MONMOUTH, Ore. --- Octavious Gillespie-Bennett has stepped down as Western Oregon track and field head coach, and WOU cross country head coach, track and field assistant coach and Wolves alum Zach Holloway has been selected the interim head coach for the 2025-26 season.

Gillespie-Bennett led the WOU track and field program for five seasons and spent nine seasons at WOU overall. The men's team never finished worse than third at GNACs during his tenure, winning the 2023 GNAC Indoor Championship (the program's first since 2012). The women's team won a pair of GNAC titles with Gillespie-Bennett at the helm – the 2022 GNAC Outdoor Championships and the 2023 GNAC Indoor Championships (he was named GNAC Indoor Coach of the Year for both the men and women in 2023).

"I'd like to thank Coach Gillespie for his dedication to WOU Athletics over the past nine years," WOU Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Randi Lydum said. "Under his leadership, our track & field teams have continued to develop and compete for GNAC championships each year. I wish him well in his next adventure."

The Wolves won 46 individual GNAC titles during Gillespie-Bennett's tenure and saw several student-athletes reach the NCAA Championships.

"It has been an honor to serve as the head track and field coach at Western Oregon University," Gillespie-Bennett said. "I would like to thank the coaches, administrators and the student-athletes that have made this a wonderful experience. I am proud of our accomplishments and I look forward to future WOU track and field success. I hope to stay closely associated with Western for years to come. I am happy that Coach Holloway is being given the opportunity to step into the interim role and believe he will do a great job." 

Holloway, who's also entering his third year as the WOU cross country head coach, has coached at WOU for seven seasons with a focus on middle and long distance. He's been an assistant coach for Gillespie-Bennett as well as Mike Johnson.

"I have known Zach since he was a student athlete at Western and have always been impressed with his dedication and passion for Wolves Athletics," Lydum said. "As the head cross country and assistant track & field coach, he has proven himself to be an invaluable member of our team. I am confident that he is ready for this challenge."

Holloway the last several years coordinated the recruiting efforts for the track and field program. Holloway also served the meet operations director for all of the fall cross country meets on the Ash Creek Preserve. He has been instrumental in helping run multiple big events on campus including the Ash Creek Invitational, The Mike Johnson Classic (formerly The Sundowner), hosting the Pac-12 Championships, the GNAC Championships and the NCAA Division II West Regionals.

"I am extremely excited about the opportunity to lead our track & field program at Western Oregon," Holloway said. "I'm going into year eight coaching at WOU, and as an alum of the program and university, my family and I have a lot of pride and passion for this program. I would like to thank Coach Gillespie for the past seven years of guidance and trust in me with our program as well as Randi Lydum and the athletic administration. We have an amazing group of student-athletes that I look forward to continuing to work with."
 
In his time coaching at WOU, Holloway - who took over coaching the distance events in Fall 2020 - helped WOU to three GNAC team titles. He coached the school record holder in the men's indoor 5,000 (Bailey Smith - 14:32) and the women's outdoor 5,000 (Kyla Potratz - 17:04.29). He also coached Hunter Hutton and the 2025 DMR men's outdoor team to NCAA Championships finalist appearances.