It was twice as nice this week for Mid-Prairie head boys and girls cross country coach Mark Hostetler as he was recognized by the Iowa Association of Track Coaches for his hard work and his team’s accomplishments in the recently completed season.

Hostetler was named girls class 2A cross country coach of the year for the state of Iowa and boys class 2A at large coach of the year. The Golden Hawk girls won their fifth consecutive state team championship on his watch, tying the longest streak in Iowa high school cross country history. It was their eighth straight team appearance at the event. The Hawks dominated in Fort Dodge, winning the gold by an impressive 61 point margin with a 50 point team score, second best in the history of girls class 2A competition. The team championship is the sixth that Hostetler has won as Mid-Prairie’s head coach. His daughter Danielle won the individual title, her second consecutive, making it the sixth straight season one of his daughter’s has been the individual winner. The Golden Hawk boys advanced to the state meet for the second year in a row, finishing sixth in the team standings for the second time in as many seasons.

He is a four-time coach of the year award winner from the IATC and in 2020 was named the Iowa Girls Cross Country Coach of the Year for the state of Iowa by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Association.