Air Force Adds Kyle Lillie to Coaching Staff
11/7/2022 3:34:00 PM | Track and Field
Lillie, who will oversee the Falcons' throwing squad, comes to the Academy from Sac State.
USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – Air Force director of track & field and cross country Ryan Cole completed his first coaching staff today (Nov. 7) with the hiring of Kyle Lillie as coach of the Falcons' throwing events. Lillie comes to the Academy following four successful years as the throws coach at Sacramento State.
"We are extremely excited to have Kyle Lillie joining our staff as the throws coach," Cole said. "Our throwing events will be critical as we elevate our balanced men's track and field team and build a highly-competitive women's track and field team. Kyle understands what we're working toward in our program. He's had success in the throwing events as a coach and an athlete. Kyle has also proven he can both recruit and develop student-athletes in all areas of the throwing event group."
Lillie comes to the Academy from Sacramento State, where he oversaw the throwers for the last four seasons. During his time with the Hornets, he coached Big Sky champions in four different throwing events and saw his athletes account for three school records and multiple qualifying bids to the NCAA West Preliminary. He helped the women to the indoor and outdoor conference titles during his first season and, in his final season at Sac State, Lillie's throwers accounted for 50-percent of the Hornets' team points at the Big Sky Outdoor Championships. In 2022, he also coached Evan Stork to his second Big Sky title in the hammer throw and the school's first appearance in the NCAA hammer finals since 2005.
Prior to his time in Sacramento, Lillie coached six NJCAA All-Americans and 10 NJCAA national qualifiers at Mesa Community College. He began his coaching career in 2015 at Husson University in Bangor, Maine. He made an immediate impact with the Eagles, guiding one of his throwers to a third-place finish at the DIII New England Championships, a ninth-place finish at the NEICAAA Championships and a spot at the ECAC Championships.
Lillie graduated from Arizona State University in 2015 with a degree in criminal justice/criminology. As a thrower on the Sun Devils' track and field team, he qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the hammer throw and scored for ASU at the Pac-12 Championships. He ended his Sun Devils' career ranked among the school's top five in the hammer throw, while also holding top 10 all-time marks in the weight throw and indoor shot put.
He also spent time as a student-athlete at Glendale Community College, where he was a two-time NJCAA All-American in the shot put after winning the outdoor title and placing second indoors in 2012. He also qualified to the NJCAA National Championships in the hammer and discus throws.
"Kyle has had strong mentors and he's been in competitive team environments," Cole continued. "He's committed to creating a highly-successful throwing group at USAFA, which requires ingenuity, relentless recruiting, and embracing our purpose beyond athletics while being amazingly effective at producing competitive Division I athletes. Kyle has those qualities and that ability, which made him the right person for this position."
"We are extremely excited to have Kyle Lillie joining our staff as the throws coach," Cole said. "Our throwing events will be critical as we elevate our balanced men's track and field team and build a highly-competitive women's track and field team. Kyle understands what we're working toward in our program. He's had success in the throwing events as a coach and an athlete. Kyle has also proven he can both recruit and develop student-athletes in all areas of the throwing event group."
Lillie comes to the Academy from Sacramento State, where he oversaw the throwers for the last four seasons. During his time with the Hornets, he coached Big Sky champions in four different throwing events and saw his athletes account for three school records and multiple qualifying bids to the NCAA West Preliminary. He helped the women to the indoor and outdoor conference titles during his first season and, in his final season at Sac State, Lillie's throwers accounted for 50-percent of the Hornets' team points at the Big Sky Outdoor Championships. In 2022, he also coached Evan Stork to his second Big Sky title in the hammer throw and the school's first appearance in the NCAA hammer finals since 2005.
Prior to his time in Sacramento, Lillie coached six NJCAA All-Americans and 10 NJCAA national qualifiers at Mesa Community College. He began his coaching career in 2015 at Husson University in Bangor, Maine. He made an immediate impact with the Eagles, guiding one of his throwers to a third-place finish at the DIII New England Championships, a ninth-place finish at the NEICAAA Championships and a spot at the ECAC Championships.
Lillie graduated from Arizona State University in 2015 with a degree in criminal justice/criminology. As a thrower on the Sun Devils' track and field team, he qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the hammer throw and scored for ASU at the Pac-12 Championships. He ended his Sun Devils' career ranked among the school's top five in the hammer throw, while also holding top 10 all-time marks in the weight throw and indoor shot put.
He also spent time as a student-athlete at Glendale Community College, where he was a two-time NJCAA All-American in the shot put after winning the outdoor title and placing second indoors in 2012. He also qualified to the NJCAA National Championships in the hammer and discus throws.
"Kyle has had strong mentors and he's been in competitive team environments," Cole continued. "He's committed to creating a highly-successful throwing group at USAFA, which requires ingenuity, relentless recruiting, and embracing our purpose beyond athletics while being amazingly effective at producing competitive Division I athletes. Kyle has those qualities and that ability, which made him the right person for this position."
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