ALLENDALE, Mich. – Two Grand Valley State athletes and three coaches as Midwest Region Athletes and Coaches of the Year for the 2026 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Season, as announced Monday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Award winners were determined by a vote of USTFCCCA member coaches based on performances during the NCAA Championships and regular season. Koby Fraaza and Michael Griffey have been named Men's Track and Field Athletes of the Year, Matt Conly and Alan Peterson were named Men's and Women's Assistant Coaches of the Year and Coach Jerry Baltes was named the Men's Coach of the Year.
 
Fraaza and Griffey's Midwest Region honors follow conference honors in their respective event categories.
 
Fraaza's individual title in the 10,000 meters sixth place finish in the 5,000 meters led to the senior being awarded the title of Midwest Region Men's Track Athlete of the Year, as well as Grand Valley State's first men's team title since 2021. Earlier this season, Fraaza ran PRs in the aforementioned events, running 13:40.61 in the 5000 and 28:52.63 in the 10,000.
 
Griffey was named the 2026 Midwest Region Men's Field Athlete of the Year following his individual national title in hammer throw. At the NCAA DII Outdoor Championships, he threw for a personal-best 69.87m (229-3) to win hammer throw. Just weeks prior, Griffey won the GLIAC Championship title in hammer throw with his previous PR of 69.25m (227-2).
 
Conly was named Men's Assistant Coach of the Year after coaching the Lakers throws squad to 24 of GVSU's 66 points at the NCAA DII Outdoor Championships, ultimately leading to the team to a national title. Nineteen of the 24 points came from hammer throw, where Griffey, Sebastian Tesch and Brandon Schirck recorded a 1-2-8 finish. At the GLIAC Outdoor Championships, his men's squad contributed 43 points to the team total, 20 of which came from two individual championship titles.
 
Coach Peterson has earned his second Midwest Region Women's Assistant Coach of the Year honor, with his first being awarded during the 2025 NCAA DII Indoor Season. This year, "Petey" coached athletes to account for 50 of GVSU's 244 points in winning the women's 27th consecutive team title at the GLIAC Outdoor Championships. Four of the long-distance Laker ladies qualified for the National Championships, competing in the 5000m and 10000m events, while four mid-distance ladies raced in the 800m and 1500m races.
 
Head coach Baltes unsurprisingly earned Midwest Region Men's Coach of the Year after leading his Lakers to their first outdoor men's title since 2021. With 29 men competing, for Grand Valley State won the 2026 NCAA DII Outdoor Championship title with 66 points, winning two individual events. Prior to nationals, the Lakers won their 19th GLIAC Men's Outdoor Championship title with 285 points.