Image
Ht
5'
9"
Class
Senior
Hometown
San Leandro,
California
Last School
Chabot Junior College
Roster Years
1978-1980
Career Highlights
- Earned eight All-American citations
- Won the 1981 NCAA indoor two-mile crown
- Became the first American since 1972 to win an NCAA indoor distance race
- Topped the BYU career leader board with a 3:38.37 in the 1,500 meters
- Ran a 13:33.50 in the 5,000 meters
- All-American at the NCAA Championships in Wisconsin, placing 34th in 30:22.6., 1978
- All-American, placing 15th in 29:50.2 in the NCAA Championships at Wichita, Kansas, 1980
Education
- B.S. in electrical engineering from BYU, 1983
Prior to BYU
- Professional athlete in track and field
- Was a 12-time national champion
- Competed in the 1988 Seoul Olympics
Hometown
- Lives in Orem, Utah.
- Originally from San Leandro, Calif.
Personal/Family
- Married to Lynette with four children, two girls and two boys.
- Served an LDS mission to El Salvador
Before BYU
- Prepped at Marina High School
- Earned his Eagle Scout award
- Served an LDS mission to El Salvador from 1976 to 1978
- Went to Chabot Junior College before his mission
After BYU
- Professional distance runner
- Two-time Olympian, 1984, 1988
- Inducted into the BYU Hall of Fame in 1991
Post-BYU Honors and Societies
- Has been one of the world’s top indoor distance runners six times, 1982-86, 1990
- Was the Outdoor Mobil Grand Prix champion in 1985
- Was a champion twice of the 5,000-meter race, 1985, 1987
- Was named the Indoor USA/Mobil Grand Prix Champion, 1990
- Has represented the United States twice in the Olympics, 1984, 1988
- Placed seventh in the 5,000-meter in 1984
- Won five consecutive national indoor championships, four national outdoor championships and two U.S. Olympic trials from 1983-1987
- Broke seven American records in the outdoor 3,000-meters, the indoor two mile, the indoor 5,000-meters, and the road 5,000 meters
1991
BYU Hall of Fame
1991 BYU Hall of Fame
Six times Doug Padilla has been one of the world's top indoor distance runners (1982-86 and 1990). He was Outdoor Mobil Grand Prix champion in 1985 and twice champion of the 5,000-meter race in 1985 and 1987. In 1990 he was the Indoor USA/Mobil Grand Prix Champion, awarded to the most productive racer of the season - an honor that netted him $12,000. In the eight-week, 11-meet Mobil Grand Prix circuit, he was the best overall male performer in any event. It was a fitting rebound for his career, which seemed in jeopardy for four years because of asthma.
Twice Doug has represented the United States in the Olympics: in 1988 at Seoul and in 1984 when he placed seventh in the 5,000 meters at Los Angeles.
From 1983 to 1987 he won five-consecutive national indoor championships, four national outdoor championships and two U.S. Olympic trials.
The San Leandro, California, strider - known for his patented kick - broke seven American records in three distances. Included among those was the outdoor 3,000 meters (7:35.84), the indoor two mile (8:15.02), the indoor 5,000 meters (13:20.55) and the road 5,000 meters (13:30).
Doug transferred to BYU from Chabot Junior College in 1975 and served a Church mission to El Salvador from 1976 to 1978. Upon his return to BYU, he went on to earn eight All-America citations. He won the 1981 NCAA indoor two-mile crown when he out-kicked 1980 Olympic silver medalist Suleiman Nyambui to become the first American since 1972 to win an NCAA indoor distance race.
As a senior in 1981, the electrical engineering major topped the BYU career leaderboard with a 3:38.37 in the 1,500 meters and a 13:33.50 in the 5,000 meters.
Freshman Year
Sophmore Year
1978
- All-American at the NCAA Championships in Wisconsin, placing 34th in 30:22.6.
- Strongest events were the 5000-10,000 meters and the mile
- All-American in the distance medley
- Had a season-high three-mile run with a time of 13:14
Junior Year
1979
- Ran a season-high1500-meter time of 3:49.25
- Ran a 5000-meters best with a time of 13:26.50
- Had a 2-mile best with a time of 8:28.0
- BYU All-American in the 5000-meters
Senior Year
1980
- Ran a 800-meters best with a time of 1:49.4
- Ran a mile best with a time of 3:56.6
- Ran a season-high 2-mile time of 8:26.0
- Ran a 5000-meters best with a time of13:26.8
- Placed15th in 29:50.2 in the NCAA Championships at Wichita, Kansas
Graduate Year
Redshirt Year
Medical Redshirt Year
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Athletics | Oct, 23
Three Cougars inducted into Utah Hall of Fame
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Athletics | Oct, 23
Three Cougars inducted into Utah Hall of Fame
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W Track & Field | Apr, 24Batty's Mile Main Event at Robison Invite
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M Track & Field | Apr, 24
Batty's Mile Main Event at Robison Invite