R.J. Soderman enters his 12th year as an assistant coach for the UW-Whitewater men's and women's track and field teams in 2022-23. He specializes in the javelin throw, and enters his seventh year working with horizontal jumps.
Soderman also begins his sixth season as an assistant coach for the Warhawk cross country programs in 2022.
Under Soderman's mentorship, Robert Starnes captured his first national championship in the long jump at the 2016 NCAA Indoor Championships. He has also had multiple NCAA Championship qualifiers in his tenure. During the 2018 Outdoor WIAC Championships Soderman guided Matt Green to a conference title in the triple jump. In 2019, Shelby Nickels captured the Indoor WIAC title in the long jump under Soderman’s watch. In 2021, Shelvin Garrett II claimed All-America honors during the indoor and outdoor seasons in the men's triple jump. Since taking over the horizontal jumps, Soderman has had numerous top 8 finishers in the long and triple jump at the WIAC conference meets.
In 2013, Soderman coached Jacky Bigger, the first female javelin thrower from UW-Whitewater to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships, where she set a school record. He has also mentored multiple place-winners during the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference meet on both the men’s and women’s sides, including multi-event athletes.
As a Warhawk, Soderman was the team's top javelin thrower for three straight years. He was a two-time second team all-conference honoree in the javelin, and was captain of the team during his junior and senior years. Soderman earned WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll accolades twice during his standout career. Soderman has a personal best of 59.89m in the javelin throw and has competed at prestigious venues including UCLA, Albany University and The Drake Relays.
Soderman graduated from UW-Whitewater in 2010 with a bachelor's in health, human performance and recreation and a minor in health promotion. In 2012, he earned his master's in exercise science from UW-Whitewater, writing his thesis on cardiovascular supplements and their effect on athletic performance. Soderman also has his National and State Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT) license.
Soderman currently works on the UW-Whitewater campus as an Academic Advisor. He also works as an AEMT for the Town of Lyons Fire/Rescue Department, in private security for the 5280 Entertainment Group, and is a veteran of the Wisconsin Army National Guard. Soderman also competes in long drive competitions around the country for the World Long Drive series with a personal best of 337 yards. Soderman currently resides in East Troy with his wife and daughter.
(Updated June 14, 2022)