The Lindenwood track and field teams experienced a year of change in 2013 with both a new coaching staff and a new conference. While the 2013 teams did not have the depth to compete for a conference title, it did capture three individual MIAA Championships, the first individual titles in any sport for a Lindenwood athlete in the MIAA.
 
Scott Roberts took over as the head coach of the track and field programs last summer and was given the task to rebuild Lindenwood as a track power in its new conference and in NCAA Division II. In the first season of the Roberts era, the one area that experienced the fewest changes was in the throwing events. Richard Cochran was in his seventh season on the Lindenwood coaching staff and he had an experienced group of throwers in 2013. Not surprisingly, it was this group that led the Lions and Lady Lions at the program's inaugural appearance at the Indoor and Outdoor MIAA Championships.
 
The 2013 indoor conference championships took place on Feb. 22-24 in Warrensburg, Mo. On the final day of the event, Mitchell Heady made Lindenwood history by winning the first individual conference title as a member of the MIAA.
 
“It's every coach's responsibility to make the student-athletes as good as they can be,” said assistant coach Richard Cochran. “Sometimes coaches are surprised as to how good student-athletes perform, such as the case with Mitch Heady.”
 
Heady did not get off to a good start in the weight throw competition. He fouled on his first attempt and was in second-to-last place after a mark of 11.39m on his second throw. Heady was facing elimination until he unleashed a throw of 17.47m on his final preliminary attempt, which vaulted him into first place.
 
Heady improved on his mark on his fourth throw of the event with a mark of 18.90m. That mark was his best throw of the indoor season and placed him comfortably on top of the leaderboard. Heady would foul on his final two attempts but it didn't matter as no one could better his 18.90 mark. He ended up winning the event by 0.88m over Emporia State's Lucas SanMartin.
 
At the MIAA Outdoor Championships, the throwers really stepped up for Lindenwood. For the women's team, the throwers recorded 25 of the team's 44 points, and on the men's side, they collected 19 of the team's 30 points. Four throwers captured all-conference honors including two that won conference championships.
 
Heady was one of those as he won his second title, this time capturing the hammer throw. He got off to a better start this time with a throw of 57.67m in his first throw which placed him in second. The event quickly turned into a one-on-one battle between Heady and Missouri Southern's Dustin Green. Green had the lead after the first round with a mark of 58.58m and extended it to 59.33m after his third throw. Heady's final preliminary throw was a mark of 57.72.
 
In the finals, Green gave Heady an opening by fouling in his final three throws. Heady improved his mark to 58.64 but still trailed heading into his sixth and final throw. On his final attempt, he threw a career-best 61.41m, the second-best mark in school history, to win the title.

“It was a sign of relief to have a personal record at the end of outdoor season and to finish on top after two rough seasons,” said Heady. “It was a good feeling to close out my career in that fashion despite the inability to compete in postseason.”
 
The first women's MIAA individual title also came in the hammer event from Lindsey Blackwell. Blackwell scored in three events at the outdoor meet after also finishing seventh in the shot put and eighth in the discus. She made history though with a dramatic win in the hammer event.
 
Earlier in the outdoor season, Blackwell was attempting to master four different weight throws, which is very difficult to do at the collegiate level. Shortly before the MIAA Championships, Blackwell, as well as the Lindenwood coaching staff decided that she would move her emphasis to the hammer and discus throws, which proved to be the right decision.
 
“Lindsey is one of those student-athletes who was struggling to find herself in the throws.” said Cochran.
 
Blackwell was in danger of not making the finals after fouling on her first attempt and having a throw of 37.36m in her second attempt. She moved up to third place though on her final preliminary attempt with a throw of 48.61m.
 
Blackwell fouled on her fourth and fifth throws but won the competition with a throw of 51.10m in her final throw. She defeated runner-up Larissa Richards of Pittsburg State by 1.02m as those two players were the only ones to surpass 50m. Blackwell's throw was the best of her career and was the second-best in Lindenwood history.
 
“Lindsey has the capability to throw upwards of 65m in the hammer throw. We look forward to next season with the return of Lindsey and the rest of the throwers as they will have a great opportunity to compete at the MIAA Championships as well as possibility of earning a spot at the NCAA Championships.”