The memorial service for former USC Track & Field head coach and athlete Ernie Bullard will be held on campus at the Town and Gown on Saturday, Sept. 13 at noon.Bullard, a one-time USC pole vaulter who was the head coach of the Trojan men’s track and field program for six years in the late 1980s, died on Aug. 21 at the age of 77 from complications following a series of strokes and heart attacks during the past year.Bullard coached at USC from 1985 through 1990, finishing ninth at the NCAA meet in 1986 and 11th in 1989. Among the Trojan athletes he coached were Quincy Watts, who went on to win a pair of gold medals at the 1992 Olympics, and 1989 NCAA 110-meter high hurdles champion Robert Reading.Bullard came to USC after spending 14 seasons (1971-84) as San Jose State’s head coach, where he won nearly 80% of his dual meets (84-22), with 6 of his teams finishing in the Top 10 in the national dual meet rankings and 7 squads winning conference titles. He coached 4 NCAA individual champions at San Jose State–triple jumper Ron Livers, high hurdler Dedy Cooper, javelin thrower Curt Ransford and pole vaulter Felix Bohni–and 2 world record holders (discus thrower John Powell and pole vaulter Dan Ripley).Among the speakers scheduled at the memorial are his four grandchildren, former USC head coach Ron Allice and former USC assistant track and field coach Larry Knuth
