Justin Showstead joined the River Hawks track and field coaching staff in the Fall of 2024, bringing with him an extensive history of coaching and athletic experience.
Showstead graduated from Ithaca College with a Bachelor of Science in Integrated Marketing Communication degree, being a Leadership Scholarship Grant Recipient in 2019. He then served as the throws coach at Ithaca College for the 2023-24 season. He has led multiple first-year students to regional qualification, thanks to attending the Destefano Javelin Clinic several times.
The Ridgefield, Conn. native is Ithaca's indoor shot-put record holder and the Liberty League indoor shot put meet record holder when he threw 16.41 meters to win his second shot put conference title in 2023. This propelled him to a second-place finish in the event at the AARTFC Indoor Championships and ultimately a spot in the NCAA Division III National Championships. In 2021, he was a member of the USTFCCCA All-Academic squad.
Interestingly enough, Showstead's track and field journey brings him back to where his collegiate competition career ended when he finished podium in the javelin and shot put at the 2023 AARTFC Outdoor Championships, hosted by Susquehanna. By then he wrapped up a storied career where he helped the Ithaca Bombers to three Liberty League indoor championships and one outdoor title. Along with his pair of LL shot put titles, Showstead won conference gold in the javelin outdoors in 2022 with a career-best 57.77m. In his senior season he finished top three in the shot, javelin and hammer at Liberty League Outdoors, including a career-best 52.67m in the hammer.
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