Dr. Timothy Sykes hired as Ohio Christian track & field/cross country head coach

1/8/2020 12:00:00 AM

By Ohio Christian Sports Information

CIRCLEVILLE, OH – Ohio Christian University is pleased to announce Dr. Timothy Sykes as the new head coach for the Trailblazer Track and Field & Cross Country Programs. Sykes' first official day will be January 6, 2020 as the team prepares for the indoor and outdoor seasons.

Sykes is originally from Amanda, OH, just 12 miles east of Circleville. He had a successful collegiate track and field/cross country career, first at the University of Rio Grande from 1999-2003 and then at Ohio University where he closed his collegiate career in the 2003-2004 season.

"I am incredibly honored to have the opportunity to contribute to the holistic, Christ-centered mission and vision at Ohio Christian University," said Sykes. "I am grateful for the confidence and faith that Dr. Kulaga, Joe Wuest, and David Bireline have in me to take on this role. With Circleville being my hometown, I can't wait to come home, meet the student-athletes, start recruiting and begin the process of contributing to and leading a promising Track and Field & Cross Country program."

Sykes comes to Ohio Christian after a one-year stint as the head cross country coach for Western Kentucky University. In 2019, Sykes helped model a new training regimen, leading to 18 of 20 runners recording personal records in the 2019 season. The team's hard work throughout the season culminated in WKU's first appearance in the NCAA Regional Championships in several years. With seven men and two women traveling to Charlottesville, VA. to compete at the NCAA Southeast Regional Championships, it marked the first time the program had sent runners to Regionals since 2016, and the first time WKU had a team competing at the event since 2015.

Prior to his time in Kentucky, Sykes served at the University of Oregon in their distance and cross country programs, both of which are widely recognized as a perennial power in distance running at the NCAA Division I level.

"Tim Sykes is a win straight out the gate for Ohio Christian," said  Helen Lehman-Winters, Associate Track and Field Head Coach at the University of Oregon. "He is a talented and genuine coach who will do an excellent job of recruiting and developing quality student-athletes in the program. He has great training knowledge and demonstrates a sincere understanding of student-athletes and relates well to them. In addition, he truly cares for each and every student-athlete and will be fully invested in helping them strive for excellence."

Sykes, as part of the coaching team, helped lead Oregon's cross country team to a first-place victory at the Women's Pac-12 Cross Country Championships and NCAA West Regional and third at the NCAA Championships in Madison, WI in 2018. The men's squad took fourth-place in the conference championship before finishing as a team with a spot in the NCAA Championship top 15. Oregon's Track and Field performance was strong under Sykes, with the women taking third at the NCAA Indoor Championships and fifth in the NCAA Outdoor Championships after taking runner-up in Outdoor Pac-12 Outdoor Championships. The men took home a title at the Outdoor Pac-12 Championship and placed 12th at NCAA Outdoor Championships.

"I had the pleasure of working with Tim at both Virginia Tech and Oregon," said Ben Thomas, Associate Head Coach at the University of Oregon "It is rare that you find a coach good at developing athletes, building great relationships, and creating team culture while also making it fun. He will do it the right way and make a great coach. I am excited to see him get this opportunity and know he will help provide a great student-athlete experience at Ohio Christian."

Before joining the University of Oregon's program, Sykes was named head cross country coach for Liberty University in January 2018 after serving as an assistant coach during the 2017 season.

"Ohio Christian University is incredibly blessed to have Dr. Tim Sykes join our athletic department and institution," said Director of Intercollegiate Athletics David Bireline. "His passion for and commitment to his faith are clear in his life. The talent, experience, and knowledge that he will bring to the track and field and cross country programs will be a huge step toward our future success."

Sykes began his coaching career in 2004, where he served as a graduate assistant for the Ohio University Bobcats. He later returned as a volunteer assistant in 2013 followed by a stint as the assistant women's cross country and track & field coach, taking over all coaching duties for the Bobcats' women's distance runners in 2015. In between his service with Ohio University, Sykes spent eight years coaching at the Virginia Military Institute.

"As an athletic program, we are excited that Dr. Sykes will be joining our team as the Head Track and Field & Cross Country Coach," said Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students Joe Wuest. "Tim is dedicated to his faith and passionate about the sport he leads. The experience he brings from programs such as the University of Oregon will add a unique element to what has shaped up to be a great group of coaches and staff at OCU. I look forward to seeing the impact he has on our students, both in the field of competition and life."

Sykes is also accomplished academically, earning a bachelor's in multi-age physical education licensure in 2003 from the University of Rio Grande and a masters in recreation & sports science with pedagogy in coaching education from Ohio University in 2004. He went on to obtain his Ph.D. in education curriculum and instruction in 2011 from Virginia Tech.

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