Brouillette Multiple Record Holder

By Sean Sullivan, Iowa State Athletics Communications

Every great track program has a defining moment. A time a place where a spark is created that lifts an up-and-coming team and sets a standard of personal records for team success.

A single athlete's achievement can sometimes be lost in the overall team's success; however, it is the individual accomplishment that lays groundwork for future athletes to follow. Iowa State thrower Zac Brouillette is laying that groundwork.

In a span of three weeks, Brouillette knocked off two Iowa State track and field school records. The Sioux City native captured both the indoor 35-pound weight throw and the outdoor hammer throw records, cementing his name in ISU track and field history.

"As far as my name being mentioned with the elites, I don't really know if I deserve to be up there," Brouillette said. "But it feels great. It is hard work really paying off."

Brouillette captured the hammer throw record March 29th at the Raleigh Relays. The senior's mark of 193-04 was six inches better than the previous record mark set by seven-time All-American Jamie Beyer. Beyer is one of only seven Cyclones, male or female, to achieve seven-time All-American status. He held the school record in the hammer throw for nine years before Brouillette set the new mark.

"I was teammates with Jamie Beyer and he was one heck of an athlete," Iowa State head coach Corey Ihmels said. "I think to be put in the same sentence as Jamie Beyer is something (Zac) should be really proud of. Jamie would first one to say that records are meant to be broken and he would be excited for someone from Iowa State to be doing what he's doing in the throwing events."

Beyer also held the indoor weight throw record at Iowa State for more than 12 years before Brouillette broke Beyer's record on March 7 at the NCAA Indoor Qualifier in the Lied Athletic Center.

Brouillette's record-breaking effort of 68-03.25 in the weight throw was good enough for first-place, and punched his ticket to the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in College Station, Texas.

Brouillette has had a remarkable career as an Iowa State athlete. While the Sioux City prep was a great multi-sport athlete, Brouillette chose to play football over pursuing baseball at the collegiate level.

"I had a good opportunity to play Division I football at a Big 12 school so I kind of got excited for that," Brouillette said. "That didn't go as well as I wanted it to."

While his football career at Iowa State was waning, his father, Scott Brouillette, saw that there was a try out for the track and field team for javelin. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Brouillette as he traded in his shoulder pads for a 35-lb ball with a D-ring. Brouillette initially struggled with technique in the weight throw his first season, and focused most of his effort on shot put.

When Ihmels added assistant coach John Dagata to the coaching staff, Brouillette's marks in the weight throw began to rise.

"Coach Dagata is a really big hammer guy," Brouillette said. "I think he saw that I had the potential to be something really good. So I learned his way (in the hammer throw) and the rest has been history."

Brouillette may have been a standout track athlete in high school, but the notion that he would be a multiple record holder at a Division I school would have been considered unlikely for the incoming freshman defensive end. While Brouillette's career at Iowa State may be ending after this outdoor season, his name will live on for upcoming classes to live up to.

"Coach Dagata and I will never be able to repay Zac for what he's done for this program," Ihmels said. "Our future kids are going to get tired of hearing Zac Brouillette stories because that's what has gotten it started for us. He's a kid that started out as a walk on and now is a thrower that ranks among the in the Big 12."

Photo by Ross LaDue, Iowa State Athletics Communications

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Zac Brouillette

Zac Brouillette

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