NEW ORLEANS, La. – Flagler College head cross country coach Brian Beil was named the Southeast Region Women's Coach of the Year by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCA), according to a release late yesterday (Nov. 20) by the organization.

"It is a great honor to be recognized by my colleagues for this award," said Beil. "More than anyone, it is my seniors who are truly deserving of this recognition. They have made my job extremely easy this year and I am thrilled that they will be ending their cross country careers at the national championship."

It's the first time a Flagler head coach has won the award in the history of the program. He was selected as the Peach Belt Conference Women's Coach of the Year this year and was the PBC's Men's Coach of the Year in 2016.

In his eighth year as the head coach of the Saints, Beil coached three women's runners to all-region honors and a second place team finish with 98 points at the NCAA Division II Southeast Region Championship last Saturday at Oakwood, Georgia, qualifying them for the NCAA Division II National Championship for the second time in the program's history. Additionally, the Saints won their second PBC title with 46 team points and had four runners ear all-conference honors under Beil's coaching.

The Flagler women's cross country team will run at the NCAA Division II National Championship on Dec. 1 at Schenley Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.      

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