Samantha Bluske is in her fourth year as assistant coach of the Toledo cross country and track & field program.
During her first year at UT, Bluske helped guide the Rockets to the 2014 MAC Championships. She also led the team to a third-place finish and an upset of No. 8 Michigan and No. 19 Ohio State at the NCAA Regional Meet. For their efforts, the Rockets earned a program-best No. 21 national ranking and an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships.
Bluske came to UT from Iowa State University where she served as a volunteer assistant coach after graduating in May of 2013.
An accomplished runner herself, Bluske enjoyed a much heralded collegiate career at both ISU and Illinois State University. In 2016, she recorded a personal-best marathon time of 2:36.26, a Top 25 US marathon time during the year.
During her first two years with the Redbirds, Bluske earned track and field All-Missouri Valley Conference honors and qualified for the NCAA West Regional in the 10,000m meet.
After transferring to Iowa State for her junior year, Bluske made a huge impact and was named a team captain her senior year. The Chaseburg, Wis. native was the Big 12 indoor 5,000-meter champion and helped lead the Cyclones to two consecutive conference team championships, two Midwest Regional Championships and two Top 15 NCAA finishes.
Bluske holds an undergraduate degree in dietetics from Iowa State and a Masters of Arts degree in recreation and leisure studies from the University of Toledo.
