Jon Machota - Writer Covering the Dallas Cowboys for The Athletic

Jeff Chakouian begins his seventh season as a Baylor assistant track and field coach serving the throws squad.

Back for the second-straight year on the podium, Chakouian mentored Chinecherem Prosper Nnamdi to a bronze medal javelin throw performance at the NCAA Outdoor National Championships after taking back-to-back Big 12 Championships in the event. Chak also worked closely with true freshman Gary Moore Jr., who ended the year as the Pan American U20 Shot Put Champion and USA U20 National Champion in the shot put. Two new indoor program records came in 2023 behind Cole Hardan in the shot put and Gary Moore Jr. in the weight throw. Moore Jr. also took the hammer throw in his home ring in Waco during his first season of collegiate competition.

In a standout season for Bear Throws, Chakouian coached Chinecherem Prosper Nnamdi to an All-American finish in the javelin throw competition, after sitting at the top of the national mark list all but one night of the regular season. Prosper Nnamdi won the Big 12 title in the event and finished first at the NCAA West Prelims. In the summer, the javelin thrower competed in the Commonwealth Games for his home country of Nigera, finishing ninth. Prosper Nnamdi is the current Nigerian record holder in the javelin and repeated as the Nigerian National Champion in the event in 2022.