Nebraska Wesleyan University’s Dr. Ted Bulling has been named 2006 NCAA Division III Men’s Indoor Track & Field Coach of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

“It truly surprised me this time,” Bulling said of receiving his sixth national coaching honor in the last 11 years. “I think the coaches realize how many accomplished seniors we lost to graduation last year, and they were impressed to see we still managed to have the second-most qualifiers of any team at the national meet.”

Bulling’s National Honors List:

• 1996 NCAA Div. III Indoor men

• 1996 NCAA Div. III Outdoor men

• 2000 NCAA Div. III Indoor men

• 2000 NAIA Indoor men

• 2005 NCAA Div. III Outdoor men

• 2006 NCAA Div. III Indoor men

The Prairie Wolves finished third in the men’s power rankings during the indoor season and placed fourth at the NCAA Div. III Indoor Championships held March 10-11 in Northfield, Minn., for which the men’s track and field team brought home its seventh consecutive NCAA trophy, given to the top four teams in the final point standings at the national meet.

“We’re fortunate to have high school seniors and their parents who recognize the academic and athletic opportunities at Nebraska Wesleyan,” Bulling said. “My assistant coaches deserve much of the credit as well. Our program would not be what it is today without them.”

Nebraska Wesleyan University

Men’s NCAA Div. III Track & Field

National Finishes:

• 3rd, 2003 Indoor

• 4th, 2003 Outdoor

• 4th, 2004 Indoor

• 2nd, 2004 Outdoor

• 4th, 2005 Indoor

• 3rd, 2005 Outdoor

• 4th, 2006 Indoor

The NWU men won the Great Plains Athletic Conference indoor team title again in 2006, their 16th conference indoor crown in the last 18 years and Nebraska Wesleyan’s 51st conference championship under Bulling, who coaches track and cross country for both the men and women.

In addition to Bulling’s national honor, both Bulling and Evan Knight (So., Keystone, Neb., Ogallala High School) were recognized at the Central Region level. Knight was named NCAA Division III Men’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Year for the Central Region after meeting automatic qualifying standards in three different events (800, 4x400 and Distance Medley Relay).

“Evan had one of the best indoor seasons ever for a middle distance runner at Nebraska Wesleyan,” Bulling said. “He ran everything from the 4x400 to the 1,200-meter leg on the DMR, which shows his incredible range, and he backed it up with his run on Saturday. To be the national runner-up in the 800 as a sophomore is an amazing accomplishment.”