Evan Hofstetter earns top-10 finish at USATF U20 Championships
6/25/2024 10:00:00 AM | Men's Track and Field
First year student-athlete served as an outstanding representative for UC Santa Cruz on the national stage.
EUGENE, OR - First year student-athlete Evan Hofstetter (Global and Community Health, '28) served as an outstanding representative for UC Santa Cruz at the USA Track & Field Under 20 (USATF U20) Championships hosted by University of Oregon at Hayward Field during June 12-13, 2024. Hofstetter finished in the top 10 nationally in the decathlon contest and broke a UC Santa Cruz record in the process. Hofstetter's preparations for the competition took a full academic year and he qualified for the USATF U20 Championships about two weeks before the competition. When asked about his preparations Hofstetter shared his experience. "I've been… training all year, but it wasn't until about two weeks before the U20 that I was pretty sure I would be competing in them. The work was done, I just had to maintain my fitness and smooth out some of the technical events. I was just happy to have qualified and I was looking forward to competing at Hayward Field."Â
ÂHofstetter competed as a decathlete for just the third time in his track & field career, breaking through the 6,000 point scoring threshold to confirm a top-10 finish. The decathlon is a 10-event contest testing a wide range of athletic ability. The first day consists of 100m, long jump, shot put, high jump, and 400m. The second day events include the 110m hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin, and 1500m. He set a school record in the last event of the first day of the decathlon, posting a time of 49.07 seconds in the 400m event. According to Hofstetter, training as a decathlete offers a distinct perspective. "Being a decathlete puts me in the unique position of being able to practice with everyone on the team. In some of the events I'm one of the better athletes, some I really struggle with, but no matter who I practice with they always want me to succeed and get better. I'm so proud to represent the Banana Slugs and use all the little pieces that I've gotten from my team."
ÂThe USATF U20 Championships was also a full-circle moment for David Klech, Track & Field and Cross Country Head Coach, who excelled as a student-athlete with the University of Oregon before graduating in 2010 and 2011. Klech shared his most recent observations about Hofstetter's preparation for the decathlon. "Evan was a really successful recruit running some impressive sprint times and having some good jump performances during his high school career. Having to learn some of the new jump, throw, and hurdle events takes a lot of time while not wanting to sacrifice maintaining the events you are already great at. This season, my goal with Evan was to give him an exposure to all of the events in the decathlon, while having a primary focus on developing his top end speed. He had personal bests in the 100m, 400m, and 1500m this season so our goals this year paid off."Â
ÂWith a high ceiling in only his first year as a Banana Slug, Hofstetter enjoyed his first year student-athlete experience. "The coaching has been unbelievable, they care about me and my success, and they have the knowledge and expertise to make sure I get what I need. If it wasn't for them, I would not even be a decathlete. Coach David informed me of the U20 meet, and extended his season, and took the time to travel with me. The coaches consistently go above and beyond what is expected of them."
Klech's inspirational legacy stretches well beyond the Banana Slugs. Klech is a two-time All-American in the decathlon and a First-Team Academic All-American for the Oregon Ducks. The Klech legacy is strong enough that an image of him competing is on physical display as a mural. The mural serves as a must-see photo opportunity for visiting Banana Slugs and inspiration for the student-athletes at University of Oregon and all student-athletes passing through Hayward Field, a world-class track and field facility. When asked about how it felt to return to his alma mater in a coaching role, Klech was effusive. Â
"I believe one of the coolest experiences as a coach is helping your student-athletes surpass what you were able to do as an athlete. Getting to coach Evan at Hayward Field was an unbelievable experience as he got to hear stories about my time as a collegiate student-athlete, while he's currently in the midst of his collegiate experience. Evan ran faster in the 400m than I ever did in an open 400m, and that set a UC Santa Cruz program record. In the 1,500m, an event I was really good at as a decathlete, Evan ran the race of his life to win the heat, but also hit a time that secured a 6,000 point overall performance. It was incredible to watch him compete at such a high level."
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The Banana Slugs will resume team training and competition for the indoor and outdoor track & field seasons in winter 2025.
Players Mentioned
