Vigilante and Manzano garner coaches' association regional honors
NEW ORLEANS -- For the second consecutive season, the Texas men's track and field program has garnered regional honors from the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches' Association (USTFCCCA). Associate head coach Jason Vigilante garnered South Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year. Senior Leo Manzano was selected as the region's Track Athlete of the Year, announced by the national organization on Monday. This year, the distance events strived under Vigilante. The world-record setting, distance-medley relay shattered five records at the Tyson Invitational. The Longhorns' quartet redshirt junior Kyle Miller, freshman Danzell Fortson, junior Jacob Hernandez and Manzano reset the world, NCAA, American, UT and Randal Tyson Track Center records. Two weeks later, the DMR, with senior Erik Stanley, lowered the Big 12 meet record in winning the event crown for the third consecutive season. Individually, three Longhorns Manzano, senior Jake Morse and Miller -- met the NCAA automatic and provisional qualifying marks in the mile run. Morse added a second provisional qualifier in the 3,000-meter run. Big 12 Champions Hernandez (800-meter) and junior Tevan Everett (600-yard) also met the provisional standard in the 800 under Vigilante's guidance. Manzano earned the distinction for his efforts in the mile run and as a member of the world-record setting DMR. Manzano automatically qualified with the fourth fastest mile run time in the NCAA this year. At the 2008 Big 12 Championships, he became the first student-athlete in Big 12 history to win the event four consecutive seasons. As a member of the DMR, he anchored the quartet that set five records at the Tyson Invitational, and improved the Big 12 meet record in capturing the DMR crown for the third straight season. He earns the honor for the second consecutive season as he shared track award with Baylor's Reggie Witherspoon in 2007. In 2007, UT head coach Bubba Thornton was named South Central Region Coach of the Year and Texas ex Andra Manson was tabbed Field Athlete of the Year. Vigilante and Manzano join the group headed to Fayetteville, Ark., for the 2008 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championship. The two-day meet takes place from Friday-Saturday, March 14-15 at the Randal Tyson Track Center.
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