Wildcats Announce Additions to Track and Field Coaching Staff

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State director of track and field and cross country Cliff Rovelto announced the hiring of LaMar Garrett as an assistant coach, and Ryan Hershberger as a track and field assistant on Monday.

Garrett joins the staff after spending five years as an assistant at Illinois State, while Hershberger remains with the program after working as a volunteer assistant coach during the 2017-18 season.

"We are excited to add both LaMar and Ryan to the staff, both of them competed here at K-State, so they know Kansas State and they know our program," Rovelto said of Garrett and Hershberger. "Each of them have spent time as volunteer coaches [at K-State] and have coached with different programs, I think that they have a lot to offer and they really want to be here. They are both K-State guys."

Garrett will assist Rovelto with the sprints, hurdles, pole vault, high jumpers and combined events, while also helping in recruiting efforts.

Garrett spent the previous five seasons as an assistant coach with the Illinois State track and field program, where he specialized in coaching the high jump and multi-events. He built the multi-events programs at Illinois State, where he most recently guided James Brandenburg to the Missouri Valley Conference heptathlon and decathlon championships and Tessa Holland to the Missouri Valley Conference pentathlon championship and the school record in 2018.

During his tenure at Illinois State, Garrett played an integral role in developing student-athletes to compete at the conference and national level, with his athletes scoring a combined 140 points at the indoor and outdoor Missouri Valley Conference Championships. In 2018, Garrett's men's high jump group ranked 11^th indoor and eighth outdoor per the USTFCCCA event group rankings.

Prior to coaching at Illinois State, Garrett spent two years at Wisconsin, where he served as a volunteer assistant coach. During his collegiate career, he competed in the high jump at K-State, where he was a three-time All-Big 12 selection. He was also named to the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll in 2007 and 2008. He earned two degrees from K-State, including a bachelor's degree in social science in 2007 and a master's degree in counseling and student development/athletic administration in 2009.

"I would like to thank Coach Rovelto for this amazing opportunity. I would also like to thank the athletes and coaching staff for a great five years at Illinois State," Garrett said. "I can't think of a better place to be as a coach and an athlete than Kansas State. The program's history and coach Rovelto's history is the best in the business and speaks for itself."

Hershberger will serve as an assistant for the track and field program, while also helping in the program's recruiting efforts.

Hershberger remains with the K-State track and field program after serving as a volunteer assistant coach during the 2017-18 season. Hershberger helped assistant coach Greg Watson in coaching the K-State throws unit, which accounted for three All-Americans and two Big 12 Conference champions.

Hershberger competed for the Wildcats from 2010-14, where he was an All-American during the 2014 season, placing ninth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the men's shot put. He was also a three-time Academic All-Big 12 First-Team selection and a member of the 2014 USTFCCCA All-Academic team.

For the latest on K-State track and field follow @kstatesports and @KStateTFXC on Twitter or Kansas State Track & Field/Cross Country on Facebook.

Kansas State University Athletics

Wildcats Announce Additions to Track and Field Coaching Staff

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