Three EWU track & field coaches retire

CHENEY – Both track and field head coaches at Eastern Washington University have retired, with men’s head coach Stan Kerr and women’s head coach Marcia Mecklenburg calling it a career after 27 years each with the Eagles.

Jumps and multi-events coach Dave Nielsen will also retire.

"We want to wish Stan, Marcia, and Dave congratulations as they move into retirement. Their years of service to the sport of track and field, and specifically to Eastern Washington University, is outstanding. They have been tireless workers for our department and for their students. They were always positive and very enthusiastic about their teams and have been role models in their daily display of loyalty and resilience in running their programs. Both Marcia and Stan spent almost the entirety of their coaching careers with us, which in this day of college athletics if very rare and extremely commendable. Dave was a great addition these past few years and brought a high level of expertise and work ethic to our established staff," Director of Athletics Lynn Hickey said in a press release. "All three of these coaches have contributed years of work and sacrifice to intercollegiate athletics and have made an impact and difference for thousands of young people. They have been outstanding service leaders and we are so fortunate that they dedicated their lives to Eagle Athletics. We thank them for their service and wish them the very best as they move on to this next phase of their lives."

Along with being the head coach for the Eagles, Kerr also oversaw the men’s sprinters and hurdlers. Kerr received his undergraduate degree from Eastern in 1980 before coming back as a graduate assistant and earning his master’s in 1993. Following earning his master’s he was named the head track and field coach at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where he coached the NCAA Division III women's high jump champion. Kerr returned to Cheney in January 1996 to take over the men’s program.

In his 27 years as head coach of the men’s track and field program, Eagle student-athletes have seen success under Kerr. Eastern has had two NCAA All-Americans, 64 Big Sky Champions, six relay team champions and 227 Big Sky performers.

Mecklenburg came to Eastern in the fall of 1995 after spending nine seasons as an assistant coach at Washington State University. While in Pullman Mecklenburg coached the throwers, something she took with her to Cheney. In her 27 years as head coach of the women’s track and field program at EWU, she coached both the men’s and women’s throwers while overseeing the women’s program as a whole.

Like Kerr, many an Eagle saw success under Mecklenburg. Under her tutelage, two athletes saw NCAA All-American status and 10 have appeared in the NCAA Championships. 38 throwers have garnered Big Sky championships under Mecklenburg, while 128 student-athletes have participated in Big Sky championships under the long-time coach. In both indoor and outdoor track, 118 spots on EWU top-10 lists have been attained since Mecklenburg took over the program in 1995 – including seven school records.

Along with being the women’s head coach, Mecklenburg also was associated with United States track and field teams. She was a strength and conditioning coach during the 1997 Indoor World Championships and also competed in three Olympic trials, making the team three times.

Nielsen came out of retirement in 2017 to join the EWU staff. He had previously been a long-time coach at Idaho State University, spending 31 years as head coach of the Bengals. While at Idaho State his teams won five Big Sky titles in men’s and women’s indoor track and field and was named Big Sky coach of the year five times.

Under Nielsen, the Eagles won their first title in the men’s outdoor long jump after Keshun McGee’s 24-10 1/2 mark. McGee would win seven Big Sky titles during his time under Nielsen – an EWU record – and also advanced to the NCAA Championships.

Ian Bivona may be reached at ibiviona@columbiabasinherald.com.