NEW ORLEANS, La. --- Minnesota State's Denisha Cartwright and Chris Parno have received national honors from the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association for their efforts during the outdoor season. 

Cartwright was named the USTFCCCA Women's Track Athlete of the Year, while Parno garnered USTFCCCA Women's Assistant Coach of the Year honors as well.

A sophomore from Nassau, Bahamas, Denisha Cartwright was named the NSIC Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year after claiming four All-NSIC honors at the NSIC Championships, including first place finishes in the 100m hurdles and the 4x100 relay events. She was also named the NSIC Track Athlete of the Week four times.

Cartwright would go on to win two national championships at the NCAA Outdoor Championships as she finished first in the 100m hurdles with a time of 13.55. She also finished first in the 4x100 relay event with her teammates Makayla Jackson, Ja'Cey Simmons and Rose Cramer as they posted a time of 44.29. Cartwright would also garner two more All-American honors as she finished fourth in the 200m dash and seventh in 100m dash.

Chris Parno was named the USTFCCCA Women's Assistant Coach of the Year after the Mavericks sprinters/hurdles claimed eight All-American honors, including three national championships in the 100m dash, the 100m hurdles and the 4x100 relay. The Mavericks under his guidance recorded 38 of MSU's 57 points at the NCAA Championships. 
 
Minnesota State finished in third place at the NCAA Outdoor Championships with 57 points.

                                                                    -30-