Men's Track & Field

JOENS NAMED ICCAC FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

JOENS NAMED ICCAC FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Posted: Feb 23, 2024

Ottumwa, IA – Freshman Tate Joens (Cedar Rapids, IA/Cedar Rapids Prairie) of the No. 1 nationally ranked Indian Hills Men's Track & Field team has been named the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) Male Field Athlete of the Year, announced Friday afternoon by the conference office.

Joens burst onto the scene for the Warriors in his inaugural season at Indian Hills. The freshman standout garnered multiple honors throughout the year while re-writing the record books for the men's track & field program.

"Tate Joens earning this award is a direct reflection of the work he has put in all year long," stated Indian Hills Track & Field Assistant Coach Elijah Barnes. "Whether in the weight room, practice, or classroom, he has always been a guy I can depend on. His success does not come from being a 'freak athlete' from the start. He has developed and pushed himself to get to that next level. Nothing has been handed to this kid - he has gone out and taken every opportunity in front of him. Tate has a unique drive which will only further benefit him in his throwing career."

Joens made national headlines over the past week following a record-breaking performance at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region 11 Indoor Track & Field Championship. Joens took home the individual men's weight throw title after posting the top mark in the nation with a distance of 18.56 meters, more than 1.5 meters better than his previous personal best.

Joens' performance earned him the distinction as the first-ever men's weight throw Region champion in school history for the Warriors. Following his effort, Joens was named both the ICCAC and NJCAA Athlete of the Week. Joens was also named to the 2023 Fall ICCAC Academic All-Region First-Team for his work in the classroom.

Along with the first-place finish in the weight throw, Joens took home a third-place finish at the Region championship in the men's shot put event with a mark of 16.62 meters, also a new school record which ranks eighth in the nation currently. Joens became the first Warrior to earn a spot on the podium in the shot put since 2019.

Joens becomes the first student-athlete in school history to earn the ICCAC Male Field Athlete of the Year honor.

Joens and the Warriors will now head to the NJCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships in Gainesville, FL March 1-2.