2020-21 G-MAC Indoor Track and Field Awards
After capturing their third women's indoor track and field conference crown in four seasons, the Hillsdale College women's track and field team already has earned plenty of recognition in 2021.
A few more awards are always welcome, however, and that's what the G-MAC office provided for the Chargers on Thursday afternoon when it announced major award winners and all-conference teams for the winter indoor season.
Hillsdale's women won three of the four major awards, led by senior Kajsa Johansson, who was named the G-MAC Indoor Track Athlete of the Year.
The senior from North Oaks, Minnesota accomplished virtually every goal she set out to achieve in the winter of 2021, becoming Hillsdale's first NCAA Division II national champion since 2016 by winning the 200 meter dash title (24.03) at the national meet in Birmingham, Alabama on March 13.
Johansson earned a second All-American honor by running the anchor leg on the 4x400 relay that finished runner-up at the national meet in 3:47.45, and also won the G-MAC title in the 200m dash earlier in March.
During the season she set three new school records in the indoor 60m dash (7.58), 200m dash (23.89) and 4x400 relay (3:47.45). Those marks in the 200m dash and 4x400 relay are also all-time G-MAC records.
While Johansson capped a stellar indoor career with a dream finish in 2021, freshman Shura Ermakov started hers with a bang for the Chargers, pulling in G-MAC Indoor Freshman of the Year honors.
A promising young competitor in the sprints and hurdles, the award marks Ermakov as someone who could be a major factor in G-MAC competition in multiple races for years to come.
Ermakov was the lead-off leg on that runner-up 4x400m relay that finished runner-up in the nation, set school and G-MAC records, and won All-America honors. She also played a big role in the team's G-MAC title, taking second in the 400m dash (58.62) and also placing in the 60m hurdles (9.33) to win freshman of the meet honors.
Last, but certainly not least, head coach Andrew Towne won the G-MAC Indoor Track Coach of the Year award for the second-straight season and the third time in four years. After narrowly winning the conference title by less than two points in 2020, Towne ensured the Chargers came back even stronger in 2021, closing out a repeat crown by a significantly larger margin than the year before.
Towne recruited an excellent freshman class, led by Ermakov, that bolstered the Chargers' lineup in key areas, and, together with his staff, also oversaw the continued development of some of the team's best returning athletes as well. Johansson, senior distance runner Maryssa Depies and junior Nikitia Maines were just a few of the Hillsdale athletes who entered the season with plenty of accomplishments, but who all set new personal bests in multiple events over the course of the season.
Along with the three major award winners, 12 Charger women earned All-G-MAC honors as well on Thursday.
Six of them made the All-Conference first team, including Johansson in the 200m dash, fellow All-American Dakota Stamm in the 400m dash and the 4x400m relay, Emily Gerdin in the triple jump, and all three other members of the G-MAC-winning 4x400 relay – Alanna O'Leary, Zalonya Eby and Judith Allison.
Ermakov was named to the second team in the 400m dash, along with senior Calli Townsend (800m run), Depies (3,000m run) and Claire McNally (5,000m run).
Maines (weight throw) and Christina Sawyer (5,000m run) each made the All-G-MAC third team as well.