Photo by: Nate Barrett Photography
Kyle Lillie Repeats as Mountain Region Assistant Coach of the Year
6/18/2026 12:01:00 PM | Track and Field
NEW ORLEANS – Air Force assistant coach Kyle Lillie captured regional honors from U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association for the second-straight year this afternoon (June 18), as he repeated as the USTFCCCA Men's Mountain Region Outdoor Assistant Coach of the Year.
Lillie, in his fourth year overseeing the Air Force throwing program, coached Texas Tanner to a record-breaking senior season that included the American Collegiate Records – and NCAA No. 2 all-time marks – in both the discus and hammer throws. He also saw Tanner make two trips to the podium at the recent NCAA Outdoor Championships, claiming First-Team All-America honors after placing second in the hammer and fourth in the discus.
The throwers accounted for 45 of the men's 149 points at the Mountain West Outdoor Championships, with 40 coming from his rotational throwers. Under Lillie's watch, Tanner successfully defended his conference titles in the discus and hammer with Championship Meet Record marks, while Evan Keefe gave Air Force a 1-2 finish in the discus. Overall, the Falcons accounted for half of the scoring finishes in the hammer throw and three top-eight marks in the discus.
All three Air Force records in the rotational throws were broken in 2026, with Tanner setting Mountain West records in the discus and hammer. Backed by two of three best discus distances in Academy history from Tanner and Keefe, the Falcons made seven improvements to the program's top 10 and 16 updates to the full Air Force Record Book in 2026.
With today's award, as decided by his coaching peers, Lillie became the third Air Force assistant to capture regional honors in back-to-back years, joining Scott Irving (2009-10) and Scott Steffan (2012-13).
Lillie, in his fourth year overseeing the Air Force throwing program, coached Texas Tanner to a record-breaking senior season that included the American Collegiate Records – and NCAA No. 2 all-time marks – in both the discus and hammer throws. He also saw Tanner make two trips to the podium at the recent NCAA Outdoor Championships, claiming First-Team All-America honors after placing second in the hammer and fourth in the discus.
The throwers accounted for 45 of the men's 149 points at the Mountain West Outdoor Championships, with 40 coming from his rotational throwers. Under Lillie's watch, Tanner successfully defended his conference titles in the discus and hammer with Championship Meet Record marks, while Evan Keefe gave Air Force a 1-2 finish in the discus. Overall, the Falcons accounted for half of the scoring finishes in the hammer throw and three top-eight marks in the discus.
All three Air Force records in the rotational throws were broken in 2026, with Tanner setting Mountain West records in the discus and hammer. Backed by two of three best discus distances in Academy history from Tanner and Keefe, the Falcons made seven improvements to the program's top 10 and 16 updates to the full Air Force Record Book in 2026.
With today's award, as decided by his coaching peers, Lillie became the third Air Force assistant to capture regional honors in back-to-back years, joining Scott Irving (2009-10) and Scott Steffan (2012-13).
Players Mentioned
Throws
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