Mt. Pleasant, IA-The rich history of track and field at Mt. Pleasant adds another notch to its belt after Nolan Frueh signed his National Letter of Intent to join the Mount Mercy University track and field program for the next season.
Frueh had a slow start to his track and field career with his first year throwing the shot put and discus occurring during the Covid-season when he was in 7th grade. Nevertheless, the speedbump in his throwing career did not deter him but the decision to participate in athletics at the collegiate level took a bit more time to mature,
“I didn’t really think about it freshman and sophomore year, but my junior year I really thought about it. And then I talked to Striegel about it, and he told me the opportunity was there. So, I took it.”
Staying close to home was a major emphasis in Frueh’s decision making and with Mount Mercy resting only one hour and twenty minutes away from home all it took was one trip to see the campus,
“I liked Coach Sikkema [throwers coach], and I went toured, and I liked the school.”
Last season, Frueh ranked as the third-best shot putter on the team with a throw of 42 feet and 7 inches and had the second-best mark in the discus with a heave of 124 feet and 7 inches. Besides the usual throwing events, Frueh expects to do the weight throw and the hammer toss.
To illustrate the type of mentality the senior employs in tough circumstances, despite never participating in the hammer toss, he’s ready to jump right into it,
“I have not, but it’ll be a good learning opportunity.”
With the season less than a month away from starting with the Dickinson Relays at UNI on March 10th, Frueh is not looking to contain himself to one specific goal,
“I wouldn’t have any personal goals, but the sky is the limit.”
He will be studying Criminal Justice at Mount Mercy University.