Track & Field
O'Neil, Austin
Austin O'Neil
- Title:
- Assistant Coach - Distance
- Email:
- aoneil@athletics.ucla.edu
All-American steeplechaser Austin O’Neil begins his fifth season with the Bruins’ coaching staff and third year as an assistant, coaching the UCLA distance runners. O’Neil served as team co-captain for the UCLA track & field team in 2017 and was a volunteer assistant in 2018.
O’Neal helped lead the Bruins’ young distance squad to a strong year in cross country. Peter Herold earned All-Region honors after a 25th-place finish at the NCAA West Regional Championships. The Bruin men took sixth at the Pac-12 Meet while the UCLA women improved two spots to take eighth place overall. True freshmen Mia Kane and Audrey Allen became key contributors on the women’s side and junior Emma Tavella developed to become a No. 1 runner for the Bruins in postseason competition.
Ahead of the 2021 Cross Country season, O’Neil helped sign a freshman class of eight elite distance runners from up and down the West Coast. Four freshman Bruins are from Northern California, three are local products from Southern California, and one arrives in Westwood from Portland. Ajani Salcido is an 8:46 two-miler who won each of his seven cross country races this past season. O’Neil also helped sign Patrick Curulla and Audrey Allen, who both earned NCS XC victories in 2019. Three of the four women’s freshmen have already cracked the 5:00 barrier in the 1600m while Mia Kane from Portland owns a lifetime-best time of 4:38.92 in the 1500m.
O’Neil and the distance staff helped guide the UCLA Cross Country program to a successful season in a shortened 2020 campaign. The Bruin men and women each earned team victories at the Arizona Invitational (Feb. 5) and Dave Murry Invitational (Feb. 19). Michael Mireles earned an individual victory at the Arizona Invite on his freshman debut with the Bruins. O’Neil helped lead six Bruin men to crack 3:50.00 in the 1500m, including Munir Kabbara, who ran 3:47.24 against USC to break the Lebanese national record in the event. Peter Herold etched his name in the UCLA record books after running 8:42.94 in the steeple at Pac-12s, the fifth-fastest time in program history. The Bruin women earned a sweep of the distance events against USC, as Paige Carter (1500m), Emma Tavella (3000m), and Kira Loren (3000m steeplechase) picked up wins against the Trojans.
O’Neil helped the distance squad to an impressive 2020 indoor campaign. Junior Christina Rice broke the school record in the 5000m, clocking a time of 16:12.16 at the MPSF Championships. Rice also ran 9:20.02 in the 3000m at the UW Invitational, the second-fastest indoor mark in school history. Arturo Sotomayor (4:01.63) and Chris Morzenti (4:02.15) notched the No. 5 and No. 7 all-time UCLA indoor mile times, respectively, this past season. Graduating senior Colin Burke also etched his name in the program record books in his final season. Burke notched PRs in the 3000m (7:59.34) and 5000m (13:47.78), the No. 5 and No. 2 all-time UCLA marks in the events, respectively.
O’Neil also helped guide the men’s DMR squad (Riley Kelly, Chris Morzenti, Arturo Sotomayor, and Ismail Turner) to NCAA Qualification and eventual USTFCCCA All-America accolades.
O’Neil’s first season as an assistant coach with the cross country staff saw him help guide three individuals to the 2019 NCAA Championships: Christina Rice, Colin Burke, and Garrett Reynolds. Rice earned USTFCCCA All-America honors for her 37th-place finish.
O’Neil’s first season with the track and field team saw Robert Brandt notch three All-America honors (Indoor: 3000m, 5000m; Outdoor: 10,000m). He helped guide the UCLA men’s and women’s squads to victories in the 1500m, 3000m, and 3000m steeplechase in the annual dual meet against USC.
During his senior season at UCLA, O’Neil posted the No. 6 mark in school history in the 3000m steeplechase, clocking in at 8:44.86 to win the Bob Larsen Distance Carnival. He also placed second at the Pac-12 Championships and was a NCAA Championship qualifier, placing 15th.
In 2016, O’Neil earned Indoor All-America honors with a seventh-place finish in the DMR.
O’Neal helped lead the Bruins’ young distance squad to a strong year in cross country. Peter Herold earned All-Region honors after a 25th-place finish at the NCAA West Regional Championships. The Bruin men took sixth at the Pac-12 Meet while the UCLA women improved two spots to take eighth place overall. True freshmen Mia Kane and Audrey Allen became key contributors on the women’s side and junior Emma Tavella developed to become a No. 1 runner for the Bruins in postseason competition.
Ahead of the 2021 Cross Country season, O’Neil helped sign a freshman class of eight elite distance runners from up and down the West Coast. Four freshman Bruins are from Northern California, three are local products from Southern California, and one arrives in Westwood from Portland. Ajani Salcido is an 8:46 two-miler who won each of his seven cross country races this past season. O’Neil also helped sign Patrick Curulla and Audrey Allen, who both earned NCS XC victories in 2019. Three of the four women’s freshmen have already cracked the 5:00 barrier in the 1600m while Mia Kane from Portland owns a lifetime-best time of 4:38.92 in the 1500m.
O’Neil and the distance staff helped guide the UCLA Cross Country program to a successful season in a shortened 2020 campaign. The Bruin men and women each earned team victories at the Arizona Invitational (Feb. 5) and Dave Murry Invitational (Feb. 19). Michael Mireles earned an individual victory at the Arizona Invite on his freshman debut with the Bruins. O’Neil helped lead six Bruin men to crack 3:50.00 in the 1500m, including Munir Kabbara, who ran 3:47.24 against USC to break the Lebanese national record in the event. Peter Herold etched his name in the UCLA record books after running 8:42.94 in the steeple at Pac-12s, the fifth-fastest time in program history. The Bruin women earned a sweep of the distance events against USC, as Paige Carter (1500m), Emma Tavella (3000m), and Kira Loren (3000m steeplechase) picked up wins against the Trojans.
O’Neil helped the distance squad to an impressive 2020 indoor campaign. Junior Christina Rice broke the school record in the 5000m, clocking a time of 16:12.16 at the MPSF Championships. Rice also ran 9:20.02 in the 3000m at the UW Invitational, the second-fastest indoor mark in school history. Arturo Sotomayor (4:01.63) and Chris Morzenti (4:02.15) notched the No. 5 and No. 7 all-time UCLA indoor mile times, respectively, this past season. Graduating senior Colin Burke also etched his name in the program record books in his final season. Burke notched PRs in the 3000m (7:59.34) and 5000m (13:47.78), the No. 5 and No. 2 all-time UCLA marks in the events, respectively.
O’Neil also helped guide the men’s DMR squad (Riley Kelly, Chris Morzenti, Arturo Sotomayor, and Ismail Turner) to NCAA Qualification and eventual USTFCCCA All-America accolades.
O’Neil’s first season as an assistant coach with the cross country staff saw him help guide three individuals to the 2019 NCAA Championships: Christina Rice, Colin Burke, and Garrett Reynolds. Rice earned USTFCCCA All-America honors for her 37th-place finish.
O’Neil’s first season with the track and field team saw Robert Brandt notch three All-America honors (Indoor: 3000m, 5000m; Outdoor: 10,000m). He helped guide the UCLA men’s and women’s squads to victories in the 1500m, 3000m, and 3000m steeplechase in the annual dual meet against USC.
During his senior season at UCLA, O’Neil posted the No. 6 mark in school history in the 3000m steeplechase, clocking in at 8:44.86 to win the Bob Larsen Distance Carnival. He also placed second at the Pac-12 Championships and was a NCAA Championship qualifier, placing 15th.
In 2016, O’Neil earned Indoor All-America honors with a seventh-place finish in the DMR.
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