UTEP's track and field head honcho, Mika Laaksonen, is hanging up his stopwatch after a storied 15-year tenure as head coach, UTEP Miners announced on Thursday. A veteran of the track with a hefty 28 years under his belt at the university, Laaksonen first joined the Miner staff in 1997, paving the way for a career peppered with titles, honors, and record-breaking achievements, following his championship days throwing for the Miners, according to UTEP Miners.
Reflecting on his retirement, Laaksonen expressed his gratitude and asserted the timing felt right, noting, "It sets up a clear direction for me for tomorrow," a sentiment emblematic of someone always looking ahead, but let's not forget, his legacy will feature numerous national and conference champions who soared under his guidance, including Olympians and world record-breakers such as Emmanuel Korir and Tobi Amusan who blazed trails in the 800 meters and 100-meter hurdles respectively. According to UTEP's Vice President and Director of Athletics Jim Senter, "He wrote his own prolific chapter in the Miners' illustrious track history," as per UTEP Miners.
The statistics are impressive. Laaksonen led the Miners to seven conference championships, 37 All-American honors, and the men's team achieved an eighth-place finish at the NCAA Championships in 2014, while the women tied for 21st at nationals in 2017. The era he shepherded saw substantial successes, and with Laaksonen's departure, a national search kicks off to find the next leader who can carry the torch of UTEP's esteemed track and field legacy.
