BYU Cross Country Coaching Highlights
Has coached:
- BYU to an NCAA Division I Women's Cross Country National Championship (2020-21)
- 1 Individual Cross Country Champion (Whittni Orton - 2021)
- BYU to two national runner-up finishes (2019 & 2021)
- BYU to six top-10 finishes at NCAA Championships
- BYU athletes to 15 All-America honors
- BYU to five West Coast Conference Championships (2018, 2019, 2020-21, 2021, 2022)
- 49 All-WCC selections
- 1 CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree
- 13 USTFCCCA All-Academic honorees
- BYU to 20 meet wins
*As of July 2023
Honors:
- USTFCCCA Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year (2019 & 2020-21)
- USTFCCCA Program of the Year (2020-21)
- Two-time Women's Cross Country Mountain Region Coach of the Year (2019 & 2020-21)
- Three-time USTFCCCA Mountain Region Women's Indoor Assistant Coach of the Year (2017, 2022, 2023)
- USTFCCA Women's Outdoor Track and Field Mountain Region Assistant Coach of the Year (2021)
*As of July 2023
BYU Women's Distance Coaching Highlights
Has coached BYU athletes to:
- 5 Individual/Event National Championships (3 indoor & 2 outdoor)
- Courtney Wayment (Steeplechase - 2022)
- Courtney Wayment (5000m - 2022)
- Anna Camp-Bennett (1500m - 2021)
- Courtney Wayment (3000m - 2021)
- DMR (2021) - Alena Ellsworth, Lauren Ellsworth-Barnes, Olivia Hoj Simister and Courtney Wayment
- 4 Individual Conference Championships (MPSF, Indoor)
- 79 All-American honors (47 indoor & 32 outdoor)
- 47 First Teamers (36 indoor & 11 outdoor)
- 21 Second Teamers (11 indoor & 10 outdoor)
- 11 Honorable Mention (all outdoor)
- 14 School Records (6 indoor & 8 outdoor)
Has also helped BYU women's track and field to top-10 team finishes at both NCAA Division I Indoor and Outdoor National Championship meets (2021 & 2022).
*As of June 12, 2023
Other Coaching Highlights
- Coached 16 All-Americans at Cal State Stanislaus
- Coached consecutive runner-up finishes in the indoor championships by the distance medley relay team while at Cal State Stanislaus
- Helped qualify two athletes to compete in the 2016 Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon (men's middle-distance runner Abraham Alvarado and women's javelin thrower Channing Wilson)
Coaching Experience
- BYU Head Women's Cross Country Coach and Associate Director of Track and Field (2016-Present)
- Director of Track & Field and Cross Country at Cal State Stanislaus (2013-16)
- Men's and Women's Cross Country Head Coach at Cal State Stanislaus (2007-13)
- Distance Coach for Men's and Women's Outdoor Track Team and Women's Indoor Track Team at Cal State Stanislaus (2007-13)
- Head Coach at Menlo College (2005-06)
Running Career
- Three time All-American in indoor and outdoor track and field during her 1999-2002 career at Cal State Stanislaus
- Set school record indoor record in the 800m (2002)
- Finished second at the NCAA Indoor Championship in the 800m (2002)
- Finished her career second on the outdoor track all-time list in both the 800- and 1,500-meter events
- Cal State Stanislaus Female Athlete of the Year and Scholar Athelete of the Year (2002)
- Most Valuable Runner (2000-02)
- Served as team capation for two years for the Warriors
Education
- Cal State Stanislaus (2002, B.A.)
Personal
- Married to Ira Taylor, former Cal State Stanislaus basketball player
- Diljeet and Ira have two children, Taj and Avi
Prior to coming to BYU, Taylor coached at Cal State Stanislaus from 2007 to 2016. She was originally hired as the head coach of the men’s and women’s cross country programs and also served as the distance coach for men’s and women’s track. In June of 2013, she was named director of track and field and cross country.
During her time at Cal State Stanislaus, Taylor guided All-American Courtney Anderson to an NCAA Division II championship in the 1,500-meter run in 2014. From 2013 to 2016, the distance and cross country programs accumulated 16 All-America honors, including consecutive runner-up finishes in the indoor championships by the distance medley relay team.
Taylor also coached men’s middle-distance runner Abraham Alvarado at Cal State Stanislaus, who qualified for and competed in the 2016 Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon. Alvarado, who transferred to BYU in 2016 and graduated in 2018, competed in the men’s 800-meter race and made it to the semifinals at the trials. He also made back-to-back appearances in the 800-meter semifinals at the USA Track and Field Championships in 2017 and 2018 and earned first-team All-America honors at the 2018 NCAA Indoor National Championships.
From 2004 to 2006, Taylor trained with Nike’s Farm Elite Team, an Olympic development program that makes its home at Stanford University. She also served as an assistant coach to Keith Spataro at Menlo College before taking over as head coach in 2005.
Taylor attended Cal State Stanislaus as a student-athlete from 1999 to 2002. She was a three-time All-American in indoor and outdoor track and field as a specialist in the 800-meter and 1,500-meter runs. She set the school indoor record in the 800-meter in 2002. That same year she finished second at the NCAA National Championship meet and finished her career second on the outdoor track all-time list in both the 800- and 1,500-meter events.
In 2002, Taylor was named Cal State Stanislaus Female Athlete of the Year and Scholar Athlete of the Year. She was also the most dominant runner for the Warriors during that time, earning Most Valuable Runner from 2000 to 2002. Taylor served as a team captain for the Warriors for two years.
Taylor graduated cum laude from Cal State Stanislaus in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies. She is married to former Cal State Stanislaus basketball player Ira Taylor and they have two children, Taj and Avi.