When you walk through Oregon’s athletics facilities—whether it’s the new Hayward Field or the redesigned Matthew Knight Arena, the beautiful track offices at the Bowerman Building, or the state-of-the-art indoor football practice facility under construction next to Autzen Stadium—you see the vibrant pageantry and can feel the energy of University of Oregon Athletics. This splendor and prominence of Duck sports today seems to have little to do with the unpretentious legacy of Oregon’s renowned Hall-of-Fame track and cross-country coach and Olympic runner Bill Dellinger, who died in June at age 91.

After all, before retiring 27 years ago, much of Dellinger’s coaching was done far from the spotlight: quietly holding the stopwatch, timing his runners at Amazon Trail, or at the classic faded gold track at pre-refurbished Hayward Field. As a former Olympic athlete himself, his training grounds were the hills of Eugene or the streets of his hometown of Springfield, where he would run solo or with a select few teammates. Soft-spoken, understated, and quietly confident—that was Dellinger. Yet, his long-term impact on UO Athletics’ success speaks many volumes more than he liked to do himself.

Dellinger's patient approach with walk-ons

There were many celebrated athletes who ran for Dellinger at Oregon, including Matthew Centrowitz, Sr., BS ’86 (human development and performance), Rudy Chapa, BA ’81 (management), Alberto Salazar, BA ’81 (marketing), Jim Hill, BS ’84 (finance), Bill McChesney, Jr., and the legendary Steve Prefontaine, BS ’74 (broadcast communications), each of whom won NCAA titles, set records, or became Olympians. But behind these headliners were unheralded athletes who began as walk-ons and yet ended up flourishing. This latter group added significantly to Dellinger’s best Oregon teams and punctuated his coaching excellence and patient mentorship.

“I grew up in Baker City, and I wasn’t highly recruited,” said Nelson. “I can still remember the day when my mom picked up the phone. She said, ‘Bill Dellinger is on the line for you.’ He then said to me, ‘Hey, fella, would you like to run at Oregon?’”

Dellinger and Prefontaine: Olympians who shared a unique bond

Tyson competed on Dellinger’s first NCAA title-winning team, the 1971 cross-country unit that included Steve Prefontaine. Pre won the race—one of his seven individual NCAA titles under Dellinger. 

Dellinger’s judgment and adaptability, one of five key training principles he touted, are evident in how he recruited and then coached Prefontaine at Oregon starting in 1969. Bowerman led the Oregon track teams through 1972, but the day-to-day responsibility for coaching Pre belonged to Dellinger. The two shared a truly unique bond and friendship built on tremendous mutual respect. 

When the 1972 Olympics in Munich were tragically disrupted and suspended due to terrorism, it was Dellinger who took an agitated 21-year-old Pre out of the Olympic Village to reset himself. The Air Force veteran calmed his young athlete down to get him mentally prepared for the soon-to-be rescheduled 5,000-meter final. Pre ended up running courageously in an epic race, narrowly missing a medal.

Dellinger 'changed my life forever’

Dellinger’s savvy and consistent leadership continued for nearly three decades at Oregon, bringing ongoing success. A career highlight was the 1984 men’s track team, which won the NCAA team title as underdogs in dramatic fashion at Hayward Field. Dellinger’s team included a unique combination of highly-touted and under-the-radar athletes, including eventual Olympic Gold Medalist Joaquim Cruz, class of 1985, and future Olympians Brian Crouser, BS ’86 (community health) and Ken Flax, BS ’87 (psychology). Going into the men’s 1,500 on the last day, Oregon held a narrow lead. Dellinger quietly watched Oregon’s two runners toe the line as the packed Hayward crowd roared.

“They started clapping before the start,” said miler Dub Myers, BA ’87 (computer and information science). “I got chills. I couldn’t hear any splits. I tried to read the guy’s lips.” 

After winning the 800 the previous day, Cruz then won the 1,500. Myers passed seven runners on the final lap to grab third. Adding these two top-three finishes, Dellinger’s team scored 113 points in the championship meet, an NCAA men’s team track record that still stands. Dramatically and emphatically, the veteran coach now had his NCAA team track title. 

This overachieving team was emblematic of their coach—and is commemorated in many celebratory photos featuring Dellinger and his athletes parading around Hayward Field with the trophy, embracing and even drinking champagne. This was a unique display of celebration and happiness that was often contained by the veteran coach. 

“I have to thank Bill for being the only coach in America that recruited me . . . Things turned out far greater than either of us would have ever thought,” says walk-on hammer-thrower and eventual NCAA recordholder Flax. “I am so thankful for him spending the ten cents to send me a letter inviting me to walk-on as a hammer thrower at Oregon. That letter changed my life forever.”With his letters, his summer track camps, and his selective but honest words of wisdom, Dellinger changed the lives of all the athletes he coached. In doing so over so many years, he helped elevate UO Athletics to the culture of winning and prestige that it enjoys today.

From Bill Hayward to Bill Bowerman to Bill Dellinger

Dellinger’s coaching record, including 29 years as Oregon’s head cross-country coach and 25 years as head track coach, featured five NCAA team championships, as well as coaching numerous athletes to individual NCAA titles, American records, and Olympic berths. His 1998 retirement concluded an unbroken track and cross-country coaching lineage of 94 years with renowned Oregon coaches named Bill.

Embodying excellence & "The Oregon Way"

For dozens of years, while other Oregon sports often fought for relevancy and struggled to achieve winning seasons, Dellinger helped elevate UO Athletics with long-term track and cross-country excellence. He coached patiently, intelligently, and relentlessly—exactly the way he, himself, was coached. And he did it with a unique mix of humility, savvy, and fearlessness, which now embodies "The Oregon Way."

“Bill Dellinger is a true Oregon legend who played a significant role in helping build the University of Oregon into a national track and field powerhouse, shaping generations of student-athletes, and elevating the entire athletics department through his leadership, passion, and championship standards,” said Rob Mullens, UO athletic director. 

Indeed, as the UO begins a new academic year and prepares for another prominent and acclaimed football season, the Duck community pauses to celebrate one of the most successful and yet unsung leaders in university history. We say thank you to a true Oregon hero, star athlete, and legendary coach and teacher, who consistently achieved and inspired greatness. Bill Dellinger certainly helped make today’s athletic success at Oregon possible, and he just as certainly would never accept credit for it.