Welcome to the Forty Acres, Mo 🤘 Mohamad Saatara’s coaching resume speaks for itself 😎 • 2024 Olympic Champion throws coach (W Hammer) • 31 All-Americans • 4 National Titles • 4 World Championship Medals • 2 All-time NCAA records • 1 World Champion • Men’s Discus World Record holder
The Texas Longhorns just added some serious firepower to their track and field coaching staff — and this one’s a global game-changer.
Mohamad Saatara, one of the most accomplished throws coaches in the world, has officially joined the University of Texas as the throws coach for the Longhorns’ track and field program. With an elite résumé that spans Olympic podiums, NCAA dominance, and world records, Saatara brings a championship pedigree to the Forty Acres that instantly elevates Texas to the forefront of collegiate throwing programs.
In a program statement that dropped Tuesday morning, head coach Edrick Floréal didn’t hold back on the praise:
“Mo is a proven winner at every level. His athletes have set records, won titles, and raised the bar everywhere he’s coached. This is a massive win for our program and our student-athletes.”
To say Saatara’s track record is impressive would be an understatement. His credentials:
- 🥇 2024 Olympic Champion Throws Coach (Men’s Hammer Throw)
- 🥇 31 All-Americans coached
- 🏆 4 NCAA National Team Titles
- 🥇 4 World Championship Medals (Men’s Discus and Hammer)
- 🔥 2 All-Time NCAA Records
- 🏆 1 World Champion
- 🌍 Coach of the Men’s Discus World Record Holder
This is the kind of résumé you see in global elite circles — and now it belongs to the Texas Longhorns.
Saatara most recently coached at Cal and previously at Northern Arizona, with international coaching stints for both the U.S. and Iranian national teams. In 2024, he made headlines as the personal coach of the Olympic gold medalist in the men’s hammer throw, a feat that turned heads in both collegiate and international circles.
With his arrival in Austin, Saatara instantly becomes one of the highest-profile assistant coaches in NCAA track and field.
For the Longhorns, the addition of Saatara represents more than just a high-profile hire — it’s a statement of intent. Texas has long been known for sprints, jumps, and relays, but with Mo’s arrival, the throws program is now positioned for national dominance.
His coaching philosophy combines biomechanics, technical precision, and mental discipline. He’s known for customizing training plans to each athlete’s strengths and creating development pipelines that extend beyond college and into the pro circuit.
“Throwers are not made by accident,” Saatara once said. “You sculpt them — technically, physically, emotionally. That’s the art and science of it.”
At Texas, he’ll take over a group loaded with raw talent and national potential. Returning All-Big 12 athletes and several high-ceiling freshmen are now expected to make huge leaps under his guidance.
“I can’t wait to work with these athletes,” Saatara said. “Texas has the resources, the culture, and now the hunger to become the best throwing program in the country.”
Saatara’s international impact is equally jaw-dropping. He coached Daniel Stahl, the Swedish discus thrower who became a World Champion and world record holder, and worked with multiple Olympians across various continents. His athletes are known for pushing limits — not just of performance, but of what’s thought possible in the sport.
When his athlete took gold in Paris in the 2024 Olympic Games men’s hammer throw final, Saatara was flooded with praise from analysts, broadcasters, and fellow coaches for masterminding the perfect training arc.
Now, the same mind that helped produce world-best performances will be on the Texas sideline — helping Longhorn athletes chase All-American honors, NCAA titles, and beyond.
Beyond performance and technique, Saatara’s presence will have major recruiting implications.
In an era of global recruiting, where top-tier throwers come from Europe, Africa, and South America as much as they do from U.S. high schools, having a coach with Saatara’s profile instantly opens doors. International prospects are already familiar with his name, and stateside recruits now see Texas as a legitimate destination for throws — on par with programs like Oregon, USC, and Florida.
“This hire changes everything,” said a national recruiting analyst. “Top throwers who may never have considered Texas now have every reason to.”
Early buzz suggests that multiple elite 2025 recruits in discus, hammer, and shot put are now strongly reconsidering Texas as a top-three destination.
Saatara joins a Texas coaching staff that already features Olympic-level minds across events. With head coach Edrick Floréal’s history coaching Olympic medalists in hurdles and sprints, plus consistent NCAA success in jumps and relays, the Longhorns are assembling one of the most complete track & field coaching teams in the nation.
Floréal praised Saatara for his technical brilliance, attention to detail, and mentorship of athletes.
“Mo isn’t just a coach — he’s a teacher, a tactician, and a culture builder,” said Floréal. “That’s exactly what we want at Texas.”
Texas athletes in the throws group reacted to the hire with excitement, calling it “a dream” and “next-level.” Several returning athletes posted on social media within hours of the announcement:
“Let’s get to work, Coach Mo 💪 #HookEm”
“This changes the game for us. Real ones know.”
For developing athletes, the chance to learn from someone who’s coached world record holders is rare. For veterans and incoming freshmen alike, it’s now reality.
With NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships on the horizon, expectations are high — but so is the momentum. Texas finished strong in multiple throwing events in 2023–24, and with Saatara at the helm, the program is now poised to not just compete, but dominate.
And with the 2028 Summer Olympics set to take place in Los Angeles, many believe Texas will now become a training hub for elite throwers — NCAA and professional alike.
“Texas is now a place where you can win a national title and get ready for the Olympics in one place,” one track and field insider said. “That’s the Mo effect.”
The Longhorns have long been known for track greatness — but the addition of Mohamad Saatara may signal the beginning of a new golden age, particularly in the throws.
With world-class knowledge, a championship résumé, and a passion for developing great athletes and even better people, Saatara fits the Texas mold perfectly: relentless, focused, and ready to compete at the highest level.
Welcome to Austin, Coach Mo.
The Forty Acres just got a whole lot stronger.
#HookEm 🤘
