The GSAC had 52 total teams, representing all 13 conference sports, that qualified as NAIA Scholar Teams for the 2009-10 school year. To qualify for this honor, a team must have a 3.0 grade point average, which includes all varsity athletes that are eligible for that sport. For the complete story, go to www.naia.org. To see which GSAC teams qualified, go to Awards Search on the left OR click on the link for each sport on the left and then click Awards.

The 2009-10 season was another banner year for the Golden State Athletic Conference, as seen in the final standings of the Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup, which recognizes the best overall athletic programs in the NCAA and NAIA based on showings in national championship tournaments and meets. Azusa Pacific received the NAIA’s top award for a record-breaking sixth year in a row and was joined by Fresno Pacific, Concordia, and California Baptist in the top 7. The GSAC had 7 teams in the top 18 and a total of 9 conference teams made the rankings, all finishing in the top 100. The GSAC won 3 NAIA Championships during the year, bringing the total to 36 national titles since the conference began in 1986. National Coach of the Year and NAIA Player of the Year awards were given to 4 GSAC coaches and 4 GSAC athletes. Bryan Wilkins (right), the Vanguard cross country and track & field coach, was named the 2010 recipient of the NAIA Coach of Character Award. To see complete award lists for each sport, use the sports links on the left, and then click

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GSAC track and field athletes earned many post-season awards. The top 6 finishers in each event qualified as All-Americans. A total of 4 GSAC athletes were NAIA individual champions in 5 different events, which are listed below. Several athletes earned Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors. To see the complete lists of honorees, go to GSAC Women’s Track & Field Awards and GSAC Men’s Track & Field Awards.

NAIA Track & Field Individual Champions
• Natasha Miller, Biola – Heptathlon & High Jump
• Jeff Jackson, The Master’s – Marathon
• Nick Robinson, Concordia – Shot Put
• Eugene Vollmer, Fresno Pacific – Triple Jump

The 2010 GSAC Track & Field Championships, which were held at Westmont, have been won by the Point Loma Nazarene men (left) and the Azusa Pacific women, with each team scoring over 200 points. Point Loma’s win was it’s first since 1998 and broke the Azusa Pacific men’s streak of 11 consecutive GSAC championships. This was the second straight win for the Azusa Pacific women’s team. Lauren Jimison of APU broke the record in the 10,000 meter run with a time of 35:49.34, besting the record by over 45 seconds which was set in 2009. The 2010 GSAC Coaches of the Year are Eric Schwab of Fresno Pacific for the men and Mike Barnett of Azusa Pacific for the women. The top 3 athletes in each event make up the All-GSAC Team. To see the GSAC Meet Event Champions go to GSAC Men’s Track & Field Awards and GSAC Women’s Track & Field Awards. For complete results go to GSAC Women’s Track & Field and GSAC Men’s Track & Field. Several athletes qualified for the NAIA Men’s & Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Championships which will be hosted by Indiana Wesleyan in Marion, Indiana, May 27-29.