CAA Men’s Track & Field Champions: 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009
Jeni Bozarth [Throws] Jeni Bozarth enters her sixth season as an assistant coach at UNCW and is responsible for coaching the throwing events for the Seahawks.
Bozarth came to UNCW after spending the 2007-08 season as a volunteer assistant with the storied Nebraska track and cield program. During that time, she continued to train for the 2008 Olympic Trials, where she placed 20th.
Bozarth has done a superb job with UNCW’s throwers and the 2013 season was no exception. The group achieved 10 scoring positions at the Colonial Athletic Association Championships, including six All-CAA performances and two individual event champions.
Bozarth, who earned All-Big 12 honors six times, was a four-year letterwinner for the Huskers. In 2007, she was named Nebraska’s Most Improved Female Field Athlete after breaking the 53-foot mark and advancing to the NCAA Championships in Sacramento, Calif., placing 11th in the shot put. Bozarth later finished 16th overall at the U.S. National Championships in Indianapolis. A fouryear member of the Big 12 All-Academic team, she capped her collegiate career with USTFCCCA National All-Academic honors.
Senior Kyle Barbour captured first in the discus and second place in the hammer throw, ending his career ranked second in the weight throw, third in the discus and second in the hammer. Junior Austin Dow finished second in the javelin to earn All-CAA accolades with a lifetime best throw that moved him up to fifth all-time at UNCW. Sophomore Clarissa Perkins shook off a back injury to shatter her own record in the outdoor shot put and sits in second and seventh on the discus and hammer lists. She earned a gold in the discus and bronze in the shot put at the CAA meet.
Bozarth is USATF Level I Certified Coach and a member of the United States Throws Coaches Association. She is married to Aaron Bozarth, assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Seahawks, and the couple welcomed a son, Robbie, to the world last April.
The household also includes two mastiffs, Magma and Olga.
Also, junior DN Cherry collected All-CAA honors for the first time with a third-place finish in the hammer throw, good enough for third all-time in the program. Melissa Stallings (javelin), Kyle Campbell (javelin), Eric Griffin (discus) and Ryan Kelly (shot put) added points at the CAA competition. The 2012 season was highlighted by school records, freshman records, all conference performances and 15 additions to the All-Time Top-10 list in nine events. Juniors Thomas DiCiaccio and Kyle Barbour walked away from the CAA Championships with silver and bronze medals, respectively, in the hammer throw. Both athletes set personal bests on the season, which landed Barbour fifth and DiCiaccio sixth all-time at UNCW. The women’s team was led by newcomer Clarissa Perkins, who finished the season with three freshman records (weight throw, shot put, discus), four top-10 performances, along with the school record in the shot put. Her efforts placed her fifth in the discus and sixth in the shot put at CAA’s. Overall, the Seahawk throwers combined for 11 scoring positions at the conference meet. Comprised mainly of freshmen and sophomores, the 2011 track and field season wrapped up well for the Seahawk throwers. Eleven marks were added or improved on the all-time Top-10 list by eight athletes. Senior John Dillashaw had the most breakthrough performances at the CAA Championship by recording personal bests in both the javelin and shot put, finishing fourth and seventh in the events. Led by Dillashaw, the Seahawks combined for nine scoring positions at the meet. The 2010 season was a year of growth for a group of very young Seahawk throwers. Five athletes improved or secured positions on the school’s top-10 list, topped by freshman Kyle Barbour, who finished the season ranked third all-time in the discus. The throwers also fared well at the CAA Championships, with eight scoring positions between the men and women. In 2009, the Seahawk throwers combined for nine scoring positions at the CAA meet. Senior Jaraea Shepherd, who finished with the gold in the hammer and discus competitions, was the headliner. Her championships earned Shepherd the Most Valuable Field Event Performer Award and qualified her for the NCAA Regionals. Two other throwers, Mick Glassmacher and Lori Harrison, closed with All-CAA honors and also qualified for the ECAC Championships.
Bozarth Family, Jeni, Aaron and Robbie
UNCWsports.com • @seahawkTFXC • page 8