NEW ORLEANS, La. - National Athletes and Coaches of the Year, presented by Pro Form Sports, for the 2020 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field season will be announced throughout the week by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) following a two-tiered voting process. On Wednesday afternoon, Parley Hannan of the Ithaca College women's track & field team National Women's Track Athlete of the Year for the 2020 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field season by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

Member coaches pared down a list of candidates to three finalists in each category last week: National Track Athletes of the Year, National Field Athletes of the Year as well as National Coaches of the Year and National Assistant Coaches of the Year.

Hannan is the second athlete from Ithaca to be named National Athlete of the Year since 2018 (Katherine Pitman was named National Women's Field Athlete of the Year two years ago). Hannan was also named USTFCCCA Athlete of the Year during the cross country season after she claimed Ithaca's first-ever cross country individual national championship.

There was very little doubt as to why Hannan received this honor. Not only did the senior from Orlean, Virgina, lead the nation in three individual events (mile, 3000, 5000) and anchor a top-ranked relay team (DMR), but she crushed the NCAA DIII record in the 5000 with her time of 16:05.36. Hannan also added an all-time top-15 mark in the 3000 (No. 11, 9:34.22).

This indoor season, Hannan won nine different races. The only individual race Hannan did not win, the 5K at the Hemery Valentine Invitational, she was matched up against Dani Jones of Colorado – the 2020 Division I Women's National Indoor Track Athlete of the Year – and Jenny Simpson – a bronze medalist at the 2016 Olympics Games in Rio.