Arizona’s Jordan Geist is modest — a gentleman and a scholar. But once he enters the shot put ring, he becomes a “monster,” a powerful athlete known for his fierce competitive spirit. At Knoch High School in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, his launching pad for national championships, he became known as the “Knochness Monster.”
In an explosion of speed and strength last weekend in Albuquerque, Geist powered the shot put nearly 70 feet on his first throw at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships. Fifteen other competitors took their shot at beating Geist’s throw — 69 feet, 4.75 inches — but none could. That gave Geist the NCAA title he had long sought, ending years of disappointment at national meets.
After the competition, Geist rushed to the stands to celebrate with his parents, two aunts and his fiancée.
“Winning the championship was definitely a dream of mine,” Geist said. “It was a long time coming.”
UA track and field director Fred Harvey said: “It was overwhelming to see Jordan win.”
It was Harvey who had traveled with an assistant coach to Geist’s home in Saxonburg to persuade him to attend Arizona. In previous NCAA meets, it was clear Geist had the chops to win it all, but until last week, he had fallen short.
“That was very hard for him,” Harvey said. “But he never questioned himself. He continued doing everything it takes to be successful.”
At 6-2 and 280 pounds, Geist surely isn’t small. But his new coach, Lucais MacKay, said taller shot put athletes hold an advantage in leverage over him. Geist compensates with speed in his spin leading to the release of the 16-pound ball.
“He’s one of the fastest throwers in the world,” MacKay said.
Working with MacKay, who began coaching UA throwers in August, Geist made small changes at the start of his spin. With those changes, added strength and renewed motivation, Geist ran through indoor season undefeated. His best throw — 70-5.75 — shattered his school record and gave him the nation’s No. 1 mark.
Arizona thrower Jordan Geist, shown during a workout at Drachman Stadium in 2018, placed first in the shot put in the 2023 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.
In sports, of course, no one is successful every time, whether in the batter’s box or in the shot put circle. Any glitch during the spin or release can keep throwers from achieving their personal best.
“I went into some (championship) meets ranked first but ended up fifth,” Geist said. “That was pretty disappointing.”
Pressure to win, much of it self-imposed, continued to build over the years. So, in addition to the joy of winning, Geist breathed a giant sign of relief.
A look at Geist’s athletic journey provides context for his remarks. Geist arrived in Tucson in fall 2017 as one of the most accomplished track athletes in the country. He had won the shot put and hammer throw and grabbed second in the discus in the high school national championships. After high school, he captured the shot put gold medal in the Junior Pan American Games in Peru.
In his second meet at Arizona, Geist threw 70 feet, 4.5 inches to establish an NCAA indoor freshman record. Expectations soared. However, at the NCAA indoor championships, he finished fifth.
More disappointment followed in 2019. Last year, he finished third to winner Turner Washington, a former UA teammate and roommate, who transferred to ASU in 2018. Geist turned the tables last week as Washington, a Canyon del Oro High grad, finished third.
In three NCAA competitions outdoors, Geist again fell short. His top finishes, however, brought him All-American honors.
Meanwhile, Geist scored big at the Pac-12 Championships, dominating the shot put three times with first-place finishes, winning once in the discus and finishing as high as third in the hammer throw.
By using a redshirt year and gaining a year from the COVID shutdown, Geist has been at Arizona for six years. In the UA’s Eller School of Management, Geist has earned a degree in management, a master’s in marketing and he’ll complete a second master’s this year. He was named an Academic All-American in track and field last year with a 3.73 GPA.
Geist now has his sights set on the outdoor track season, which began this weekend at the Bahamas. At the first home meet, scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Drachman Stadium, Geist will concentrate on the hammer throw. By early next month, though, the Knochness Monster will be back roaring in the shot put ring.
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UA sprint Trayvion White-Austin and Arizona Track and Field associate head coach Francesca Green share their thoughts on White-Austin's development as the NCAA spring outdoor season approaches. Video by Aidan Wohl/Special to the Arizona Daily Star
