Masondo, Johnson Receive National Awards

The Trojans men's cross country team continues to be honored after winning the national championship on Nov. 12. This week, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) named Sanele Masondo the Men's Athlete of the Year and Brady Johnson the Men's Coach of the Year. Member coaches voted on the awards following the NJCAA Division I Cross Country Championships.

Masondo, a sophomore from Kwazulu Natal, South Africa, capped his undefeated season with the individual title at the 2022 NJCAA Division I Cross Country Championships in 24:07.2. He also won the individual title at the Region VI Cross Country Championships in 23:31.6, as well as the Greeno/Dirksen Invitational and the Chile Pepper Festival. Twice during the season, he was the USTFCCCA athlete of the week.

Under Johnson, the Trojans won the program's first national championship and the school's first team crown since 1999. Led by individual winner Masondo, the Trojans dominated the NJCAA Cross Country Division I Championships with four top-10 finishers to score 38 points and win by 87 points. Colby also claimed the title at the Region VI Cross Country Championships, winning by 42 points.

Johnson has coached at Colby Community College since 2019. The Plainville native led his squad to a 2021 region championship and a third-place finish at the national meet.