LSU track and field coach Dennis Shaver announced Monday that Andy Kokhanovsky, who has produced 59 All-Americans at Kansas over the past 17 seasons, has his staff as the Tigers’ throws coach.
In 17 seasons at Kansas, Kokhanovsky’s athletes won 35 conference championships and two national championships. Four of his athletes from KU have gone on to compete in the Olympic Games.
Kokhanovsky’s move to LSU is a return to coaching roots in Louisiana. He worked as an assistant coach at McNeese from 1998-2001 and at UL Monroe from 2001-05.
“We are excited to have such an accomplished coach join our staff,” Shaver said. “I have known Andy for many years and have seen the tremendous progress his athletes have made under his guidance. Andy understands our vision for the team, and the throwing event area can make some continued contributions towards our teams being recognized at the NCAA Championships.”
Kokhanovsky’s guided Kansas’ Alexandra Emilianov (women’s discus), Mason Finley (men’s discus) and Gleb Dudarev (men’s hammer throw) to the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021.
During the 2021-22 college season, Kokhanovsky guided Emilianov to a runner-up finish at the 2022 NCAA Outdoor Championships in the discus, with Emilianov becoming the first woman in Kansas history to have four first team All-American honors in the event.
Kokhanovsky joined the Kansas staff after working from 2001-05 at Louisiana-Monroe. While at UL Monroe, Kokhanovsky’s athletes qualified for a total of 11 NCAA regional championships and set seven school records.
His collegiate coaching career began at McNeese State, where he coached throws and multi-events from 1998-01.
Kokhanovsky graduated from Abilene Christian University in 1998 with a B.S. in education. In 1996, he set a Division II national record in the discus with a throw of 211’5”. He was also the national champion and an All-American in the event. The same year, Kokhanovsky represented the Ukraine in the discus at the Olympic Games in Atlanta.
In addition to his time as a collegiate thrower and coach, Kokhanovsky was a member of the Soviet Union and the Ukrainian national teams from 1984-93. In 1989, he won the USSR national championship in the discus and in 1992 was ranked as high as 12th in the world in that event after throwing his personal record of 215’5”.
He competed in the World University Games in Germany (1989), England (1991) and the United States (1993). Additionally, Kokhanovsky held the Soviet national high school record (ages 17 and younger) in the discus with a throw of 215’2”.
Be the first to comment