Taylor to Continue Leading UO Sprinters

EUGENE, Ore. – On the heels of nine successful seasons at the helm of the Ducks' sprints, hurdles and relays, Curtis Taylor will continue in his role as Oregon associate head coach as announced Tuesday by head coach Jerry Schumacher.
 
"Curtis has been one of the most successful coaches in the NCAA over the past decade," Schumacher said. "His work with the sprint, hurdles and relay group at Oregon has produced incredible results and I'm ecstatic that he will continue that work with our student-athletes. I know Curtis will continue to be an exceptional leader for our program, and look forward to working together to keep building on that success."
 
Taylor is a three-time USTFCCCA National Assistant Coach of the Year, having first been honored after the 2016 outdoor season and then sweeping indoor and outdoor accolades in 2017. Individually, Taylor has coached Oregon student-athletes to eight individual NCAA titles, 26 Pac-12 titles and several NCAA records.
 
In nine seasons at Oregon, Taylor has been part of 10 NCAA team titles including the program's most recent at the 2021 NCAA Indoor Championships for the UO men. In 2016-17, the Women of Oregon made history as the first women's Division I team to complete the Triple Crown in the same academic year.
 
During that same time, Taylor and his sprints group have completely re-written UO history by replacing school records in each of his coached events. Taylor is an eight-time USTFCCCA West Region Assistant Coach of the Year with three indoor honors and five outdoor selections.
 
Under Taylor's watch, then-newcomers Micah Williams and Kemba Nelson won the men's and women's 60 meters at the 2021 NCAA Indoor Championships. Williams' win was the first in program history while Nelson broke the collegiate record with her 7.05 performance in the final; that time is now No. 2 on the all-time list.
 
With the wins, Oregon became the first school since LSU (2008) to sweep the NCAA titles at 60 meters.
 
In 2022, Williams lowered his own school records to 6.48 over 60 meters indoors and 9.86 in the 100 outdoors. He set an all-conditions best of 9.83 (+2.5) at the 2022 Mt. SAC Relays and broke the Pac-12 Championships meet record with a time of 9.93, eclipsing the previous mark of 9.97 shared by former UO standout Cravon Gillespie and Andre De Grasse (USC).
 
Nelson, a three-time 2022 Pac-12 champion, was the NCAA runner-up at 100 meters this past season, and was also part of the Ducks' 4x100-meter relay that finished third at the NCAA Championships.
 
Overall, Taylor coached the Women of Oregon to seven NCAA outdoor qualifiers, and like Nelson the year before, saw a breakthrough during the indoor season from Jadyn Mays. The Arizona native finished third at the 2021 NCAA Indoor Championships at 60 meters, complete with a 7.09 performance in the semifinals.
 
Nelson went on to earn a silver medal at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 as the lead-off leg for Team Jamaica in the 4x100-meter relay. She ran a school-record 10.88 to finish second over 100 meters at the Jamaican Championships.
 
For more news and information about Oregon cross country and track and field, follow @OregonTF on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.