Neil Hines came to Iowa State to be an engineer, which he will become when he graduates this year. What he didn’t expect when he came to Iowa State was that he would be one of the most influential members of the ISU track and field team that coach Steve Lynn has ever seen.

“There’s always a couple that kind of stand out that you really miss when they’re gone, simply because of their personalities as much as anything else, and Neil’s like that,” Lynn said. “He gets along with everybody, and is a guy that you want to have represent Iowa State – The type that you want to say, ‘He’s an Iowa State guy.'”

Hines has had a lot of success as a multi-event competitor for the Cyclones. He placed third in the heptathlon in the Big 12 Indoor Championships in 2004, 14th in the decathlon in the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 2005, and qualified in the decathlon for the outdoor championships once again last year. It has not been an easy ride, however.

Hines was an All-State honorable mention football and basketball player at his North Bend, Neb., high school, as well as a pole-vaulter for the track team. Hines said he turned down chances to play football or basketball at other colleges, but chose to come to Iowa State because of its engineering program, not to play sports. After breaking his arm as a pole-vaulter for the track team, Hines said he didn’t think he could ever be successful at pole vaulting, and instead wanted to try multi-events.

“I said, ‘Well, you’re just going to have to convince us that you can do this,'” Lynn said. “Over the summer he worked on things, and his second year, he was a redshirt freshman. He actually placed in the Big 12 indoor meet, and from that time on he has been a major factor on our team.”

After qualifying for the outdoor championships last year, Hines wasn’t able to compete because of a hamstring injury.

“That really shook my confidence, so last summer and last fall I had a lot of rehab, and had to take kind of a different mental approach to what I was doing,” Hines said. “It was very hard, but after the fact it helped me realize that [competing] wasn’t everything. I’m trying to enjoy it; enjoy what’s around me, the people around me; just kind of letting loose.”

Hines said his goal for the year is becoming an All-American in the multi-events, and he gets his first opportunity to compete in the heptathlon at the Iowa State Classic next weekend. While focused on his goal, he hopes to make a conscious effort to have more fun during meets.

“I think I’ll be a better competitor when I’m a little looser and having fun,” Hines said. “I think if I do that, those other goals of being All-American, and scoring in the Big 12s are going to happen.”

Hines has established himself as a team leader, something Lynn attributes to his personality.

“Neil’s not a guy that gets real up and real down, he’s pretty level on things,” Lynn said. “I think that the guys on the team respect him for what he does as a track athlete, and they also get to know him as a person because he’s been around for a period of time.”

Hines said his approach to team leadership is leading by actions, not words.

“My style is just more leading by example,” Hines said. “I’m not going to be a big talker and tell guys what they should do, [instead] just coming in and working every day, and just talking with guys on the team about anything.”

The key to being a heptathlete or decathlete is the ability to do well in several events, including sprinting, throwing and jumping events. The approach Hines takes is working to be competitive in all events, rather than dominating any single event.

“He’s got to be good in every event, and that puts a lot of pressure on him,” Lynn said. “On the same token that’s nothing new for him. He knows how to handle that and he knows how to go forward. From the time he’s been here on campus, he’s improved in every single thing he does.”