Assistant Track and Field Coach Dies

Paul Turner, a 13-year veteran assistant coach of the Harvard track and field program, died last week at his home.

Turner, who served as the multi-even, high jump and throwing coach for the Crimson, passed away last Tuesday just before many of the top Harvard athletes traveled to England for a series of meets against the Unversity of Limerick, the University of Birmingham, Oxford and Cambridge.

A graduate of Middle Tennessee State University, Turner coached at Indiana and Western Michigan before joining the Crimson program in 1994.

"The entire Harvard athletics community is shaken by this sudden and tragic loss," Athletic Director Bob Scalise said in a statement. "Paul was universally adored and respected by his student-athletes and coaching peers. He lived and breathed Harvard track and field and his passion for the sport and for teaching was evident. Paul touched the lives of hundreds of athletes. His contributions to the sport and Harvard will not soon be forgotten."

Turner coached 13 All-Americans at Harvard, including three NCAA Champions. Rising junior Becky Christensen, who competed under Turner for the past two years, was the most recent of Turner's All-Americans. He also coached 49 athletes to Heptagonal Championships, oversaw 30 NCAA Qualifiers and coached 19 NCAA regional qualifiers.

"Paul was the backbone of our program. It's no secret that much of our recent success was a direct result of his recruiting and coaching efforts," Crimson coach Jason Saretsky said in a statement. "Paul meant so much to so many people. Whether they were fellow coaches, athletes, recruits or parents, he was able to connect with people in a way that was truly inspiring. We were just at NCAA Nationals last week, and it seemed that every coach stopped to talk to him. Paul had a profound effect on the sport of track and field, and it's hard to find the words right now to express how deeply saddened the entire track and field community is at this moment."

A service honoring Turner was held Tuesday morning.

—Please check www.thecrimson.com for updates.