FARGO, N.D. (NDSU Athletics) – North Dakota State University throwers Alex Talley and Akealy Moton, along with associate director of track & field Justin St. Clair, have been announced as winners of USTFCCCA regional awards for the 2021 indoor season.
Talley was named the men’s Midwest Region Field Athlete of the Year, while Moton claimed the same accolade on the women’s side. Both are West Fargo, N.D., natives and products of West Fargo HS.
St. Clair was chosen as the men’s Midwest Region Assistant Coach of the Year – his eighth regional honor since 2016.
Talley is the only man in the nation this season to rank in the NCAA’s Top 25 for both indoor throwing events. He stands at No. 3 in the weight throw and tied for No. 5 in the shot put entering next week’s NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Ark. Talley was also named the Summit League Championships Field MVP after winning both events at the conference meet.
Moton is ranked third in the NCAA – and 23rd in the world – in the shot put this season. She set the all-time Summit League record on Feb. 13 at the Iowa State Classic, throwing 59-3 (18.06m). Moton is undefeated in the shot put this season through six meets.
St. Clair, in his 10th year at NDSU, has now claimed eight Midwest Region coaching honors since 2016. He coached five men’s entries to the NCAA Indoor Championships this season, accounting for 16 percent of the men’s throwers at the national meet. The Bison men finished the indoor season ranked No. 1 in the national Event Squad Rankings for both the shot put and weight throw, with four Bison surpassing 60 feet in the shot put and three beyond 68 feet in the weight throw this season.
In all of Division I, there are only three NCAA qualifiers who rank in the nation’s top 40 for both throwing events this season – Talley, Trevor Otterdahl, and Maxwell Otterdahl. All three are coached by St. Clair.
St. Clair’s Regional Honors
2016 – women’s indoor assistant of the year
2016 – men’s outdoor assistant of the year
2018 – men’s outdoor assistant of the year
2019 – women’s indoor assistant of the year
2019 – men’s indoor assistant of the year
2019 – men’s outdoor assistant of the year
2020 – women’s indoor assistant of the year
2021 – men’s indoor assistant of the year
