Husky throws coach TJ Crater moves to Arizona...

Though a formal announcement has yet to be made by the school, University of Washington throws coach TJ Crater (above/photo by Howard Lao),  who worked for the school since 2011, is expected to be announced as the new throws coach at the University of Arizona.

The East Wenatchee native and University of Idaho grad helped the Huskies rebuild their throws program, and had five different javelin throwers qualify for the NCAA track & field championships under his watch, including Curtis Clauson , who was the latest in a long line of breakthrough javelin throwers when he had a seven-foot PR at the 2015 Pac-12 meet to finish third and then another 13-foot PR at NCAA Prelims to make his first NCAA Championships, where he would finish ninth overall. 

Quinn Hale reached the NCAA podium with a fifth-place in 2014, capping a terrific season for the junior who had not made NCAAs in his first two years.

The 2015 season also saw Crater's rebuilding of the program's depth begin to pay off. Redshirt freshman Gina Flint became the first UW woman to score at Pac-12s in the shot put since 2004 and first to score in the discus since 2011, advancing to NCAA West Preliminaries in both events. Junior transfer Frank Catelli took fourth in the Pac-12 men's discus, and had the best shot put by a Husky since 2000.

Crater’s social media accounts changed to reflect his move to Arizona.

Crater replaces Craig Carter as throws coach at Arizona.  Crater joins an Arizona staff heavy with coaches with ties to the Pacific Northwest, including associate head coach James Li, and sprints coach Francesca Green, who will be on Team USA's staff later this month at the IAAF World Track & Field Championships in Beijing.

NOTE:  Information from University of Washington was used to create content for this post.