Doug Watts, Head Coach

Excellence in coaching and a winning tradition are terms that have become synonymous with Edinboro University cross country and track and field coach Doug Watts. Since his arrival at Edinboro in 1969, the Running Scots have experienced nothing but success, producing numerous All-Americans and team championships, as well as four individual cross country champions and five individual track first place finishers.

Watts' coaching credentials speak for themselves, including 32 consecutive undefeated cross country seasons and a string of 121 straight dual meet victories. Watts' squads have also produced a total of six national championships, including back-to-back-to-back NCAA Division II titles from 1986 through 1988 and back-to-back NAIA titles in 1975 and 1976. His teams can also boast six Division II runner-up trophies, plus finishes of third (twice), fourth (three times), fifth, sixth (twice), seventh (three times), eighth (three times) and ninth.

In total, the men's squads have 17 top ten finishes at the national meet in the last 23 years. His women's program, though yet to crown a national champion, has also established itself as one of the premier programs in the NCAA East Region and on the national stage. That includes five straight top five finishes at the national meet, including a second place finish a year ago. An "uncountable" amount of conference, district, and regional "Coach of the Year" awards are scattered throughout his office. He was inducted into the Edinboro Hall of Fame in 2004.

The National Coach of the Year five times, Watts has published numerous distance-running articles for national publications. Twice an Olympic coach nominee, Watts annually conducts a summer pre-season endurance training camp, the Edinboro Distance Village, for young men and women. In addition, 16 of his Edinboro athletes have been U.S. Olympic Trial qualifiers.

Most recently, Watts has ventured into the administrative portion of his sport, as the past President of the NCAA Division II Track and Field Coaches Association and presently serving as the Vice President of the USTCA National Coaches Association. In addition, he was the head of the NCAA Division II Cross Country Hall of Fame Committee and presently is on the Board of Directors for the USTFCCCA (U.S. Track & Field Cross Country Coaches association).

A 1964 graduate of the University of Akron with a degree in Health and Physical Education, Watts began his coaching career at Walsh Jesuit High School in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. He introduced a running program at Walsh Jesuit that yielded a two-year record of 19-0 and a district championship. Watts and his wife Margaret have two adult children, Wendy and Christopher.