Sioux Center, Iowa — The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association has announced its National Athletes and Coaches of the Year for the 2021 NAIA Indoor Track and Field season and Dordt’s Nate Wolf has been named the National NAIA Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year.
Wolf, in his sixth year as an assistant coach with the Defenders in charge of the distance, high jump, hurdles and mid-distance athletes, saw his pupils shine at the NAIA Indoor Track & Field Championships in Yankton, South Dakota. Dordt (Iowa) athletes earned All-America honors in the mile, high jump, 4×800 and DMR and helped the squad finish second in the team standings.
“We are blessed to have Nate Wolf on our coaching staff, and this award is a recognition of the respect he has within the NAIA coaching community. Nate exemplifies the Defender Way in his coaching, modeling and expecting excellence in all areas. His experience with track and field as a head coach has been an invaluable asset to the track and field program. Not only does he coach the distance events with excellence, he is a very effective high jump and hurdle coach. He is a blessing to me and to the athletes in our program,” said Dordt head track and field coach Craig Heynen.
Earlier in the season, Wolf’s athletes scored 109 of the team’s 184 points in a winning effort at the GPAC Indoor Championships, which was the program’s first conference title indoors.
“The coaching tandem of Craig Heynen and Nate Wolf is among the best in NAIA track and field. Together they facilitate the growth of Dordt University student athletes in numerous ways. Coach Wolf reinforces the Defender Way principles Craig Heynen implements in his program. Dordt University is fortunate to have Coach Wolf serving in this supportive role,” said Dordt Director of Athletics Ross Douma.
