2022 Outdoor TF Honors

Women's Track & Field

Alyssa Roach Named Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Women's Outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year; Adrianna DeSantis and Tyler Wingard also Honored

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. -- Alyssa Roach was named the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Women's Outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year, while Adrianna DeSantis was celebrated as the league's top Scholar-Athlete and Christopher Newport swept the Coaching Staff of the Year accolades following a tremendous spring campaign.

With her award, Roach joined former legends Enuma Ezenwa (2015) and Jennifer Westerholm (2016) as the only standouts in program history to earn the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Women's Outdoor Athlete of the Year honor. Meanwhile, DeSantis became just the second Captain to secure Scholar-Athlete of the Year plaudits, adding her name alongside former teammate Zoe Stauffer (2021).

Along with the decorated student-athletes, Tyler Wingard and his assistants were named the Men's and Women's Coaching Staff of the Year. Christopher Newport previously swept both honors in 2016 and 2017. Wingard also earned the women's award in 2015 and the men's honor in 2018 and 2021.

Honored as the top track & field standout in the conference, Roach pieced together a fantastic junior season in 2022. During the year, the Yorktown, Virginia native represented Christopher Newport at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the heptathlon. Squaring off against the top athletes in the country, she eventually placed 16th in the combined event with a score of 4,355.

In addition to her starring role in the heptathlon, Roach also ranked 37th nationally in the 100-hurdles after throwing down a time of 14.65 at the Dennis Craddock Coaches Classic in April. Showing off her versatility, she also stood seventh in the South Region in the long jump (5.35 meters) and ninth in the 400-hurdles (1:06.54).

On the conference level, Roach dominated the Coast-to-Coast Championships last month. During the title competition, she finished as the meet's leading scorer after compiling 38 total points. Along the way, the third-year star snatched league crowns in the 100-hurdles, 400-hurdles, and long jump. Incredibly, she became just the ninth woman in school history to win three individual titles during the outdoor championships, joining a legendary contingent headlined by Christopher Newport Hall of Famers Lisa Dillard (1987), Sheila Trice (1989), Sandy Shelton (1991), Casey Taylor (1999, 2000), and LaNeatra Johnson (2002).

Along with her performance during the outdoor championships, Roach also won indoor league titles in the 60-hurdles and long jump. Additionally, she qualified for the NCAA Championships during the winter campaign and eventually placed 12th in the country in the pentathlon.

Excelling both on the track and in the classroom, DeSantis was the league's top scholar-athlete. Athletically, she continued to impress in the sprints. During the league championships last month, she won the 400 and was the runner-up in the 200. The Mohegan Lake, New York native also helped lead the 4x100 and 4x400-relays to second-place showings. Overall, her 22 total points were the seventh-most by any competitor at the meet and ranked second among sprinters.

A dominant performer in the 400, DeSantis posted a personal-best mark of 58.24 during the Williams Final Qualifier in May. That not only established a new PR, but it also marked the top clocking by any runner in the conference since 2019. The fourth-year phenom also slotted sixth in the region in the 400 and 22nd in the 200 after registering a season-best mark of 25.95 at the league meet.

For her work during the spring, DeSantis hauled in four All-Conference awards, including first-team plaudits in the 400. Additionally, she ranked first in the league in the indoor 200 and 400 while earning an All-League citation during the winter as a member of the Distance Medley Relay.

Equally decorated for her work in the classroom, DeSantis swept the Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors. Graduating with a near perfect GPA in neuroscience, she was also a perennial Academic All-Conference honoree and a two-time Academic All-District selection.

Earning recognition for their efforts behind the scenes, Wingard and his assistants were named the Coaching Staff of the Year for their work with both the men and women. During the spring, Christopher Newport swept the team titles at the Coast-to-Coast Outdoor Championships while claiming 14 individual crowns and 29 total All-League honors. 

Incredibly, the Captains won both titles in decisive fashion. The women won their crown with a total score of 235, which marked the most points by any team in the league since 2013. Meanwhile, the men amassed 208 points, which was the third-highest total during that same span.

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Players Mentioned

Zoe Stauffer

Zoe Stauffer

Hurdles, Jumps, Multis
5' 7"
Senior
Adrianna DeSantis

Adrianna DeSantis

Sprints
5' 4"
Senior
Alyssa Roach

Alyssa Roach

Hurdles, Jumps
5' 10"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Zoe Stauffer

Zoe Stauffer

5' 7"
Senior
Hurdles, Jumps, Multis
Adrianna DeSantis

Adrianna DeSantis

5' 4"
Senior
Sprints
Alyssa Roach

Alyssa Roach

5' 10"
Junior
Hurdles, Jumps