Emma Fare joins the Western Illinois track & field coaching staff after serving as the Volunteer Assistant Throws Coach and Volunteer Strength & Conditioning Coach at the University of Northern Iowa.
During her time with the Panthers, Fare helped guide one of the Missouri Valley Conference's top programs to the 2026 MVC Indoor Championship on the men's side while both the men's and women's teams earned runner-up finishes at the 2026 MVC Outdoor Championships.
Working directly with the throws group, Fare coached athletes to five UNI all-time top-10 performances, a freshman school record, an MVC individual championship, an MVC runner-up finish, and multiple conference podium finishes. At the 2026 MVC Indoor Championships, Northern Iowa's throwers accounted for 43 team points, eight podium finishes, and eight scoring performances.
In addition to her work with the throws, Fare served as the volunteer head strength and conditioning coach for Northern Iowa's track & field program, overseeing training for more than 110 student-athletes. She developed event-specific strength programs, coordinated weekly lifting schedules, and collaborated with the coaching staff to support athlete performance. Under her guidance, the Panthers produced three school records, five freshman records, 40 All-MVC honors, eight conference champions, and an NCAA All-American.
A standout student-athlete at Northern Iowa, Fare was one of the most accomplished throwers in program history. She was a three-time NCAA West Regional qualifier and qualified for the 2024 USATF Indoor Championships, where she placed fifth nationally. Fare captured multiple Missouri Valley Conference shot put titles, earned the MVC Most Outstanding Performance Award, and set the UNI indoor school record in the women's shot put with a throw of 17.24 meters (56-6¾).
Fare earned both her bachelor's degree in Kinesiology, with minors in Coaching and Strength & Conditioning, and her master's degree in Kinesiology and Sport Performance from Northern Iowa.
At Western Illinois, Fare works primarily with the Leathernecks' throwers while assisting with recruiting, athlete development, meet preparation, and all aspects of the program's continued pursuit of conference and national success.
