Schmidt joins LSSU track and field coaching staff

SAULT STE. MARIE - Gregg Schmidt, a strength and conditioning and throws specialist, has been added to the Lake Superior State track and field coaching staff.

Schmidt's extensive coaching background includes stints as an assistant coach at Iowa Central Junior College, Valparaiso University and St. Lawrence University. He was a member of the Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year while at St. Lawrence during the 2005-06 indoor track and field season.

"I am very excited to have a full-time throws coach for the first time in our program's history and adding a coach with Gregg's background is an added bonus," LSSU head coach Steve Eles said. "Gregg's background will be extremely beneficial to our program. He has a vast background in throws, multi events, and has coached successful jumpers. Gregg's knowledge and certifications in lifting will also be very beneficial to our program."

Schmidt, of Palmyra, N.J., has a B.A. in history from Lynchburg College (Va.) and received a master's degree in education from St. Lawrence in 2007.

Last season at Iowa Central, Schmidt coached the women's indoor pentathlon and outdoor heptathlon national champion. He coached three NJCAA qualifiers in the outdoor heptathlon and decathlon, including NJCAA Outdoor Female Athlete of the Year A.G. Bradford. He coached jumps and strength and conditioning at Valparaiso in 2007-08.

He is a certified sports performance coach with USA Weightlifting and a performance enhancement specialist with the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Schmidt also coached throwers for six seasons at his former high school.