Track & Field
Kip Janvrin
- Title:
- Assistant Coach (Multis/Pole Vault)
- Phone:
- (785) 370-1954
Kip Janvrin was announced as a track and field assistant coach, overseeing the combined events and pole vault, by Director of Track and Field/Cross Country Travis Geopfert on August 2, 2024.
In Janvrin's first two years with the program he led Emil Uhlin to consecutive First Team All-American honors in the men's decathlon at the NCAA Outdoor Championship. During the 2026 season Uhlin finished in 5th place with his best performance at 7.976 points, the no. 3 best score in the K-State school records. In 2025 Uhlin earned a bronze medal with 7,859 points.
During the Outdoor Championship freshman Dorian Charles earned Second Team All-America honors in the decathlon with a 10th place performance of 7.764 points, becoming the only program with two All-Americans in the decathlon event.
At the 2026 NCAA Indoor Championship he coaches Vanessa Mercera to First Team All-America honors in the women's pentathlon with 4,310 points. After her first pentathlon on January 31 of 4,429 points she held the collegiate lead in the event for a couple weeks, while that is the no. 4 best performance in K-State's all-time top-10.
Janvrin recently retired from Central Missouri where he served as the co-head track and field coach for 28 years and spent 35 years overall with the program. The women’s team won its first ever Division II National Championship titles during both the indoor and outdoor seasons in 2014-15. During his tenure he saw 26 national champions win 49 titles. In the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) conference the men’s team won 28 titles (16 indoor, 12 outdoor), including sweeping the 2018-19 season, while the women’s team won nine titles (six indoor, three outdoor) under Janvrin’s leadership with Kirk Pedersen.
“A full circle moment for me in hiring Kip Janvrin. Kip gave me my first job as a GA [graduate assistant] at Central Missouri,” Geopfert said. “He was hard on me, but it made me better. His dad Ken was my high school track coach and was instrumental in my passion for the sport of track and field. Kip’s knowledge and experience will be invaluable to our program. He’s coached at the Division II level for a long time while raising his family at Central Missouri. I’m excited for the Division I ranks to see what an amazing coach Kip Janvrin is. Truly one of the best coaches in all of NCAA track and field. I’m thankful for the truly special moment for me to work again with Kip Janvrin.”
In 2022, Janvrin led the men’s team to a fifth-place finish at the DII NCAA Indoor Championship, the highest team finish since 2015. During the outdoor NCAA championship that same year, he coached (current K-State assistant coach) Christopher Goodwin to UCM’s first-ever NCAA long jump national title. During the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons he coached decorated combined events athlete, and UCM 2017 Hall of Fame inductee, Lindsay Lettow to four national titles, twice in the indoor pentathlon and twice in the outdoor heptathlon.
Janvrin was an Olympian in his own right, competing in the decathlon at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, the oldest U.S decathlete to ever compete in the Olympics. He is the world record holder for the most career decathlon wins at 41 and the American record holder for the most decathlon wins over 8,000 points at 26. He won the 2001 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships and won the Drake Relays decathlon a record 17 times while being inducted to the Drake Relays Hall of Fame in 1996.
Janvrin also coached internationally for Team USA, including twice in the Thorpe Cup, a competition between USA and Germany in the women's heptathlon and men's decathlon, in 2006 and 2018. He also coached at the 2012 and 2014 NACAC Championships.
He and his wife, Teresa, who was standout performer for UCM track and field teams from 1986-89, have two sons, Mason and Jaxon.
Coaching Experience
Coaching Accomplishments
Hall of Fame
Athlete Honors
Education
In Janvrin's first two years with the program he led Emil Uhlin to consecutive First Team All-American honors in the men's decathlon at the NCAA Outdoor Championship. During the 2026 season Uhlin finished in 5th place with his best performance at 7.976 points, the no. 3 best score in the K-State school records. In 2025 Uhlin earned a bronze medal with 7,859 points.
During the Outdoor Championship freshman Dorian Charles earned Second Team All-America honors in the decathlon with a 10th place performance of 7.764 points, becoming the only program with two All-Americans in the decathlon event.
At the 2026 NCAA Indoor Championship he coaches Vanessa Mercera to First Team All-America honors in the women's pentathlon with 4,310 points. After her first pentathlon on January 31 of 4,429 points she held the collegiate lead in the event for a couple weeks, while that is the no. 4 best performance in K-State's all-time top-10.
“A full circle moment for me in hiring Kip Janvrin. Kip gave me my first job as a GA [graduate assistant] at Central Missouri,” Geopfert said. “He was hard on me, but it made me better. His dad Ken was my high school track coach and was instrumental in my passion for the sport of track and field. Kip’s knowledge and experience will be invaluable to our program. He’s coached at the Division II level for a long time while raising his family at Central Missouri. I’m excited for the Division I ranks to see what an amazing coach Kip Janvrin is. Truly one of the best coaches in all of NCAA track and field. I’m thankful for the truly special moment for me to work again with Kip Janvrin.”
In 2022, Janvrin led the men’s team to a fifth-place finish at the DII NCAA Indoor Championship, the highest team finish since 2015. During the outdoor NCAA championship that same year, he coached (current K-State assistant coach) Christopher Goodwin to UCM’s first-ever NCAA long jump national title. During the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons he coached decorated combined events athlete, and UCM 2017 Hall of Fame inductee, Lindsay Lettow to four national titles, twice in the indoor pentathlon and twice in the outdoor heptathlon.
Janvrin was an Olympian in his own right, competing in the decathlon at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, the oldest U.S decathlete to ever compete in the Olympics. He is the world record holder for the most career decathlon wins at 41 and the American record holder for the most decathlon wins over 8,000 points at 26. He won the 2001 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships and won the Drake Relays decathlon a record 17 times while being inducted to the Drake Relays Hall of Fame in 1996.
Janvrin also coached internationally for Team USA, including twice in the Thorpe Cup, a competition between USA and Germany in the women's heptathlon and men's decathlon, in 2006 and 2018. He also coached at the 2012 and 2014 NACAC Championships.
He and his wife, Teresa, who was standout performer for UCM track and field teams from 1986-89, have two sons, Mason and Jaxon.
Coaching Experience
- Track and Field Assistant Coach, Central Missouri (1989-1996)
- Co-Head Track and Field Coach, Central Missouri (1996-2024)
- Track and Field Assistant Coach, K-State (2024-present)
Coaching Accomplishments
- 2022 UCM's first NCAA Division II long jump title (Christopher Goodwin)
- 2014-15 Women's NCAA DII National Champions (indoor & outdoor)
- Coached UCM Hall of Famer Lindsay Lettow to 4 NCAA DII titles (2 pentathlon, 2 heptathlon)
- 28 MIAA Men's Conference Titles (16 indoor, 12 outdoor)
- 9 MIAA Women's Conference Titles (six indoor, three outdoor)
- 2012, 2014 NACAC Championship head coach
- 2006, 2018 Thorpe Cup head coach
Hall of Fame
- 2019 Missouri Sports Hall of Fame
- 2017 Des Moines Register
- 2009 Drake Relays All Century Team
- 2005 Missouri Track and Cross Country Coaches
- 1998 Simpson College Hall of Fame
- 1996 Drake Relays Hall of Fame
- 1996 Iowa Association of Track Coaches
Athlete Honors
- Represented Team USA at 2000 Sydney Olympics in the decathlon
- Record holder for most decathlon wins at 41
- American record holder for most decathlon wins over 8,000 points (26)
- 2001 USA Track and Field Championship decathlon winner
- Drake Relays record holder for decathlon wins (17)
- 1996 & 2000 Thorpe Cup decathlon Champion
- 1995 Pan Am Games decathlon Champion
- Three-time NCAA Division III decathlon Champion
- NCAA Division III Individual Champion (pole vault, 400 meter hurdles)
Education
- Bachelor's, Simpson College, 1988
- Master's, University of Central Missouri, 1990
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Monday, June 15
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