Former Three Time All-American Jason Schutz Hired as Head Throws Coach for Track & Field

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (October 9, 2018) – The Northern Arizona Track & Field team has named Jason Schutz as the assistant coach for men's and women's throws, NAU Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Michael Smith officially announced the hire this week. Schutz will be joining the Lumberjacks having previously coached at both California State Northridge and the University of Washington.
 
A former NCAA standout at his alma mater Colorado State, Jason Schutz has proven himself to be one of the top coaches nationally in the throws events. After his illustrious collegiate career the two-time NCAA scorer in the discus and 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials participant worked his way up to become one of the nation's top minds in throwing.
 
"I am honored and excited to be joining NAU staff under Director Michael Smith," said Schutz.
 
Smith expressed his excitement as well for the new hire.
 
"I'm thrilled to announce the hire of Jason Schutz to the NAU Track and Field staff to lead our throws group," said Smith. "Coach Schutz brings success from the highest levels of Division I Track and Field with an outstanding reputation in coaching circles developing balanced student athletes."
 
Through three seasons at Washington, Schutz coached 10 different Pac-12 scorers and UW's first Pac-12 Champion in the throws in over 10 years in Carson Fuller. He enjoyed great success during his time with the Huskies. Schutz helped lead Washington to its first Pac-12 title since 2006 in the 2017 campaign. During his first year in Seattle his athletes included five NCAA West Preliminary qualifiers, as well as a pair of All-Americans in javelin throwers Carson Fuller and Quinn Hale, who finished 15th and 18th, respectively at the 2016 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
 
Schutz comes to NAU with ten years of coaching experience and a familiarity with the West Coast, as he also spent the 2012-15 seasons at Cal State Northridge. In Schutz's final year at Cal State Northridge, he helped the Matadors women's team to a runaway Big West Team title, and qualified junior Monique Griffiths through to the NCAA Championships in the women's hammer throw. Schutz's athletes won three of the four individual Big West titles on the women's side, with Griffiths winning the discus and hammer. His throwers contributed 49 points to CSUN's winning team score of 212.
 
In 2014 Schutz helped guide the Matadors to the Big West Championships, where the Matador women scored a dominant 55 points in the throws, 20 points better than the next best throws group.
 
Highlights from Schutz's first two years at Northridge included coaching Tucker Weathers who would end his collegiate career as a two time NCAA Preliminary qualifier in the shot put. Also during that span, Griffiths completed a stellar freshman year, qualifying for the NCAA Preliminary Round in the discus and finishing as one of the top freshmen in the NCAA. In addition, CSUN had two women qualify for the USATF National Junior Championships in three events, with Griffiths in the discus and hammer, and freshman Jakayla Daniels in the shot put.
 
Prior to CSUN, Schutz coached for two seasons at the University of Pittsburgh. During his tenure there, the throws group improved dramatically, led by Jess Rocco, who qualified for the NCAA Preliminary Round and the USATF national junior championships in the javelin and set a PR of 152-feet.
 
Schutz joined the Panthers after serving a year as a volunteer assistant coach at his alma mater, Colorado State, working alongside his college coach, Brian Bedard, the longtime head coach at CSU. Additionally, Schutz worked as a strength coach for the athletic department, assisting with the track and field team.
 
"We sought after a coach that was the right fit for NAU," added Smith. "Jason's background as a coach and also as an athlete was one that offered a special combination pertinent to NAU: he's quickly shot up in the coaching ranks to cut his teeth in the Pac 12, but had the experience of an athlete in a mid-major as an All American thrower at Colorado State. Our nitch in recruiting and competing in the Big Sky, as well as the recent national level prominence found in our group, make this a great match."
 
During his collegiate career, Schutz was a three-time All-American, twice in the discus, and once in the indoor weight throw. He also reached NCAA Outdoors once in the hammer throw. Schutz competed at three-straight USA Outdoor Championships in the discus from 2007-09, including the 2008 Olympic Trials where he was 16th.
 
A native of Chromo, Colorado, Schutz made the most of his time in the classroom, earning Academic All-America honors, while earning his Bachelor of Science degree in natural resource management, with a minor in watershed science.
 
"We're beyond excited Coach Schutz has joined our staff to continue the high standard of throwers within NAU Track & Field," concluded Smith.
 
"It is a great time to be a Lumberjack," added Schutz. "This program has a strong legacy in the throws that I cannot wait to continue to develop and I am incredibly excited to be working with the fantastic Track & Field staff to continue to elevate the program as a whole."