Dan O’Mara returns to UNI track & field as throws coach
8/18/2025 9:15:00 AM | Track and Field
Longtime assistant coach returns for second stint with the Panthers with a decorated resume.
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- UNI Director of Track and Field/Cross Country Dave Paulsen on Monday announced the hiring of Dan O'Mara to the Panther coaching staff, kicking off a second stint as the program's throwing coach.
A highly respected and accomplished coach, O'Mara spent 12 years at UNI from 2009 to 2021, where he played a pivotal role in developing elite throwers and elevating the Panthers' national presence in the throwing events. O'Mara has spent the previous four years as the throws coach at Iowa State.
We are thrilled to welcome Dan back to UNI, said Paulsen. His track record of developing elite throwers speaks for itself, but just as important is his ability to connect with athletes and instill a culture of excellence. Dan knows what it means to be a Panther, and we can't wait to see the impact he'll have on our program once again.
During his first stint at Northern Iowa, O'Mara coached 61 NCAA Preliminary Round qualifiers, 49 All-Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) performers, nine MVC champions, ten school record holders, four All-Americans and one Olympic Trials finalist.
Depth in O'Mara's throwing events were a key piece UNI winning three-straight MVC outdoor conference championships (2018-19, 2021) and back-to-back MVC indoor team titles (2019-21). UNI men's throwers combined for 61 points outdoors and 37 points indoors en route to helping the Panthers win the men's league titles in 2021.
O'Mara spent 16 years coaching at Iowa State in his first stint with the Cyclones from 1991 to 2007, along with his previous four years. In his combined 20 seasons at ISU, O'Mara helped produce 93 all-conference performers across the Big Eight and Big 12 Conferences, 26 individual conference champions, seven school record holders, 32 All-American selections including three NCAA runner-up finishers and six Olympic Trials qualifiers.
For O'Mara, the return to Cedar Falls is both a professional and personal homecoming.
I'm excited to be back at UNI and working with such a talented group of student-athletes, said O'Mara. This program has a rich tradition in track and field, and I look forward to building on that tradition, helping our athletes compete at the highest levels and making Panther Nation proud.
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