The Distinguished Career Award is based on distinguished and meritorious service and achievement in career and life in general. Nominees must be a graduate or former student of the university.
Tracy Dill has more than four decades of experience in collegiate athletics. He began his professional career in 1981 as an admissions counselor and assistant football coach at his alma mater, William Penn. During that time, he assisted in the coordination of student and student-athlete recruiting in Iowa, Illinois and Missouri. He was also an assistant coach for the football program. In 1985, Dill’s duties shifted as he was hired to take over the Statesmen Track and Field Program and was named intramural director in addition to coaching linebackers as an assistant football coach. The Statesmen track and field team set many school records and qualified several student-athletes to the NCAA National Championships.
In 1985, Dill left William Penn to take a position as assistant football coach with the St. Cloud State football program. He remained involved in the recruiting process and added game-plan preparation and play selection to his duties coaching defensive backs, quarterbacks and running backs. Dill’s roots in track and field led him to the role of head coach of the Husky men’s track and field team beginning in 1988. He assumed control of all aspects of the track and field program while retaining his role as assistant football coach during the fall.
In 1995, Dill was promoted to assistant athletic director and remained head coach of the men’s and women’s track and field teams. His move into administration thrust him into budget management, scheduling, game management, fundraising, marketing and promotions. He served as the advisor to St. Cloud State’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and provided oversight to the Husky Booster Clubs. In addition, he was also involved in the development of strategies for compliance with Title IX and the implementation of department drug and alcohol policies.
In 1999, Dill left coaching and transitioned full-time into administration. As associate athletic director at St. Cloud State, he was responsible for sponsorships and marketing efforts for the Huskies’ 23-program athletics department, as well as managing television, radio and web-streaming rights, along with ticket sales. He continued to oversee all aspects of game management and was appointed to collaborate with an external team to enhance student participation and attendance at home athletic events. He also played an active role in developing the department’s strategic plan. Dill’s position included supervision of assistant athletic directors and oversight of the Huskies’ strength and conditioning program.
During his coaching tenure at St. Cloud State, Dill mentored 37 NCAA Division II track and field All-Americans, which included two individual national champions. In football, he helped develop 36 All-North Central Conference selections, and his running backs helped the Huskies lead the conference in rushing four times.
In 2013, Dill was named director of athletics at Bemidji State University. During his tenure, Dill was instrumental in supporting athletic scholarship growth, stadium renovation, development of the Fred Baker Training Center, along with contributing to the overall competitive nature of the athletic programs. Under Dill, the men’s D1 hockey program won the prestigious MacNaughton Cup and qualified twice for the NCAA National Tournament. Dill retired from Bemidji State in June 2022.
Dill was named commissioner of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) in August 2022 for two years. During those two seasons, Dill saw an increase in league revenue, along with a television and league streaming contract with BIG 10 along with Fox 9. WCHA members Wisconsin and Ohio State each claimed national championship honors in those two seasons.
In addition to an English degree from William Penn, Dill holds a master’s degree in athletic administration from St. Cloud State.
Dill and his wife, Kristy, currently live in Bemidji and have two sons: Trey and Tye. Trey lives in Duluth, MN, with his wife Annie, son Tucker, and daughter Lena. Trey is the defensive coordinator at the University of Minnesota Duluth, and Tye lives in Bloomington, MN, with his wife, Allison, and daughter Meilyn.
Congratulations Tracy, the 2025 Distinguished Career Award recipient.