Weber State University Athletics
Weber State's Paul Pilkington breeds Olympic hopefuls
3/6/2020 2:23:00 PM | Women's Cross Country, Athletics, Women's Track & Field, Men's Track & Field, Men's Cross Country
OGDEN, UT - For 12 years, Paul Pilkington has successfully trained Weber State track and field and cross-country athletes to excel at the NCAA Division I level. His expert background and experience have given him the foundation to teach and prepare athletes to perform their best at the highest level possible, and he doesn't stop coaching after an athlete's NCAA eligibility has expired--his dedication and loyalty goes above and beyond to help his athletes reach their full potential, including at the Olympics.Â
Five former Weber State track and field and cross country athletes competed in the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials at the Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, Georgia on February 29th, 2020. Of the five athletes, four were coached by Pilkington during their time at Weber State University, and three (Taylor Ward at WSU 2010-2014, Sarah Callister Sellers at WSU 2009-2012, and Lindsey Anderson at WSU 2004-2007) are still coached by him.Â
Weber State was well-represented in the Olympic Marathon Trials, with three former athletes finishing in the top 40. "Racing in the Olympic Trials was an incredible experience," said competitor, Sarah Sellers, '12. "The course and conditions were so tough, but that also made it exciting. It was really fun to start with a group of almost 500 of the fastest marathoners in the country."Â
Sarah Sellers, '12 finished in 11th with a time of 2:31:48; Taylor Ward, '14 finished in 29th with a time of 2:38:11; and Lindsey Anderson, '07 finished in 38th with a time of 2:39:17.Â
"Coach Pilkington is the best coach I could ever ask for," said Taylor Ward, former WSU athlete and two-time Olympic Trials Marathon runner. "When I decided to compete at Weber State, a large part of my decision was because he was the coach. I knew that I wanted a coach who was not only an amazing runner himself, but also someone who could take athletes and develop them to their full potential"Â
Paul Pilkington grew up in Blackfoot, Idaho, and went on to compete for the College of Southern Idaho under coach Jim Blaisdell. He excelled at the steeplechase, earning All-American status while competing for CSI. From 1979 to 1981, Pilkington competed for Weber State University's track and field program, where he again earned All-American honors in the steeplechase. He graduated with a degree in Secondary Education from Weber State University in 1981.Â
Pilkington began coaching cross country in 1982 for Ben Lomond High School in Ogden and coached there until 1983. He decided to continue his education and received a Master of Instructional Design from Utah State in 1992.
After finishing his educational pursuits, Pilkington continued to compete as an athlete. He was a two-time national champion in the marathon and in the 20-kilometer. In 1990, Pilkington won the Houston Marathon, and in 1994, he won the Los Angeles Marathon. He was a four-time Olympic Trials qualifier. In 1995, Pilkington earned a spot on the United States Track and Field Team, representing the U.S. at the World Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden. Additionally, he has finished in the top 10 in marathons in London, Berlin, Moscow, Venice, San Francisco, and the Twin Cities Marathon (Minneapolis, St. Paul).
Pilkington was an assistant coach at Weber State from 2001-2003, then moved to the University of Illinois as the head coach for cross country from 2003-2005. In 2006, Pilkington rejoined Weber State and has been there ever since.Â
Pilkington has coached nine student-athletes to All-American honors fourteen times and has coached distance runners to numerous Weber State records. Weber State Hall of Fame member Lindsey Anderson, who broke the NCAA record in the steeplechase and went on to compete in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.Â
"Competing at Weber State provided me with the experiences and confidence to dream big and believe in myself," says Taylor Ward. "I absolutely loved being part of such an amazing team, having the opportunity to train, and learning from Coach Pilkington. I was able to improve throughout college, but ultimately, the 10k was "too short" for me, and upon finishing my NCAA eligibility, Coach Pilkington and I decided to turn to the marathon."
Paul Pilkington has developed countless successful Weber State athletes, and will continue to do so with his unmatched experience and ability to grow world-class runners.Â
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Five former Weber State track and field and cross country athletes competed in the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials at the Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, Georgia on February 29th, 2020. Of the five athletes, four were coached by Pilkington during their time at Weber State University, and three (Taylor Ward at WSU 2010-2014, Sarah Callister Sellers at WSU 2009-2012, and Lindsey Anderson at WSU 2004-2007) are still coached by him.Â
Weber State was well-represented in the Olympic Marathon Trials, with three former athletes finishing in the top 40. "Racing in the Olympic Trials was an incredible experience," said competitor, Sarah Sellers, '12. "The course and conditions were so tough, but that also made it exciting. It was really fun to start with a group of almost 500 of the fastest marathoners in the country."Â
Sarah Sellers, '12 finished in 11th with a time of 2:31:48; Taylor Ward, '14 finished in 29th with a time of 2:38:11; and Lindsey Anderson, '07 finished in 38th with a time of 2:39:17.Â
"Coach Pilkington is the best coach I could ever ask for," said Taylor Ward, former WSU athlete and two-time Olympic Trials Marathon runner. "When I decided to compete at Weber State, a large part of my decision was because he was the coach. I knew that I wanted a coach who was not only an amazing runner himself, but also someone who could take athletes and develop them to their full potential"Â
Paul Pilkington grew up in Blackfoot, Idaho, and went on to compete for the College of Southern Idaho under coach Jim Blaisdell. He excelled at the steeplechase, earning All-American status while competing for CSI. From 1979 to 1981, Pilkington competed for Weber State University's track and field program, where he again earned All-American honors in the steeplechase. He graduated with a degree in Secondary Education from Weber State University in 1981.Â
Pilkington began coaching cross country in 1982 for Ben Lomond High School in Ogden and coached there until 1983. He decided to continue his education and received a Master of Instructional Design from Utah State in 1992.
After finishing his educational pursuits, Pilkington continued to compete as an athlete. He was a two-time national champion in the marathon and in the 20-kilometer. In 1990, Pilkington won the Houston Marathon, and in 1994, he won the Los Angeles Marathon. He was a four-time Olympic Trials qualifier. In 1995, Pilkington earned a spot on the United States Track and Field Team, representing the U.S. at the World Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden. Additionally, he has finished in the top 10 in marathons in London, Berlin, Moscow, Venice, San Francisco, and the Twin Cities Marathon (Minneapolis, St. Paul).
Pilkington was an assistant coach at Weber State from 2001-2003, then moved to the University of Illinois as the head coach for cross country from 2003-2005. In 2006, Pilkington rejoined Weber State and has been there ever since.Â
Pilkington has coached nine student-athletes to All-American honors fourteen times and has coached distance runners to numerous Weber State records. Weber State Hall of Fame member Lindsey Anderson, who broke the NCAA record in the steeplechase and went on to compete in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.Â
"Competing at Weber State provided me with the experiences and confidence to dream big and believe in myself," says Taylor Ward. "I absolutely loved being part of such an amazing team, having the opportunity to train, and learning from Coach Pilkington. I was able to improve throughout college, but ultimately, the 10k was "too short" for me, and upon finishing my NCAA eligibility, Coach Pilkington and I decided to turn to the marathon."
Paul Pilkington has developed countless successful Weber State athletes, and will continue to do so with his unmatched experience and ability to grow world-class runners.Â
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