Corey Ihmels - Track & Field Coach - Boise State University Athletics

Corey Ihmels

Title:
Head Coach
Email:
coreyihmels@boisestate.edu

After eight years at the helm of the Boise State track and field and cross country programs, head coach Corey Ihmels and the Broncos have steadily climbed the national ranks along with establishing themselves as a force in the Mountain West. Below is a list of some of the program’s accomplishments in Ihmels’ eight seasons at Boise State:

2 Mountain West Championships
Men's Cross Country (2016)
Men's Cross Country (2018)

4 Individual National Champions
Emma Bates (2014) - 10,000m
Allie Ostrander (2017, 2018, 2019) - 3,000m Steeplechase (First woman to win three consecutive Division I National Titles)

5 Mountain West Athlete of the Year Awards
Emma Bates (2013 and 2014)
Allie Ostrander (2017, 2018, 2019)

5 Individual National Runner-ups
Emma Bates (2014) - XC
Marisa Howard (2014) - 3,000m Steeplechase
Jordin Andrade (2015) - 400m Hurdles
Allie Ostrander (2015) - XC
Allie Ostrander (2018) - Indoor 3,000m

9 Mountain West Student-Athlete of the Year Awards (Sport Specific)
Emma Bates (2014 XC and 2014 Outdoor)
David Elliott (2014 XC and 2016 Indoor)
Allie Ostrander (2015 XC, 2016 Indoor, 2017 Outdoor and 2018 Outdoor)
Yusuke Uchikoshi (2016 XC)

64 All-Americans
14 in cross country, 50 in track and field

6th Place at 2017 & 2018 Women’s NCAA Cross Country Championships
Best finish at an NCAA Championship for any women’s team at Boise State in school history

11 Team Cross Country Championship Appearances
2014 Women: 11th Place - first appearance at NCAA Nationals for women's team in school history           2015 Men: 16th Place
2015 Women: 11th Place                                                                                                                                             2016 Men: 19th Place
2017 Women: Sixth Place             2017 Men: 19th Place
2018 Women: Sixth Place                                                                                                                                            2018 Men: 10th Place
2019 Women: 17th Place          2019 Men: 21st Place
2021 Women: Ninth Place

(One of five teams to finish in the top 21 at NCAA Nationals each year from 2015-2019)

6 Team NCAA Track &Field Championship Top-25 Finishes
2014 Women: 19th Indoor Track
2014 Women: 8th Outdoor Track
2017 Women: 13th Outdoor Track
2018 Women: 17th Indoor Track
2018 Women: 25th Outdoor Track
2019 Women: 20th Outdoor Track

50 Individual Mountain West Championships
5 in cross country, 45 in track and field

Allie Ostrander became the first woman to win three consecutive Division I National Titles in the 3,000m Steeplechase (2017-19). Marisa Howard finished her collegiate career as the sixth-fastest 3,000m steeplechaser in NCAA history after running a 9:37.84 at the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Emma Bates wrapped up her storied career as the 10th-fastest 10,000m runner in NCAA history after clocking a 32:13.28 at the 2015 Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational.

Prior to coming to Boise State, Ihmels spent the previous six seasons (2007-13) as the head coach of the cross country and track and field programs at his alma mater, Iowa State. The two-time Big 12 Conference Cross Country Coach of the Year enjoyed similar success with the Cyclones:

7 Individual National Champions

9 Individual National Runner-ups

67 All-Americans

2 Big 12 Team Conference Championships

6 Top-10 Team Finishes at the NCAA Championships

38 Individual Big 12 Champions

400+ Big 12 All-Conference Honorees

In addition to his accomplishments on the Big 12 and NCAA level, Ihmels helped two athletes compete in the 2012 Summer Olympics, and four of his athletes also competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Lisa (Koll) Uhl (2012) - Competed for the United States and placed 13th (31:12.80) in the 10,000m
Guor Marial (2012) - Competed as an Independent Olympic Athlete and placed 47th (2:19.32) in the marathon
Betsy Saina (2016) - Competed for Kenya and finished 5th (30:07.78) in the 10,000m
Hillary Bor (2016) - Competed for the United States and finished 7th (8:22.74) in the 3,000m Steeplechase
Mohamed Hrezi (2016) - Competed for Libya, placing 77th (2:21.17) in the marathon
Guor Marial (2016) - Competed for South Sudan in the marathon, finishing 82nd (2:22.74)

Three Cyclone athletes exited Iowa State having held positions in the Top-Ten All-Time NCAA Performance List in the 10,000m and 5,000m:

10,000m

Lisa (Koll) Uhl - No. 1 - Current NCAA record holder
Betsy Saina - No. 3
Meaghan Nelson - No. 7

5,000m

Betsy Saina - No. 6
Lisa (Koll) Uhl - No. 8

Prior to becoming head coach at Iowa State, he served as the head men's cross country coach and assistant track and field coach for the Cyclones for five years. He joined the Cyclones from Arizona State, where he worked as a graduate assistant coach from 2000-01. Ihmels, a six-time All-American long-distance runner for Iowa State and the 1997 Big 12 Conference Indoor Athlete of the Year, was a member of the Cyclones' 1994 NCAA championship cross country team.

He earned a bachelor's degree in history from Iowa State in 1997, and a master's of education in curriculum and instruction from Arizona State in 2001. He and his wife Michelle have two children, son Wil and daughter Ruby.

As a prep running out of Williston HS, Ihmels won the 1991 Foot Locker Cross Country Championships - one of the most prestigious national prep cross country cross events in the country.