1992 Hall of Fame Inductee
The long-time head track and field coach at Indiana University, Sam Bell developed a reputation as not only an outstanding coach but as an excellent meet director. While at Indiana from 1970 to 1998, he produced teams that won 23 men's and 4 women's Big Ten titles. On 18 occasions, Bell's teams placed in the top 10 in NCAA championships. His cross country teams won two NCAA individual titles. Individually, he coached more than 90 All-American athletes, including Olympians Bob Kennedy, Jim Spivey, Mark Deady, Sunder Nix, Terry Brahm, Robert Cannon and Albert Robinson. At the same time, he was meet director or technical director of some of the top meets in the world. He was a U.S. Olympic team assistant coach in 1976 and was the head coach of the 1979 World Cup team. After earning his M.S. in physical education from the University of Oregon in 1956, he entered the college coaching ranks two years later at Oregon State University. In 1961, his Oregon State team won the NCAA cross country title. In 1965, he became the head coach at the University of California and was there four years before moving to Indiana. Bell also has served on numerous AAU and TAC committees. As chairman for the Men's Olympic Development Festival from 1976 to 1980, he developed the festival's format for track and field.
Coach