Kinseth Among National Coach Of The Year Finalists
UW-Oshkosh's Justin Kinseth is one of three finalists for the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association's 2020 NCAA Division III Men's Indoor Track & Field Coach of the Year award.
Kinseth, who is in his third season leading the UW-Oshkosh track & field program, was among the top three finishers when the first round of voting by member coaches ended on Friday (March 20). There will be a final vote beginning Monday (March 23) to determine the national winner between Kinseth, Matt Jones of Loras College (Iowa) and Chip Schneider of UW-Eau Claire.
UW-Oshkosh had a nation-leading 19 qualifiers for this year's Division III Indoor Championship that was canceled due to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic. The meet was scheduled for March 13-14 in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Leading UW-Oshkosh's list of qualifiers for the national championship was Jonathan Wilburn. Wilburn earned the meet's top triple jump seed following his school-record measurement of 50-3 1/4 at the Ripon College Red Hawk Opener held Jan. 25.
UW-Oshkosh's Jaylen Grant was seeded fourth in the 60-meter dash and Steven Potter fifth in the 800-meter run with their season-best times of 6.81 seconds and 1:52.70, respectively.
The Titans' 1,600-meter relay team of Todd Beadle, Ethan Burch, Adrian Girone and Amitai Wheat was seeded second with their season-best time of 3:16.83.
UW-Oshkosh was going to have three contestants in the pole vault and two competitors apiece in the 60-meter dash, long jump and shot put for the national meet.
Earlier this season, Wilburn repeated as triple jump champion and Jamyle Brantley won his first long jump title as UW-Oshkosh finished second at the eight-team WIAC Championship held Feb. 28-29 in Kolf Sports Center.
UW-Oshkosh scored 148.5 points to finish as the league's runner-up for the second straight year. The Titans' point total was their highest since accumulating 168 at the 2003 meet.
UW-La Crosse compiled 169 points to capture its 19th straight WIAC title. UW-Eau Claire placed third to the Eagles with 119.666 points and UW-Whitewater fourth with 74.333.
UW-Oshkosh entered the conference championship as the top-ranked program in the USTFCCCA's Division III Rating Index while UW-La Crosse listed second, UW-Whitewater seventh and UW-Eau Claire ninth.
Kinseth came to UW-Oshkosh from Benedictine University (Ill.), where he served as an assistant coach, recruiting coordinator, and director of strength and conditioning for the men's and women's track & field teams from 2015-17.
Kinseth competed in both football and track & field for Wartburg College (Iowa). He was a wide receiver for the football team when it won the 2009 American Rivers Conference championship and advanced to the NCAA Division III semifinals.
Kinseth was a four-year letterwinner as a member of the Wartburg College track & field team. He helped the Knights win the 2012 ARC indoor and 2013 ARC outdoor titles as a competitor in the javelin and multi-events.
Kinseth earned his bachelor's and master's degree from Wartburg College and Cardinal Stritch University, respectively.
Previous Division III National Indoor Coach of the Year winners from UW-Oshkosh were Bruce Coleman in 1999 and John Zupanc in 2001.
USTFCCCA's Press Release of National Award Finalists for Division III Indoor Track & Field