Track and Field
Ryan Cole
- Title:
- Assistant Coach | Middle Distances, Distances
- Email:
- robert.cole@afacademy.af.edu
- Phone:
- 719-333-2173
Ryan Cole, a two-time conference cross country coach of the year, is in his fifth season at the helm of the distance program at Air Force. Cole, who serves as the head cross country coach and assistant track and field coach for the Falcons, continues to elevate the Academy’s distance program to new heights on the national stage.
Cole has led the cross country program to three appearances at the NCAA Championships, including the women’s first-ever team appearance at the Division I level (2016). He has coached four All-Americans – Kyle Eller (2015), Hannah Everson (2015), Mickey Davey (2017) and Jaci Smith (2018), with Davey registering the Falcons’ best individual finish (18th) in 22 years and Eller/Everson marking the first time since 1967 that USAFA had produced multiple Division cross country honorees at the same meet.
Everson made program history in 2015 by winning the Mountain Region title by nearly 10 seconds and becoming the Academy’s first-ever USTFCCCA Mountain Region Female Cross Country Athlete of the Year. In addition, Everson and Smith have been selected as the USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week during his tenure – the only two occurrences in Air Force history.
In 2015, he guided the men’s cross country team to its first Mountain West team championship since 2003, while the women’s runner-up finish in 2016 marked the best MW team finish for any women’s sport in Academy history. Cole, who was named the MW Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2015 and the MW Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2016, has seen 14 of his runners earn all-conference distinction a total of 19 times
The success of the distance program has continued into the track season, with Cole-coached runners accounting for eight All-Americans and five conference titles. His runners have helped the men to five Mountain West team titles, including the program’s first-ever “Triple Crown” following conference championships in cross country, indoor track/field and outdoor track/field) during the 2015-16 season. On the women’s side, the Falcons’ middle distance and distance squad have accounted for the majority of team points in several meets, highlighted by a 30-of-33 performance at the 2015 MW Indoor Championships.
The men tallied more points than any other distance group in the conference (44) during Cole’s first outdoor season, while Patrick Corona (5000-meter run) and Eller (10,000-meter run) captured MW titles following Championship Meet Record performances. Corona added a 3000-meter title during the 2016 indoor season, while Everson (3000-meter run in 2016) and Smith (5000-meter run in 2018) captured the program’s first-ever conference titles in those events during their respective indoor seasons.
His runners have produced 29 qualifying spots to the NCAA Outdoor Championships, with six athletes advancing to the finals a combined eight times. Zach Perkins finished second in the finals of the 1500-meter run at the 2015 NCAA Championships, while Everson, who became the program’s first-ever West Prelim champion in a running event, added a third-place finish in the 10,000-meter run at the 2016 Championship meet.
Since his arrival, Air Force has rewritten 13 of the Academy’s distance records, including five long-standing marks that had previously stood for at least 20 years.
During his tenure, Cole has seen his athletes receive several major awards. Corona was selected as the Mountain West Male Athlete of the Year for all sports – the first recipient of that award for any cadet in Air Force Academy history, while Rebecca Esselstein, one of two Academic All-Americans for Cole-coached teams, was selected as the CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year for Division I Track/Field and Cross Country and the Mountain West Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Esselstein, a Rhodes Scholar, was the first cadet-athlete in any sport to earn Academic All-American of the Year honors.
His athletes have also represented the Academy in Team USA uniforms at the international level, with Patrick Corona winning the 5000-meter run at the 2016 NACAC U23 Championships in El Salvador and Hunter Boyer competing in the 3000-meter steeplechase at the 2018 IAAF World U20 Championships in Finland.
Prior to joining the staff at the Air Force Academy, Cole spent seven years at Arizona State University, where he served as the women’s cross country and distance coach from 2011-2014 and as the men’s and women’s assistant cross country and distance coach from 2007-2011.
While the distance coach of the Sun Devil women, Cole coached the 2014 NCAA Outdoor 1500-meter champion and saw his runners account for seven NCAA All-America honors. His 2011 squad qualified for the NCAA Cross Country Championships and his women’s teams posted a perfect 1000-rating for the Academic Progress Rate all three years he was the head coach.
During his first four years as an assistant coach at ASU, Cole was a part of two NCAA track and field team championships and five NCAA top-four team performances. Cole also handled many logistical responsibilities for the program and served as the home meet director for the Sun Angel Track Classic.
While an assistant at Arizona State, Cole founded the Sun Elite Track Club, a post-collegiate group that recorded eight Team USA qualifying performances, including podium finishes at the 2011 U.S. National Indoor Championships (third in the 3000-meter run) and at the 2011 U.S. Cross Country Championships (10th).
Cole began his coaching career in 2006 at Northwood University in Midland, Mich. In his one year with the Timberwolves, the distance group broke 13 school records and Cole helped a pair of runners qualify for the NCAA Division II National Championships, including the school’s first men’s cross country qualifier and the first women’s track and field distance finalist.
As a student-athlete, Cole competed for four years at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and one year at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich. A native of Sanford, Mich., Cole graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy.
Cole has led the cross country program to three appearances at the NCAA Championships, including the women’s first-ever team appearance at the Division I level (2016). He has coached four All-Americans – Kyle Eller (2015), Hannah Everson (2015), Mickey Davey (2017) and Jaci Smith (2018), with Davey registering the Falcons’ best individual finish (18th) in 22 years and Eller/Everson marking the first time since 1967 that USAFA had produced multiple Division cross country honorees at the same meet.
Everson made program history in 2015 by winning the Mountain Region title by nearly 10 seconds and becoming the Academy’s first-ever USTFCCCA Mountain Region Female Cross Country Athlete of the Year. In addition, Everson and Smith have been selected as the USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week during his tenure – the only two occurrences in Air Force history.
In 2015, he guided the men’s cross country team to its first Mountain West team championship since 2003, while the women’s runner-up finish in 2016 marked the best MW team finish for any women’s sport in Academy history. Cole, who was named the MW Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2015 and the MW Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2016, has seen 14 of his runners earn all-conference distinction a total of 19 times
The success of the distance program has continued into the track season, with Cole-coached runners accounting for eight All-Americans and five conference titles. His runners have helped the men to five Mountain West team titles, including the program’s first-ever “Triple Crown” following conference championships in cross country, indoor track/field and outdoor track/field) during the 2015-16 season. On the women’s side, the Falcons’ middle distance and distance squad have accounted for the majority of team points in several meets, highlighted by a 30-of-33 performance at the 2015 MW Indoor Championships.
The men tallied more points than any other distance group in the conference (44) during Cole’s first outdoor season, while Patrick Corona (5000-meter run) and Eller (10,000-meter run) captured MW titles following Championship Meet Record performances. Corona added a 3000-meter title during the 2016 indoor season, while Everson (3000-meter run in 2016) and Smith (5000-meter run in 2018) captured the program’s first-ever conference titles in those events during their respective indoor seasons.
His runners have produced 29 qualifying spots to the NCAA Outdoor Championships, with six athletes advancing to the finals a combined eight times. Zach Perkins finished second in the finals of the 1500-meter run at the 2015 NCAA Championships, while Everson, who became the program’s first-ever West Prelim champion in a running event, added a third-place finish in the 10,000-meter run at the 2016 Championship meet.
Since his arrival, Air Force has rewritten 13 of the Academy’s distance records, including five long-standing marks that had previously stood for at least 20 years.
During his tenure, Cole has seen his athletes receive several major awards. Corona was selected as the Mountain West Male Athlete of the Year for all sports – the first recipient of that award for any cadet in Air Force Academy history, while Rebecca Esselstein, one of two Academic All-Americans for Cole-coached teams, was selected as the CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year for Division I Track/Field and Cross Country and the Mountain West Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Esselstein, a Rhodes Scholar, was the first cadet-athlete in any sport to earn Academic All-American of the Year honors.
His athletes have also represented the Academy in Team USA uniforms at the international level, with Patrick Corona winning the 5000-meter run at the 2016 NACAC U23 Championships in El Salvador and Hunter Boyer competing in the 3000-meter steeplechase at the 2018 IAAF World U20 Championships in Finland.
Prior to joining the staff at the Air Force Academy, Cole spent seven years at Arizona State University, where he served as the women’s cross country and distance coach from 2011-2014 and as the men’s and women’s assistant cross country and distance coach from 2007-2011.
While the distance coach of the Sun Devil women, Cole coached the 2014 NCAA Outdoor 1500-meter champion and saw his runners account for seven NCAA All-America honors. His 2011 squad qualified for the NCAA Cross Country Championships and his women’s teams posted a perfect 1000-rating for the Academic Progress Rate all three years he was the head coach.
During his first four years as an assistant coach at ASU, Cole was a part of two NCAA track and field team championships and five NCAA top-four team performances. Cole also handled many logistical responsibilities for the program and served as the home meet director for the Sun Angel Track Classic.
While an assistant at Arizona State, Cole founded the Sun Elite Track Club, a post-collegiate group that recorded eight Team USA qualifying performances, including podium finishes at the 2011 U.S. National Indoor Championships (third in the 3000-meter run) and at the 2011 U.S. Cross Country Championships (10th).
Cole began his coaching career in 2006 at Northwood University in Midland, Mich. In his one year with the Timberwolves, the distance group broke 13 school records and Cole helped a pair of runners qualify for the NCAA Division II National Championships, including the school’s first men’s cross country qualifier and the first women’s track and field distance finalist.
As a student-athlete, Cole competed for four years at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and one year at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich. A native of Sanford, Mich., Cole graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy.
Ryan Cole Interview - August 26th, 2025
Tuesday, August 26
Ryan Cole Interview March 11, 2025
Tuesday, March 11
Ryan Cole Interview May 20, 2024
Monday, May 20
Ryan Cole Interview - May 20, 2024
Monday, May 20
