TOPEKA, Kan. – Washburn Athletics has announced the hiring of Rick Attig as the newest addition to the Ichabod track and field coaching staff.  He is set to begin his position of Assistant Men's and Women's Track and Field Coach on July 6, 2016.
 
"My words will hardly portray how exciting this hire is for Washburn University and our Track & Field Program," head coach Cameron Babb said.  "Rick is one of the best coaches and top track & field minds in the country.  I was blown away with how many impressive candidates applied for this position, but when someone with Rick's knowledge, background, and passion for coaching comes along I simply couldn't pass up the chance to get him on staff. 
 
"He has coached all across the spectrum of levels and has had success everywhere he has been.  This includes anywhere from his time as a high school coach, to his successful career as an NCAA DI coach, to his time as the USA National Track & Field Pole Vault Coach and National Pole Vault Development Chairman. 
 
"He produces the best athletes at any level, and we are thrilled he wants to bring that development to Washburn University.  Not only is he an incredible coach, he will also be a huge asset in recruiting due to his familiarity with the high school and club sectors within Kansas and in our surrounding states.  Rick is a great fit to help build a new and exciting program here that can compete at the highest level."
 
Attig joins the Ichabod staff just prior to the first season of competition for the newly reinstated program at Washburn, and will focus his efforts primarily with field and multi-events.  Attig is currently the head track coach and assistant cross country coach at Blue Valley North High School in Overland Park, Kan., where he has been since 2006, but brings to Washburn over two decades of NCAA Division I experience between stops at the University of Kansas and the University of Nebraska.
 
In his most recent spot, Attig coached the high school boy's pole vault national record holder (5.61 meters) and in his two years of running Xtreme Athletics club, his athletes have broken four state high school pole vault records (Kansas and Missouri boys and girls).
 
An assistant coach at UNL from 2001 to 2005, Attig coached and recruited pole-vaulters, heptathletes and decathletes and coached two NCAA National Champions, one USA National Junior Champion, 15 NCAA All-Americans and 13 Big 12 Champions.
 
Prior to UNL, Attig served as Assistant Track Coach at KU from 1984 to 2000 where he instructed 33 All-Americans, 34 Big 8/12 Champions, four USA National Chamiponships and three Pan American Champions.  In addition, KU athletes under Attig's teaching set two NCAA Records, eight Big 8/12 Records and one American Record (Scott Huffman, 19'7").  Attig had one pole-vaulter earn a spot on the 1996 Olympic Team and his student-athletes held the No. 1 United States ranking in 1993, 1995 and 1996. 
 
He was also an assistant track and football coach for seven years at Raytown South High School in Raytwon, Mo., from 1978 to 1984 and a two-year assistant coach at Cape Central High School in Cape Girardeau, Mo., from 1975 to 1978.
 
On the national stage, Attig served as the USA Track & Field National Pole Vault Coach from 1990 to 1996 and was an assistant coach for the 1989 Olympic Sports Festive for the jumping events.  He was the North Region Javelin Development Chairman from 1980 to 1984, and wrote the USA Track & Field Pole Vault Manual in addition to being published several times in numerous track and field journals.
 
Attig earned his Bachelor's of Science in Secondary Education from Southeast Missouri State and picked up his Master's Degree in teaching Physical Education from Southeast Missouri State in 1978.
 
Attig is a member of the Murphrysboro High School Athletic Hall of Fame (Murphysboro, Ill.), the Southeast Missouri State University Athletic Hall of Fame, and the USA Track and Field Pole Vault Hall of Fame.
 
His wife, Stephanie, is a chemistry teacher at Blue Valley North High School, and they have two children, Garrett and Marci, who both live in Overbrook, Kan.