University of Florida women’s track and field associate head coach Larry Judge has been named the Assistant Coach of the Year for the throws, the U.S. Track Coaches Association announced Friday.

"I’m very excited about this award. It’s a great honor to be selected by my peers for this award," said Judge. "It says a lot about the success of our program this year. The thing that makes this type of award possible is the hard work and dedication of our athletes and support staff. The support and resources that (Head) Coach (Tom) Jones has given me have made this possible."

This season, Karen Freberg (shot put) and Erin Gilreath (weight throw) won Southeastern Conference Indoor titles en route to helping the throws group score 60 of the Gators’ 105 points at the SEC Indoor Championships. Gilreath also won the NCAA Indoor title in the weight throw with the third-best throw in collegiate history, and the throwers accounted for 36 of Florida’s 44 points at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Six Gator hurlers earned seven All-America honors at the NCAA Indoor Championships.

During the outdoor season, the throws group scored 80 of the 159 points that won the Gators the SEC Outdoor Championship. Freberg (shot put), Rachel Longfors (discus) and Candice Scott (hammer throw) all won SEC titles, and Scott has set the collegiate record in the hammer throw twice this season. She currently holds the record at 223-10. Florida also won the inaugural NCAA East Region team title, with the throwers tallying 60 of the Gators’ 105 points. Scott and Longfors won titles in their respective events at the NCAA East Regional as well.

This is the first award for Judge, who is in his third year as an assistant at Florida and first as the associate head coach. Judge has been an assistant coach for a total of 13 years and was also a head coach at Wyoming during his career.

The presentations of the Assistant Coach-of-the-Year awards will be at the Coaches Association General Meeting in Sacramento, Calif., on Friday, June 13.

Sprints/Hurdles DENNIS SHAVER (LSU)

Distance MICHAEL WHITTLESEY (North Carolina)

Jumps DENNIS NOBLES (Florida State)

Sprints/Hurdles VINCE ANDERSON (Tennessee)

Distance MIKE CURCIO (Appalachian State)

Jumps WAYNE PATE (Indiana)

Throws DON BABBITT (Georgia)