NEW ORLEANS, La. --- Tusculum University distance runner Nicole McMillen has been honored by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association as the Division II Southeast Region Women's Track Athlete of the Year for indoor track & field, the USTFCCCA announced Friday.

McMillen, a graduate student from Pickering, Ontario, was the Top Regional Performer in four running events for the Pioneers during the 2019-20 indoor season. She set school and conference records in the mile, 3,000 meters and 5,000 meters and was part of a school-record performance in the 4x400-meter relay. McMillen won gold at the South Atlantic Conference Championships in the 3,000, 5,000 and 4x400-relay to help Tusculum to a third-place finish in the team standings.

McMillen recorded the top times in the Southeast Region in the mile of 4:53.57 at the USC Open on Feb. 22, and 9:39.38 in the 3,000 meters at the Carolina Challenge on Jan. 31. McMillen was timed at 16:53.86 in the 5,000 meters at the Camel City Invitational on Feb. 7, and was part of the 4x400-meter relay that claimed the region's top time of 3:50.05 at the USC Open.

McMillen will compete in both the 3,000 meters and the 5,000 meters at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships, which will be held Friday and Saturday, March 13 and 14 in Birmingham, Alabama.

Award winners were determined by a vote of USTFCCCA member coaches. Only those individuals from USTFCCCA member programs are eligible for awards.

McMillen is the second Pioneer to earn Region Athlete of the Year honors, joining Widchard Guervil who was named Southeast Region Men's Track Athlete of the Year for the 2018 outdoor season.