With last week’s reorganization of the track and cross country programs, there have been coaching changes in seven sports since Athletic Director Jamie Pollard arrived in fall 2005. Pollard, however, seemed unworried when asked how he may be perceived by the rest of the ISU athletics program, saying, “It is irrelevant and I don’t need to comment on that. It doesn’t matter what I think.”

Despite Pollard’s attitude, it’s clear his recent handling of the track program has left a sour impression on some ISU track members.

“I’ve figured out a lot of things about leadership, and I don’t think this is a good representation of Iowa State athletics,” said senior decathlete Neil Hines.

Both outgoing head coaches Steve Lynn and Dick Lee said the decision came as a complete surprise to them, prompting Hines to question how the situation was handled.

“These coaches deserve a little more respect than what I saw,” Hines said.

“It’s a tough business. Things like this happen but, from my perspective, there was a real lack of professionalism in the way this was handled, not just this last week but in the past months.”

Hines declined to elaborate on why he felt there was a lack of professionalism in past months.

Senior hurdler Rebecca Williams questioned the handling of the situation as well, in an interview with the Daily last week, “One particular person already has a job – I’m pretty sure he knew about that prior. I don’t think it was a shock to him, so I think the other coaches should have known something about what was going to happen.”

Newly promoted coach Corey Ihmels also said the decision was a “complete surprise” to him. When asked if he and Pollard had had discussions about the promotion leading up to the decision, Ihmels would not say how long they had discussed it, saying, “Obviously they approached me before it happened. That’s all I’m going to say about that.”

Pollard said they had been in discussion for about a week before the change was announced.

The specific reason Pollard gave for the coaching changes was unclear, saying he felt it was time for “new leadership in the track and cross country programs at this time.”

Pollard said Senior Associate Director of Athletics Calli Sanders was in charge of evaluating the track program and communicating expectations with the coaches. Sanders was not available for comment before press time. Pollard said he did not personally oversee the track coaches, but did say he saw Ihmels as the right person for the job.

“Since I’ve been here, I’ve watched Coach Ihmels. I’ve seen how he operates; I’ve seen how he interacts with his student athletes; I’ve seen how he’s goal-driven,” Pollard said. “So he clearly is an individual that I had looked at and thought that if we ever got to this spot that we would certainly have interest in putting him in that role.”

The men’s team has not finished in the top half of the conference indoors or outdoors since 1997. The women have only placed higher than seventh four times in that span.

With regards to taking the job from the outgoing coaches, Ihmels said he understood the brutal nature of the situation.

“It’s been a very tough situation, and it hasn’t been easy, but I’m definitely looking forward to the future,” Ihmels said.

Returning athletes are preparing to handle the coaching change. Distance runner Lisa Koll, who won the Big 12 Outdoor Championship as a freshman, has worked with the coaches for two years in cross country and a year in track and field, and said she is okay with the move, as long as it is best for the program.

“I think that the intentions of it are very good. I think to move the track program to the next level it is a good move. At the same time, I feel for the coaches who lost their jobs,” Koll said. “I am looking very forward to working with Coach Ihmels. I think he’s got a great direction where he wants to take everyone, and I think he will do that.”

Sophomore hurdler Eric Parker, who ran on the Drake Relay championship-winning shuttle hurdle relay team the last two years, said Lynn was the reason he came to Iowa State.

“I was hoping that he would be my coach for my whole time here. If it’s for the betterment of the program, then I guess I’m all for it, but it’s still quite saddening to see my coach and the reason I came to Iowa State leaving,” Parker said.

Parker said he hasn’t personally worked with Ihmels, but knows practices will be different next year.

“I expect it to be a little bit more intense,” Parker said. “I know he’s a very intense guy, and I’m sure he’ll get coaches in who reflect who he is.”

The Daily’s Chris Conetzkey and Luke Plansky contributed to this article.

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