Oregon director of track and field operations Dan Steele was announced Tuesday as the new head coach of track and field and cross country at Northern Iowa.
Steele, a native of Moline, Ill., began his career with the Ducks as a volunteer assistant coach in 2000-01, working with men’s hurdlers and javelin throwers. He has worked most notably with the Ducks’ multi-event athletes in recent years, guiding Ashton Eaton to two NCAA outdoor decathlon titles and Brianne Theisen to a 2009 indoor heptathlon title.
 
He was named the NCAA indoor coach of the year this past outdoor season — when the Duck men earned the school’s first-ever national title in indoor track and field — and won the Pacific-10 Conference coach of the year award in 2008.
 
“I respect Dan’s judgment and I’m sure it was the right decision for him and his family,” said Associate Athletic Director and Director of Track and Field Vin Lananna.
 
Steele, who won the NCAA outdoor title in the 400 meter hurdles for Eastern Illinois, competed in the decathlon three times at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials and won a bronze medal with the U.S. four-man bobsled team at the Winter Olympic Games in 2002.
 
“My extraordinary experience at Oregon has prepared me well to take over the program at the University of Northern Iowa,” Steele said. “I had the great pleasure of working for and learning from two of the most brilliant head coaches in the business, Vin Lananna and Martin Smith. In that time, I have also enjoyed coaching some of the finest track and field athletes in America.”