elson named regional assistant of the year

Elson (front) with the All-America DMR team of Stuart Udis, Peter Rice, Chorney and Bobby Torphy.

Six years after earning regional honors as an athlete, Muhlenberg’s Will Elson did it again, this time as a coach.

Elson was named Mideast Region men’s assistant coach of the year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. In 2003, as a Muhlenberg senior, Elson was named Mideast Region athlete of the year.

Elson coaches the distance and middle-distance runners, and his student-athletes were instrumental in the Mules’ fourth- and third-place finishes at the Centennial Conference indoor and outdoor track and field championships, respectively. Indoors, Elson’s runners won the distance medley relay, the 4×800 relay and the mile and went 2-3-4 in the 800 meters. The DMR team also finished fourth at NCAAs to earn All-America honors.

Outdoors, Elson’s charges won the conference title in the 4×800 meter relay and achieved two NCAA provisional marks on the season.

One of the athletes Elson coaches, David Chorney, will compete in the steeplechase at the NCAA Championships this Friday. He will be joined at the national meet by Alex Faust, who will be making her second NCAA appearance in the pole vault.