 Vin Lananna at the 2015 USATF Convention | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Born | (1953-06-17)June 17, 1953 (age 72) Greenvale, New York, U.S. |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Track and field |
| College team | C.W. Post '75 Long Island University '89 |
| Club | Nike |
| Turned pro | 1975 |
Vin Lananna (born June 17, 1953) is an Americantrack and field coach. He coached collegiate teams included theStanford Cardinal and theOregon Ducks. He has served as national team coach for the2011 World Championships in Athletics and the2016 Rio Olympics. He was included in the 2012USTFCCCA Hall of Fame as a coach.
As an athlete (1971–75), Lananna ran cross country and track and field and was captain of the 1974C.W. Post College team that finished fourth in theNCAA Division II Championships.[1]
In 1975, Lananna was named head coach of cross country at his alma mater. Lananna was inducted in the school's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007.[2]
Lananna served as assistant athletic director and head coach forDartmouth Big Green cross country and track and field. In 12 seasons with theDartmouth College Big Green, Lananna's team appeared at theNCAA Cross Country Championships every year - including two straight runner-up finishes for the men's team in 1986 and 1987.[3]
From 1992 to 2003, Lananna built one of the NCAA's elite programs. His cross country and track and field teams claimed fiveNCAA Division I team championships.Stanford Cardinal track and field produced 35 top-10 NCAA finishes, and 22 NCAA individual titles.[4]
In 1994, Lananna served as president and co-founder of the Nike Farm Team, a post-collegiate program for corporately funded professional middle distance and distance athletes based at Stanford.[5]
Lananna served as athletic director for two years from 2003 to 2005.Lananna led the revitalization and reorganization of the department of athletics and physical education. His efforts to improve fundraising and enhance the department's resources allowed Oberlin to increase staffing and upgrade facilities, including the construction of a new stadium for soccer, lacrosse, and track and field.
In July 2005, Lananna's leadership helped theOregon Ducks track and field andEugene, Oregon win the right to host the 2008US Olympic Trials (track and field). In July 2006, a two-year renovation began to prepare HistoricHayward Field to host exciting track and field meets in the United States. Lananna has also led the establishment of a new post-collegiate club, theOregon Track Club Elite, which provides a new opportunity for middle distance/distance athletes to train with the goal of being competitive on the world stage. Named Associate Athletic Director at theUniversity of Oregon in July 2005, Lananna has been responsible for creating a vision for the Oregon track and field program andHistoric Hayward Field.
Lananna was named Director of Track and Field and Cross Country and Associate Athletics Director for Administration at theUniversity of Virginia inSeptember of 2019.[6]
Lananna served as the United States head coach for the1990 IAAF World Cross Country Championships and1996 IAAF World Cross Country Championships.[7]
Lananna also led the East team to a track and field title at the 1990 U.S. Olympic Festival and was an assistant coach for Team USA at the1999 IAAF World Indoor Championships.[8]
Lananna served as the2004 U.S. Olympic Team men’s middle distance coach.[9]
Lananna served as the head men's coach for Team USA at the2011 IAAF World Track & Field Championships inDaegu,South Korea.[10]
Lananna served as the head men's coach for Team USA at the2016 Summer Olympics inRio de Janeiro.[11]
Lananna served as president of TrackTown USA, Inc. which is a non-profit organization responsible for organizing the 2014 IAAF World Junior Championships, the 2015 USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships, the2016 IAAF World Indoor Championships and the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials-Track & Field. In 2016, Lananna was elected President ofUSA Track and Field.[12]
