May 9, 2007

FRISCO - Texas State track and field coach Galina Bukharina has been named Southland Conference's Coach of the Year in women's competition after leading the Bobcats to their fourth team title in school history and second in the last four years.

The Bobcats dominated on the final day of the meet, scoring 177.50 points during the meet. The nearest teams were second place Sam Houston State (124 points) and host Stephen F. Austin (123 points).

Bukharina picked up her second honor for a women's outdoor season after also capturing the 2004 Coach of the Year award for leading her team to a title. All told, she has now collected seven Coach of the Year awards since 2003.

Also honored Wednesday was Texas State senior thrower Abby Ruston who was named the Newcomer of the Year. The San Antonio native transferred to Texas State for her senior season after previously competing at Texas A&M. Ruston won both the shot put with a throw of 54-10.75 and the discus with a mark of 167-02. She also won the shot put competition at the SLC Indoor Championships and was named the conference's Newcomer of the Year for the indoor season.

Ruston has qualified for the NCAA Midwest Regional in both the shot put and discus. She is one of 13 Texas State student-athletes currently slated to compete at the regional in Des Moines, Iowa, May 25-26.