Middle Park High School alumnus Daniel Reynolds, also known as “Shug,” has been breaking track and field records at the University of Wyoming.

Reynolds, 22, grew up in Granby and has roots in Grand County that stretch back for generations.

After graduating from Chadron State College in Nebraska with a degree in rangeland wildlife management, he transferred to the University of Wyoming to continue his athletic career as well as his academics.

---

---

He competes in the indoor and outdoor track and field seasons in shot put, weight throw and hammer throw. The weight throw takes place during the winter indoor season, the hammer throw takes place during the spring outdoor season, and the shot put is offered during both seasons.

In shot put, athletes throw a 16-pound metal sphere as far as they can. The hammer throw is an event where competitors throw a 16-pound metal ball attached to a grip with a 3-foot steel wire. Weight throw is hammer throw’s indoor counterpart, where competitors throw a 35-pound metal ball connected to a handle.

---

---

As an athlete, Reynolds trains “pretty much” year-round doing weight lifting and throwing.

“We’ll go through cycles of lifting — higher reps, lower weight — then we’ll move into lower reps, higher weight,” Reynolds said. “Then in season, it’s a little different. You go a little lighter so your body isn’t so beat up.”

While in Nebraska, Reynolds broke the school record in weight throw (19.80 meters) and hammer throw (62.07 meters). He won the weight throw event at the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and placed second in hammer throw at the outdoor championships during the 2021-22 season. His best throw in shot put while at Chadron measured 16.75 meters, according to Chadron State’s website.

Riley Northrup was the head track and field coach at Chadron State during Reynolds’ time in Nebraska. Northrup had a front-row seat to Reynolds’ progress as an athlete, going from 190 pounds coming out of high school to 280 pounds now.

“He took a quick liking to the weight room and has heeded everyone’s advice that’s worked with him — about needing to bulk up to improve his performance,” Northrup said. “He’s always had a smile on his face and a high level of effort in all that he does, so it’s been an absolute pleasure to witness his meteoric rise to the top.”

The move to Wyoming allowed Reynolds to begin his master’s degree in rangeland ecology and watershed management, and he is in his second year in the program.

“I’ve always loved the outdoors — hunting and fishing and that kind of stuff. I started to like the rangeland side of things, and I was looking at moving up in divisions when I met my adviser. We’ve got a really cool project we’re working on,” Reynolds said.

As for why he chose to attend the University of Wyoming, he said he hit it off with throwing coach Paul Barrett when visiting the university and fell in love with the people and the small-town feel.

Barrett said it’s been a “huge, fun experience for me, having Daniel.”

“The guy’s work ethic and his passion are, like, off-the-charts amazing, so that makes it pretty easy for me to get excited to work with someone who’s that dedicated. Not only is he extremely talented, but his passion is a big reason for what he’s doing,” Barrett said.

Barrett is no stranger to exceptional athletes, having coached over 100 all-conference award winners during his time at the University of Wyoming, but he said Reynolds is unique.

“His intensity when he’s training and competing is like none other,” Barrett said.

In addition, Reynolds said the move has allowed him to live closer to home while continuing to do what he loves.

“I really enjoy my teammates here, and I like Laramie. It’s a great area. It’s got the mountains, it’s got the plains, and the people here are fantastic. Being close to home is awesome,” Reynolds said. “Being two hours instead of seven hours is really nice.”

Reynolds has earned the Mountain West Men’s Indoor Athlete of the Week distinction four times this season, according to University of Wyoming athletics.

He broke multiple records at the Wyoming Power Meet on Dec. 7, 2024, when he broke the Wyoming, Hager-LeBar Indoor Track & Field Venue and Mountain West records for weight throw, with a personal best of 22.89 meters.

Reynolds celebrated setting a world record during the Don Kirby Invitational in mid-February in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He set the world’s best mark this year for two-turn weight throw. Reynolds tied for No. 9 overall in U.S. history and broke the Wyoming and Mountain West records with his throw of 81 feet, 1 1/4 inches, according to the University of Wyoming.

Reynolds continued to break records during the Mountain West Indoor Track and Field Championships that took place in Albuquerque from Feb. 27 to March 1.

During weight throw, Reynolds unleashed a winning throw of 25.06 meters, which earned him a spot in the record books as the third-best throw in collegiate history. This throw also earned Reynolds a top qualifying spot in the men’s weight throw for the 2025 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.

“Having just recently thrown the third-best mark in NCAA history is the single most impressive feat accomplished by any athlete I’ve ever known or worked with,” Northrup said.

During the meet, Reynolds surprised himself and others by also winning the shot put event.

“Shot put was kind of a surprise. I threw (19.05 meters), and that was huge, because I haven’t thrown that far for shot in a long time,” Reynolds said.

The NCAA Division I Indoor Championship will be held March 14-15 at the Virginia Beach Sports Center. The championship meet will air on the ESPN family of networks with the men’s weight throw scheduled for Friday, March 14, at 4:05 p.m.