Associate director of track and field Diljeet Taylor was named the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year, the organization announced on Mar. 23.
The award recognizes Taylor’s achievements during a season in which she guided several athletes to national honors and record-breaking performances. The recognition highlights her contributions to collegiate women’s track and field coaching.
Taylor coached Jane Hedengren to two NCAA titles in the 3000-meter and 5000-meter events. In addition to Hedengren’s first-team All-America honors, Taylor also helped coach Riley Chamberlain, Jenna Hutchins, Taylor Rohatinsky, Sami Oblad, Tessa Buswell, and Jacey Harkins-Farmer to a combined four First Team All-America honors and two Second Team All-America honors.
She also oversaw NCAA record-setting performances by Hedengren in the 5000 meters with a time of 14:44.79 and Chamberlain in the mile at 4:20.61. Under her leadership, the Cougars finished fifth at the NCAA National Championships with 27 points—the program’s best indoor finish since 2009.
At the Big 12 Championships, Taylor’s team achieved a runner-up finish with a school-record score of 110 points since joining the conference. She coached individual event winners including Hedengren in the 3000 meters, Chamberlain in the 800 meters, as well as Rohatinsky, Kali McEuen, Krystie Solomon-Jensen, and Hutchins who won a distance medley relay title.
This is Taylor’s first national recognition for track & field from USTFCCCA after previously being honored twice for cross country. Award recipients were chosen by votes from USTFCCCA member coaches following this year’s NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships.
