Ohio State Track and Field Names Mannon as Throws Coach – Ohio State Buckeyes
7/30/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
July 30, 2004
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Russ Rogers, head coach of the men’s and women’s track and field teams at Ohio State, named Kevin Mannon as throws coach Thursday. Mannon, who coached the Buckeye throwers in a volunteer capacity the last two seasons, takes over for John Smith, who accepted the men’s head coach position at Southern Illinois after five seasons with Ohio State.
Rogers is pleased to hire a coach with previous experience at Ohio State.
“For the last two years Kevin has worked with our throwers,” Rogers, who will enter his 18th season at Ohio State, said. “I have been impressed with what he has done as a volunteer in that time. He has a professional approach and the athletes like him.”
In his two seasons in the volunteer role, Mannon, a native of West Jeffereson, Ohio, has helped Smith put together one of the top throws teams in the nation. In the last two seasons, Buckeye throwers have earned 13 All-America awards, eight Big Ten titles and two NCAA crowns.
Mannon’s main focus was the weight throw indoors and the hammer event outdoors, where he helped Dan Taylor and Keturah Lofton reach new levels in the Big Ten and at the NCAA meets, culminating in Ohio State sweeps of the weight and hammer at both the indoor and outdoor Big Ten championships. In addition, Taylor was the NCAA champion in the weight and indoor shot put in 2004 and an All-American in the outdoor discus, hammer and shot put the last two seasons. Lofton earned All-America honors in the weight and hammer in 2004. Both hold Big Ten records in the hammer.
Mannon looks forward to the chance to continue molding successful throwers and build upon the tradition at Ohio State.
“I’m excited to get to work with the same athletes I have been coaching the last two seasons,” Mannon said. “It makes for an easy transition into this role. I have trained with and coached a lot of the athletes on our roster. I also bring a lot of recent experience and have a familiarity with many of the athletes throwing around the country. A lot of the things will be the same, but I also look to bring a new perspective and approach at the same time.”
Overall, the Smith era saw 17 Big Ten individual championships, 19 All-Americans, two NCAA individual championships, 14 school records and six Big Ten standards. Internationally, Buckeye throwers also competed in the 2003 Pan American Games and saw three of its throwers – Taylor, Lofton and Amarachi Ukabam – reach the finals of the 2004 Olympic Trials in July.
Smith is pleased to leave an easy transition for the 2005 throws team.
“Kevin was my No. 1 choice and I am happy to see him take over as throws coach,” Smith, who returns to his alma mater at SIU, said. “I am happy to see that the house that I helped build will be left in good shape. Kevin was an outstanding athlete and will continue to succeed as a coach.”
Mannon also served as a graduate assistant at Wyoming for one season. In that time, he helped three Cowboys earn trips to the 2000 Olympic Games. Mannon, who placed fifth at the 2000 Olympic trials in the hammer, helped Dawn Ellerbe and Jesseca Cross make the U.S. team in the hammer, while also helping Jason Gervais earn a spot on the 2000 Canadian Olympic squad.
As an athlete, Mannon was a 12-time All-American between two-year stints at South Carolina and Wyoming. He was the recipient of the Southeastern Conference Commissioner’s Trophy his sophomore season at South Carolina after winning performances at the 1998 outdoor conference meet. Following his sophomore season, in which Mannon earned five All-America awards, he transferred to Wyoming, where he gained another seven All-America honors in his two seasons with the Cowboys. In addition to the 12-overall All-America accolades, Mannon established the American collegiate record in the weight throw on two occasions in the 1999 indoor season. Mannon set the American standard of 74 feet, 8 1/4 (74-8.25) inches on February 13, 1999 in Laramie, Wyo. The mark stood until Jan. 10, 2004, when Taylor heaved a measure of 76-2.25 in the indoor season opener in French Field House. Mannon was present that day to witness the record-setting throw and later helped Taylor set the record two more times, the last reaching 78-9.25 on Feb. 21.
Mannon, who also claimed five individual Western Athletic Conference titles, looks forward to continuing to help Taylor as he strives for success on the world and Olympic stages.
“I have helped Dan with the weight and hammer the last two years,” Mannon said. “I will continue to work with him while he finishes his degree. I know that is very important to him. I will work with him as much as he wants to get ready for the world championships next year.”
