Men's Track and Field | 7/31/2017 4:16:00 PM
POCATELLO, Idaho- Idaho State Track and Field coach
Hillary Merkley has added long-time Weber State track and field coach
Dan Walker and former Weber State stand-out
Tasha Powell to the staff.
In Walker's 33 years at Weber State he was a part of 41 Big Sky championships in men's and women's cross country and men's and women's track and field. He has been the event coach for 15 All-Americans and three NCAA champions.
"
Dan Walker has mentored me and so many other head and assistant coaches in the conference," Merkley said. "He is the guy everyone has on speed dial when problems and questions arise. To have him be willing to come and help make a contribution to our program after all his years of service at Weber State is such an honor. He has knowledge and connections that will help make our program better. We can't wait to get started."
Under Walker's leadership at Weber State, the Wildcat men's team won the Big Sky Outdoor Track and Field Championship in 2010, and he was named the Big Sky Coach of the Year. He has also guided the men's and women's programs to top three finishes in the Big Sky Conference on 11 occasions.
Throughout his career, Walker has been the primary coach for the men's and women's field events. He has coached athletes who have won three NCAA championships in the high jump. He has also coached athletes who have achieved All-American status in the high jump eight times and the javelin five times, as well as the men's heptathlon and triple jump. He has coached Big Sky Conference champions in every field event. Walker will coach the throws and pole vault at ISU.
Powell is a Pocatello native who graduated from Pocatello High School in 2012 and Weber State in 2017. Powell will assist Walker in coaching the throws at ISU. Powell was a two-time state champion at Pocatello and at Weber State she scored six times in the Big Sky championships and was all-conference in three events, including indoor and outdoor shot put and weight throw.
She was the outdoor conference champion in the shot put in 2017 and was also a two-time regional qualifier and set school records for shot (50'4"), hammer (189'9"), and weight (62'4").
"Tasha was a standout athlete in the Big Sky Conference and I have watched her improve tremendously over the years competing against us," Merkley said. "She is willing to work hard and she is excited to learn about coaching at the college level. She will be a great addition to our staff."
