Werskey joins the Gators after coaching stints at Iowa, California State University Northridge and the Chula Vista Olympic Training Center.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida Track and Field and Cross Country Head Coach Mike Holloway announced Thursday the hiring of Eric Werskey as assistant coach (throws) for the Gators.
“We are very excited to add Eric to our staff” Holloway said. “He is a very passionate coach and a tireless recruiter who will bring excitement to our staff and team. I’m confident his work ethic and enthusiasm will excite future Gators. He has a lot of high-level experience in a short amount of time, and we look forward to having him be part of our Gators family.”
Werskey joins the Gators’ coaching staff after four seasons at Iowa (2018-21), two years at California State University Northridge (2016-17) and three years of professional training at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California, where he took his first strides into coaching after working with some of the top throwers in the world.
“Being named the next throws coach at the University of Florida is a great honor and a privilege that I’m really excited about,” Werskey said. “I want to thank coach Holloway for trusting me to step into this position and for the opportunity to become part of a world-class staff and historical Gator nation. Coach Steve Lemke has left a big mark on this program, so I’m excited for the challenge and look forward to helping build the program’s already successful history further.”
Werskey helped the Hawkeyes to seven combined Big Ten top-3 finishes, including three conference titles. Additionally, Werskey coached Hawkeyes throwers to five Big Ten individual championships, one NCAA championship, seven combined All-America honors and eight school records during his tenure at Iowa.
Werskey coached Hawkeyes standout Laulauga Tausaga to a combined total of five Big Ten individual championships and Iowa’s first individual NCAA Outdoor Championship in 34 years in 2019. Tausaga also became the school’s first-ever Big Ten Indoor Athlete of the Year in 2020 and was named to that year’s Bowerman Preseason Watchlist.
Additionally, Tausaga competed at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar, where she qualified as finalist under Werskey’s direction.
At CSUN, Werskey helped throwers to a total of six Big West titles. The Matadors earned five top-3 individual finishes at the Big West Outdoor Track & Field Championships in 2016, including two conference titles in the discus. And in 2017, CSUN’s throwing corps collected four additional Big West titles.
Werskey also coached CSUN’s Monique Griffiths to qualify for the 2016 USA Olympic Trials.
In addition to being a Trials qualifier, Griffiths also earned a berth on the Team USA roster for the U23 North American, Central American and Caribbean Championships, where she earned a silver medal.
In 2012, Werskey competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials and then became a resident at Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California, throwing professionally until 2015. At OTC, Werskey trained with legendary throws coach Art Venegas. He later worked as part of Venegas’s staff, assisting in the development of throwers, which sparked his interest in coaching.
A three-time All-American in the shot put at Auburn, Werskey worked under coach Jerry Clayton, who he credits for being the first coach to steer him towards a coaching career.
Werskey is a native of Seymour, Indiana, and graduated in 2011 with a degree in Psychology.
Werskey’s Coaching Notables
* 1 IAAF Doha World Championships Finalist (2019)
* 1 USA Olympic Trials Qualifier (2016)
* 1 NCAA Individual Champion (Iowa – 2019)
* 6 Big Ten Individual Champions (Iowa – 2018-21)
* 6 Big West Individual Champions (CSUN – 2016 & 2017)
* 8 Iowa school records broken
* 7 All-American honors
Werskey’s Coaching History
* Florida (2022-present) – Assistant Coach, Throws
* Iowa (2018-21) – Assistant coach, Throws
* California State University Northridge (2016-17)—Assistant Coach
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