DarrylAnderson

Darryl Anderson, who boasts 18 years of experience as a Division I track and field head coach with previous stints as an assistant at Kentucky, Arizona State, and Kansas State, enters his 1th season as an assistant coach for the Wildcats, and his third since his return to Lexington in 2023, in 2025-26.

Anderson, in his 10^th year as assistant coach at Kentucky, added to his impressive resume of career national postseason awards by being named the 2025 NCAA Southeast Region Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year. He coached the Wildcats’ sprinters to First-Team All-America honors in two events, led by Makarawu’s victory in the 200 meters. Makarawu set a program record of 19.84, as did the 4×100 relay team and was among eight Kentucky sprinters to post personal best times this season. Anderson also led the Wildcats’ men’s squad to the program’s highest-ever finish at the outdoor championships with the team posting an eighth-place finish with 22 points.

Anderson joins the Wildcats after leading the Horned Frogs as head coach at TCU between 2004 and 2022, where he coached 13 individual national champions, 29 individual Big 12 Champions, and 104 All-America selections earned by 62 student-athletes.

Anderson’s TCU teams won three conference championships under his guidance, and he has coached 13 Olympians in his time with the sport.

“It’s a pleasure to welcome Darryl, Claire, and the rest of the family back to the University of Kentucky,” Greene stated. “Coach Anderson brings a wealth of knowledge and a worldwide recruiting base, and an outstanding record as one of the best sprint coaches in the country. He is exactly the person we need to maintain our speed and power prowess and position in the SEC and at the national level. I’m excited for him to get started.”

Anderson boasts a plethora of awards in his career including being named 2012 USTFCCCA South Central Region Women’s Head Coach of the Year, Mountain West Conference Women’s Coach of the Year, 2010 Mountain West Men’s Indoor Coach of the Year, 2008 South Central Region and Mountain West Coach of the Year. In 2004 he was named MONDO Men’s National Assistant Coach of the Year.

“First of all, I’m thankful that Coach Greene has given me this opportunity to return to the Bluegrass State and the University of Kentucky,” Anderson added. “I have very fond memories of working at UK with Don Weber and I’m looking forward to the challenge of the SEC. Coach Greene has entrusted me to assist him in continuing to build UK into a championship track & field program where student athletes graduate and pursue their lifelong goals!”

Before taking the helm at TCU, Anderson was an assistant coach at Arizona State from 1996-2004 following a stint on Don Weber’s staff at Kentucky from 1989-1996.

At Kentucky, Anderson mentored eventual Olympic medalists Tim Harden, Dwight Phillips, and Passion Richardson.

Anderson graduated from Kansas State in 1983 and earned his master’s degree from the school in 1985. He and his wife, Claire, have three children, daughters Kandance and Jasmine, and a son, Isiah.

Coaching Experience:  

Kentucky – Assistant Coach, 2023-Present

Florida – Volunteer Assistant Coach, 2022

TCU- Head Coach, 2004-2022

Arizona State – Assistant Coach, 1996-2004

Kentucky – Assistant Coach, 1989-1996

Olympic Festival – Coach, 1995

Kansas State University – Assistant Coach, 1983-1989