Mankato, Minn. --- Minnesota State men's and women's track & field coach Jim Dilling has announced that he will resign from his position following the conclusion of the 2016-17 season.
"I've been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with the young men and women who have been a part of Maverick track and field the last four years," said Dilling. "I had one goal in mind upon taking this role on four years ago and that was providing opportunity. As an alumni of this program I can only have hoped to return a fraction of the opportunity Minnesota State University provided to me. There are some things I'd like to do at this point in my life and the end of this year seems like the right time to get started. Right now our focus is on the remainder of the season with the conference and national championship meets coming up as we have some titles to defend"
Named the head coach of the Maverick men's track and field program in 2013, Dilling has led the men's program to four league indoor championships (2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017), three league outdoor championships (2014, 2015 and 2016) and the women's program to one indoor championship (2017). Named the NSIC Indoor Track & Field Coach of the Year four times (2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17), the NSIC Outdoor Track & Field Coach of the Year twice (2014 & 2015), Dilling has been named USATFCCCA Regional Coach of the Year on four occasions (Indoors 2013-14, 2014-16, 2016-17 and Outdoors in 2016). During his time as head coach, the Mavericks have produced eight NCAA individual champions, 43 All-Americans and sprinter Emmanuel Matadi was a member of the Liberian national team that competed at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Dilling and his staff have had student-athletes establish 31 school records including the 60m hurdle record which is also the Division II all-time record of 7.53 ran by senior Myles Hunter. The jumps school records have nearly all been re-written with the breaking of both the men's and women's school records in the triple jump both indoor and outdoor, the women's indoor high jump, as well as the both the indoor and outdoor women's long jump.
A native of Fond du Lac, Wis., Dilling won four national championships in the high jump as a student-athlete at Minnesota State, including two at both the indoor (2006 & 2007) and outdoor (2005 & 2007) national meets as well being as a six-time All-American in the event (second at 2005 indoor & third at 2006 outdoor). A four-time North Central Conference outdoor champion and a three-time indoor champion and also a two-time NCC outdoor champion in the long jump, he left Minnesota State owning the school records in both the indoor (7'6 ½") and outdoor (7'6 ½") high jump as well as the NCC indoor record (7'6 ½") and outdoor record (7'6 ½"). Dilling, who served as an assistant coach with the Mavericks for two years before being named head coach of the men's track program in 2013, was the 2007 USA Track & Field high jump champion and represented Team USA at the IAAF World Track & Field Championships in Osaka, Japan, where he finished 16th in qualifying.
"We are extremely indebted to Jim for the outstanding job he and his staff have done with our track and field programs," said Kevin Buisman, Minnesota State Director of Athletics. "Under his direction our track and field programs are not only consistently winning league titles, but also capturing individual national championships, competing for NCAA team titles and producing some elite-level, Olympic-caliber athletes. Most importantly, Jim's approach to coaching the sport has included great passion, strong personal integrity, and an unwavering commitment to the student-athlete experience. As we move forward, Jim will leave the program well-positioned for the future and we wish him all the best as he transitions to a new chapter in his professional and personal life."
Buisman indicated that a national search would take place for Dilling's replacement would begin soon with a new head coach for the men's and women's programs to be in place by July 1.
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