Tulane Track Coach to Retire at End of Season
Mar 11, 2002 | Track & Field
March 11, 2002
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Ron Bazil, the head coach of Tulane University's men's and women's track and field and cross country teams for the past seven years and a 34-year veteran of the coaching profession, will retire in June following the outdoor track season.
"I've been a college coach since 1968," Bazil said. "It's been 34 years and I think it's time. I can spend more time with my wife Bonnie, who has basically been a weekend widow, and do some things I would like to do.
"Ron's success at Tulane speaks for itself in terms of the number of conference championship teams and NCAA All-Americans he has produced," said Rick Dickson, Tulane Director of Athletics. "We appreciate everything he has done to build our track and field and cross country programs in his seven years in New Orleans, and wish him a long and happy retirement."
During Bazil's tenure, the Green Wave has tallied 64 individual and 12 relay championships in Conference USA indoor and outdoor action. Over the past seven years in Conference USA, Tulane has produced 18 top three finishes in Conference USA cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field championships. He has guided the Green Wave to four league championships: the women's outdoor championship in 1999 and 2001, the women's indoor championship in 1999, and the 2001 men's cross country championship.
"It's been enjoyable being here [at Tulane], because I have had a chance to go out and get quality athletes from all over the world," Bazil continued. "I've been fortunate and blessed that I have had some great, great young people in the last 34 years. Any success has really been due to the fact that they came, and they committed to do what we recruited them to do."
Bazil has developed numerous individual qualifiers to the NCAA Championships. Tulane individuals have earned All-America honors 12 times during Bazil's tenure, in addition, one Green Wave relay team received that prestigious distinction.
Bazil's retirement comes on the heels of three of the most successful seasons in Tulane track and field history. Last year, the Green Wave women's team captured their second league championship in three years with Bazil being named the Conference USA Women's Outdoor Track Coach of the Year. In addition, Tulane had two men's athletes earn All-America honors at the 2001 NCAA Outdoor Track Championships. That followed a 2001 indoor season in which a pair of Tulane women collected All-America honors at the NCAA Championships.
The 2000 season was very successful for Bazil's cross country teams as the men finished second and the women third at the C-USA Championship. However, the highlight of Bazil's cross country coaching career was the 1998 season, when the Green Wave advanced to the NCAA Cross Country Championships for the first time by virtue of a runner-up finish to eventual national champion Arkansas at the District Championships. For his efforts, Bazil was named the 1998 Louisiana Cross Country Coach of the Year.
In 1999, the Tulane mentor guided his women's track teams to a sweep of the Conference USA Indoor and Outdoor Championships, as well as its best finish at the NCAA Indoor Championships (16th). During that season, the Wave had seven All-America selections. Tulane also captured its first "Championship of Americas" victory at the historic Penn Relays in Philadelphia.
He was recognized following the 1999 seasons with Conference USA Coach of the Year honors for both women's indoor and outdoor track, as well as being tabbed the Louisiana Sports Writers Association Women's Track and Field Coach of the Year.
Prior to coming to Tulane, Bazil spent 16 years as the head coach of the cross country and track and field teams at the United States Military Academy at West Point. During his tenure at Army, Bazil molded his men's and women's programs into nationally competitive programs.
After guiding his men's cross country team to the Patriot League title in 1993, the Cadets finished sixth at the NCAA Championships and Bazil was named the District II Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year. In the fall of 1994, both the men's and women's cross country teams captured Patriot League Championships and Bazil again collected Coach of the Year honors. During his time, the Army men's outdoor track team won three consecutive Patriot League titles.
Bazil's tradition of excellence began well before his West Point tenure. Before he joined the Military Academy, he spent 10 years at Adelphi University, including seven as director of athletics. In 1972, his team established world records for the mile relay on two consecutive weekends. That feat earned Bazil and the Panthers a feature in Sports Illustrated.
While impressive, Bazil's collegiate career is not the full extent of his coaching. He has also coached on the international circuit for 30 years, including eight international assignments by USA Track & Field.
Bazil will be the head coach for Team USA against Great Britain in Glasgow in July before guiding the U.S. in the IAAF World Cup in Madrid in September.
His first major international assignment came in 1971 when he coached the U.S. team in a dual indoor meet against the Soviet Union. He was an assistant coach when the United States met the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, Pan Africa and Germany in 1975. In 1982, he coached a U.S. team that faced England, Australia and Sweden. In 1989 he was in Birmingham, England, heading up a U.S. effort against the Soviet Union, England and West Germany. Bazil also served as an assistant coach for the U.S. team at the 1995 World Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden and as a head coach at the U.S. Olympic Festivals in 1986 and 1991.
