2023 CONFERENCE SPEAKERS

John Smith - Ole Miss  -World-renowned throws coach John Smith is in his eighth season on the Ole Miss track & field staff heading into the 2022-23 season.

Smith boasts a lengthy resume beyond reproach in the world of elite-level throwing, owning success at every level of the sport from the high school ranks all the way to the Olympic Games. In his career, Smith has journeyed from his home of Portage, Indiana to an All-American stint at his alma mater, Southern Illinois, to the grueling professional coaching circuit while guiding his wife – four-time Olympian Connie Price-Smith – and eventually to the collegiate arena, where Smith’s throwers have dominated at Ohio State, Southern Illinois, and now, Ole Miss. click here for complete bio

Dave Astraukas - University of Wisconsin -  one of the nation's top throws coaches, enters his 15th season on the University of Wisconsin men's and women's track and field coaching staff in 2023-2024. His expertise spans across all of the throwing events as he has coached an NCAA All-American in each of the men's and women's throwing events. 

Astrauskas, a 21-year veteran of the collegiate coaching ranks, has elevated the Badgers' throws program, consistently putting athletes on the podium in Big Ten championships and advancing qualifiers to NCAA competition while re-writing Wisconsin’s and the Big Ten’s record books. Astrauskas’ record breaking athletes have also altered the NCAA Division I record book as well.  click here for complete bio

J.C. Lambert - University of Illinois - has produced 6 National Titles between USATF and NCAA, 20 NCAA All-Americans, 33 Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Champions, 72 MVC All-Conference selections and 44 SIU all-time top ten marks. He is most known for producing Olympic/2019 World Champion hammer thrower Deanna Price. Price won the hammer throw at the 2016 NCAA Championships and placed eighth in the 2016 Olympics. click here for complete bio

Jerry Clayton - Elite Coach - One of the nation's top field event coaches, Clayton has successfully developed individualized training programs for the sprints, hurdles and the field events. His work has produced 16 NCAA individual champions, 39 international team competitors, 24 qualifiers for the U.S. Olympic Trials and 33 participants in Olympic Games and World Championship competition. 

Clayton has coached 88 NCAA All-American student-athletes. He has had 158 athletes qualify for the NCAA Track and Field Championships and 114 individual conference champions. In addition, Clayton has coached athletes that won individual NCAA titles in seven of the nine field events, with competitors receiving All-America accolades in each field event. click here for complete bio

Gary Aldrich - 2021 United States Olympic Throws Coach and Carnegie Mellon University - will begin his ninth year at the helm of the Carnegie Mellon University Men’s and Women’s Track and Field programs in 2022-23. Aldrich has had as storied career leading the Tartans track and field programs, earning U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) recognition seven times while leading the men’s team to a sixth-place finish at the 2022 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships. An additional five honors from USTFCCCA came during Aldrich’s eight seasons as the associate head coach of the Tartans.  click here for complete bio

James Bell - North Central High School (Indianapolis,IN) - One of the top high school coaches, James has been coaching the throwing events for more than 25 years.  His accolades include multiple female and male state champions as well as 20+ state qualifiers. 15 of his athletes have garnered state, regional, and national “all star” awards. In the shot, James has coached five males over 62’ and six females over 45’.  His discus throwers have reached tremendous success with three males throwing over 180’ and five females throwing over 145’.

2023 Conference Trailers