Successful Cal Throws Coach Mo Saatara Leaving for Texas

A 12-year assistant on the Bears' staff, he coached Olympic medalists Camryn Rogers and Mykolas Alekna

Mo Saatara with Cal discus star Mykolas Alekna / Photo by Jeff Faraudo

Cal track and field assistant Mo Saatara, who coached Olympic gold medalist hammer thrower Camryn Rogers and world-record discus star Mykolas Alekna, has accepted a position as throws coach at the University of Texas.

Saatara has coached Cal’s throwers for 12 seasons and they have been the backbone of the Bears’ program.

“He’s changed so many lives,” Rogers said in a phone call from Finland. “He’s built a legacy and he will continue to do that. It will be a new adventure but one we’re very excited about and one he totally deserves.”

But for Cal, she conceded, “To see someone like that go is tough.”

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“I wasn’t looking to leave but they recruited me very hard,” Saatara said in  phone interview. “It was a natural time to go with a lot of the kids (including Alekna) graduating.”

Cal reportedly made a counter financial offer to Saatara, who said head coach Robyne Johnson “made a huge effort” to retain him. Saatara said he’s viewing Texas as a new career frontier. 

“It was an opportunity to do something different, a place where you can fight for championships, stuff like that,” he said of a program led by head coach Edrick Floreal, who once led Stanford’s program.

Cal had three first-team All-America performances at this month’s NCAA outdoor championships and all three came from Saatara’s group of throwers. Seven of the nine Golden Bears who competed at the meet were throwers.

“I’m so proud of the student-athletes over the years. They never expected to get to the high level and they did,” Saatara said. “There’s so much stuff to be grateful for. And I’m really proud of working for Robyne. The staff at Cal is one of the best around, very under-appreciated.”

Saatara called working with Rogers and Alekna, who continue to be elite-level international competitors, “the highlight of my career.”

“Really special people. Amazing people, amazing talents. Their record speaks for itself,” he said.

Camryn Rogers enjoys an Olympic hug from Mo Saatara at Paris / Instagram

Rogers, who last competed at Cal in 2022, said Saatara has been the biggest influence on her track and field career.

“Cal has truly changed my life in the best way possible,” she said, “and for Mo to be the person who initiated that change and is the reason and the person who made me want to go there, he’s truly how I dedicate my life and the passion for what I do in this amazing sport.”

Rogers repeatedly broke the collegiate record in the women’s hammer, captured three NCAA titles in the event and won a gold medal last summer while representing Canada at the Paris Olympics.

Alekna owns the top-10 discus marks in college history and broke the world record last spring and again this year. The 22-year-old Lithuanian won a silver medal in Paris and twice has climbed the podium as a top-3 finisher at the World Championships. 

Saatara said he will continue to coach Rogers and all of Cal’s post-collegiate throwers. 

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