AUBURN, Alabama—The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association honored Auburn junior hurder Ja’Kobe Tharp and assistant head coach Ken Harnden with South Regional Indoor awards Thursday.
Tharp was named the South Regional Male Runner of the Year, while Harnden received the South Regional Assistant Coach of the Year award. It is third time Tharp has won the USTFCCCA South Regional honors, while it his Harden’s fourth at Auburn.
A native of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Tharp won his third NCAA individual title, winning the men’s 60m hurdles in a collegiate and meet record time of 7.32. The time made Tharp the second fastest American ever and third fastest in the world ever in the event. The SEC Indoor Champion, Tharp previously won the 2024 NCAA outdoor and 2025 NCAA indoor titles.
Harnden coached Tharp and teammate Kayinsola Ajayi to SEC and NCAA indoor titles this past indoor season as both set collegiate and NCAA indoor meet records last week in their respective events. Ajayi claimed gold in the men’s 60m dash as the Tigers finished tied for fourth in the team standings with all 24 points coming from Harden’s sprint squad.