Jaheem Hayles and Jonathan Alexis picked up top honors for the Iowa Central track and field program just ahead of the start of the NJCAA National Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Hayles was named the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association NJCAA Midwest Region Men's Outdoor Track and Field Athlete of the Year, while Alexis earned the region assistant coach of the year title.

Hayles set the Region XI Championships meet record in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 13.65. He is the NJCAA overall leader in the event. 

Alexis works with the jumping events and both decathlon and heptathlon, which will be well-represented with Iowa Central athletes at nationals.

At regionals, decathletes finished first, second and fifth. Aries Scott has the third-best score in the event and set eight personal bests in the decathlon and also competed in four more open events, recording two personal bests. 

All three of the long jumpers competing under Alexis hit national-qualifying marks at regionals and rank in the Top-14 while all three triple jumpers rank in the Top-12. 

-By Dana Becker