Patrick Pyle - Assistant Coach (Jumps) - Men's Track and Field Coaches

Patrick Pyle

Title:
Assistant Coach (Jumps)

Patrick Pyle, a volunteer assistant at Rice University from 2009-15, has joined the University of Memphis track and field staff as an assistant coach, Tigers head coach Kevin Robinson announced Tuesday.

The Carlsbad, N.M., native has over 20 years of experience in the sport of track and field as an athlete and coach. Pyle is a United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCA) Level 2 certified coach in combined events and a member of the Gambetta Athletic Improvement Network (GAIN) Network.

“Patrick’s going to fit in well here,” said Robinson. “He’s inheriting a couple of good athletes, but Patrick’s also going to hit the road recruiting right away. I’m happy to welcome Patrick on board. He makes this staff better, and the future of our program got a little brighter with him joining us.”

Pyle most recently coached Inika McPherson to a women’s high jump finalist finish (10^th) at the 2016 Olympic Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He also guided McPherson to a top-three performance in the women’s high jump at the United States Olympic Trials last summer.

"Patrick has a history of coaching phenomenal horizontal and vertical jumps as well as vault,” Robinson said. “What I like the most about Pat is he is extremely motivated and passionate. He’s a lot like (assistant coach) Miles (Smith) when I recruited him to our staff. It’s been great since Miles joined the staff last August, and Patrick is the same in his excitement about what he’s doing. His enthusiasm makes it easier for the athletes to buy in because they see his passion.”

During his seven seasons at Rice, Pyle coached the high jumpers and wrote the physical training for vaulters. He guided the Owls jumpers to seven Conference USA medals, including five gold. Chris Pillow won three C-USA men’s pole vault titles and placed seventh in the event at the 2014 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Pyle also coached Belle MacFarlane, who won the C-USA Indoor women’s high jump crown and later advanced to the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

While on South Main, Pyle taught Introduction to Golf three years and is active in Re/Max World Long Drive Championship events.

Pyle also served as director and coach of the Owl Athletic Club (OAC; post-collegiate track and field training group). In 2014, the OAC saw McPherson win the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships women’s high jump title and place 12^th in the event at the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Indoor Championships in Sopot, Poland. McPherson also won the women’s high jump crown at USA Outdoor Championships with a personal-best of 2.00m (6-6.75), becoming the shortest woman (5-4) to clear the two-meter barrier, and in turn, setting a height-over-head world record. She finished the 2014 season with the No. 2 women’s high jump in the world.

The OAC produced three IAAF World Championship qualifiers in McPherson (USA; women’s high Jump), Ryan Harlan (USA; men’s decathlon, 8011 points) and Darius Draudvila (Lithuania; men’s decathlon, 8032 points).

Harlan finished sixth at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials (decathlon) and third at the 2013 USATF Indoor Championships. Draudvila placed fifth at the 2010 European Championships under Pyle’s guidance.

In 2013, McPherson finished second at the U.S. Championships with a jump of 1.92m (6-3.5). In Moscow, she finished tied for 14^th with a jump of 1.88m (6-2).

Prior to Rice, Pyle coached at Manhattan (Kan.) High School, where he led the Indians to the 2009 Kansas High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) Class 6A state championship.

Pyle competed collegiately at Kansas State University as a multi-event athlete, earning All-Big 12 Conference honors in the decathlon, heptathlon and 4x100 meter relay. He earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Kansas State in 2002.