Dage Minors is ending his time at Franklin Pierce University in spectacular fashion after being named this week as the outdoor season’s East Region Track Athlete of the Year by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

It is the first East Region Athlete of the Year award for Minors, a middle distance runner. The senior was also the USTFCCCA’s selection for the award each of the last two indoor seasons. Across the nation’s eight regions, Minors was one of four male athletes to pick up both indoor and outdoor track Athlete of the Year awards in 2016-17.

Minors heads into this weekend NCAA Division II Championships holding the region’s fastest time and the nation’s seventh-fastest time in the 800 metres. He posted a time of 1:49.39 on April 21 at the Larry Ellis Invitational hosted by Princeton University.

Minors will be in action at the NCAA Championships today in the preliminary heats of the 800 metres as he renews his rivalry with fellow Bermudian Shaquille Dill of Saint Augustine’s University. The pair last met in March at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships in Birmingham, Alabama, with Dill running to victory in a time of 1:49.96 after upsetting the form book. He was ranked eighth going into the final while Minors was ranked third.

Saint Augustine University are seeking their fifth consecutive men’s NCAA Division II outdoor title. The four-time defending champions are once again among the favourites in the men’s division. They enter the meet ranked fourth which is their highest ranking this season.

SAU are ranked first in three events, the 800 metres where Dill is the defending champion and one of the favourites, the 400 metres hurdles and the 4x400 metres relay.

Dill, a sophomore, is also a member of the 4x400 metres relay where he will compete with seniors Shawn Rowe and Khari Herbert and junior Adrian Kimmons.

Herbert is ranked fifth in the 400 metres while Kimmons will join him in the 4x100 metres relay team.

SAU’s Lady Falcons finished as runners up last year and are ranked 11th in the women’s division. They have seven entrants overall and rank first in the 400 metres hurdles.

The championships, which started yesterday, is being hosted by the University of Tampa and IMG Academy at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.