Maag Hired as Track & Field Head Coach
Findlay, Ohio - After serving first as an assistant coach for one season, primarily working with throwers, and most recently fulfilling a role as interim head coach, the University of Findlay is pleased to announce the hiring of Blaine Maag as the full-time head coach of the Oilers track and field program.
"We couldn't be more excited about the announcement of the hiring of Blaine Maag as our new track and field head coach", commented Director of Athletics, Brandi Laurita. "Blaine brings a lot to the table including a high-energy approach to his daily responsibilities, an incredible depth of knowledge about his sport, and the ability to recruit high-quality student-athletes. His experience at both the Division I and Division II levels have been and will continue to be a great asset to the program and his ties to the University of Findlay made him a natural fit for the position."
In just two years at Findlay, Maag has coached his throwers to a total of 16 all-American awards in the indoor/outdoor seasons including two national champions.
"Having an opportunity to lead this program, with its great history, is a blessing", said Maag. "Growing up in Northwest Ohio, I developed a great passion for athletics specific to this area. I look forward to recruiting Northwest Ohio which is known for its rich tradition in track and field."
Maag graduated in 2010 from Ashland University where he was a member of four Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) championship teams and was twice named all-American.
From Ashland, Maag landed here in Findlay where he was a graduate assistant for one full season. In that one year, he coached seven national meet qualifiers and three all-Americans. One of those all-Americans was Derrick Vicars, whom Maag replaced on the coaching staff.
After his first stint in Findlay, Maag went north to Allendale where he was a throws coach at Grand Valley State University for two seasons. As a Laker, he coached 35 national meet qualifiers, 20 NCAA Division II all-Americans, and seven national champions. Thanks in large part to the throwing events, the Grand Valley State women's team was able to capture both indoor and outdoor team national championships in 2012. The following year, Maag was named the 2013 men's indoor and women's outdoor Assistant Coach of the Year.
East Lansing was Maag's next stop as he made his mark with the Michigan State Spartan track and field team in the 2014 and 2015 seasons. At MSU, he coached one Big Ten Freshman of the Year, four Big Ten champions, and two athletes who broke Big Ten Championship records. He also oversaw 14 NCAA DI all-Americans including three who were named first team.
Maag continued, "I'd like to thank Brandi and her staff for having belief in my abilities to lead this program. I am eager for this next step in my family's lives and will do what I can to keep this program rolling."
In addition, the Oilers have hired Jared Krout, currently a graduate assistant, as a full-time assistant coach for the program. Krout will work primarily with the team's sprinters and hurdlers and will be heavily involved in the team's recruiting efforts.
Krout joins Findlay after a year of college coaching at Bluffton University where he coached sprinters and hurdlers to multiple school records and conference championships.
Before his time at Bluffton, Krout spent time coaching at Liberty-Benton High School as an assistant coach in 2014 and head coach in 2015. He coached 18 state qualifiers, five school record holders, five individual state champions, and the girls' Division II state record holder in the 100m dash. In 2015 and 2016, Krout coached the girls' program to back-to-back trips to the OHSAA State Championship.
Krout is a 2010 graduate of Hillsdale College, was a 10-time GLIAC champion, and was the Great Lakes Regional Athlete of the Year in 2007 and 2008. Krout was a six-time all-American in the 200m, 400m, and long jump and still holds outdoor school records in the 400 and long jump and the indoor school record for 200m at Hillsdale.