Former track standout added to coaching staff after 1 year

During her one year competing for the Hoosiers, Abbie Stechschulte shined on the track. She will now have the opportunity to help the future of the program she loves so much.

Stechschulte, who competed for the Hoosiers for one year after transferring from West Virginia, was named to the coaching staff by director of track and field, IU coach Ron Helmer.

Helmer said he felt Stechschulte first came to IU because she is optimistic about the future of the program.

“Abbie came here a year ago because she was excited about where we were going and the vision we had for the program,” Helmer said.

Stechschulte also left for Bloomington because her coach at West Virginia, Jeff Huntoon, accepted a job as the associate head coach at IU.

Huntoon said his athlete is the true embodiment of what a student athlete should be.

“We feel Abbie will bring enthusiasm and a true appreciation for what it means to be a student athlete at Indiana University,” Huntoon said in a statement.

Although one of the primary reasons for coming to IU was to follow a previous coach, Helmer said he and Stechschulte have formed a mutual respect level, dating back to several years ago when Helmer coached at Georgetown.

“I came to respect her as a competitor, and she came to respect me as a coach,” he said.

During her one year at IU, Stechschulte excelled both on and off the track.

On the track, she won the collegiate title in the heptathlon at the 81st Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays on April 3. In doing so, Stechschulte recorded the second highest point total for the event in school history, and automatically qualified for the NCAA Championships.

Off the track, Stechschulte dedicated time to her academics and earned a master’s degree in kinesiology, something Helmer said he feels is important.

As part of the coaching staff, Stechschulte’s main duty will be recruiting athletes to IU, something Helmer thinks she will do well.

“There is a personality and energy there that I think is going to allow her to develop into a really good recruiter,” he said. “If you need useful energy any place, it’s in the recruiting part of what we do.”

Huntoon also agreed Stechschulte will be an asset in recruiting.

“Her success in so many events on the track will allow her to assist in many areas, and we look for immediate results on the recruiting trail with her many connections,” he said.

Stechschulte, a Columbus Grove, Ohio, native, will also help by bringing in athletes from Ohio, a place Helmer said has a great pool of talent.

The Hoosiers took four Ohio athletes to the NCAA Championships, including Stechschulte.

 In addition to coaching, Stechschulte will also continue to train with her fellow coaches, who feel her energy level will be great for the program.

“As people compete at a certain level and do so in the right way, they can create a fan base for people to know who they are and respect what they do,” Helmer said.