Willie May

Who was Willie May?

Willie Lee May was an American hurdler.

Born in Knoxville, Alabama, May attended Indiana University, where he won seven Big Ten championships in the hurdles between 1957 and 1959. He won the silver medal at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. May ran 13.99 in that race and was beaten by Lee Calhoun, another American, who ran 13.98. After earning another silver medal at the 1963 Pan American Games, May decided to begin his teaching and coaching career.

May became the head coach of the track and field team at Evanston Township High School in 1975 and continued in that position through the 2006 season. He served as the athletic director at ETHS for 16 years, from 1983 to 2000. As a coach, May led the Wildkits to 24 consecutive Central Suburban League conference championships from 1976 to 1999, five IHSA state trophies, and one state championship. Coach May has been inducted into the Indiana University Athletic Hall of Fame, the Illinois Track & Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame and the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame. He died at 75 years old of complications from amyloidosis.