Sweeney, Mathre named MIAC Track Coaches of the Year

May 16, 2000
St. Thomas head track and field coaches Joe Sweeney and Steve Mathre were voted MIAC Track & Field Coach of the Year for women and men, respectively, after they led the Tommies to conference team championships indoors and outdoors in 2000.

The men's outdoor championship secured last weekend was UST's 16th in the last 18 seasons. The UST women won the outdoor crown for the 15th time in 16 seasons.

In 20 seasons at UST, Sweeney's teams have won 43 of a possible 54 MIAC championships in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track. His teams have gone on to post top-five NCAA team finishes 25 of a possible 53 times.

In Mathre's five seasons as head coach, the Tommie men have won eight of a possible 10 MIAC team championships indoors and outdoors. Since 1982, UST has won 42 of a possible 52 conference team crowns in cross country, indoor and outdoor track.

UST senior Greg Kaiser received one of four individual awards from last weekend's outdoor championships. Kaiser was the recipient of the male Most Outstanding Performance after he broke his own meet record with a winning javelin throw of 207-6, one foot better than his 1999 winning effort. Kaiser, in just his second season of college track and field, has already qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships and is hoping to improve on his eighth-place finish of 1999 that earned him All-American honors.

see 2000 MIAC Outdoor Track Meet awards here