Ryan Hershbeerger is in his first season as an assistant coach with the Purdue track & field team in 2024-25. Hershberger is a Boilermaker after three seasons as an assistant coach at Army. An All-American as a student-athlete, Hershberger will coach Purdue’s throwers.
“Ryan comes highly recommended, and I am eager to see the impact he will make on our program,” Miller said. “He has quickly established a track record of success as a coach with his throwers, and I know that will continue with Purdue, and he will be a positive addition to our coaching staff.”
Hershberger coached throwers at Army West Point since 2021, and previously was at UNC Charlotte, also coaching throws. He competed at Kansas State and earned All-Big 12 and All-America accolades in the shot put.
“I am excited to start my role working with the Boilermaker throwers,” Hershberger said. “I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity that Coach Miller has given me to develop student-athletes at Purdue. I’m looking forward to applying consistent, focused effort over time and relentlessly pursuing excellence with a fantastic group of staff and student-athletes.”
In three years at Army, Hershberger’s throwers won 19 conference titles, including a sweep of all four women’s throwing events outdoors in 2023. Twenty-five NCAA First Round berths were earned, with three NCAA Championships appearances. That included the squad’s first by a women’s thrower since 1990, in 2022 and again in 2024.
The 2024 season alone saw Army’s throwers win 15 Patriot League medals indoors and outdoors, with three titles and a sweep of the women’s shot put medals indoors. Five of the team’s nine NCAA First Round entries were from Hershberger’s throwers, with one national championship qualifier who placed 10th in the hammer throw.
Hershberger coached Emily Fink to a USATF U-20 championship in the hammer throw, and she then placed 15th at the World U20 Championships. This summer, she competed at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials under Hershberger’s guidance and was 10th overall, while Brooke Stratman, another Army athlete coached by Hershberger, finished 21st in the javelin throw at the trials.
