American middle-distance runner Whittni Morgan has just appeared in the highly anticipated Grand Slam track, where she competed in the 3000 m and 5000 m. Timings? Well, Morgan finished 3000m in 8:43.35—placed 5th—and clocked out 5000m in 15:36.31—placed 8th. Though she couldn’t reach the podium, her dedication led her here, which is a big deal.
This is not the first time Whittni Morgan showcased her resilience on track; she made her debut at the Millrose Games 2022. If that wasn’t enough, she is represented by one of the top sportswear brands, Adidas. While we talk about Morgan’s accolades, one thing is for sure: she is not doing it single-handedly. So, who is the strength behind her? Well, it’s none other than her coach, Diljeet Taylor. Let’s dive into details about coach Diljeet Taylor.
Meet Diljeet Taylor: Whittni Morgan’s Coach
Diljeet Dosanjh Taylor is the coach of Whittni Orton Morgan and she graduated in 2002 from California State. During 1999-2002, Taylor became All-American three times in indoor track and field. That’s not all; she even made a record in the 800m and finished second at the NCAA Indoor Championship.
After a great three-year athletics career, Taylor transitioned into a coaching role, where she was the head coach at Menlo College and trained athletes from 2005 to 2006. Taylor not only trained female athletes but male athletes as well. With so many achievements in her athletic career, Taylor has coached several good athletes like Courtney Wayment and, of course, Whittni Morgan. Let’s now talk about Whittni Morgan’s coaching achievements and career highlights.
Diljeet Taylor’s career highlights and achievements
Currently, a coach at Brigham Young University (BYU), Diljeet Taylor has been making waves since she was racing for her Cal State Stanislaus. Taylor was named the Cal State Stanislaus Female Athlete of the Year and Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2002, and if that wasn’t enough, she was the most valuable runner during 2000-02 and became a team captain for two years. But that was just a beginning, or safe to say a warm-up to get habitual to the achievements that have continued till now.
Diljeet Taylor, who was previously known as Diljeet Mendoza, got an opportunity to coach the athletes of her alma mater, Cal State Stanislaus, and coached 16 All-Americans. Additionally, she has coached seven athletes at the USATF Olympics Trials 2024 in different categories: Meghan Hunter for 800m, Anna Camp-Bennett, Riley Chamberlain for 1500m, Whittni Morgan for 5000m, and Courtney Wayment, Taylor Lovell, and Lexy Halladay-Lowry for 3000m steeplechase.
Among all these achievements, Whittni Morgan’s coach also received awards such as USTFCCCA Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year for 2020-21 and 2024, USTFCCCA Program of the Year for 2020-21, and Big 12 Coach of the Year in 2023 and 2024, among others. But as a coach, how does it feel when a mentee reaches a certain level, mainly on the international stage?
What did coach Diljeet Taylor say about Whittni Morgan’s Paris Olympics performance?
Imagine you are going for the most important race of your life nervous, anxious, and pressured, thinking about what will happen next. But just before going to perform, you get a handwritten note, that too from your coach. Sweet, right? The same happened with Whittni Morgan when she was leaving for the Paris Olympics to compete in the 5000 m. And to be more precise, it is somewhat of a tradition that coaches at Brigham Young write handwritten cards. But what did it say?
As per NCAA, Morgan revealed what was written on the card. Diljeet Taylor wrote, “I’m so proud of who you have become in the sport. Run for that and run with humility; run for God.” As per Morgan, Taylor always inspires her with pep talks, but this was different. It gave her chills! But what did Taylor say after the race?
“Whittni ran a perfectly executed race, and I am beyond proud,” Taylor said after the Paris Olympics race. She further added, “Faith and hope were the keys today, and wow, I am speechless.” She was placed 14th in the 5000m event and clocked out at 14:53.57. But what was the biggest lesson Morgan has taken from her coach?
The Olympian said, “I think gratitude, just always having gratitude in your heart… I think it can change people when you just look at the world through a lens of gratitude.” Influencing track and field athletes for all good reason, Diljeet Taylor is moving forward with all positivity.
The post Who Is Whittni Morgan’s Coach? Everything to Know About the Woman Behind the Track and Field Star appeared first on EssentiallySports.
