University of Portland Athletics

Rob Conner is in his 34th year as the head cross country and track & field coach at the University of Portland in the fall of 2023. The Pilots have earned national recognition as one of the most consistent distance running forces among NCAA Division I competition throughout his tenure. He has led the Pilots to 23 NCAA Cross Country Championships appearances, finished in the Top 10 a total of ten times at the national meet, and coached Pilot runners to 50 All-America honors.
 
Conner guided the 2018 cross country team to their third podium finish in five years as the team placed third overall at the 2018 NCAA XC Championships. The accomplishment follows up last year’s most successful performance at the NCAA meet in program history when the Pilots finished second as a team. This year Portland matched their school record of three Pilots earning All-American honors at the NCAA meet. Conner and the Pilots defended their West Region title to earn their third program title, with Conner claiming his sixth West Region coach of the year honor.
 
After Portland’s second place finish at the national meet in 2017, Conner was named the Slats Gill Sportsperson of the Year at the 2018 Oregon Sports Awards, joining legendary Portland soccer coach Clive Charles as the only Pilot head coaches to win the award.
 
The first podium finish in cross country for Conner came during the 2014 season when Portland finished third as a team at the NCAA meet. That showing was the culmination of eight consecutive Top 14 finishes at the championship meet for the Pilots, a feat only accomplished by three other schools.
 
Conner has led the Pilots to 34 West Coast Conference cross country titles, while the team has been ranked in the national Top 25 all but one year since 1991.
 
Pilot cross country was put on the map during Conner’s fifth year at the helm. The historic 1993 season saw All-American Pete Julian lead Portland as it steamrolled through an undefeated regular season and finish 12th in the program’s first-ever NCAA Championship meet.
 
Prior to handing the coaching reins to former pupil and assistant coach Ian Solof in 2002, Conner also guided the Pilot women’s cross country team to 12 conference titles in 13 years. The 1993 Pilot women placed sixth at the NCAA West Regional and the 1994 team, led by All-American Nicole Karr, placed seventh at regionals.
 
Track success has also been a constant for Conner and the Pilots as at least one individual has qualified for the NCAA Track & Field Championships each season since 1992. Portland competitors have competed in 66 individual events at the NCAA meet with 40 All-America honors earned. In 2016, the Pilots reached their highest indoor ranking ever at No. 20.
 
Many former Pilots have gone on to successful professional running careers after graduating from The Bluff. Michael Kilburg and John Moore competed at the 2008 United States Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore. Woody Kincaid and Scott Fauble competed in the 2016 United States Olympic Trials. Tayte Pollmann signed a professional trail and mountain-running contract with Nike in 2017 and competed in numerous international events, while track graduates Derek Mandell and Josh Ilustre competed in the 800-meter for Guam at the 2008 and 2016 Summer Olympics, respectively.
 
WCC Coach of the Year (8): 1998, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2014
 
West Region Coach of the Year (7): 1993, 2007, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019
 
Top Men’s Individual NCAA Cross Country Performances