University Southern California Trojans
USC Track and Field's Garrett Kaalund Earns USTFCCCA Regional Honors
March 19, 2026 | Track & Field
LOS ANGELES – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced Regional Athletes and Coaches of the Year for the indoor track and field season on Thursday. Garrett Kaalund picked up Men's Track Athlete of the Year for the west region, adding to his Big Ten accolades announced yesterday.
Award winners were determined by a vote of USTFCCCA member coaches following the conclusion of the 2026 NCAA DI Indoor Track & Field Championships at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Kaalund had a standout season in the 200m. He broke the collegiate and American record with a time of 19.95, the first ever sub-20 time run by a collegiate man indoors, at NCAA Indoor Championships. Additionally, he recorded the second-fastest time in world history only .03 seconds behind the world record set by Frank Fredricks in 1996.
Kaalund got faster with each 200m race this season, adding his name to the NCAA all-time top-10 list on February 6, with a time of 20.12. He bestest his school record, NCAA and world lead time on February 28 to win the 200m Big Ten title in 20.06. He notched the No. 2 time in NCAA history and No. 3 in the world all-time headed into national championships.
This is the first regional award for Kaalund. The senior now holds regional and conference accolades along with Bowerman watch list recognition and his two Big Ten Athlete of the Week honors this season.
Kaalund is set to make his senior season debut at the Ron and Sharlene Allice Trojan Invitational on March 27 and 28. More information can be on usctrojans.com and @usc_track_field on Instagram and X.
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