Fritz Spence, a Missouri State track and field assistant coach, has been recognized by the U.S. Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) as the Mideast Region Assistant Coach of the Year for women's jumps and combined events category. The USTFCCCA honors the top assistants in four regions (East, Midwest, Mideast and West) in the categories of men's and women's throws, distances, sprints/hurdles and jumps/combined events.

Spence has been an assistant coach with the MSU track and field teams for the last five years and has been recognized for his outstanding work during the 2006 outdoor season. He specializes in working with the Bears' jumpers, throwers and multi-event contenders. Tracy Partain, a 2006 outdoor All-American, was one of Spence's star athletes. Partain won Missouri Valley Conference titles in the heptathlon and the 100m hurdles. She finished second in the heptathlon at the NCAA Outdoor Championship.