Pepin Named Big 12 Women?s Coach of the Year

DALLAS, Texas ? Nebraska track and field coach Gary Pepin was honored as the Women’s Outdoor Coach of the Year, the Big 12 Conference announced Thursday.

Pepin led the NU women to their 18th all-time outdoor conference championship, and the 17th under his watch, last weekend in Manhattan, Kan. The Huskers earned their second Big 12 outdoor title after edging Texas by 9 2/3 points.

The women crowned four individual champions at the conference meet, while the men won three titles en route to a second-place finish behind Texas Tech.

The Husker women completed their second indoor-outdoor conference sweep since the formation of the Big 12 conference after taking both titles during the 2004 season.

Pepin is in his 25th season at Nebraska and has served as the head coach for both the men and women the last 22 years. He has been selected as the Big 12 Outdoor Coach of the Year five times, including three times for the men’s team and twice for the women.

The Pittsburgh, Kan., native led his teams to 63 indoor and outdoor conference championships over the last 25 years, making him the all-time winningest track and field coach in the history of the Big 12 Conference and the former Big Eight Conference.

Nebraska is idle from competition this weekend as it prepares for next weekend’s NCAA Midwest Region Championships in Norman, Okla., held May 27-28.