Ben Thuma is in his seventh season serving as a throwing coach for both the men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track and field teams.
Thuma is graduate of the University of Delaware where he was a four-year letterwinner in track and field. He began his coaching career in 1999, coaching at the John Powell Throwing Camp through 2005. He was also the throws coach for East Lyme (Conn.) High School from 2007 through 2011.
While at Coast Guard he has led many throwers to qualify and as well as score in several post-season championship events. He coached Emily Trudeau to break the Academy’s indoor and outdoor shot put records. As well, he’s had a hand in coaching Will Baker (Coast Guard’s #2 discus thrower all-time) as well as Abby Bishop and Clay Kosack in the throwing events on their way to multi-event accolades and record setting performances.
Since arriving at CGA in 2012, Thuma led CGA’s throwers to set 9 of the 12 school records in the throwing events.
In the spring of 2021, Leilani Salang (21’) qualified for the second time in the Discus for the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Salang took 4th place in the Discus to earn her first and the women’s track & field team’s first All-America honors within the throwing events.
During his senior season, Ben Zarlengo (20’) qualified for NCAA’s in the weight throw as #3 on the DIII rankings where he later earned All-America honors in that event for the first time.
After the 2019 season, Thuma guided two throwers to the NCAA Championships. Indoors, Ben Zarlengo (20’), qualified and competed at the 2019 Indoor NCAA Championships in the weight throw where he placed 13th with a 61’ 8.25” toss. Then during the outdoor season, Zarlengo qualified in both the discus and hammer throw events. He placed 8th in the hammer throw earning his first All-America honors throwing 187’6”. Also competing at NCAA’s was Leilani Salang (21’) with a qualifying mark of 154’10 in the discus.
Another dominant thrower Thuma worked with was 2018 grad Gabbie Troise. Troise led the way for the Bears ultimately recording CGA’s top hammer thrower mark, as well as the indoor & outdoor shot put records. Upon graduating, Troise was a highly decorated thrower in the NEWMAC Conference and across New England.
Caitlin Piker (17’) earned All-Division New England honors in the javelin after she threw 135’7” qualifying for the national championship where she placed 12th. In her time as an athlete at CGA, she was NEWMAC Champion and earned multiple honors for DIII New England and at the ECAC Championships.
Thuma also works with CGA’s multi-event athletes when it comes to their throwing discipline. He helped guide Abby Bishop (14’) and Clay Kosack (14’) in the heptathlon and the decathlon to their regional accolades and in their NCAA’ championship qualification marks.
(updated June, 2022)
