Mark Young, an assistant coach for the United States OlympicTrack and Field team for the 2000 Games in Sydney, Australia, hasbuilt nationally recognized women's cross country and track andfield programs at Yale since arriving in New Haven in 1980. Thenational Cross Country Coach of the Year in 1987, Young also earnedDistrict I honors in 1985, 1986 and 1987. Young has led Yale teamsto six Heptagonal (Ivy League plus Naval Academy) Championships andfour top 10 finishes at the NCAA Championships (best finish was 3rdin 1987). Yale has also won four ECAC titles under Young'sguidance. Many individuals have been recognized for theiraccomplishments during Young's tenure. Thirteen women have earnedAll-America status in cross country and eight more have beenindividually honored in track and field since 1982.
In track and field, Young was named NCAA District I OutdoorTrack Coach of the Year in 1987, when Yale won the outdoorHeptagonal Championship and finished second indoors. In addition tothe Olympic team, Young has had several other impressiveinternational coaching assignments. In March of 1995, he was thehead coach of the U.S. Women's Team at the World IndoorChampionships in Barcelona, Spain. In the summer of 1999, he was anassistant coach at the World University Games in Mallorca, Spain, apost he previously held in 1993 at the World University Games inBuffalo. In 1990, he served as an assistant coach for the U.S.Junior National Team when it traveled to Bulgaria for the WorldChampionships. Young also served as both an assistant track coachfor the East Team at the 1987 U.S. Olympic Festival and the headcoach for the same squad in 1989. Off the track, Young chaired theNCAA Track and Field Committee from 1989-1992, and served asCo-Commissioner of the 1995 Special Olympics World Games AthleticsVenue.
A 1968 Yale graduate, Young captained the 1968 outdoorHeptagonal champion Bulldogs. He won IC4A titles at 440 yardsoutdoors, 600 yards indoors and anchored the mile relay team to thecurrent outdoor record of 3:09.6 and an IC4A championship.
