Nate Wiens joined MNU as Cross Country and Track & Field Coach in 2014 to restart the track and field programs starting in the fall 2015.
Wiens began the 2015-2016 season by recruiting in 55 new student-athletes. In three years since (2015-2018) MNU XC/Track and Field has seen had 61 individual conference champions, 122 indoor/outdoor national qualifying marks and three national XC team appearances and 6 individual XC appearances and 29 Track and Field All-Americans.
Additionally, the Pioneers have won 8 out of 12 conference championships from 2016-2018 (2016 Women’s XC, 2017 Men’s Indoor, 2017 Women’s Indoor, 2017 Men’s Outdoor, 2017 Women’s XC, 2018 Men’s Indoor, 2018 Women’s Indoor, 2018 Women’s Outdoor).
During the 2013-2014 season, University of California, Riverside’s athletes achieved new heights at the NCAA Division I level on the track in the hurdles, jumps and multi events. Wiens coached eighteen top ten performances, seven school records, three conference champions, four first round NCAA qualifiers and one All-America honoree.
Highlighting the personal performances for the men was Ted Hooper with a school record leap of 25’10.25” (7.88m) in the long jump during the season and went on to be the Big West Champion and was awarded second team All-American honors. At the Big West Championships, Littleton placed second in the Pentathlon (5,045), and first place in the Long Jump (20’3.25”/6.18m) and first in the 100m Hurdles (13.51). All three performances were school records. Additional athletes that qualified for NCAA first round were Phoenisha Schumeier who set a new personal best in the long jump with an effort of 20’1.25” (6.13) and Michael Koger who ran at time of 51.37 in the 400m hurdles. Other noteworthy performances include Tayler Fleming (100m Hurdles/13.97, Tiffany Stone (LJ/18’7”/TJ-39’9.75”), Jacquelyn Dubois (TJ-39’11.25”) and Mike Harris (TJ-48’6.75”).
From 2009-2013 Iowa State sprinters and hurdlers saw a strong increase in performance. Overall, 15 performances ranked on the top three all-time lists with 9 new school records being set. Over 40 student-athletes achieved regional and national qualifying marks with 6 earning All-America status and 3 athletes competed at the Olympic Trials in 2012.
On the men’s side, Wiens coached Ian Warner who gained multiple Big 12 accolades. His personal bests included 10.13w/10.20 in the 100m and 21.11 in the 200m. Ian was also a regional qualifier on the men’s 4X100m, a NCAA second team All-American. In 2012, Ian took second place in the 100m at the Canadian Olympic Trials and was member of the 2012 Canadian Olympic Team. Nick Efkamp won the 400m at the Big 12 Indoor conference Championships and went on to be a second team indoor All-American posting a personal best of 46.25 in the 400m. Ryan Sander also was an all-conference performer in the 60m and 110m hurdles and ranked in the top 25 in the nation with a 7.83 in the indoor 60m hurdles.
On the women’s side, Wiens coached Kianna Elahi who was a first team All-American performer for the Cyclones in 2011 and 2012. Kianna ran a personal best time of 56.41 in the 400m hurdles, was a school record holder in the indoor 300m, 400m, 600yrd, indoor and outdoor 4X400m and DMR relays. Elahi won the Drake Relays in the 400m hurdles and qualified for the US Olympic Trials in 2012. Ese Okoro, a native of Great Britian, ran a personal best of 57.41 in the 400m hurdles, winning Drake relays in 2013, gaining second team All-American honors in 2012 and 2013 and competed in the United Kingdom Olympic Trials in 2012. She also broke the indoor 400m school record and was a part of the school record setting teams both indoor and outdoor in the 4X400m. Alongside Elahi and Okoro, Donnise Powell (59.07) and Krista Shoeman (59.88) helped Iowa State be the only University to send four athletes to the first round of nationals in the 400m hurdles while assisting in setting numerous 4X400m records indoor and outdoor. In 2013, Kendra White transferred from LSU and added depth to the sprints squad breaking the indoor 400m school record and posting personal bests of 24.42 in the 200m and 53.83 in the 400m while assisting an all-time outdoor personal best for the squad in the 4X400m of 3:36.22. Other athletes of note were Jenna Caffrey (60m hurdles/8.36, 100m hurdles/13.54) and Lashawn Wright (100m/11.65, 200m/23.68). The 4X100m relay qualified for nationals in 2010 and the 4X400m relay qualified for the nationals every year from 2010-2013.
Previously, Wiens was the sprints and hurdles coach at California-Riverside. During his two years at UCR, the school's men's and women's 4x400 teams set school records with the women's team winning the 4X400 at the Big West Championships. The men's and women's 4x100 teams also set the second-fastest times in school history. UCR earned its highest finishes in conference competition since moving up to NCAA Division I. The Highlanders broke a combined eight indoor and outdoor school-relay records while producing six individual school record holders in the sprints and hurdles. Wiens also served as the meet director for UCR's cross country and open meets as well as their first inaugural Inland Empire Coaching Clinic.
Before UCR, Wiens was at Nebraska-Kearney as sprints, hurdles, relays, and multi-events coach. In his two seasons there, Wiens’ athletes earned 66 all-conference honors including 18 conference champions. Wiens’ athletes set 24 school records. Six RMAC Athletes of the Year and nine All-Americans competed under Wiens and in the 2004 and 2005 Division II NCAA power rankings, the Loper men's and women's teams placed in the top 15 seven times with three placing in the top four or higher. Wiens also served as the Loper Track and Field Summer Camp coordinator and taught the annual indoor track and field coaching clinic while teaching courses in the health and physical education department.
During the 2002 and 2003 seasons, Wiens coached at Missouri-Kansas City and served as the multi-events and throws coach as well as assisting with sprints and jumps. The Kangaroos had nine all-conference athletes in the multi-events and throws, two conference champions, one regional qualifier and broke four school records during Wiens' two seasons there. He also completed his master's degree in higher education administration with an emphasis in Sports Management while teaching courses in the HPER department.
Wiens is a 2000 graduate of Mid-America Nazarene College (now MNU) with a major in physical education and health with a minor in business. Nate earned all-conference honors in the pentathlon, high jump, triple jump, and javelin. He was a NAIA indoor national qualifier in the pentathlon and high jump and an outdoor national qualifier in the decathlon, high jump and javelin. Nate won the NCCAA national championship in the decathlon and gained All-American honors in the high jump, javelin, and triple jump in the NCCAA.
Nate Wiens resides in Olathe, KS with his wife Katy, his daughter Nya (9) and son’s Judah (7) and Zeke (2). They are active in foster care and strive to bring a family atmosphere to the program at MNU.
Certifications
Level II USATF Certification, Sprints/Hurdles
Level II USATF Certification, Jumps
Level II USATF Certification, Multi-Events
USATF ITC (Instructor Training Course) Certified to direct/instruct/teach Level I USATF Schools
USWF (United States Weightlifting Federation) Certified Club Coach
