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Track & Field
UNI Names Dan Steele as Head Track and Field/Cross Country Coach
Sept. 29, 2009
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- Dan Steele has been named the Head Men’s and Women’s Track and Field/Cross Country Coach at the University of Northern Iowa, as announced by UNI Director of Athletics Troy Dannen. Steele, a native of Moline, Ill., recently finished his seventh season at the University of Oregon. Steele was instrumental in leading the combined men’s and women’s teams to unprecedented success in 2009, where the Duck men won the NCAA Indoor title, the Pac-10 Conference title and finished second at NCAA Outdoor meet. Not to be outdone, the Duck women won the 2009 Pac-10 Conference title and finished second at the NCAA Outdoor meet. Steele made history at the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Championships by coaching Ashton Eaton to his second Decathlon title and Brianne Theisen to her first Heptathlon title. This is the first time in NCAA history both multis winners came from the same school. For his efforts, Steele was voted the 2009 Indoor NCAA Coach of the Year.
“My extraordinary experience at Oregon has prepared me well to take over the program at the University of Northern Iowa.” Steele said. “I had the great pleasure of working for and learning from two of the most brilliant head coaches in the business, Vin Lananna and Martin Smith. In that time, I have also enjoyed coaching some of the finest track and field athletes in America. “Northern Iowa and I are a great fit. Originally from the Quad Cities, I also know Cedar Falls/Waterloo is the perfect place for raising a family. UNI’s proud and impressive tradition of athletic and academic excellence falls in line with my professional standards and expectations. Coaching is teaching; I am a passionate teacher. With my modern vision and leadership, UNI will remain relevant at the NCAA level and be a perennial Missouri Valley Conference championship-caliber team.” As the Associate Director of Track and Field at Oregon, Steele was responsible for running the daily operations of the men’s and women’s track and field team. Overseeing the sprinters, hurdlers, pole vaulters, decathletes and heptathletes, Steele has coached eight NCAA champions, 13 Pac-10 champions, 30 All-Americans and helped Oregon student-athletes establish 22 new school records. As an athlete, Steele competed as the brakeman on the Olympic bronze medal four-man bobsled team for the United States at the 2002 Games. Steele earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Eastern Illinois in 1992. As a collegiate student-athlete at EIU, Steele captured the 400-hurdles NCAA title as a senior, was a two-time All-American and two-time Drake Relays champion for the Panthers. He was inducted into the EIU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2001. He and his wife, Dusky, have two sons, Xander and Blake.
The Dan Steele File Education: - B.A. Sociology, Eastern Illinois, 1992
Coaching Experience: UNI Head Coach, 2009-present Oregon Associate Director of Track & Field, 2007-2009 Oregon Assistant Track & Field Coach, 2001 and 2003-2007
Coaching Honors: 2009 NCAA Men’s Indoor Coach of the Year 2009 NCAA West Regional Women’s Coach of the Year 2008 Pac-10 Coach of the Year 2007 West Regional Assistant Coach of the Year (Sprints/Hurdles) 2005 West Regional Assistant Coach of the Year (Sprints/Hurdles)
Student-Athlete Accomplishments: Eight NCAA Champions 13 Pac-10 Champions 30 All-Americans 22 Oregon School Records
Personal Athletic Accomplishments: 2002 Olympic Bronze Medal (USA Bobsled Team) 1999 USA Track & Field World Championship Team (Decathlon – 8th place) 1999 USA Pan American Games Team (Decathlon – Silver Medal) 1998 USA Olympic Team (Bobsled) 1992 NCAA Champion (400m Hurdles) Two-Time NCAA All-American Nine-Time Mid-Continent Conference Champion 2002 Inductee to Quad City Sports Hall of Fame 2001 Inductee to Eastern Illinois University Hall of Fame
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