Pat will be entering his 12th year as the Director of Track & Field / Cross Country at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. During his tenure, the Gonzaga program has evolved into one of the top 10 Division 1 programs in the West. Under his coaching, the Zags have made first-ever appearances at national championships, had program-best finishes at conference and regional championships, and received several prestigious academic honors. All of the top program’s indoor and outdoor track records have been set in the past four years, and the fastest times in cross country have been run since 2014.
Prior to taking over for the Zags of the Division 1 West Coast Conference, Pat was the Head Coach of legendary South Eugene High School and spent the 2006-2007 season as head distance running coach at the University of Kentucky, coaching the distance running program in Lexington. He also previously spent time as the head coach of a perennial power boys program at Mead (Washington) High School.
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. Beginning in 1986, Tyson’s Mead harrier squads amassed an amazing dual record of 145-6, and his distance runners 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 seven top-five national rankings. In the fall of 2004, his squad placed 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 of any program nationally.