Kurgat, Smith Earn Big 12 and USTFCCCA Honors

AMES, Iowa – The outstanding indoor seasons of Edwin Kurgat and Director of Men's and Women's Track and Cross Country Martin Smith were recognized on Friday, as both picked up awards from the Big 12 Conference and the USTFCCCA.

Kurgat was named the Big 12's Men's Indoor Performer of the Year and the USTFCCCA Midwest Region Men's Indoor Track Athlete of the Year. Smith was named the Big 12's Men's Indoor Coach of the Year and USTFCCCA Midwest Region Men's Head Coach of the Year. Kurgat is Iowa State's first men's winner of Regional Indoor Track Athlete of the Year in the current regional layout (2006-Present). Smith is the first Iowa State coach to earn an indoor coach of the year honor, and his second as he was named Midwest Region Head Coach of the Year while at Oklahoma in 2010.

Kurgat did something spectacular every time he stepped on the track during the indoor season. Sweeping the Big 12 indoor titles in the 3,000 and 5,000 meter run for a second-straight season, he also picked up a bronze medal in the mile to earn the Big 12's High Point Award for the championships. His 26 team points he contributed to Iowa State's championship-winning effort was the third-most scored by a male student-athlete in Big 12 Indoor history. Kurgat broke four school records, taking down the mile (3:58.62) 3,000m (7:49.19) and 5,000m (13:24.04) records, while anchoring for the school-record distance medley relay (9:28.22).

Smith led the Iowa State men to the Cyclones' first team track and field title in the Big 12 Era and first since 1994. Smith's Cyclones have spent their first three weeks in men's program history inside the top-10 of the USTFCCCA National Track & Field Index, spending two weeks at No. 8, and at their current slot at No. 9. In his seventh season at Iowa State, Smith is also the first coach in Big 12 history to lead two different programs to a Big 12 title, guiding Oklahoma to the indoor crown in 2010.

Kurgat, Smith and the Cyclones take part in the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships from March 13-14 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.