Anderson Named Assistant Women's Track Coach
July 31, 2003 | Women's Track & Field
Loreena Anderson, a former Big Ten Conference javelin champion, has been named an assistant women's track coach at the University of Wisconsin, head coach Peter Tegen announced today. Anderson begins her duties Aug. 1.
'Loreena has been our top choice all along and I'm very happy that we have her on board,' said Tegen. 'She comes with great credentials and was highly recommended. Having been a head coach for seven years, she brings some solid experience to the table and she will fit in great with our staff.
'Loreena has proven that she can develop athletes from division III to world class. In fact, one of her discus throwers will be competing at the World Championships in Paris later this year.'
Anderson, 41, comes to Wisconsin after serving as the head women 's track and field coach at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minn., for the last seven years. The throwing specialist also coaches the men's throwers at Hamline. Anderson coached the 1998 NCAA Division III national champion in the shot put, Misty Bahr, and the 2000 national champion in the 20-pound weight throw, April Felt. She has coached a total of 11 All-Americans at Hamline. Anderson also coaches Kris Kuehl, who is currently the No. 1 ranked women's discus thrower in the United States and ranked seventh in the world.
'The state of Wisconsin has some very good track and field athletes and I hope to recruit many of those to keep the prominence of Wisconsin track and field going,' said Anderson.
In addition to her coaching duties, she also served as the intramural director at Hamline and taught several classes. Prior to being named at Hamline, Anderson served as an assistant coach at Macalester College from 1987-96 where she coached one national champion. Anderson has also served as the head throws referee at the NCAA Division III national championships.
A native of Alexandria, Minn., Anderson was a high school All-American in the discus. She was a two-year letterwinner at the University of Minnesota, setting the school record in the javelin. Anderson won the 1983 Big Ten title in the javelin and qualified for the 1984 U.S. Olympic Trials and NCAA championships in that event. She was named Minnesota's senior woman athlete of the year in 1984.
'This is a great opportunity for this Midwestern girl, ' said Anderson. 'I think that track and field in the Midwest is greatly under-rated or under-stated. And that is highly due to our weather, especially the winters. I don't for a minute think that we cannot turn out quality, nationally competitive athletes. I'm on board at Wisconsin to give it a go!
Anderson is a 1995 graduate of Minnesota with a bachelor of science degree in kinesiology. She earned her master's of education degree from Minnesota in 1996.
