Blewitt coaching at Tiffin

Shot-putter Adriane Blewitt of Boardman is embarking on a new career as an official collegiate track coach.

A former U.S. Olympic team candidate who has been ranked among the top 10 in the U.S. shot putters for the last eight years, Blewitt has become the throws coach for the Tiffin University men’s and women’s track team after winding up her professional career.

The Boardman High and Ashland University graduate had the distinction of qualifying for and competing in the 2004 and 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials, placing fifth and 10th, respectively.

At the same time, she served as a volunteer assistant coach at Ashland under Jud Logan for four years, and also was an assistant to John Godina at the World Throws Center in Mesa, Ariz.

Blewitt, the daughter of Rae Blewitt, has joined a winning program at Tiffin under coach under Jeremy Croy, who is entering his ninth season.

Croy has led the Dragons to seven consecutive winning seasons. Over the span, the men have posted a 300-68 record (.815) and the women are 212-161 (.568).

Blewitt, who was named last December, felt it was time to end her throwing career and get into coaching which she always has wanted to do.

“I started looking around back in May. I knew that my career was coming to an end, so I started looking locally and nationally. I visited Duke, Illinois State and Boise State and had some great opportunities and great interviews,” said Blewitt, who chose Tiffin because it was closer to home and Ashland and also was a member of NCAA Division II just like Ashland.

“What helped is that it was close to home and in the same conference which is the GLIAC [Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference]. It also was Div. II and that is what I am familiar with. So it worked for me and was easier to get back into [coaching].”

Blewitt said that she will be coaching the shot put, discus, hammer and indoor weight throws and the javelin, as well as the multi-event athletes (decathletes, 10 events for men) and heptathletes (seven events for women).

“The indoor track season started back in December. We already had three meets. We met Findlay Friday and Saturday,” said Blewitt, who graduated from Ashland with a degree in physical education and health and a minor in coaching.

While competing for Ashland, she was a 13-time Div. II All-American with seven national titles and six runner-up honors in the shot put, discus, hammer, and 20-pound weight throw.

She also was a two-time NCAA Div. II Athlete of the Year, and a GLIAC Athlete of the Year.

Blewitt said she is looking forward to her coaching career.

“I really enjoyed working at all of the track camps over the years in the summer time and I enjoyed my time coaching at Ashland,” said Blewitt, the current Div. II national record holder in the indoor and outdoor shot put.

She also is a former NCAA Div. II national record holder in the discus throw, and still holds Ashland records in the shot put and discus.

Blewitt, who competed in track at Boardman High under coach and long-time friend Denise Gorski, said she will be trying to recruit Youngstown-area athletes to Tiffin.

“We have a few area athletes that we are looking at right now, and I hope area coaches will contact me with any other potential recruits,” she said.

Tiffin already has one area athlete on the roster — sprinter and relay specialist Marcus Johnson of Warren — who is originally from Youngstown.

Johnson, the son of Sharon Whitney and Larry Johnson, was a 2007 national qualifier in the 4x400-meter relay.

Johnson holds Ashland indoor records in the 4x800 and distance medley relays.

XJohn Kovach covers college athletics for The Vindicator. E-mail him at kovach@vindy.com.