Eastern Michigan Athletics
Men's Track & Field
Manz, Steve
Steve Manz
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- smanz@emich.edu
- Phone:
- 734.487.8020
The 2015-16 season marks the sixthseason for Steve Manz as an assistant coach with the Eastern Michigan University men's track and field team. He coaches the throws, combined events, and oversees the training for the pole vault. Manz has built up a large, successful group from less than a handful in the last fiveyears. His group improved drastically, scoring zero points at conference meets in 2011 and most recently 69.5 points in 2014.
The 2014 campaign was a strong one for the throws and multis at Eastern. Indoors, Anthony Jones had a breakthrough season in the weight throw by shattering a 17-year-old record and earning a berth to the NCAA Championships, where he garnered Second Team All-America honors. Additionally, Solomon Ijah won his first heptathlon title in EMU history, breaking his own record set in 2013. Ijah swept the multi events for the year when he went 1-2 with Levi Selvig in the decathlon during the outdoor campaign, breaking EMU's varsity standard and recording the third-best score in the nation leading up to the NCAA Championships. Keith Williams paced the throws group, qualifying to the NCAA East Regional in both the hammer throw and shot put, as he broke his own Eastern record in the former and recorded the fifth-farthest shot put in school history.
Prior to his arrival at Eastern Michigan University, Manz coached his student-athletes at the University of Findlay to 13 NCAA provisional qualifying marks, 3 NCAA automatic qualifying marks, and two All-American awards. One of his student-athletes, Derrick Vicars, went on to become the 2010 Division II National Champion in the discus. Prior to coaching at Findlay, Manz spent two years training for the 2008 Olympic Trials while assisting four-time Olympian Jud Logan at Ashland University. From 2005-2007, Manz was the throws coach at McNeese State University in Louisiana. His athletes broke school records in all but two of the throwing events with multiple athletes qualifying for the post-season.
Manz, a successful collegiate and professional athlete, spent much of his early career juggling the duties of an athlete and a coach. His college career was highlighted by four school records, three All-American awards, multiple All-Academic awards, and the 2004 Big Ten Medal of Honor award. Manz also competed post-collegiately for five years, spending summers competing in Europe and South America, making two Olympic Trials, one Olympic Trials final, and finishing with a best shot put throw of 66’7, the farthest by any born and raised Michigander all-time. In high school, Manz was a standout at Ogemaw Heights High School in West Branch, MI, where he brought home two state titles, the 1999 Discus State Championship (176’) and the 1997 Football State Championship.
Manz earned a B.S. in Zoology from Michigan State University in 2004 and is finishing up his M.S. in Exercise Physiology at Eastern Michigan University. He and his wife, Beth, currently reside in Ypsilanti, MI.
The 2014 campaign was a strong one for the throws and multis at Eastern. Indoors, Anthony Jones had a breakthrough season in the weight throw by shattering a 17-year-old record and earning a berth to the NCAA Championships, where he garnered Second Team All-America honors. Additionally, Solomon Ijah won his first heptathlon title in EMU history, breaking his own record set in 2013. Ijah swept the multi events for the year when he went 1-2 with Levi Selvig in the decathlon during the outdoor campaign, breaking EMU's varsity standard and recording the third-best score in the nation leading up to the NCAA Championships. Keith Williams paced the throws group, qualifying to the NCAA East Regional in both the hammer throw and shot put, as he broke his own Eastern record in the former and recorded the fifth-farthest shot put in school history.
Prior to his arrival at Eastern Michigan University, Manz coached his student-athletes at the University of Findlay to 13 NCAA provisional qualifying marks, 3 NCAA automatic qualifying marks, and two All-American awards. One of his student-athletes, Derrick Vicars, went on to become the 2010 Division II National Champion in the discus. Prior to coaching at Findlay, Manz spent two years training for the 2008 Olympic Trials while assisting four-time Olympian Jud Logan at Ashland University. From 2005-2007, Manz was the throws coach at McNeese State University in Louisiana. His athletes broke school records in all but two of the throwing events with multiple athletes qualifying for the post-season.
Manz, a successful collegiate and professional athlete, spent much of his early career juggling the duties of an athlete and a coach. His college career was highlighted by four school records, three All-American awards, multiple All-Academic awards, and the 2004 Big Ten Medal of Honor award. Manz also competed post-collegiately for five years, spending summers competing in Europe and South America, making two Olympic Trials, one Olympic Trials final, and finishing with a best shot put throw of 66’7, the farthest by any born and raised Michigander all-time. In high school, Manz was a standout at Ogemaw Heights High School in West Branch, MI, where he brought home two state titles, the 1999 Discus State Championship (176’) and the 1997 Football State Championship.
Manz earned a B.S. in Zoology from Michigan State University in 2004 and is finishing up his M.S. in Exercise Physiology at Eastern Michigan University. He and his wife, Beth, currently reside in Ypsilanti, MI.
Track & Field at 2025 Spartan Invitational
Tuesday, April 08
2025 MAC Indoor Track & Field Championships Cinematic Recap
Wednesday, March 05
2025 MAC Indoor Track & Field Championships Day 1 Highlights
Saturday, March 01
2025 MAC Indoor Championships Hype Video
Wednesday, February 26
