Fye, Lurz Receive Midwest Region Honors

CRETE, Neb. — Following a historic indoor season for the Doane University men's track and field program, head coach Ed Fye and assistant coach Zach Lurz were both recognized Thursday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) with Midwest Region coaching honors.

Fye was named USTFCCCA Midwest Region Men's Coach of the Year, while Lurz earned USTFCCCA Midwest Region Men's Assistant Coach of the Year recognition after helping lead the Tigers to one of the most dominant conference performances in recent history.

The awards are voted on by USTFCCCA member coaches and recognize coaching excellence across five NAIA regions.

Historic Season for Tigers

Under Fye's leadership, Doane captured the 2026 GPAC Indoor Championship with a meet-record 240 points, winning six individual events while recording 44 top-eight finishes across the two-day meet. The Tigers' performance set a new conference scoring standard and highlighted the depth of the program across multiple event areas.

Doane also established itself nationally with three event groups — high jump, shot put, and weight throw — finishing the season ranked No. 1 in the NAIA #EventSquad rankings.

The regional honor marks another milestone in Fye's tenure, continuing to solidify Doane as one of the premier programs in NAIA track and field.

Lurz Leads Elite Throws Unit

Lurz, who oversees the Tigers' throwing events, guided one of the nation's top throws squads throughout the season. His athletes combined to score 49 points at the GPAC Indoor Championships, highlighted by conference titles in both the shot put and weight throw.

Doane's throwers finished the regular season ranked No. 1 nationally in both events in the NAIA #EventSquad rankings, demonstrating both high-end talent and overall group depth.

The assistant coach honor represents continued recognition for Lurz's impact on the program's national success and conference dominance.

National Championships Ahead

Both coaches will now turn their attention to the 2026 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships, scheduled for next week in Gainesville, Florida, where multiple Tigers are expected to compete.

(generated by ChatGPT)