About the Program

A Tradition of Excellence

Few schools, at any level, in the United States can boast the traditions, both academically and athletically, that Occidental College enjoys.  Long regarded as one of the top liberal arts colleges in the United States, Occidental has also amassed a string of conference championships and national championship performances in track and field and cross country that few schools can match.

Occidental Tigers have participated in intercollegiate track competition since 1893 and the College has produced conference champions too numerous to list, All-Americans numbering literally in the hundreds and several Olympians and world record holders.  Occidental’s Track and Field Hall of Fame reads like a veritable “Who’s Who” of American track and field.  For over one hundred years, members of the Oxy Tigers have expected nothing less athletically than they have expected from the College’s academic program – excellence.

In addition, Occidental facilities for track and field have been called among the best in the United States.  The Bill Henry Track was initially built in preparation for the 1984 Olympic Games and the turn radius and track surface are considered, by expert and athlete alike, to be lightning fast.

Head coach Robert Bartlett will direct the Tiger track & field program in spring 2007. Bartlett replaces Troy Engle, who resigned in November 2006 to become Associate Head Coach of the U.S. Paralympic Track & Field Team.

"During Troy's tenure, Oxy won two SCIAC cross-country championships and sent a number of individuals to Nationals in both cross-country and track & field," says Bartlett.  "I'm looking forward to building on those foundations and helping the programs take the next step."