Whitworth University

The 2025-2026 season will be Kolton Carlson's 9th with the Pirates' Track and Field staff. He enters his 3rd as the head throws coach. Carlson is the hammer and shot put coach and oversees the weightlifting program for the throwers. He coached his sister Abbie Jo to back to back Conference hammer titles in 2022 and 2023. Kolton also coached Renee Tiumalu to her third straight NWC title, school records (Indoor/Outdoor), and Second Team All-American honors in 2024. In 2025, Coach Kolton coached a 1-2 finish in the women’s hammer, 1-2-3 finish in the women’s discus and women’s shot put at the Northwest Conference Championships. He was honored as the 2025 Indoor and Outdoor NCAA West Region Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year. He has coached 8 Conference Champions and 7 All-Americans.

As an athlete, Carlson competed for Whitworth in the shot put, discus and hammer. He was a member of a four-time conference champion TEAM, while individually finished All Conference and won the 2016 NWC Hammer Championship. During Carlson's Senior season he qualified for and competed in the 2016 NCAA Div. III Outdoor Championships in Wartburg Iowa.