Hall of Fame
John Chaplin earned national and international accolades as a Washington State track & field competitor and coach. A three-year sprinter (1961-63) for the Cougars, he set indoor world records in the 220-yard and 330-yard dashes. In 1968, he became as assistant coach on the track under WSU Head Coach Jack Mooberry and served as the head cross country coach. Chaplin replaced Mooberry in 1974 and his men’s teams won the 1977 NCAA Indoor Track & Field title, WSU’s first official NCAA championship, and finished runner-up at the NCAA Outdoor Championships four times. He coached 17 NCAA champions during cross country, indoor and outdoor meets to 37 Gold Medals. Chaplin’s men won four Pacific-8 Conference cross country championships and five Pac-10 outdoor titles. He coached eight individuals to 12 conference cross country championships. Chaplin was the 1975 Pac-10 and NCAA District 8 Cross Country Coach of the Year. On the track, he was Pac-10 Coach of the Year four times, District Coach of the Year eight times and coached 58 outdoor All-Americans won 114 certificates. In 1978, he was named International Coach of the Year. The Cougars were 202-15 in dual meets during his 20 years. Chaplin spent time as an IAAF international technical official, received the IAAF Veterans Pin, Chief of Missions for American teams at the World Junior Championships and chair of the USATF men’s track & field committee. He was a Head Referee at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta and the head coach of the 2000 USA Olympic Track & Field team in Sydney. He received the WSU Distinguished Alumnus Award. Chaplin is a member of the Pasadena City College Sports Hall of Fame, the State of Washington Sports Hall of Fame, the Inland Northwest Sports Hall of Fame and the US Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame and Washington State High School Cross Country & Track & Field Halls of Fame.
