NEW ORLEANS, La. – Saginaw Valley State University women's Cross Country Coach Rod Cowan has been selected as the Midwest Region "Coach of the Year" by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The USTFCCCA Region Coaches of the Year honors for the 2011 cross country season in Division II are voted on by the division's coaches.

Cowan help guide the SVSU women's cross country team to a third place finish at last weekends (Nov. 5) Midwest Regional.  Cowan, who is just in his second season at Saginaw Valley State, helped the team improve from a ninth-place regional showing in his first season a year ago to place third in this year's race – an effort that resulted in the team's first-ever berth to the NCAA Championships. SVSU also placed third at this years Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships this year.  

Cowan and the Lady Cardinals will be back in action again on Saturday, November 19 when they travel to Spokane, Washington to compete in the NCAA D-II National Championships.