“It is not the weight you lift, but it is the weight you carry.” – Drew Frizzell
Drew Frizzell begins his first full year as an assistant track and field coach at Illinois Wesleyan specializing in the throwing events. Frizzell came to Illinois Wesleyan in January of 2016 after spending two-and-a-half years at Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas.
Under Frizzell’s direction, the Titans throws program produced their first national champion in 16 years - Max Leonard in the discus in 2016. Throughout the 2016 season, there were eight all-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin performers, one CCIW champion, four academic all-conference athletes, one first team Academic All-American® and the CCIW "Man of the Year" (Leonard).
Prior to Illinois Wesleyan, Frizzell began his coaching career at Bethany College, where he brought the program to national prowess producing three NAIA All-Americans and nine national qualifiers. At the conference level, Frizzell lead his team to nine conference champions, 29 all-Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference performers, three KCAC records and the first male to ever sweep three throwing events (shot put, discus, hammer throw). That same athlete was named the KCAC male athlete of the meet. The men and women throws program helped account for nearly half of the teams points at the indoor and outdoor KCAC Championship meets.
At the University of Central Missouri, Frizzell was a two-time NCAA Division II champion in 2009 (indoor weight throw and outdoor hammer throw). He holds the NCAA record for most career All-Americans by a thrower at 17. A 20-time national qualifier in the weight throw, shot put, discus and hammer throw, he was fortunate to never miss an event at the national meet. In addition, he was a three-time USTFCCCA South Central Region Field Athlete of the Year recipient.
In the Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association (
MIAA), Frizzell was an 18-time all-conference performer, seven-time MIAA Champion, multiple MIAA record holder and, during his career, the Central Missouri Mules never lost an indoor or outdoor MIAA championship.
He was awarded the Vernon Kennedy Senior Athlete of the year and still holds multiple school records at UCM. He was a member of three top-four NCAA team finishes. Frizzell qualified and competed in multiple USA championships throughout his career and still works hand-in-hand with multiple world-class throwers.
Frizzell and his wife, Allyson, have a daughter, Kennady (10) and a baby boy, Kingston.
A native of Chillicothe, Mo., and graduate of Chillicothe High School, he received a bachelor's degree in public relations in 2011 from University of Central Missouri.
