Prather Named USTFCCCA Atlantic Region Track Athlete of the Year

NEW ORLEANS – Graduate student Issac Prather of the Concord University men's track & field team has been voted as the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches' Association (USTFCCCA) Atlantic Regional Track Athlete of the Year, the organization announced Monday afternoon.

Prather was named to the award after a vote of the regional coaches.

The Summersville, West Virginia native posted top times in the Atlantic Region in the 1,500-meter run, 3,000-meter steeplechase and 5,000-meter run. He ran 3:49.13 in the 1,500-meters at High Points in late March. His time of 8:47.98 in the steeplechase at Lee in April was not only the fastest in the region, but fourth fastest in all Division II. Prather ranked top 15 nationally in the 5,000-meters (13:57.87) that was clocked at Raleigh Relays.

Prather finished sixth in the steeplechase at the NCAA Division II National Championships to earn First Team All-American honors. He placed 16^th in the 5,000-meters at the National Championships.
Monday's announcement culminates a storied career for Prather. He swept three MEC honors over the past year: conference cross country athlete of the year, indoor track athlete of the year and outdoor track athlete of the year.

Furthermore, Prather is the two-time reigning Atlantic Regional Cross Country Athlete of the Year. And he was named First Team All-American in cross country in 2021. Before his First Team All-American honor this spring, Prather had twice been Second Team All-American in steeplechase (2021, 2022).

West Chester's National Champion thrower Ralph Casper was the Atlantic Region Field Athlete of the year. And Dave Osanitsch of Shippensburg was selected Atlantic Region Coach of the Year by his peers. As for the women's awards, Divonne Franklin (track athlete/California Pa.)), Hannah Woelfling (field athlete/Millersville)) and Bill Jordan (coach/Slippery Rock) earned regional honors.