Tomasz Smialek

Class:
Senior

Former UA All-American high jumper Tomasz Smialek is inhis fourth season as a full-time assistant coach, spending the 2007season as a graduate assistant. Smialek, a 2006 graduate from UA,coaches the high jumpers and the horizontal jumpers, whileassisting with the day-to-day duties in the track office.

In his first year, concentrating mainly on the vertical jumpers,Smialek oversaw perhaps the MAC's best corps, featuring NatalieSako. During the indoor season, Sako placed 10th at the NCAAChampionships to earn her fourth All-American honor, while she andLisa Ravn tied for second at the MAC meet. Also, on the men's side,Ryan Jones was MAC runner-up in the high jump. Those performancesimproved in the outdoor season with Sako and Jones both winning theMAC. Jones also nearly qualified for the NCAA Outdoors, placingsixth at the regional.

For 2008, Smialek expanded his role in coaching the horizontaljumpers with Cadeau Kelley and Niesha Kelly experiencing a breakoutseasons. Kelley set UA long and triple jump records for both indoorand outdoor seasons, was MAC long and triple jump champion bothindoor and outdoor seasons made his first trip to the NCAAChampionships - placing 14th in the long jump and ended his careerearning All-American honors with a seventh place finish at the NCAAOutdoors. Kelly placed second at the MAC Outdoors in the long jumpand she owns the second-best long and triple jumps in UAhistory.

Smialek continued his success in the vertical jumps as freshmanMike McCall was runner-up at the MAC Indoors while Jones placedfourth. During the '08 outdoor season, Jones was second whileMcCall was third. Jones and McCall went on to participate in theNCAA Mid-East Regional. While Jones placed 10th, his jump of 7-0.50was good enough to give the senior an at-large berth to the NCAAOutdoors, where he placed 20th in his first trip to nationals.

In 2009, McCall earned an at-large berth to the NCAA Indoor andOutdoor Championships after winning both the MAC Indoor and Outdoortitles. Tyshaun Peoples won the MAC Outdoor title in the long jump.Also, Collister Fahie was MAC Indoor runner-up in the long jump andoutdoor runner-up in the triple jump. Both Peoples and Fahiequalified for the NCAA Regional. On the women's side, Kelly was MACIndoor champion in the long jump and runner-up in the triple jump,while Alina Bocicor qualified for the NCAA Regional in the highjump.

Smialek completed his collegiate career as one of the best highjumpers to ever compete at Akron. He is the current school recordholder in both indoor and outdoor competition, clearing 7-03.25indoors and 7-03.75 outdoors.

He ended his collegiate career on a high note, earning hissecond All-American honor at the 2006 NCAA Outdoor Championship,finishing eighth after clearing a season-best 7-02.25. His firstAll-American honor came at the 2005 NCAA Indoor Championship inwhich he placed sixth with a jump of 7-02.50.

Smialek is also a six-time MAC Champion in high jump and wasnamed 2005 UA Indoor Most Valuable Performer.