| Fullname: | William Solon Dellinger |
| Birth Date: | 23 March 1934 |
| Birth Place: | Grants Pass, Oregon, United States |
| Sport: | Track and Field |
| Team: | University of Oregon |
| Club: | Oregon Track Club |
| Coach: | Bill Bowerman |
| Event: | 1500 m, 5000 m |
| Pb: | 1500 m – 3:41.5 (1958) 1 mile – 4:02.7 (1961) 2 miles – 8:43.8 (1961) 5000 m – 13:49.8 (1964) |
| Show-Medals: | yes |
William Solon Dellinger (born March 23, 1934) is a retired American middle-distance runner, and track and field and cross country coach. He competed in the 5,000 m at the 1956, 1960 and 1964 Olympics and won a bronze medal in 1964, setting his personal record.[1] [2] He lettered in track at the University of Oregon in 1954, 1955, and 1956.
Upon retirement from competition, Dellinger took a position as the assistant coach to Bill Bowerman for the Oregon Ducks track and field team. After Bowerman's retirement in 1972,[2] Dellinger succeeded him as head coach. In his 25 years of coaching, Dellinger's men won five NCAA titles, achieved 108 All American honors, and had a 134–29 meet record. He was the Pac-10 coach of the year multiple times.[3]
Dellinger was instrumental in the development and coaching of Oregon and American great distance star Steve Prefontaine in conjunction with Bowerman, and their experience was made into a 1997 film Prefontaine, in which Bill Dellinger was played by Ed O'Neill.
In Co-Operation with Adidas, Dellinger developed the so-called "Dellinger Web", a Cushioning Technology used on various Shoes throughout the 80s and early 90s.
Dellinger also coached many post-collegians including Olympians Mary Decker, Bill McChesney, Alberto Salazar, Matt Centrowitz, Don Clary, and many others.[1]
Dellinger retired from the University of Oregon in 1998 [4] and would later join his mentor, Bill Bowerman, as an inductee in the National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2001. He retired after he had a stroke in 2000.
Since retirement, he has stayed out of the Track and Field world, except for a few appearances at meets named in his honor.
In 2021 USA Track and Field awarded Dellinger their Legend Coach Award.[5]
Dellinger was inducted into the USTFCCCA Collegiate Athlete Hall of Fame in 2024.[6]
Records set by Dellinger:[7]