UAA junior multi-sport athlete Cody Thomas shared the Great Northwest Athletic Conference award for men's indoor track and field Athlete of the Year and long-time Seawolves coach Michael Friess bagged yet another Coach of the Year honor in awards announced Tuesday.
Thomas at the GNAC meet in February in Nampa, Idaho, proved a one-man wrecking crew. He bagged points in five events – winning the heptathlon for the third straight season and also scoring points in open events of 60 meters, 200 meters, high jump and long jump. Thomas scored 28 of UAA's 142 points, which earned the Seawolves men the team title. Thomas won the heptathlon with 4,985 points.
Thomas shared the Athlete of the Year award with Western Washington's Alex Donigian, who won the 60 meters and finished second in the 200 meters. Voting was done by conference coaches.
Freiss' honor as men's Coach of the Year marked his 29th coach of the year honor in 25 years of coaching UAA running teams. He has won coaching awards in cross country, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field.