CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – National champions, ACC champions and All-Americans headline the 2025-26 Atlantic Coast Conference Indoor Track and Field season honors, the league announced Friday, March 27.
The honorees were selected via a vote of the league’s head coaches:
Men’s Track Performer of the Year
George Couttie, Virginia Tech
Couttie earned a pair of USTFCCCA All-America honors at the NCAA Indoor Championships by finishing as the national runner-up in the one-mile run and placing 11th in the 3,000-meter run. Throughout the season, Couttie broke Virginia Tech records in the mile, 3,000 meters and distance medley relay. He also broke the indoor collegiate record in the 2,000 meters, posting a time of 4:57.81 at the Hokie Invitational. Couttie becomes the first Hokie to be named the ACC Men’s Indoor Track Performer of the Year since Jacory Patterson in 2021.
Women’s Track Performer of the Year
Shenese Walker, Florida State
Walker capped off a phenomenal senior season by winning the NCAA championship in the 60-meter dash. In the preliminary round of the NCAA Championships, Walker broke her own ACC and Florida State records, posting a time of 7.07 seconds. Walker became the Seminoles’ second-ever national champion in the event and first since 2000. At the ACC Championships, Walker set a new meet record with a 7.13-second time in the event. She was named the Most Valuable Track Performer of the ACC Championships for the second time after winning both the 60 meters and 200 meters. Walker is the first Seminole to earn ACC Women’s Indoor Track Performer of the Year honors.
Men’s Field Performer of the Year
KJ Byrd, Louisville
Byrd is the first Louisville standout to be named the ACC Men’s Indoor Field Performer of the Year. Byrd finished as the national runner-up in the men’s heptathlon, logging 6,132 points at the NCAA Championships. During the NCAA Championship meet, Byrd became the American and NCAA record holder in the heptathlon pole vault with a clearance of 5.57m (18-3.25). The mark also ranks as the third-best in a heptathlon competition in world history. Byrd won the ACC championship in the pole vault with a clearance of 5.55m (18-2.5) and also recorded a school record in the heptathlon at the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational in January with 6,161 points.
Women’s Field Performer of the Year
Alyssa Jones, Stanford
Jones becomes the first Stanford student-athlete to earn an ACC Indoor Track & Field yearly honor after being named the Most Valuable Field Performer of the ACC Championship for the second straight year. The Cardinal standout won the ACC championship in the high jump while finishing as the runner-up in the long jump. Jones also finished as the NCAA runner-up in the long jump and earned a bronze medal in the high jump to notch a pair of USTFCCCA First Team All-America honors.
Men’s Indoor Track & Field Freshman of the Year
Elsingi Kipruto, Louisville
Kipruto was named the ACC Men’s Indoor Track & Field Freshman of the Year after earning the bronze medal in the 3,000 meters at the ACC Championships with a Louisville-record time of 7:46.76. The freshman standout also finished fourth at the NCAA Championships in the 5,000 meters, turning in a time of 13:38.02 to finish as the top freshman in the nation. Kipruto qualified for the NCAA Championships after posting a personal-best 5,000-meter time of 13:15.74 at the Husky Classic, which was the sixth-fastest time in the nation this season. It marks the third straight season in which a Louisville standout has been named the ACC Men’s Indoor Track & Field Freshman of the Year.
Women’s Indoor Track & Field Freshman of the Year
Sadie Engelhardt, NC State
Engelhardt broke both the ACC and NC State records in the one-mile run at the ASICS Sound Running Invite with a time of 4:23.84. Her mark ranks as the fifth-fastest in the nation and the sixth-fastest in collegiate history. At the ASICS Last Chance Invite, Engelhardt helped the Wolfpack break the program record in the distance medley relay. She earned First-Team All-America honors in the mile after winning the ACC championship in the event. Throughout the year, she was also named ACC Track Athlete of the Week, ACC Freshman of the Week and USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week.
Men’s Indoor Track & Field Coach of the Year
Matt Kane, Florida State
Kane was tabbed as the ACC Men’s Indoor Track & Field Coach of the Year for the first time after leading Florida State to its first ACC Championship since 2019. Kane becomes the first Florida State coach to earn ACC Men’s Indoor Track & Field Coach of the Year honors since Bob Braman won the award three consecutive years from 2018-20.
Women’s Indoor Track & Field Coach of the Year
Mark Elliott, Clemson
Elliott was named the ACC Women’s Indoor Track & Field Coach of the Year for the second consecutive year after leading Clemson to its second straight ACC Indoor Track & Field Championship. It marks the third time in Elliott’s career that he has been tabbed ACC Women’s Coach of the Year, joining the 2025 and 2015 seasons.