Charlotte, NC - Two individuals who left lasting impacts on the association have been inducted into the NJCAA Cross Country, Track & Field, and Half Marathon Coaches Association Hall of Fame, announced by the NJCAA National Office on Wednesday. Diane Nukuri of Butler (KS) and long-time coach Denny Myers have been enshrined in the 2020 class.
Diane Nukuri
Student-Athlete - Butler (KS)
A native of Burundi, distance runner Diane Nukuri attended Butler Community College from 2004 to 2006. During her time in El Dorado, Nukuri quickly made an impact that would be remembered for years to come. Nukuri claimed nine inidividual national champion titles in three different NJCAA sports inlcuding cross country, half marathon, and track & field. Nukuri's first title came in the fall of 2004 when she won the NJCAA Women's Half Marathon Championship in Wichita, KS with a time of 1:18:31.00. Nukuri displayed continued success during her freshman track & field season, winning three individual titles in the 1,600 meters, 3,000 meters, and 5,000 meters.
During her sophomore campaign, Nukuri successfully defended all four of the titles she claimed the previous year while also winning the 2005 NJCAA Division I Women's Cross Country Championship. In the 2005 NJCAA Women's Half Marathon Championship, Nukuri improved her time by over two minutes and set an all-time NJCAA record of 1:16:01.00 that stands today. Nukuri's achievements on the national level garnered a total of 17 NJCAA All-America honors.
Nukuri added to her list of accolades on the region level, earning three-time Region VI Athlete of the Meet recognition, 11-time Region VI Champion honors, and setting 11 school records at Butler.
After two historic years at Butler, Nukuri continued her athletic and academic careers at the University of Iowa. As a Hawkeye, Nukuri garnered three-time NCAA All-American honors, set 10 school records, and claimed two individual Big Ten tiltes.
Nukuri has made an impact in the professional ranks as well. At the age of fifteen, she represented Burundi in the Sydney Summer Olympics in 2000 in the 5,000 meters and served as the Burundian flag bearer. Nukuri represented her home country once again in the London Olympics in 2012 and the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016.
"Diane is one of those inspirational stories that Butler and the NJCAA is all about. She was extremely successful during her time at Butler Community College and continued that success throughout her collegiate career at Iowa and into her professional life. She was a three-time Olympian and claimed nine national championships during her time at Butler in Cross Country and Track and Field while earning the prestigious title of All-American 17 times. Not only was she amazing in her sport, Diane was a joy to be around off the track. She was very kind, dedicated and very well respected among her teammates and peers. I am so proud of her and she is very deserving of this honor." - Todd Carter, Bulter Athletic Director
Denny Myers
Coach - Lansing (MI) / Vincennes (IN) / Rend Lake (IL) / Iowa Central
Denny Myers, East Lansing, MI native and respected NJCAA Cross Country and Track and Field Coach, kickstarted his career at Lansing from 1979-2000 where he led the men's and women's cross country teams to immeasurable success. There, Myers and the team earned men's cross country national titles in 1991, 1992, 1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999. For the women, they won titles in 1991, 1992, 1994, and 1995. In 1989 and 1992, they won men's marathon national titles and in 1990, 1991, and 1994, women's marathon national titles.
After more than 20 years at Lansing, Myers continued his career at Vincennes for three years then spent an impactful year at Rend Lake where he won the 2008 NJCAA Women's Indoor Track and Field National Championship. Perhaps most memorable from his career is Myers' time at the helm of Iowa Central when he took over as head coach in 2009. With the Tritons, Myers collected five men's indoor track and field national titles and four women's indoor track and field national titles. In addition, he guided the women to two outdoor track and field national titles, most recently in 2016.
A graduate of Grand Ledge high school, Myers was inducted in the school's hall of fame in 2020 and was also inducted into Siena Heights College's hall of fame, his alma mater. Outside of coaching, Myers was president of the NJCAA Cross Country Coaches Association from 1987-2009 and a US Track Coaches Association Representative from 1993-2003.
Myers' impact and success as a coaching icon in the track and field and cross country community for almost forty years is a direct result of his dedication to the association, his student-athletes, and his coaches.
"Denny was a master of psychology. He knew just what to say to each of us to get the most out of us. He understood many of us better than we understood ourselves." - Chris Gafner, Former Denny Myers student-athlete & Vincennes Head Coach
"I soon knew that Denny was a major fan of our sport. During our battles at national meets, I would always see him rooting for my athletes as well as his own." - Kim Renas, Macomb Head Coach