University of Georgia Athletics
Georgia Track & Field Earns Five USTFCCCA South Region Honors
June 18, 2026 | Track & Field
NEW ORLEANS – Georgia track & field collects five U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) South Region awards, according to an announcement Thursday.
Adaejah Hodge was named the Women's Track Athlete of the Year; Kimani Jack was named the Men's Field Athlete of the Year; Karim Abdel Wahab was voted Women's Assistant Coach of the Year Caryl Smith Gilbert garnered both Women's Coach of the Year and Men's Coach of the Year honors.
The next round of USTFCCCA voting will determine the national performers and coaches of the year.
Hodge collected her second straight honor of its kind – first outdoors. Jack earned his first career regional award, marking the eighth time Georgia has claimed the award in school history. Smith Gilbert's honors mark the fifth and sixth occasions a Bulldog head coach has garnered the honor. Abdel Wahab's accolade is the fourth award for UGA in this category; he also earned the honor after a stellar performance last season.
Hodge won a national title in the women's 200m dash while setting a collegiate record at 21.68. She finished runner-up in the women's 100m dash at 10.93, during the preliminary rounds Hodge also set the collegiate record at 10.63.This marks only the second time a Bulldog woman has received the award in program history, first since Lynna Irby in 2018.
Jack won the national title in the men's high jump with a leap of 2.28m/7-5.75. The London, England native also won the SEC title alongside securing a school record of 2.31m/7-7 this outdoor season. Jack is the first Bulldog to claim the award since Kyle Garland won it in both 2022 and 2023.
Abdel Wahab guided his event area athletes to total 23 of Georgia's 50 points as the team clinched the women's second consecutive NCAA outdoor crown. He had the 400-meter dash champion (Dejanea Oakley), All American 400m hurdler (Michelle Smith) and concluded the meet winning silver in the 4x400m relay squad (Butler, Maisvorewa, Smith, Springer, Oakley). Abdel Wahab also guided the Bulldogs to impressive performances at the conference meet. His crew won the 400m title, finished second in the 400m hurdles, and second in the 4x400m relay.
Smith Gilbert locked down her fifth team national championship and third consecutive one at Georgia by scoring 50 points at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Smith Gilbert had a pair of NCAA individual champions and a trio of collegiate records set to highlight the Bulldogs' national title run. On the men's side the Bulldogs tallied 49 points for second place; this marks her fourth top 10 finish on the men's side since her arrival in Athens.
Results and recaps from the Bulldogs' outdoor season will be found at georgiadogs.com. News and updates from Georgia's track & field and cross country teams are always located on X/Instagram at @UGATrack.
Adaejah Hodge was named the Women's Track Athlete of the Year; Kimani Jack was named the Men's Field Athlete of the Year; Karim Abdel Wahab was voted Women's Assistant Coach of the Year Caryl Smith Gilbert garnered both Women's Coach of the Year and Men's Coach of the Year honors.
The next round of USTFCCCA voting will determine the national performers and coaches of the year.
Hodge collected her second straight honor of its kind – first outdoors. Jack earned his first career regional award, marking the eighth time Georgia has claimed the award in school history. Smith Gilbert's honors mark the fifth and sixth occasions a Bulldog head coach has garnered the honor. Abdel Wahab's accolade is the fourth award for UGA in this category; he also earned the honor after a stellar performance last season.
Hodge won a national title in the women's 200m dash while setting a collegiate record at 21.68. She finished runner-up in the women's 100m dash at 10.93, during the preliminary rounds Hodge also set the collegiate record at 10.63.This marks only the second time a Bulldog woman has received the award in program history, first since Lynna Irby in 2018.
Jack won the national title in the men's high jump with a leap of 2.28m/7-5.75. The London, England native also won the SEC title alongside securing a school record of 2.31m/7-7 this outdoor season. Jack is the first Bulldog to claim the award since Kyle Garland won it in both 2022 and 2023.
Abdel Wahab guided his event area athletes to total 23 of Georgia's 50 points as the team clinched the women's second consecutive NCAA outdoor crown. He had the 400-meter dash champion (Dejanea Oakley), All American 400m hurdler (Michelle Smith) and concluded the meet winning silver in the 4x400m relay squad (Butler, Maisvorewa, Smith, Springer, Oakley). Abdel Wahab also guided the Bulldogs to impressive performances at the conference meet. His crew won the 400m title, finished second in the 400m hurdles, and second in the 4x400m relay.
Smith Gilbert locked down her fifth team national championship and third consecutive one at Georgia by scoring 50 points at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Smith Gilbert had a pair of NCAA individual champions and a trio of collegiate records set to highlight the Bulldogs' national title run. On the men's side the Bulldogs tallied 49 points for second place; this marks her fourth top 10 finish on the men's side since her arrival in Athens.
Results and recaps from the Bulldogs' outdoor season will be found at georgiadogs.com. News and updates from Georgia's track & field and cross country teams are always located on X/Instagram at @UGATrack.
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Sunday, June 14
Sunday, June 14
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