Gorwin Announced as GPAC Coach of Character Nominee for the 2025-26 Year

FOREST CITY, Iowa – Waldorf University's Director of Cross Country and Track & Field, Janna (Langrell) Gorwin, has been named the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Coach of Character nominee for 2025-26.

"I felt extremely honored when I was selected to represent Waldorf as Coach of Character at the conference level," Coach Gorwin said. "I am equally honored to represent the GPAC at the national level. Coaching has never been about the accolades for me but rather working with my staff to help our athletes grow into the best versions of themselves for the time we have with them."

Under Coach Gorwin's leadership, the men's and women's cross country teams and track and field teams have improved each year. In the 2025-26 seasons, she coached her teams to 151 Top 10 All-Time marks, breaking 26 school records. Six athletes finished as all-conference performers with one conference champion, three national qualifiers, and one All-American. Additionally, three of her teams earned NAIA Scholar-Team honors and six of her athletes earned NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors. In her four seasons as coach, the Warriors have rewritten history with 437 Top 10 All-Time marks and 95 broken school records.

"I am thankful to have Coach Gorwin on our staff," Director of Athletics, Chad Gassman said. "In everything she does, she represents our mission of educating the entire person, using the NAIA core values as tools. She leads by example and helps her athletes grow physically, mentally, and spiritually."

Coach Gorwin exemplifies the NAIA core values of integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship, and servant leadership in her practices, competitions, and team meetings and strives to instill these values in each of her athletes.

As the conference recipient, Gorwin is the nominee for the NAIA Coach of Character award. The national winners are announced during the NAIA National Awards Day on September 15 and recognized during the annual NAIA National Convention.

To view the GPAC's release, click here.