Oregon track & field icon Bill Dellinger dies: 'One of the greatest coaches ever'

Bill Dellinger, one of the most influential figures in track and field, distance running and the University of Oregon's history, died June 27 at the age of 91.

Born in 1934 in Grants Pass but raised in Springfield, Dellinger attended UO and had a prolific running career.

At Springfield High, Dellinger won the first OSAA Boys Cross Country championship in 1949.

Bill Dellinger works out in the 1960s.

He was a three-time Olympian and competed in the 5,000 meters in the 1956, 1960 and 1964 games.

After he wrapped up his own running career, Dellinger worked as an assistant coach under Bill Bowerman at his alma mater until the latter's retirement in 1973.

It was during that time Dellinger coached Oregon running legend Steve Prefontaine and developed a close relationship with the star distance runner.

Dellinger was promoted to head track and field coach at Oregon after Bowerman retired and served in that role until 1998, winning five NCAA championships.

Bill Dellinger and Steve Prefontaine in the 1970s.

"Coach Bill Dellinger was one of the greatest coaches ever," Rudy Chapa, a six-time All-American at UO and member of the Ducks' 1977 national title-winning cross country team, said in a GoDucks news release. "However, for those of us lucky enough to have been coached by him, what we treasured most was the genuine friendship he gave us long after our running days were over. He gave us so much more than guidance on the track; he gave us his heart."

"Bill was deeply loved, and he will be profoundly missed by his athletes, the Eugene-Springfield community, and the entire world of track and field," Chapa said.

Under Dellinger's guidance, over nearly three decades as Oregon's cross-country coach and 25 years as its track and field coach, his athletes broke 18 American records, won 12 NCAA titles and made 17 Olympic appearances.

Dellinger was the recipient of USA Track and Field's Legend Coach Award in 2021 and was inducted in the USTFCCCA collegiate athlete Hall of Fame in 2024.

He is honored in the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame, UO Athletics Hall of Fame, Track and Field Hall of Fame for Coaching, Distance Running Hall of Fame, Drake Relays Hall of Fame and Grants Pass Hall of Fame.

Oregon's annual cross country meet, the Bill Dellinger Invitational, is named after the legendary coach.

Alec Dietz covers University of Oregon football, volleyball, women’s basketball and baseball for The Register-Guard. You may reach him at [email protected] and you can follow him on X @AlecDietz.