CSUB Director of Track Alan Collatz Retires

BAKERSFIELD, Calif.--After 30 years as a part of the CSU Bakersfield athletic department, CSUB Director of Track and FIeld Alan Collatz has announced his retirement, effective immediately.

“I'll leave CSUB with many fantastic memories,” Collatz said. "I want to thank the athletic department and especially the student-athletes for they have done for me. CSUB will always be a part of me.”

“We wish Al the best,” said CSUB Athletic Director Jeff Konya. “We will not be able to replace his dedication, positive atttiude and his many years of experience. I am glad that we were able to work together for the past two seasons.”

Collatz served as a volunteer assistant for the Roadrunners before becoming a full-time assistant in 1998. After 15 years as an assistant under Charles Craig, Collatz became head coach in 2003. All told in his career, Collatz produced 97 All-Americans and 24 national champions, including at least one All-American in each of his first 19 seasons in charge of the throwing events.

This past season, Jordan Taylor was named the 2012 Great West Conference Outdoor Track and Field Male Athlete of the Year. Taylor won both the 100 and 200-meter events at CSUB's first-ever appearance in the GWC Championships in May, but he also set conference records in both with times of 10.27 seconds and 20.84 seconds, respectively. His performance helped Taylor earn the GWC Championship Meet's Outstanding Male Performance Award. The 10.27 mark also set a CSUB record as the fastest ever and Taylor is now second in the CSUB record books in the 200. At the GWC meet, Taylor was also a member of the 4X100 relay that took second place and ran a leg for CSUB's fifth-place 4X400 relay team.

During his senior season at CSUB in 1985, Collatz placed third in the javelin at the NCAA Division II Championships with a throw of 241-7 to help lead the Roadrunners to a fourth place national finish. The fourth place finish at the time was CSUB's best finish at nationals and still stands as the second-best performance in Roadrunner history. Before transferring to Bakersfield in time for the 1982 season, was a junior college All-American in the javelin at Allan Hancock College.

A 1992 Olympic Trials qualifier who ranked in the top 10 in the javelin by Track and Field News in 1991 and '94, Collatz competed two seasons for the Roadrunners and is the NCAA Division II national record holder in the pre-1985 javelin (267-1). In addition to his stint at the Olympic Trials, Collatz placed eighth at the USA Track and Field Championships in 1994. Collatz also holds the CCAA and CSUB school records in the javelin and was the CCAA Champion in 1985.

Konya has indicated that an immediate national search is on to find a replacement for Collatz.

~www.GoRunners.com~

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Players Mentioned

Jordan Taylor: Sprints; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Jordan Taylor
: Freshman
: Sprints