Jim Vahrenkamp has been named assistant coach for the Augustana track and field and cross country teams, head coach
Tracy Hellman announced today.
Vahrenkamp replaces
Chris Bradford, who resigned in July to become the head track and field coach at Western State College.
Vahrenkamp comes to Augustana after spending a year as an assistant coach at Emory University in Atlanta, Ga. While there he coached throwers and multi-event athletes for both the indoor and outdoor teams. At Emory, Vahrenkamp was part of a staff that helped the Eagles return to the top of the University Athletic Association in 2009. Emory won its first UAA indoor championship during the 2009 season. As a result, the Eagles' coaching staff was named the UAA Indoor Coaching Staff of the Year.
Vahrenkamp had an impact with the Emory throwers, high jumpers, pole vaulters and multi-sport athletes. He coached 2 NCAA provisional national qualifiers and 1 school record holder.
Before Emory, Vahrenkamp spent 2 years as an assistant coach at the University of South Dakota. At USD, he worked with the Coyotes' decathletes, heptathletes, high jumpers, long jumpers and javelin throwers. Prior to that, Vahrenkamp served 4 years as an assistant at Rapid City Christian High School. While there he worked with the jumpers, throwers and hurdlers. During his time at Rapid City Christian, he coached his athletes to 8 school records.
"I feel that Jim is one of the brightest young coaches in the country," Hellman said. "He brings a wealth of knowledge in many different events. The individuals I talked to commented on how enthusiastic and hard working he is as a coach. He also has an exceptional ability to relate to student-athletes, and I look forward to working with him here at Augustana.
Vahrenkamp was a 3-year member of the track and field team at South Dakota where he was a qualifier for the decathlon at the 2006 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships. At that meet, the Coyotes finished fourth in the team standings.
Vahrenkamp spent his freshman year at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. He was a national qualifier in both the pentathlon and the high jump at the 2002 NAIA Indoor Championships.
Vahrenkamp received a bachelor's degree in education from South Dakota in 2006, and he earned his master's degree in history from USD in 2009.
