Alex Kristeller Shining in First Season in Manhattan

In his first season at Manhattan College, senior Alex Kristeller has definitely thrown his name into the discussion of the best NCAA Division I throwers.
 
With that being said, it should come as no surprise given Kristeller arrived in Manhattan as a two-time Division III national champion.
 
Kristeller's arc as a Jasper reached its highest point yet last Friday in Albuquerque, N.M. with a sixth-place finish in the weight throw at the USA Indoor Track & Field Championships.
 
"It's been a lot of fun competing this year and I'm very lucky to be doing as well as I am despite not quite having any very good throws," Kristeller said. "My coaches and I have been working on getting my technique dialed in so I can really give it all I've got and I think we're getting close. That's one of the reasons I was really excited to go to the USATF meet because I knew I would need a good throw within my first three throws to secure finals. It's always good to get experience out of your comfort zone and I feel more ready for bigger meets now."
 
Even without "any very good throws," Kristeller was a perfect 5-for-5 in first-place event finishes through his first five meets, including the prestigious 116th Millrose Games earlier this month, as a Jasper prior to the USATF Indoor Championships. In his first five meets, all but one of his best throws were better than his personal best (20.55 meters; 67-5.25) heading into the season.
 
His standard is high, but given his career, it should be.
 
Kristeller arrived at Manhattan College following a decorated career at Widener University, a Division III institution two hours from his hometown of Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Over four years at Widener, Kristeller was a five-time All-American and six-time conference champion. He was named the 2021 MAC Men's Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year and was honored as the 2023 USTFCCCA Men's Indoor Field Athlete of the Year for the Metro Region.
 
Of course, there are also his two individual national titles.
 
Kristeller won his first national championship in his third year at the 2022 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships. He became the first Widener field athlete to win an indoor national title, and just the second overall, with a school record weight throw of 20.39 meters (66-10.75). After placing runner-up in the weight throw in 2023, Kristeller capped his Widner career with an outdoor national championship in the hammer throw with a mark of 63.64 meters (208-9).
 
Following his second national championship, Kristeller opted to transfer to Manhattan College due to a mutual connection.
 
"My previous coach, Tyler Williams, at Widener, was also coached by Patrick McGrath and got me in contact with him and the school," Kristeller said of his new throws coach. "Paddy is definitely one of the best coaches in the country and I knew he'd be able to help me get better. When I came on my visit, I liked the team environment and how the coaches ran things. Overall, it was a great choice to come here."
 
The partnership between Kristeller and McGrath, a Manhattan College alum and 2000 Sydney Olympics participant for his native Ireland, has proven to be a winning one so far.
 
For his sixth-place finish at the USATF Indoor Championships with a mark of 21.63 meters (70-11.75), Kristeller earned his second MAAC Men's Field Performer of the Week award. 
 
Kristeller entered the weekend as the MAAC Indoor Track & Field Championships gold medal favorite. Kristeller owns the league's top men's weight throw mark by more than eight feet.
 
Kristeller previously won events twice this season at The Armory. In addition to posting his season, and personal, best of 22.19 meters (72-9.75) to win at the Dr. Sander Invitational Columbia Challenge last month, Kristoff's Millrose Games victory was also at the historic venue.
 
"I've got a decent amount of experience at big meets and I think it helps in handling all the stress of it," Kristeller said. "It doesn't guarantee that I'll qualify as there is still a lot of season left for others to hit big marks, but I know I can compete with these guys and I'm excited to keep going."
 
Kristeller could become Manhattan's first individual indoor national champion since Jake Freeman won the weight throw in 2003. 
 
He started on that path yesterday, at the 2024 MAAC Indoor Track & Field Championships where he won the weight throw setting a new meet record with the hope of solidifying his positioning to qualify for the NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships set for March 8-9 in Boston, Mass. He entered the meet ranked 13th nationally with the top 16 automatically qualifying for the indoor season finale.