Bill Easton

LEGENDARY JAYHAWKS Bill Easton (1948-65)

In a career that spanned over three decades, Bill Easton built a reputation of one of the nation’s best track and field coaches. Before coming to Kansas in 1948, Easton won three-straight cross country NCAA Championships with Drake University while also serving as the meet director for the Drake Relays. At Kansas, his teams were always near the top of the conference. His cross country teams won 15 conference championships and never finished worse than second in his 18 years as coach. He won conference titles in cross country, indoor and outdoor track for eight consecutive years. The first highlight of Easton’s Jayhawk career came in 1953 when his cross country team won the NCAA Championship. He later won the 1959 and 1960 outdoor men’s track and field titles. Easton coached 32 AllAmericans including Wes Santee, Herb Semper, Al Frame, Billy Mills and John Lawson. In track and field, he mentored Olympic champions Bill Nieder and Al Oerter. All together, Easton coached eight Olympians. His KU athletes set 14 intercollegiate records, seven NCAA records, 14 American records, four Olympic records and four world records. He is a member of seven different halls of fame including the KU Hall of Fame and the USA Track and Field Hall of Fame. The Bill Easton Scoreboard stands in his honor near the finish line at Rim Rock Farm.

EASTON’S ACCOLADES

• Four NCAA Individual Cross Country Champions • 1953 NCAA Cross Country Champions • 10 Top-six finishes at NCAA Championships • 15 Conference Championships • 12 Individual Conference Champions