University of Memphis Athletics
Oct 21, 2026 | General, Men's Cross Country, Men's Track and Field, Women's Cross Country, Women's Track and Field
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Memphis has named Carjay Lyles as its track & field and cross country head coach, bringing more than 20 years of NCAA Division I coaching experience and a proven record of developing All-Americans, national champions and international competitors to the Tigers.
Lyles arrives at Memphis after spending the last seven years on staff at Mississippi State including the last two seasons as Associate Head Track & Field Coach. During that span, he coached 37 All-Americans and two national champions, and the Bulldogs broke 24 program records, two NCAA meet records and one SEC record.
Lyles helped Mississippi State earn top-25 NCAA team finishes for five consecutive years including a sixth-place showing at the 2025 NCAA Indoor National Championships. Lyles coached sprints, relays, jumps and multi-events.
"I'm excited about the opportunity to lead the Memphis track & field and cross country teams. I'm grateful to President Hardgrave, Dr. Scott, Mr. Tim Duncan and Shalon Pillow for trusting me with leading this team into the future. I'm looking forward to embracing the city and building a team that will make us proud to be Tigers," Lyles said. "I'm looking forward to showcasing all we have to offer at Memphis and chasing championship trophies."
Over his career, Lyles has won two NCAA Runner-Up Team Trophies and has twice been recognized by his national governing body, USTFCCCA, as Regional Coach of the Year. He has coached athletes who went on to become Olympic Medalists and World Championship finalists.
"Coach Lyles is a proven program-builder with an outstanding track record and an unwavering commitment to excellence," said Dr. Ed Scott, Senior Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics. "He is a leader who develops student-athletes on and off the track and has consistently delivered results at the highest levels. We are excited to welcome him to Memphis and look forward to building on the success of our track & field and cross country programs under his leadership."
Most recently in 2026, Lyles coached three individuals and two relays at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. It included a First-Team All-American and a 4x400m relay team that earned Second-Team All-America honors with a 13th-place finish at nationals.
Before his time in Starkville, he was an assistant coach at USC. There, he coached Ayden Owens to the American Junior Record, World Jr. No. 2 All-Time global mark in the Men's Decathlon (8130 points). Ayden won Pac-12 Athlete of the Year during the 2019 season and broke a 30-year-old school record in winning the Bryan Clay Decathlon Invite.
Lyles also coached Earnie Sears to an undefeated regular season in the high jump. Sears broke into USC's legendary all-time top-five performances in the high jump with a personal best of 2.30m. Sears won a silver medal at the NACAC U23 Championships in the competition for Team USA. Sears became Lyles' seventh athlete to represent their country at an international competition.
He also aided with the hurdlers during his time at USC and helped place four women in the NCAA 60-meter hurdle final during the 2019 indoor campaign, resulting in a national championship by Chanel Brissett, running 7.90. Lyles coached his teams to a PAC-12 championship, MPSF indoor team championship and two NCAA team runner-up finishes during his time with the Trojans.
Lyles spent the 2018 season at Akron coaching the sprints, hurdles and relays. His athletes posted 12 marks in the Zips' all-time top-10, including three school records. He led Zips to 10 All-MAC selections as they won the women's team title outdoors, while coaching two athletes to outdoor conference meet records. Both the men and women were the league's runners-up indoors.
Lyles spent the 2014-17 seasons in the SEC at Missouri where he worked with the sprints, hurdles, jumps and relays. He helped rewrite the Tigers' record book with 13 school records, five All-SEC performances, two World Junior Championships finalists, and two US Junior National Champions, and compiled 16 All-America honors. Four of his athletes represented their home nations in international competitions.
He spent the prior four seasons an assistant overseeing sprints, hurdles and relays at San Diego State. In his final year with the Aztecs, he won the 2013 USTFCCCA West Region Women's Assistant Coach of the Year award as Shanieka Thomas won the triple jump at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. In the previous season, he saw the SDSU women finish ninth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, their best finish in program history.
While at San Diego State, Lyles' athletes won 17 conference titles, earned nine All-American honors and set 24 school and class records. Thomas earned Mountain West Athlete of the Year honors on her way to a runner-up finish at the 2012 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Before joining the Aztecs, Lyles trained at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California, under 1984 Olympic Gold Medalist Al Joyner.
Lyles was an All-American in the triple jump at Tennessee and was a member of the Vols' 2007 SEC Outdoor Championship team. Lyles was a Penn Relays champion in 2006 as part of the Vols' shuttle hurdle relay team.
He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology in 2008, and is a USATF Certified Coach for sprints, hurdles and relays. While still in college, he was both a high school club and a volunteer coach. He coached a high school national record holder and one of his high school athletes to the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 100m hurdles.
How to follow the Tigers: For complete information on Memphis Tigers Athletics, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the department's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Lyles arrives at Memphis after spending the last seven years on staff at Mississippi State including the last two seasons as Associate Head Track & Field Coach. During that span, he coached 37 All-Americans and two national champions, and the Bulldogs broke 24 program records, two NCAA meet records and one SEC record.
Lyles helped Mississippi State earn top-25 NCAA team finishes for five consecutive years including a sixth-place showing at the 2025 NCAA Indoor National Championships. Lyles coached sprints, relays, jumps and multi-events.
"I'm excited about the opportunity to lead the Memphis track & field and cross country teams. I'm grateful to President Hardgrave, Dr. Scott, Mr. Tim Duncan and Shalon Pillow for trusting me with leading this team into the future. I'm looking forward to embracing the city and building a team that will make us proud to be Tigers," Lyles said. "I'm looking forward to showcasing all we have to offer at Memphis and chasing championship trophies."
Over his career, Lyles has won two NCAA Runner-Up Team Trophies and has twice been recognized by his national governing body, USTFCCCA, as Regional Coach of the Year. He has coached athletes who went on to become Olympic Medalists and World Championship finalists.
"Coach Lyles is a proven program-builder with an outstanding track record and an unwavering commitment to excellence," said Dr. Ed Scott, Senior Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics. "He is a leader who develops student-athletes on and off the track and has consistently delivered results at the highest levels. We are excited to welcome him to Memphis and look forward to building on the success of our track & field and cross country programs under his leadership."
Most recently in 2026, Lyles coached three individuals and two relays at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. It included a First-Team All-American and a 4x400m relay team that earned Second-Team All-America honors with a 13th-place finish at nationals.
Before his time in Starkville, he was an assistant coach at USC. There, he coached Ayden Owens to the American Junior Record, World Jr. No. 2 All-Time global mark in the Men's Decathlon (8130 points). Ayden won Pac-12 Athlete of the Year during the 2019 season and broke a 30-year-old school record in winning the Bryan Clay Decathlon Invite.
Lyles also coached Earnie Sears to an undefeated regular season in the high jump. Sears broke into USC's legendary all-time top-five performances in the high jump with a personal best of 2.30m. Sears won a silver medal at the NACAC U23 Championships in the competition for Team USA. Sears became Lyles' seventh athlete to represent their country at an international competition.
He also aided with the hurdlers during his time at USC and helped place four women in the NCAA 60-meter hurdle final during the 2019 indoor campaign, resulting in a national championship by Chanel Brissett, running 7.90. Lyles coached his teams to a PAC-12 championship, MPSF indoor team championship and two NCAA team runner-up finishes during his time with the Trojans.
Lyles spent the 2018 season at Akron coaching the sprints, hurdles and relays. His athletes posted 12 marks in the Zips' all-time top-10, including three school records. He led Zips to 10 All-MAC selections as they won the women's team title outdoors, while coaching two athletes to outdoor conference meet records. Both the men and women were the league's runners-up indoors.
Lyles spent the 2014-17 seasons in the SEC at Missouri where he worked with the sprints, hurdles, jumps and relays. He helped rewrite the Tigers' record book with 13 school records, five All-SEC performances, two World Junior Championships finalists, and two US Junior National Champions, and compiled 16 All-America honors. Four of his athletes represented their home nations in international competitions.
He spent the prior four seasons an assistant overseeing sprints, hurdles and relays at San Diego State. In his final year with the Aztecs, he won the 2013 USTFCCCA West Region Women's Assistant Coach of the Year award as Shanieka Thomas won the triple jump at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. In the previous season, he saw the SDSU women finish ninth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, their best finish in program history.
While at San Diego State, Lyles' athletes won 17 conference titles, earned nine All-American honors and set 24 school and class records. Thomas earned Mountain West Athlete of the Year honors on her way to a runner-up finish at the 2012 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Before joining the Aztecs, Lyles trained at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California, under 1984 Olympic Gold Medalist Al Joyner.
Lyles was an All-American in the triple jump at Tennessee and was a member of the Vols' 2007 SEC Outdoor Championship team. Lyles was a Penn Relays champion in 2006 as part of the Vols' shuttle hurdle relay team.
He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology in 2008, and is a USATF Certified Coach for sprints, hurdles and relays. While still in college, he was both a high school club and a volunteer coach. He coached a high school national record holder and one of his high school athletes to the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 100m hurdles.
How to follow the Tigers: For complete information on Memphis Tigers Athletics, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the department's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Tuesday, July 07
Thursday, April 09
Tuesday, September 02
Friday, March 07