Robert C. Haugh Complex - Outdoor Track and Field

Address
1601 N. Fee Lane
Bloomington, IN 47408

Directions
E.C. (Billy) Hayes Track at the Robert C. Haugh Track and Field Complex is located east of North Fee Lane across from Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall and Gladstein Fieldhouse.

The Robert C. Haugh Track & Field Complex at E.C. "Billy" Hayes Track is regarded as one of the country's finest outdoor facilities. In 2004, the complex received the addition of new lights suitable for televised night events. The new lights permit Indiana to host larger home meets, such as the 2010 Big Ten Outdoor Championships and the 2011 NCAA East Preliminary Round as well as the annual IHSAA Boys and Girls State Track and Field Championships.

In addition to the new lights, Indiana also adds 3,000 temporary seats for roughly 12,000 fans in attendance for the two-day IHSAA meet. The facility has 3,200 permanent seats, with the temporary additions nearly doubling capacity. Hayes Track features a 400-meter nine-lane Polytan surface track with a 110-foot radius on curves to encourage fast times. The track features two long jump/ triple jump parallel approaches with four pits. It has eight pole vault plant boxes and four parallel pole vault runways, a pair of shot put areas, bi-directional javelin runways and outstanding sightlines for all field events. The facility was resurfaced in 2010 and certified by the IAAF. The home venue for Indiana track and field is the ninth track on U.S. soil to receive IAAF certification and is one of only six on a U.S. college campus. The Hoosiers claim the only IAAF certified venue in the Big Ten.

Indiana played host to the 1997 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships and during the 2018 season, hosted its sixth (1966, 1970, 1977, 2001, 2010, 2018) Big Ten Championships. The track located within the outdoor complex is named after fabled coaching great Earl C. "Billy" Hayes. Hayes coached seven Indiana athletes, and a total of 12 during his career, who qualified for United States Olympic teams. His efforts to promote intercollegiate competition had much to do with the organizing of the first NCAA Cross Country Championship as well as the formation of the National Collegiate Cross Country Coaches Association for which he served as president from 1939-40. Hayes coached 10 NCAA individual champions, 42 All-Americans, and five Big Ten team champions in indoor and outdoor track and field combined. His cross country teams won three NCAA titles. Indiana had its first NCAA cross country champion under Hayes.

In May 2018, Indiana Athletic unveiled a bust of legendary former trach coach Sam Bell during the Big Ten Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The bronze portrait bust is located on the facility's main concourse, facing the start/finish line. It honors the 29-year Hoosier coach, who was one of the most influential voices in the sport at the collegiate, national and international levels before his passing in 2016 at the age of 88.

The commemorative art piece was made possible by donations from across the IU community and is the work of Marc Mellon, one of the world's foremost representational sculptors.