Michael Dellemann

MARQUETTE — A key member of the Northern Michigan University coaching staff that was named the GLIAC Outdoor Track and Field Coaching Staff of the Year has been promoted in the Wildcats’ program.

Seven-year assistant coach was named associate head coach of the NMU women’s indoor and outdoor track and field team as he heads into his eighth year this fall, according to Northern’s veteran head coach Jenny Ryan.

“Coach Dellemann has done a tremendous job taking on more duties with the program, including recruiting top student-athletes, building our culture through team activities, and working on projects and administrative work, and he has earned this opportunity as associate head coach,” Ryan said in an NMU Sports Information news release announced earlier this week.

He has been a coach in the NMU track program since the 2018-19 season as he was one of a group of coaches earning the conference honor.

The Wildcats had a historic outdoor season this spring, claiming the program’s best-ever GLIAC finish as runner-up.

Dellemann has specifically been coaching athletes for jumping and hurdling events, guiding 17 All-GLIAC finishes in those events just since 2023.

In 2024, Ellyse Wolfrath was named a Second Team All-American in the 60-meter hurdles, culminating Northern’s seven NCAA Championship qualifiers in the events he lends his expertise to.

“Being a part of this program over the past few seasons has been so rewarding that I can’t wait to see what the future holds,” Dellemann said. “Everyone associated with the team, whether they are student-athletes, coaches or support staff, works hard and supports each other so well that it makes going to practice one of the highlights of my day.”

Before NMU, he worked two seasons at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, where he helped eight Pointer athletes qualify for the NCAA Championships, including an All-American in the indoor heptathlon.

During his own athletic career, Dellemann competed for the elite development team of the U.S. bobsled and skeleton team from 2011-13, ranking fourth on the team headed to the 2014 Winter Olympics after recording multiple high international finishes.

He excelled as a student-athlete at Stevens Point, where he was an All-American in 2009 for the indoor pentathlon and in 2010 for the indoor 55 hurdles.

And Dellemann was a three-time Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion and set school records in the indoor pentathlon.

He graduated from UW-Stevens Point in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, adding his MBA from Keller Graduate School in 2015. He began his coaching career at Stevens Point Area High School in 2010 with its track team, coaching there for seven years with repeated state and conference success.

He has was a deputy manager for USA Curling from 2015-17.

Dellemann is a native of Oregon, Wisconsin, and resides in Ishpeming with partner Emily and a daughter.

Story contents based on Northern Michigan University Sports Information press release reviewing the news. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.