Rudy Winkler, a decorated hammer thrower, begins his first year on staff as a volunteer throws coach. Winkler is a former Scarlet Knight and current USATF member. Winkler is a former Rutgers student-athlete and a current member of the USATF team.
Most recently, Winkler finished as the runner-up in the hammer throw at the 2019 USATF Championships, having earned the title in 2018. Among other accomplishments, the New York native helped guide Team USA to the 2018 Athletics World Cup title.
At the 2018 Big Ten Outdoor Championships, Winkler claimed the hammer throw title with a mark of 73.85 (242' 3"), breaking the Rutgers record for the third time and setting a Big Ten Championship record in the process. The gold-medal performance earned him First Team All-Big Ten status.
Winkler, the 2018 USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Region Field Athlete of the Year, went on to collect his fourth straight First Team All-America recognition, finishing fourth in the nation at the 2018 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Prior to arriving at Rutgers, Winkler captured the 2017 national title in the hammer while at Cornell. He finished as the national runner up in 2016 and eighth overall as a freshman in 2015.
Additionally, in 2016, Winkler recorded his personal best in the event at the U.S. Olympic Trials. The mark of 76.76 meters (251" 10') earned Winkler the win in the trials and a trip to Rio 2016, where he placed 18th.
Winkler earned his undergraduate degree at Cornell in 2017 and is working towards a Masters of Business and Science at Rutgers.
