LARAMIE, Wyo. (April 24, 2020) – To say Wyoming has a strong history in the men's weight throw is a bit of an understatement. Since the Mountain West formed in 1999-2000, Wyoming leads all other conference schools with nine men's weight throw titles and seven All-Americans. Overall, Wyoming's 13 all-Mountain West selections in the weight throw are second in the conference since 2000.
 
Based on Wyoming's current outstanding throwers, the present and future for the Cowboys in the weight throw are strong, as well. Hap Frketich and Kirk Unland are the latest Cowboys to have success in the event. After all, the duo have gone back-to-back as MW champions in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Is it too soon to say the duo is rekindling a dynasty here in Laramie?
 
"While it certainly has been fun to win consecutive gold medals recently, 'dynasty' is perhaps a bit premature," said throws coach Carrie Lane. "Are they going down the road of Jordan and Pippen? Maybe. Does that make me Phil Jackson? Maybe. The more important point is that Kirk and Hap have completely bought in to our squad agenda and to what they as individuals are capable of achieving."
 
The current successful run began in 2019, when Frketich took gold in the weight throw at the MW Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, N.M. He posted a best throw of 66 feet, 2.5 inches, a mark that was the 10^th-best throw in Cowboy history.
 
"It was great," Frketich said. "When you're in that position, it's everything you've worked for. Not even from the beginning of the season, but from the beginning of your career when you started throwing years before. You keep progressing, and when you're on that podium, everything you've worked for is shown right there."
 
When Frketich stepped on that podium a year ago, he stood right next to his teammate, Unland, who took second. Unland's mark of 63-8.75 was nearly an inch ahead of third place, and the first and second place finishes solidified Wyoming's strong 2019 weight throw season.
 
This year, Frketich and Lane decided he would take a redshirt season, and Unland stepped up to lead the way to UW's second-consecutive weight throw title. Unland was the only athlete in the MW to clear 60 feet during the regular season, and he did it in every one of the four meets. At the league championships, Unland landed a personal-best throw of 66-3.25 to keep the title in Laramie.
 
Interestingly, his mark was just 0.75 inches farther than Frketich's, making Unland's 2020 throw the new 10^th-best throw in program history.
 
"It was funny," Unland said. "I was focusing on just getting the gold. I was sitting there at the end of the competition, and I was thinking, 'that has to be pretty close to Hap.' And sure enough, it was an inch or so further. I didn't think I took him, but it was a funny situation."
 
Even though Frketich was barely edged out of Wyoming's top-10 list, he was happy for his teammate.
 
"Oh yeah, absolutely happy for him," Frketich said. "You want your teammates to do the best they can. Most importantly, he got that win, taking first in the Mountain West. For us throwers, and most of us on the team, we do care about how we perform, but we care the most about getting as many points as we can for the team, no matter what meet we're at. Our job as athlete is to place as high as you can to improve the team at every meet and try to get every single point. Just scrap for points any way we can."
 
Both Frketich and Unland were the Mountain West leaders in the weight throw leading up to the championships in 2019 and 2020, respectively. For many competitors, entering a meet with those high expectations might result in heightened nerves. However, they both had strong belief in themselves, helping them stay focused for the biggest meet of the season.
 
"There's a little bit of pressure on your shoulders," Frketich said. "But I think I do a good job of competing well when I'm in that position. I try not to let nerves get ahead of me. I more go into the meet telling myself I already won it before it even started. When I'm in a position to do that, it's always worked in my favor."
 
"There was some pressure," Unland said. "Any big competition, like the Mountain West Championships, Regionals or NCAA's, you're going to have some people who capitalize on that situation, who get that one good throw out there. I had to be prepared for that and make sure the margin between my mark and other people's marks was comfortable. So yes, I had some pressure that I put on myself. I just wanted to stay ahead and try to get a mark that met my potential for me, which I felt I did. I was very happy about that."
 
The pair of Cowboy throwers worked hard during the weeks leading up to the championships in order to prepare both physically and mentally. They know what they are capable of, and both athletes want to succeed for the team.
 
"They both have a lot of confidence in their ability and technique," Lane said. "They also have exceptional drive to win. That comes out not only in the meets, but in their attention to detail in their daily training regimens. I did not recruit Hap or Kirk, nor did I coach them their first year at Wyoming. I am thankful that they have fully bought in to my training system and to our squad agenda."
 
Lane says she introduced a squad agenda with two parts: 1) increase the points scored as a collective throwers squad at the league championships and 2) qualify for NCAA Championship events. In the last two years, the throwers as a group have accounted for 46 of the 229 points the men's and women's squads have earned, taking care of the first part of the squad agenda. The second part is close to being a reality.
 
"I'd say next year we're aiming to go one, two at conference," Frketich said. "Then, my plan is to go to nationals, and I'm pretty sure Kirk's is, too, progressing the way he did this year. I could see both of us going to nationals next year. Wyoming's always had a strong history in weight throw. If you look at our top-10 list, Kirk's and my PR's are 10 and 11. Almost anywhere else in the NCAA, we'd be in the top-five list, easy. I would say we do have a strong dynasty at Wyoming in the weight throw."
 
Above all, having a pair of throwers like Frketich and Unland helps the team set a championship caliber tone.
 
"Throwers are often the lifeblood of a track team, in that they are usually big, visible leaders, good-natured teammates, and hard- working competitors," Lane said. "When these kinds of teammates succeed in winning a MWC championship, setting a school record or qualifying for the national meet, they have the ability to bring the rest of the team along with them, even if those teammates are from different event groups. That is the value of a championship caliber throws group."
 
The high-caliber duo of Frketich and Unland will be back next season. Looking ahead, Frketich and Unland hope that their success helps to keep the strong tradition of throwing at Wyoming alive.
 
"Hap and I aren't even close to being done yet," Unland said. "I'm hoping that when we are done, the tradition lives on, and we keep getting some really great throwers in. Our top-10 list for weight throw is really up there. It's one of the best in the country, I'd say. There's definitely been a throws tradition here at Wyoming that I hope we keep continuing."