ISU track and cross country head coach Corey Ihmels is no longer alone. Ihmels, who was hired in May to take over the men’s and women’s track teams and both cross country teams, hired two assistant coaches for both sports. Joining his staff will be Blake Boldon and Melissa Stoll.

“I’m very excited about adding Blake and Melissa to our track and field and cross country staff,” said Ihmels in a press release. “Both of them add a tremendous amount of energy and excitement.”

Boldon, who joined the Cyclone staff in 2005, will now be the recruiting coordinator and assistant coach for track and cross country. Originally from Osceola, Boldon attended Missouri State where he was a five-time Missouri Valley Conference champion. Growing up just a short distance from Ames, he said he’s excited about the level of talent Iowa has to offer.

“Growing up 80 miles from Ames, I know how much talent we have in [the state of Iowa],” said Boldon in the press release. “I’m looking forward to helping put together one of the country’s best track teams with our local talent.”

Boldon said he’s lucky to be working with Ihmels more.

“The energy that he brings to work everyday makes it fun to be a Cyclone,” Boldon said in the release. “He’s in the process of putting together a fantastic staff and we’re going to set our sights on some special things.”

Ihmels hopes Boldon’s time with the Cyclones will make the coaching change easier for runners.

“Blake’s experience with our program as a volunteer over the last two years will help ease the transition of our student-athletes and our new coaching staff,” said Ihmels in the press release. “He has an incredible amount of enthusiasm for track and field and cross country in the state of Iowa and I feel very fortunate to have him working for us here at Iowa State.”

Stoll, a former member of UC-Riverside’s nationally ranked 4×800-meter and distance medley teams, will be an assistant coach for track and field and cross country as well. Originally from La Puente, Calif., Stoll set the UCR school indoor record for the mile and spent time there working as an assistant coach.

“I’m very excited to join the ISU staff and am looking forward to contributing my experience as an athlete and a coach in Division I as our programs establish and maintain their status as a major force among teams in the Big 12 and nationally,” said Stoll in the press release.

Ihmels said he is excited about the amount of experience Stoll brings to the Cyclones.

“Melissa comes to us from a program that has been resurrected from the ground up,” said Ihmels in the press release. “She is excited and motivated to take Cyclone track and field and cross country to the next level.

Ihmels, who was hired as cross country and track coach in 2001, took over the head coaching duties in men’s and women’s track in May when athletic director Jamie Pollard did not renew the contracts of men’s track coach Steve Lynn and women’s track and cross country coach Dick Lee, along with three other assistant coaches.