Mark Macdonald - Track & Field Coach - University of Washington Athletics

Mark Macdonald

Title:
Volunteer Assistant, Sprints/Hurdles/Relays

After two decades coaching the sprints, hurdles, and relays across the state at Washington State, Mark Macdonald made the move to Seattle, and now provides his extensive experience to Washington’s hurdlers as a volunteer assistant coach. Macdonald’s long, distinguished career at WSU included thirteen Pac-12 Championships for his athletes, and four individual NCAA victories. He was named the 2009 USTFCCCA West Region Men’s Assistant Track Coach of the Year.

Macdonald came to Washington in 2016 and when Director of Track & Field Maurica Powell and Head Coach Andy Powell took the lead of the program in 2018, they kept Macdonald to work in tandem with Jeshua Anderson, one of Macdonald's greatest athletes at Washington State.

Working with the Husky hurdlers in 2018, Macdonald had the second-ranked women's 400m hurdles group in the nation, as Hanna Tarleton, Morganne Hill, and Carly Lester all made NCAA West Prelims, with Tarleton and Hill reaching the quarterfinals. Tarleton was the breakout story of the season for the Dawgs, as she placed fourth at the Pac-12 Championships after not having competed in three years. Darhian Mills also made the West Prelim quarterfinals in 2017 and was fourth at Pac-12s in the 400m hurdles. Eric Simpson also reached the Pac-12 finals in the 110m hurdles in 2017.

Macdonald's partnership with Anderson continues in Seattle after an historic career in Pullman. Anderson remains one of the top American long hurdlers, most recently reaching the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials 400m hurdles final. As a collegiate, Anderson rarely ever tasted defeat, as he won four consecutive Pac-12 titles and three NCAA Outdoor Championships. He was the 2011 Pac-12 Men's Track Athlete of the Year and a Bowerman Award finalist. He also won the 2011 U.S. Championship in the 400m hurdles in 47.93, going on to compete in the 2011 World Outdoor Championships, and he was the World Junior Champion in 2008.

In addition to the four-straight Pac-12 titles for Anderson, Macdonald also coached Pac-12 champions Arend Watkins (2001, 110m hurdles), Anson Henry (2002, 100m and 200m), Anthony Buchanan (2003 and 2004, 100m dash), Lorraine King (2009, 400m hurdles), Anna Layman (2011, 800m) and CJ Allen (2014, 400m hurdles). Henry went on to be a member of the Canadian men’s Olympic team in 2004 and 2008.

Dominique Arnold won the men’s 110m hurdles NCAA title at WSU in 1996 and would go on to win the 2006 U.S. Championship, take fourth at the 2005 World Championships, and hold the American Record with a 12.90 career-best. Macdonald also coached Ellannee Richardson in her transition from heptathlon to the 400m hurdles where she achieved a PR of 55.61 and finished ninth at the 2004 Olympic Trials. Eric Dudley, a two-time All-American, competed in both the 2004 and 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 400m hurdles. At the 2001 NCAA Outdoor Championships, Macdonald had Cougars competing in all four hurdles events - the only Division I program to accomplish that feat.

Macdonald also directed Washington State’s record-holders in the women’s 4x100m relay - Attrina Higgins, LaTroya Mucker, Ellannee Richardson and Francesca Green - to a 44.50 time to win the 1999 Pac-10 Championship. The 2003 4x400m relay team of Tiffany Giles, Monique Jessie, Angelita Green and Ellannee Richardson set the school indoor record of 3:35.49 and finished seventh at the NCAA meet. With Tamara Gulley running in place of Green that same year, the relay set the WSU outdoor record of 3:33.65.

After a successful prep career as a multi-sport athlete at Bethel High School, Macdonald achieved All-America status as an intermediate hurdler at Washington State. Macdonald’s 400m hurdles seventh place finish in the 1992 NCAA Championships was his third appearance at a national championship. He competed in the 400m hurdles at the 1992 U.S. Olympic Trials and was honored as WSU’s Pac-10 1992 Conference Medal Winner.

Macdonald graduated from WSU with a B.A. in Social Studies Education in 1992, and earned a master’s degree in Athletic Administration in 1993.