Back to General History

History of NIC Boys Track & Field

Track & Field began in 1926 as a conference sport. Below are a few noteworthy titles of NIC Schools.

• 1926-27 – Gary Froebel IHSAA State Champions
• 1927-28 – Gary Froebel IHSAA State Champions
• 1928-29 – Gary Froebel IHSAA State Champions
• 1929-30 – Gary Froebel IHSAA State Champions
• 1930-31 – Gary Froebel IHSAA State Champions
• 1931-32 – Gary Froebel IHSAA State Champions
• 1931-32 – Elkhart IHSAA State Runner-Up
• 1932-33 – Gary Froebel IHSAA State Champions
• 1933-34 – Gary Horace Mann IHSAA State Runner-Up
• 1934-35 – Gary Horace Mann IHSAA State Runner-Up
• 1935-36 – Gary Horace Mann IHSAA State Champions
• 1936-37 – Gary Horace Mann IHSAA State Runner-Up
• 1937-38 – Hammond IHSAA State Champions
• 1938-39 – Hammond IHSAA State Champions
• 1940-41 – FW North IHSAA State Champions with Coach Rolla Chambers
• 1941-42 – FW North IHSAA State Champions with Coach Rolla Chambers
• 1944-45 – Hammond IHSAA State Runner-Up
• 1945-46 – Hammond IHSAA State Runner-Up
• 1946-47 – Hammond IHSAA State Runner-Up
• 1947-48 – Hammond IHSAA State Runner-up
• 1948-49 – Gary Froebel IHSAA State Champions with Coach Hugh Bergstrom
• 1949-50 – Gary Froebel IHSAA State Champions with Coach Hugh Bergstrom
• 1952-53 – Gary Froebel IHSAA State Champions with Coach Hugh Bergstrom
• 1953-54 – Elkhart IHSAA State Runner-Up with Coach Matt Ronzone
• 1954-55 – Gary Froebel IHSAA State Champions with Coach Hugh Bergstrom
• 1955-56 – FW North IHSAA State Champions with Coach Rolla Chambers
• 1956-57 – FW North IHSAA State Champions with Coach Rolla Chambers
• 1957-58 – SB Central IHSAA State Champions with Coach Jim Early
• 1958-59 – SB Central IHSAA State Runner-Up with Coach Jim Early
• 1959-60 – Elkhart IHSAA State Runner-Up with Coach Matt Ronzone
• 1961-62 – Gary Toleston IHSAA State Runner-Up
• 1962-63 – FW North IHSAA State Champions
• 1964-65 – FW North IHSAA State Champions with Coach Rolla Chambers
• 1968-69 – Elkhart IHSAA State Champions with Coach Jim Eger
• 1992-93 – Elkhart Central IHSAA State Champion with Coach Kurth
• 1995-96 – Elkhart Central IHSAA State Runner-Up with Coach Kurth

Boys NIC Track & Field Meet Records

Event	Time/Distance	Year	Name – School
4 x 800 Meter Relay	8:01.60	2004	M. McDonald, J. Millar, D. Bradley, J. Cavanaugh – SB St. Joseph
100 Meter Dash	10.47	2002	Leroy Dixon – SB LaSalle
110 Meter High Hurdles	13.90	1975	Greg Robertson – SB LaSalle
200 Meter Dash	21.50	1975	Alison Phillips – Elkhart Central
1600 Meter Run	4:15.40	1968	Chuck Baker – Elkhart
4 x 100 Meter Relay	41.96	2026	Alfonzo Newburn, Cioleman Bell, Weyatt Skipper, Alonzo Newburn – Elkhart
400 Meter Dash	48.91	2014	Thomas Capers – SB Riley
300 Meter Hurdles	37.93	2007	Carl Buchanon – SB Clay
800 Meter Run	1:55.00	1969	Chuck Baker – Elkhart
3200 Meter Run	9:18.30	1978	Mike Haag – Penn
4 x 400 Meter Relay	3:12.40	1978	R. Moore, D. Hilliard, A. Davis, T. Turner – SB Washington
High Jump	6’11.25″	1992	Thad Palmer – Penn
Long Jump	24′.5″	1958	Ted Jackson – Elkhart
Discus	179′.5″	2009	Nick Banke – Mishawaka
Shot Put	60’2″	1972	Bill Konowitz – LaPorte
Pole Vault	15’6″	2012	Kyle Johnston – Penn

Year	School	Record	Coach
1926-27	Gary Froebel		Carl Olson	IHSAA State Champions
1927-28	Gary Froebel		Carl Olson	IHSAA State Champions
1928-29	Gary Froebel		Carl Olson	IHSAA State Champions
1929-30	Gary Froebel		Carl Olson	IHSAA State Champions
1930-31	Gary Froebel		Carl Olson	IHSAA State Champions
1931-32	Gary Froebel		Carl Olson	IHSAA State Champions, Elkhart State Runner-Up
1932-33	Gary Froebel		Hugh Bergstrom	IHSAA State Champions
The NIHSC divides into a Western Divison and Eastern Division	Each division ran a division meet with top finishers advancing to a big confernce meet where an overall champion was declared
1933-34	Gary Horace Mann			Gary Mann – State Runner-Up
1934-35	Gary Froebel			Gary Mann – State Runner-Up
1935-36	???		Rudy Kominski	Gary Mann – IHSAA State Champions
1936-37	Gary Horace Mann			Gary Mann – State Runner-Up
1937-38	Gary Froebel			Hammond – State Champions
1938-39	Gary Froebel			Hammond – State Champions
1939-40	Hammond
1940-41	Fort Wayne North		Rolla Chambers	FW North – IHSAA State Champions
1941-42	Fort Wayne North		Rolla Chambers	FW North – IHSAA State Champions
1942-43	Fort Wayne North
1943-44	Hammond
1944-45	Hammond			Hammond – State Runner-Up
1945-46	Hammond			Hammond – State Runner-Up
1946-47	Hammond			Hammond – State Runner-Up
	Fort Wayne North
1947-48	Hammond			Hammond – State Runner-Up
1948-49	Gary Froebel		Hugh Bergstrom	Gary Froebel-State Champions
1949-50	Gary Froebel		Hugh Bergstrom	Gary Froebel-State Champions
1950-51	Fort Wayne North
1951-52	Elkhart
1952-53	Gary Froebel		Hugh Bergstrom	Gary Froebel- State Champions
1953-54	Gary Froebel			Elkhart – State Runner-Up, Matt Ronzone, Coach
1954-55	Fort Wayne North		Hugh Bergstrom	Gary Froebel – State Champions
1955-56	Fort Wayne North			FW North – IHSAA State Champions – Coach Rolla Chambers
1956-57	Fort Wayne North			FW North – IHSAA State Champions – Coach Rolla Chambers
1957-58	Gary Froebel			SB Central IHSAA State Champions – Coach Jim Early
1958-59	Gary Froebel			SB Central – IHSAA State Runner-Up, Coach Jim Early
1959-60	Elkhart			Elkhart – IHSAA State Runner-Up, Coach Matt Ronzone
1960-61	SB Adams
	Gary Tolleston
1961-62	Fort Wayne North
	Gary Tolleston			Gary Toleston – IHSAA State Runner-Up
1962-63	Fort Wayne North			FW North – IHSAA State Champions
	Gary Tolleston
ENISHC reorganizes as the NIC at this time as the WNIHSC disbands
1963-64	Elkhart	57.5 pts – NIC Meet – 1st
1964-65	Fort Wayne North		Rolla Chambers	FW North – IHSAA State Champions
1965-66	Elkhart	60 pts – NIC Meet – 1st
1966-67	Elkhart
1967-68	Elkhart	77 pts NIC Meet- 1st
1968-69	Elkhart	82 pts NIC meet – 1st	Jim Eger	Elkhart won IHSAA State Championship
1969-70	Elkhart	78 pts NIC Meet – 1st	JIm Eger
1970-71	Elkhart	80 pts NIC Meet – 1st	Jim Eger
1971-72	Elkhart	90 pts NIC Meet – 1st	Jim Eger
1972-73	Elkhart Memorial	7-0 dual meets	Jim Eger
1973-74	LaPorte	7-0 dual meets
1974-75	Elkhart Memorial	8-0 duals	Jim Eger
1975-76	SB Adams	8-0 in duals + NIC Meet 1st	Jim Eger
1976-77	SB Adams	8-0 in duals + NIC Meet 2nd	Andy Mihail
	SB Riley	7-1 in duals + NIC Meet 1st
1977-78	SB Adams	8-1 in duals + 1st NIC meet	Andy Mihail
	Penn	9-0 in duals + 2nd NIC Meet	Bob Wiseman
1978-79	SB Adams	8-1 in dual meets	Andy Mihail
	Elkhart Memorial	8-1 in dual meets	Jim Eger
1979-80	Penn	9-0 in dual meets	Bob Wiseman
1980-81	Michigan City Elston	9-0 in dual meets	Cabot Holmes
1981-82	Michigan City Elston	9-0 in dual meets	Cabot Holmes
1982-83	Michigan City Elston	8-1 in dual meets	Cabot Holmes
	Elkhart Memorial	8-1 in dual meets	Jim Eger
1983-84	Elkhart Memorial	8-1 in dual meets	Jim Eger
1984-85	Elkhart Central	9-0 in dual meets
1985-86	Elkhart Memorial	9-0 in dual meets	Jim Eger
1986-87	Elkhart Memorial	9-0 in dual meets	Jim Eger
1987-88	Elkhart Memorial	9-0 in dual meets	Jim Eger
	They determined the NIC title with NIC meet result combined with dual meet records.
1988-89	Elkhart Central	unknown pts + 5-1 duals	Tom Kurth
1989-90	Penn	86 pts + 6-0 duals = 16	Brad Robertson
1990-91	Elkhart Central	140.33 pts + 6-0 duals=16	Tom Kurth
1991-92	Elkhart Central	149 pts + 6-0 duals=16	Tom Kurth
			1st year of	MVP	Coach of the Year
1992-93	Elkhart Central	?? pts + 6-0 duals=16	Tom Kurth	no vote	no vote
		* Elkhart Central won the ’93 IHSAA State Championship
1993-94	Elkhart Memorial	117 pts + 6-0 duals=16	Jim Eger	Willie Mackey of SB Clay	unknown
1994-95	Elkhart Central	153 pts + 6-0 duals=16	Tom Kurth	Adrian Swanson of SB Adams &	Tyron Lax of SB Riley
				Eric Gregory of Elkhart Central
	In 1996 the NIC Championship Meet determined the NIC Team Championship
1995-96	Elkhart Central	186 pts (9 schools)	Tom Kurth	LaVarr Luster of SB Clay	Earl Hairston of SB Clay
		* Elkhart Central ’96 IHSAA State Runner -Up
1996-97	Elkhart Central	204 pts	Tom Kurth	Curtis Holt of Elkhart Central	Tom Kurth of Elkhart Central
1997-98	Elkhart Memorial	145 pts	Jim Eger	Jovone Palmer of Elkhart Memorial	Jim Eger of Elkhart Memorial
1998-99	Elkhart Central	159 pts	Tom Kurth	Tedrick Harwell of Elkhart Central	Tom Kurth of Elkhart Central
1999-2000	Penn	136.50 pts	Brad Robertson	Leroy Dixon of SB LaSalle	Brad Robertson of Penn
2000-01	Penn	151.5 pts ( 8 schools)	Brad Robertson	Leroy Dixon of SB LaSalle	Brad Robertson of Penn
2001-02	Penn	151 pts	Brad Robertson	Leroy Dixon of SB LaSalle	Brad Robertson of Penn
2002-03	Penn	170 pts (9 schools)	Brad Robertson	Jerimy Robinson of Elkhart Central	Brad Robertson of Penn
2003-04	Penn	151 pts	Brad Robertson	Marcus Perez of Elkhart Central	Tom Kurth of Elkhart Central
2004-05	Elkhart Central	127 pts	Tom Kurth	Carl Buchanon of SB Clay	Tom Kurth of Elkhart Central
2005-06	Elkhart Central	101 pts	Tom Kurth	Carl Buchanon of SB Clay	Steve Jones of Mishawka
2006-07	Elkhart Central	117 pts	Tom Kurth	Craig Padgett of Mishawaka	Tom Kurth of Elkhart Central
2007-08	Elkhart Central	111 ots	Tom Kurth	Craig Padgett of Mishawaka	Tom Kurth of Elkhart Central
2008-09	Elkhart Central	133 pts	Tom Kurth	Logan Griffith of SB Adams	Tom Kurth of Elkhart Central
2009-10	SB Saint Joseph	109.5 pts	Mike McCarthy	Jarrod Buchanon of SB Clay	Mike McCarthy of Saint Joseph
2010-11	Penn	133.5 pts	Brad Robertson	DeSen Prentice of Penn	Brad Robertson of Penn
2011-12	Penn	140 pts	Brad Robertson	Joseph Zielinski of Saint Joseph	Brad Robertson of Penn
2012-13	Penn	138 pts	Brad Robertson	Tim Deal of Penn	Brad Robertson of Penn
2013-14	Mishawaka	129 pts	Kyle Shaw	Andy Timmons of SB Adams	Randy Griffith of SB Adams
2014-15	Elkhart Central	119 pts	Jacob Balch	Nathan Munet of Elkhart Central	Jacob Balch of Elkhart Central
2015-16	Penn	108 pts (13 schools)	Jon Carroll	Brandon Wadley of SB Adams	Jon Carroll of Penn
2016-17	Penn	127 pts	Jon Carroll	J.T. Webb of Elkhart Central	Jacob Balch of Elkhart Central
2017-18	Elkhart Central	142.5pts	Jacob Balch	Adam Moon of Elkhart Central	Jacob Balch of Elkhart Central
2018-19	Penn	142 pts	Jon Carroll	Jacob Corbett of New Prairie	Jon Carroll of Penn
2019-20	NO Meet – Spring Sports seasons cancelled – Covid pandemic
2020-21	Penn	169 pts (12 schools)	Jon Carroll	Derrick Woods of Elkhart &	Adam Homo of Elkhart
				Vincent Nierzwicki-Trifiletti of Penn
2021-22	Penn	191 pts	Chad Wetzel	Alec Hardrict of Penn	Chad Wetzel of Penn
2022-23	Penn	164 pts	Chad Wetzel	Josiah Willioams of Penn	Adam Homo of Elkhart
2023-24	Penn	154.6 pts	Chad Wetzel	Elijah Coker of Penn	Adam Homo of Elkhart
2024-25	Penn	193.5 pts (8 schools)	Chad Wetzel	Alonzo Newbern of Elkhart	Chad Wetzel of Penn
2025-26	Penn	197 pts	Chad Wetzel	Alonzo Newbern of Elkhart	Mike McCarthy of Saint Joseph