Editor's note: NNUSports.com will be running Senior Spotlights on all the spring sports seniors who have elected not to come back for another year of eligibility.
 
Isaiah Kahut
Men's track and field, sprints, from Vancouver, Wash.
Major: Physical therapy
 
Isaiah Kahut never planned on getting into coaching.

He figured when his track and field career came to an end, that would be it and he would move on with his life.

Now that his athletics career is over, though, he is having some second thoughts.

"As I've gotten closer to the end of my career I really want to be a coach now," he said. "I saw how my coaches impacted me over my time as an athlete and I definitely want to have that same impact."

Kahut's senior season ended before it ever started as the COVID-19 pandemic canceled spring sports, including the outdoor track and field season.

He is turning down the opportunity to come back to NNU next year after the NCAA ruled that all spring sports seniors have the option of an extra year of eligibility.

Instead, Kahut will follow his girlfriend, Ally Miran, to Casper, Wyo., where she will pursue her doctorate in occupational therapy through a program with the University of North Dakota at Casper College.

Kahut isn't sure what he will do initially, but after Miran is done in Wyoming, they hope to return to the Treasure Valley where Kahut hopes to get in contact with NNU track and field coach Danny Bowman about the potential to help the Nighthawks.

"I'm hoping to get my coaching certification in the next the three years," Kahut said.

Kahut is graduating with a degree in Physical Therapy and hopes to go to PT school in the future.

He is no stranger to the physical therapy world after an injury-plagued career with the Nighthawks.

His freshman year, he over worked himself and got hurt. He missed most of his first indoor season because of the injury.

At the time, he wondered if he could handle college athletics, since he got hurt so quickly. By his sophomore season, though, he had top 10 times in the 60 and 100 meters.

His junior year, though, was once again marred by injuries missing most of the year with a hamstring injury.

When his senior season rolled around, he wondered if he could even compete.

He answered that question with a strong indoor season and felt he was primed for even bigger things in the outdoor season.

"Indoor season went better than expected, which was really good for me to be able to see how far I had come from the injury," he said. "If the Indoor GNAC Championships was the last race of my college career then I ended on a good note. I had a season PR in the 60 meters.

"I was happy with the time I ran and was still able to perform to the level of my abilities pre-injury."

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