Congratulations to longtime ECC track and field head coach Dean Lofgren, who was recently named the 2018 California Community College Cross Country and Track Coaches Association (5CTCA) Men's Track Coach of the Year.
An accomplished coach and collegiate athletics leader, Lofgren's award follows a successful 2018 season that produced a pair of California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) individual state champions and a third-place finish at the CCCAA Southern California Regional Championships.
Lofgren has served El Camino College for 32 years. Known and respected statewide for his dedication to the sport, the venerable and successful coach built a track and field program at El Camino College that includes four CCCAA State Championships and 14 additional state championship team trophies. Lofgren has been honored with six CCCAA and 26 South Coast Conference Coach-of-the-Year awards; he was inducted into the 5CTCA Hall of Fame in 2017.
Through the years, Lofgren has been extremely active within the coaching association, serving in a number of capacities with the 5CTCA and the South Coast Conference. Many of the student-athletes he coached have transferred to four-year colleges and universities across the United States and he is also extremely proud of the number of successful Warriors in the teaching/coaching profession.
Lofgren attended West Torrance High School and El Camino College where he participated in cross country and track and field. He continued his education and running career at California State University, Stanislaus where he earned a bachelor's degree. Lofgren earned a master's degree at San Jose State University in physiology of exercise/human performance. Prior to arriving at El Camino College, Lofgren served as head cross country coach (men and women) and associate head track and field coach at CSU Stanislaus.