Women's Cross Country 11/7/2025 9:02:00 PM

Parker named Atlantic Coach of the year, Binkley and White named Athletes of the Year

The Buccaneers will compete in the NJCAA Division I Men's & Women's Cross Country Championships on Saturday

Women's Cross Country 11/7/2025 9:02:00 PM

Parker named Atlantic Coach of the year, Binkley and White named Athletes of the Year

The Buccaneers will compete in the NJCAA Division I Men's & Women's Cross Country Championships on Saturday

Before the Blinn College men's and women's cross country teams could even take the course for the NJCAA Division I Men's & Women's Cross Country Championships on Saturday, the Buccaneers already began receiving national recognition.

On Friday, the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association named Blinn cross country head coach Jesse Parker the NJCAA Division I Cross Country Atlantic Region Men's and Women's Coach of the Year, and recognized Bucs freshman Matthew Binkley and sophomore Clare White as the Atlantic Region Male and Female Athlete of the Year.

All three awards are firsts for Blinn cross country since the program relaunched in the fall of 2024.

"It's great to be recognized as a coach, but this award is really a compliment to our athletes," Parker said. "These kids put in the work every day and go out and perform to the best of their abilities. They are the reason these awards are possible."

In the Central Region, Hutchinson Community College men's and women's coach Jafet Molinares was honored; Iowa Western Community College men's and women's coach Marc Bierbaum was recognized out of the Midwest Region; Jeff Becker of New Mexico Junior College was the recipient of the men's award out of the West Region; and Odessa College coach Chris Beene was honored in the women's West Region.

"This is all pretty humbling considering the company I find myself in with the other recipients," Parker added. "These awards went to some of the best coaches in the country, so it's a special moment for me to be recognized among the best."

From left: Blinn cross country head coach Jesse Parker, Matthew Binkley, and Clare White

Under Parker's leadership, the Blinn men and women captured the team titles at the Region 14 Championships on Oct. 18, and both teams earned a pair of runner-up finishes in four fall meets while competing mostly against NAIA and NCAA programs.

Parker went on to say that national recognition was one part of the bigger picture he envisioned when getting his program off the ground in 2024.

"The vision and expectations we set for our teams are starting to come to fruition, not just from a performance standpoint but also in terms of national standing and perception," Parker explained. "These moments are huge for me and our athletes, but also for the future of Blinn College cross country."

Binkley has made a splash in his first collegiate season. He earned the Region 14 individual championship and placed inside the top 10 at the Stormy Seas Opener and The Hill Cross Country Classic. He was also named first-team all-region.

"It's very rewarding to see my progress get recognized," Binkley said. "I love this sport, and my only plan is to keep training and finding more out of each day while staying thankful."

In her second season as a Bucs, White has provided impactful miles and leadership. She helped Blinn capture the Region 14 team title with an individual runner-up finish, and was named first-team all-region in the process.

"Being selected as one of the regional athletes of the year is such an honor," White said. "With the amount of hard work and training I've put into my time here at Blinn, while also helping kickstart a new cross country program, I am very thankful to have been a part of this team and to receive this award."

Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 53 national championships since 1987.

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Players Mentioned

Clare White: Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Clare White
: Sophomore