New Orleans, LA --- WPI's Sprints Hurdles and Relays coach Taylor Browning has been selected the Northeast Men's Region Assistant Coach of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) late last week.
 
Since joining the WPI coaching staff prior to the 2024-25 academic year, Browning has overseen one of the most successful periods in program history for the Engineers' sprint corps. During his two seasons on Boynton Hill, WPI captured the 2025 NEWMAC men's outdoor track and field championship and the 2026 New England Division III outdoor title, marking just the second conference championship and second regional championship in program history.
 
Under Browning's guidance, WPI sprinters have established four school records, including the 60 meters, 100 meters, 400-meter hurdles and 4x100-meter relay. His athletes have also produced numerous top-10 performances in program history while claiming three New England individual and relay championships. The Engineers captured the 4x100-meter relay title in 2025, while Sam Manteria (Wilbraham, MA) earned New England crowns in both the 100 meters and 200 meters in 2026.
 
Browning also coached Alex Cole (Weymouth, MA) to 2026 NEWMAC Men's Track Athlete of the Year honors. Cole owns both the WPI school record and NEWMAC championship meet record in the 100 meters with a time of 10.41 and recently earned second team All-America honors at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Browning also guided Cole, Manteria, Ethan Schnyer (Nashua, NH) and Tristan Andrew (Newtown, CT) to second team All-America honors in the 4x100-meter relay at the 2025 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
 
It marks the second major USTFCCCA regional award garnered by an Engineer in 2025-26. Earlier this year, senior Gavin Fleck (Bend, OR) was named the NCAA Division III Indoor Northeast Region Men's Field Athlete of the Year after earning All-America honors in the pole vault at the NCAA Indoor Championships.