STANFORD, Calif. – Dylan Sorensen, a two-time steeplechase All-American and professional triathlete, has been named assistant coach for men's distance runners at Stanford.
Most recently, Sorensen has competed internationally in the triathlon while serving as an executive with Major League Triathlon, a pro-team organization. He will assist Chris Miltenberg with the Cardinal cross country and track teams.
"I'm really excited to bring Dylan on board," said Miltenberg, Stanford's Franklin P. Johnson Director of Track and Field. "He has an outstanding grasp on the mindset of elite athletes and will bring enormous energy to both coaching and recruiting."
Sorensen and Miltenberg both ran at Georgetown for longtime coach Pat Henner -- Miltenberg graduated in 2003 and Sorensen in 2013, running an additional season while earning his master's in sports industry management.
"The influence that Coach Henner has had on both of our coaching philosophies make this a great fit," Miltenberg said. "I have no doubt he will continue to elevate our entire program and develop into one of the best young coaches in the country."
Sorensen's connection with Miltenberg, who was on the Georgetown staff during Sorensen's first three years with the Hoyas, was an obvious plus.
"I'm both extremely grateful and incredibly excited for the opportunity," Sorensen said. "Chris Miltenberg was instrumental in my development as a student-athlete at Georgetown. He is professional, genuine, highly motivated, and an excellent communicator.
"Milt is someone that instills a sense of passion and inspiration with everyone he encounters. To have the ability to learn from a person who I deeply respect and trust, at a phenomenal academic and athletic institution like Stanford, is the opportunity of a lifetime."
Sorensen, a native of Zionsville, Indiana, was the 2014 Big East Conference champion in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, and captured the ECAC/IC4A title in that event. His best time was 8:47.07.
After college, Sorensen was recruited by USA Triathlon to its Olympic Development Team with an eye toward the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. In addition to competing, Sorensen served as the marketing manager and pro athlete liaison with Major League Triathlon, a second-year league. In addition, Sorensen served as a volunteer assistant triathlon coach at Queen's University in Charlotte, which has a fully-funded varsity triathlon program.
"I have always been passionate about getting into coaching" Sorensen said. "The running and triathlon communities have given me countless phenomenal experiences, so I'm thrilled to be able to give back from the other side of the stopwatch."
The Stanford distance program annually is among the most successful in collegiate athletics. The Cardinal men's and women's teams have combined for nine national and 32 conference titles. Last year, each finished in the top five at the NCAA Championships. The men have finished among the top-three the past three years and feature rising junior Grant Fisher, the reigning NCAA outdoor 5,000-meter champion, among a group of outstanding runners who should place the Cardinal among the favorites in 2017.
