UC Santa Barbara’s head Coach Pete Dolan has been awarded West Region Coach of the Year announced by U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches of America (USTFCCCA) Monday when releasing this year’s men’s and women’s Athletes and Coaches of the Year.
Dolan led UC Santa Barbara to the program’s first Big West Men’s Championship title and came within half a point of claiming the trophy on the women’s side, giving him outright Big West Coach of the Year honors on the men’s side and a share of the women’s. It is his first such award as the Gaucho men’s coach and his third honor for the women. Dolan coached both the heptathlon and decathlon winners at the Big West Championship, while overseeing 10 first place finishes in the individual events (3 men, 7 women).
The experienced coach is in his 24th season at UC Santa Barbara, having successfully led 16 Gauchos with qualifying marks to the NCAA West Regionals in Austin, Texas this season, while advancing three individuals to the NCAA Championships this week.
Dolan will head to Des Moines, Iowa this week for the NCAA Track and Field Championships with 800 -eter contender, Ryan Martin and multi-event champions, Derek Masterson and Barbara Nwaba.