa, Florida) has been named the Central Region Indoor Track Athlete of the Year. Austin ran the ninth-fastest Division II time all-time in the 400 meters with a time of :46.49 in winning the MIAA indoor title. He holds the second-fastest time in the nation in the 400 meters and will run at the NCAA Championships. He is also a member of the NCAA automatic qualifier in the 4×400 relay at the MIAA championship meet. Austin ran an anchor leg of :45.9 in helping Northwest take the 4×400 relay title, which automatically qualified for the NCAA meet. Austin will also compete in the 200 meters at the NCAA Championships as he possesses the eighth-best time nationally and second-best in the region (:21.32).

— Northwest Athletics —