Track and Field

Curtis Vais

Head Coach--Men's and Women's Track & Field/Cross Country

Coach Vais enters his fourth year as the Head Men's and Women's Track and Field Coach. In Vais' four years overseeing the program, NIACC Track and Field has produced 1 Individual National Champion, 15 US Citizen All-Americans, 3 NJCAA All-Americans, along with a number of All-Region athletes. In 2008, Vais helped Jordan Anderson to the 114th Running of the Penn Relays were Anderson ran a NIACC record in the 5000 meters with a time of 14:36.

Prior to NIACC Coach Vais served as assistant track and field coach at the College of DuPage, a NJCAA Division III school. While at DuPage the women's team won the 2004 Outdoor NJCAA Division III National Championship while the men's team finished second nationally. The 2004 squad was recently inducted to the NJCAA Region 24 Hall of Fame.

Coach Vais is a graduate of Mount St. Clare College (now The Ashford University) in Clinton, IA. were he was an All-Conference runner and NAIA national qualifier. He and his wife Michelle reside in Charles City with their son Jacob.

vaiscurt@niacc.edu
641-422-4246

Tony Buhr

Assistant Men's and Women's Track & Field Coach

Coach Buhr enders his 3rd year at NIACC with a wealth of knowledge in the throwing areas of track and field. Coach Buhr led several NIACC thrower's to the next level in 2008. Ronnisha Hall was a US Citizen All-American in the indoor shot put and weight throw, placing 3rd in both events at the NJCAA National Championships. The outdoor season was a memorable one for the NIACC Track & Field program as they brought home their first National Champion, in Marin Throson as she won the discus throw. Ronnisha Hall added more All-American awards to her Track and Field resume in the Javelin, and Hammer Throw.

 

 A graduate of North Central High School in Manly, Buhr was a three-time Corn Bowl Conference champion in the discus, and set records in both the discus and shot put while in high school. He qualified for the Iowa State Track meet for the discus event twice, finishing second in the discus in 1996.

Buhr is a graduate of Iowa State University. He and his wife Kathy reside in Mason City. He has continued to compete at the amateur level. He is a four-time champion at the Iowa State games, in both the discus and shot put.

 

Shawn Sponheim

Assistant Men's & Women's Track & Field Hurdle Coach

 

 Shawn graduated from St. Ansgar High School in 2000 where he was a district champion and three time Corn Bowl Conference champion in the 110m High Hurdles. He also holds the school record in that event with a time of 12.86 seconds. He qualified for the Iowa State Track meet in the 400m Low Hurdles and finished 4th in the 110m High Hurdles.

 

After taking a year to concentrate on classes, Shawn walked-on to the Iowa State University Track and Field team. he was a member of the Shuttle Hurdle Relay team that competed at the Drake Relays in 2004.

Shawn lives south of St. Ansgar where he is the Pioneer Hi-Bred Seed Dealer. He also works part-time as an Investment Advisor at Miller & Associates in Mason City.

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