Athlete 1982 - 1983
Kris Mueller '83 was one of the leading members of an outstanding corps of men's distance runners for Linfield in the early 1980s. Running two track and field seasons (1982, 1983) and one cross country season (1982) for the Wildcats after beginning his career at North Idaho College, Mueller earned All-America honors in the marathon and All-Northwest Conference honors six times in the two sports for coach George Oja.
At one point, the lanky Alaskan simultaneously held the school records for two miles, three miles, 5,000 meters, six miles, 10,000 meters and the marathon. At the time of Mueller's induction in 2004, his Northwest Conference Championships marks in the 5,000 (14:29.94) and 10,000 (30:28.84) remained meet records; so did his school records in the 5,000 (14:28.80) and the marathon (2:24:08).
As a junior in track and field, Mueller won the NAIA District 2 marathon and the NWC title in the 10,000 while finishing second in the 5,000. He became Oja's first All-American with a fifth-place finish in the marathon at the NAIA Championships, just two days after placing 10th in the 10,000.
Mueller's senior season of cross country earned him All-NWC honors as he placed fourth. His durability was never more evident than in the next spring's Northwest Conference Championships in track and field. In the two-day meet at Maxwell Field, Mueller won the 5,000 and 10,000 with his record-setting times and finished second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
After earning his bachelor's degree in health and physical education in 1983, Mueller finished 20th in the 1986 United States Marathon Championships and qualified for the 1988 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. Returning to Alaska, he spent five years as co-head coach at Chugiak High School, with the Mustangs earning six state titles and seven regional titles.
