Daniel Haakenson was named the Interim Director of Track and Field on March 2, 2022.
Haakenson is in his 5th year as a track and field coach at South Dakota Mines.
In his time here, he has coached 17 All-Conference throwers.
Prior to South Dakota Mines, Haakenson spent 5 years at Western Colorado University. While there, he coached three NCAA Division II National Qualifiers (Colby Stinson in the Shot Put, Josie Harris in the Weight Throw, and Ashley Long in the Hammer), three school records (Colby Stinson - Indoor & Outdoor Shot Put and Lovina Akauola - Indoor Shot Put), and three RMAC Champions (Colby Stinson - Outdoor Shot Put '17 & '18 and Josie Harris - Weight Throw). In addition, Haakenson coached 50 All-Conference performers.
Under Haakenson's tutelage, Colby Stinson developed into a championship caliber thrower, breaking his own school records in the shotput multiple times.
Additionally, in the 2016-17 season Haakenson's throwers tallied three provisional qualifying marks indoors (Josie Harris and Hannah Erickson in the weight with both throwing over 17.00m and Lovina Akauola in the shot) with an additional five provisional qualifying marks outdoors between the men and women (Stinson - Shot Put, CJ Schutt - Discus, Hannah Erickson - Hammer, and Ashley Long - Hammer). Western throwers were a significant reason for the 2017 Men's RMAC Outdoor Championship and Women's Runner-Up finish.
Prior to joining the staff at WCU, Haakenson coached at his alma mater, NCAA DIII Pacific Lutheran University, for nine years. At PLU, Haakenson coached one All-American, 15 National Qualifiers, and 11 Northwest Conference Champions, in addition to 68 All-Conference performers.
As a student-athlete at PLU, Haakenson was a three-time NWC champion in the discus and hammer and garnered All-American status in the hammer while graduating with a double major in Classics and English.
THE HAAKENSON FILE
Personal
Year as Director at South Dakota Mines: First
Year at South Dakota Mines: Fifth
Hometown: Tacoma, Washington
Education: Pacific Lutheran University, 2004 – B.A. in English and Classics
Family: Wife: Amy; Sons: Hamish, Samson, Alfred
Coaching Career
2022 (March 2, 2022) -pres. – South Dakota Mines (Interim Director)
2018-2022 (March 2, 2022) – South Dakota Mines (throws)
2014-2018 – Western Colorado University (throws)
2005-2013 – Pacific Lutheran University (throws)
