University of Portland Men's Cross Country

Conner begins his 26th year as the head cross country and track & field coach at the University of Portland. During that time, the Pilots have earned national recognition as one of the most consistent distance running forces among NCAA Division I competition. 2014 marked the most successful season for the Pilots men's cross country team. Conner guided Portland to a 3rd place finish at the 2014 NCAA National Championships in Terre Haute, Ind. This was the first podium finish for in program history and was the eight year in a row that the Pilots placed in the top 14; a feat that has only been accomplished by three other schools.    Conner guided Portland to another successful season in 2012, earning its 33rd WCC conference title and a 12th place finish at the NCAA Championships. Scott Fauble became the 11th runner in program history while Connor earned Coach of the Year honors in the WCC and West Region after the Pilots edged BYU by one point to reclaim the WCC title.   Conner helped guide the Pilots to 32 consecutive West Coast Conference cross country titles at one point, second only to Arkansas 34 straight in the Southeastern Conference. The men also have 14 NCAA Cross Country Championships appearances, including four top 10 finishes. Six Pilots have advanced to the NCAA Championships as individual qualifiers, most recently freshman John Moore in 2004.   He has earned WCC Coach of the Year honors eight times, (1998, 2002, 2005-07, 2009, 2012, and 2014). Conner also has been named the West Region Coach of the Year four times (1993, 2007, 2012, and 2014). All but one year since 1991, Conners team has been ranked in the national Top 25.   Portlands second highest NCAA finish came during the 2001 season as senior All-American Joe Driscoll led the Pilots to a seventh place showing. Regarded as the greatest season in Pilot history, the team toured the nation with second-place finishes at Minnesotas Roy Griak Invitational, Arkansas Chile Pepper Invitational and the NCAA West Regional.   All-American Uli Steidl led the 1996 squad to a 10th place finish at the NCAA Championships. Leading up to nationals, the Pilots placed second at the Colorado Rocky Mountain Shoot-Out, third at Pre-Nationals and third at the NCAA West Regional.   Pilot cross country was put on the map during Conners fifth year at the helm. The historic 1993 season saw All-American Pete Julian lead Portland as it steamrolled through an undefeated regular season and finish 12th in the programs first-ever NCAA Championship meet.   Prior to handing the coaching reins to former pupil and assistant coach Ian Solof in 2002, Conner guided the Pilot womens cross country team to 12 conference titles in 13 years. The 1993 Pilot women placed sixth at the NCAA West Regional and the 1994 team, led by All-American Nicole Karr, placed seventh at regionals.   Track success has also been a constant for Conner and the Pilots as at least one individual has qualified for the NCAA Track & Field Championships each season since 1992. A total of 37 individual qualifiers and 18 All-Americans have competed for the program.   2008 was another highly successful track season as the Pilots tied a school record with four individual qualifiers. Senior Michael Kilburg earned All-America honors in both the indoor 5,000 and 10,000, establishing school records in both events. Fellow senior John Moore made his fourth consecutive appearance at nationals in the 10K as well, while sophomore Dana Morgan qualified in the outdoor 5,000 on the womens side.   In addition to collegiate success, both Kilburg and Moore competed at the 2008 United States Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore., while graduated senior Derek Mandell represented Guam at the Beijing Olympics in the 800. Rob Conner begins his 26th year as the head cross country and track & field coach at the University of Portland. During that time, the Pilots have earned national recognition as one of the most consistent distance running forces among NCAA Division I competition. 2014 marked the most successful season for the Pilots men's cross country team. Conner guided Portland to a 3rd place finish at the 2014 NCAA National Championships in Terre Haute, Ind. This was the first podium finish for in program history and was the eight year in a row that the Pilots placed in the top 14; a feat that has only been accomplished by three other schools. 

Colwell guided the program to one of the best seasons in program history. In his first year competing in the 400, Colwell coached Portland record holder Korey Thieleke to the NCAA and USA National Championships. Thieleke was the first Pilot sprinter in over 30 years to qualify for the NCAA National Championship. Two other student-athletes made it to the West Regional. Kaylie Van Loo qualified in the javelin, while Katherine Maus finished her record breaking year in the triple jump. In her senior season, Maus topped the UP record books in the indoor 60 meter dash, long jump, and triple jump; and in the outdoor triple jump and 100 meter dash. Colwell came to Portland after serving one year as the Head Track & Field and Cross Country Coach at St. Martin's University. In his first season at Saint Martin's he helped guide Laura Tesch to the NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships becoming the first female to qualify for the indoor championships and the third female ever to qualify for the NCAA Championships in track & field. Tesch went on to finish 15th equaling the best-ever finish by a female at the NCAA track & field championshipis. The Saints had four conference champions in Colwell's first season as Sam Washington won the weight throw (indoor) and shot put (outdoor). Mike Davis claimed the conference outdoor crown in the triple jump and Joey Keeton in the pole vault.   Prior to his arrival at SMU, Colwell coached at the Division I, Division II and NAIA levels at the likes of University of Great Falls, the University of Portland, Duke University, Cal Poly Pomona and Eastern Oregon University.   At Great Falls, Colwell served as both the head cross country and track & field coach. He coached Travis Price (600m) and the Mens 4x800m Relay Team both to All-American honors during the 2011-12 season. During that season, the Argos established 29 indoor school records to go along with 25 outdoor school records lead by Travis Price (400m 48.95) and Ryan ONeil (100m -10.92 / 200m 21.85). The 2011 Argo men's cross country team placed second at the Frontier Conference Championships and ranked 26 th in the nation. During the 2010-11 season, Colwell coached sprints, hurdles, 800 m and 3,000m steeplechase at the University of Portland. While at Portland, Colwell helped mentor Jared Basset who earned All-American honors in the steeplechase.   From 2008 to 2010, Colwell was an assistant coach for cross country and track & field at Duke University working with the sprints, hurdles, relays and jumps. He coached the womens 4x400m relay team, 2 nd on the all time Duke Indoor performance list (3:48.33), and mentored Brittany Whitehead (57.12 400m) and ACC Triple Jump 2 nd place finisher Jade Ellis (5111.75).   Colwell also served as an assistant coach at California State Polytechnic University Pomona in 2007-08. While at Cal Poly Pomona, Colwell assisted in hosting the 2008 NCAA DII Track & Field National Championships, along with coaching the multi-events, jumps and javelin.   He began his collegiate coaching career at Eastern Oregon University (2004-06) where he was responsible for the sprinters, jumpers, and multi-event athletes and coached seven school record holders, including Matt Lane (400m 48.46 outdoor and 48.91 indoor) and Whitney Haltiner (Triple Jump 375.25) along with five NAIA national qualifiers.   Colwell earned his Master's Degree from Duke University in International Development and a Bachelor's Degree from Eastern Oregon University. He is a USA Track & Field Level 1 certified coach.