ASHLAND – Grier Gatlin, a Southern Oregon University alum whose work in turning the Raiders into a consistent distance-running powerhouse spans two decades, has been named the 2016 NAIA Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year.

The national award was announced by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. Gatlin's Raiders captured the team's second NAIA title on Nov. 19 in Elsah, Illinois, where their lack of top finishers – they had one All-American, Connor Cushman, in 16th place, while their other four scorers finished between 33rd and 47th – made the victory a true team effort and defied past championship results.

Gatlin first served as SOU's cross country coach from 1999-2005 and returned to Ashland to take over the cross country and track and field teams prior to the 2011-12 academic year. In his six years back, the Raider men have won six Cascade Conference cross country titles, placed second in the NAIA three times and third once. In 2015, they entered the national meet with a No. 2 ranking and finished 23rd after several runners unable to compete due to illness.

When they made their return three weeks ago at full strength and with a No. 3 ranking, they delivered an upset to steal the crown, finishing with 122 points to second-place Saint Francis (Ill.)'s 148.

"I think it's sort of a testament to the attitude we have of doing the next right thing, whatever it is, every day," Gatlin said. "At some point, if you keep doing what's asked and you have some talent, things will probably go your way."

The Raiders dominated five of the six meets they attended in 2016. At the only one they didn't win, University of Washington's Sundodger Invitational, they finished ahead of five NCAA Division II teams.

They also received ample academic accolades, as 10 Raider men made the Academic All-CCC team and five were named Daktronics-NAIA Scholar Athletes.

On Wednesday they were honored on campus at a championship celebration headed by SOU President Linda Schott and Athletic Director Matt Sayre.

"I think, as they continue to get some perspective on life, this accomplishment will be more significant to them and they'll realize how many things go into it and how hard it is to do," Gatlin said. "We've had some really good teams that haven't won, so this is special and in 10 years I hope it holds even more weight."

Since Gatlin's return, the Raiders have produced nine men's cross country All-American performances – including their first individual national champion, Eric Avila, since 1978 – and four on the women's side. This year the Raider women took seventh in the NAIA, matching the best finish in team history, as Jessa Perkinson became the Raiders' first two-time women's XC All-American and Kayle Blackmore gave them two All-American finishers for the first time ever.

In track and field, Gatlin has overseen 34 men's and 11 women's All-America performances – the highest combined total of any coach in SOU history. Both the men's and women's teams have yielded three individual national champions in the last three years; prior to that stretch, the Raider women had gone 19 years without one.