LEXINGTON ? Renowned distance coach Pat Tyson has be added to the University of Kentucky track and field and cross country coaching staff head coach Don Weber announced Thursday. Tyson, who spent time as head coach of the perennial power boy?s program at Mead High School (Wash.) and as an assistant at the University of Oregon, will oversee the UK men?s and women?s cross country teams and distance runners starting in the fall.
?Pat comes from one of the richest traditions of distance running in the country,? Weber said. ?Oregon is to college track and field and cross country as Kentucky is to college basketball. He has a great rapport with young athletes and will be an outstanding recruiter. We feel Pat will be the perfect fit to help continue the winning tradition of cross country and distance running here at Kentucky.?
As one of the nation?s most well-respected prep distance coaches, Tyson spent almost two decades building Mead HS into a nationally-dominant group. Since his start in 1986, Tyson?s Mead harrier squads amassed an amazing dual record of 145-6, and his distance runners had combined for 26 individual state titles (TF/XC) and 12 state cross country team titles. At the elite prep level, he has guided harrier teams to top-five national rankings seven seasons. In the fall of 2004, his squad took third in the Nike Team Nationals in Portland, and was a surprising fourth again in ’05. Individually, he has guided nine runners to the Foot Locker National Championships ? tied for the second-most nationally of any program nationally.
Overall, Mead alumni have moved on into the collegiate ranks at an impressive rate, and recent alumni have competed for Alabama, Iona, UCLA, Washington and Wisconsin among other prominent Division I universities.
While serving as the Oregon men?s interim distance coach for the 2005 spring campaign, his runners combined for two All-America honors and four NCAA invites, six top-eight Pac-10 finishes, two USA Junior Championships invites, and several appearances on UO’s hallowed all-time top-10 lists. Nearly six months after the conclusion of his interim post, the results of the Tyson’s hard work are still evident. The men’s distance roster increased from 12 runners in the spring of 2005 to 24 runners the following fall as the Ducks welcomed 13 first-year runners.
As an athlete, the former Oregon Duck competed in two NCAA Cross Country Championships for the Ducks (33rd in 1971, 54th in 1972) and helped UO to first- and third-place finishes, respectively. On the track, the former walk-on ended his collegiate career in 1973 ranked top-six for the Ducks in the 3-mile (sixth, 13:37.0) and 6-mile (fourth, 28:34.0). Tyson also had the distinction of rooming with former distance great Steve Prefontaine while the two competed at Oregon.
Next season, Tyson will inherit a women?s team that returns all but one runner. The squad improved steadily throughout last season and capped it off with a strong fourth place finish at the Southeastern Conference Championships. Heading into last season?s regional meet, the Cats were receiving votes in FinishLynx NCAA Division I Cross Country poll. On the men?s side, UK returns All-SEC standout John Richardson who paced Kentucky in five races in 2005.
