The University of Tennessee has strengthened its track and field coaching staff with the addition of Baylee Mires, who has been hired as an assistant coach overseeing cross country and distance athletes.
Tennessee head coach and director of track and field Duane Ross announced the appointment Thursday, with Mires set to work alongside head cross country coach Justin Duncan.
Mires arrives in Knoxville after spending the past three seasons at Louisville, where she played an important role in the development of the Cardinals’ distance program. During her time there, Louisville produced an NCAA individual champion, eight USTFCCCA All-Americans, two ACC individual champions and 16 NCAA Championship qualifiers.
Her work during the 2026 season earned her USTFCCCA Southeast Regional Men’s Outdoor Assistant Coach of the Year honors.
Ross expressed his excitement about bringing Mires to Tennessee, praising her record of developing athletes and her success at both the conference and national levels. He also highlighted her experience, energy and coaching approach as qualities that should strengthen the Volunteers’ program.
Duncan similarly welcomed the hire, describing Mires as a hardworking coach who brings a fresh perspective and a strong commitment to helping athletes reach their potential.
Mires Brings Impressive Recent Success
Mires played a significant role in Louisville’s outstanding 2026 outdoor campaign.
She helped guide Geoffrey Kirwa to an NCAA championship in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase, while Elsingi Kipruto captured NCAA silver in the 10,000 meters and bronze in the 5,000 meters. Ryan Farrell also earned Second Team All-America recognition in the 800 meters.
Kirwa and Kipruto both established ACC and Louisville records during the season. Kirwa’s 8:08.10 in the steeplechase also moved him to No. 2 on the all-time collegiate performance list.
Kirwa was subsequently recognized as both the ACC and USTFCCCA Southeast Regional Men’s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year.
Kipruto also enjoyed a remarkable freshman campaign, becoming the first athlete in ACC history to win the conference’s Freshman of the Year awards in cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field.
During the indoor season, Mires helped Kipruto earn ACC Men’s Indoor Freshman of the Year honors after he finished fourth in the NCAA Indoor Championships 5,000 meters and third in the ACC 3,000 meters.
Louisville’s athletes also established program records in the men’s 3,000 and 5,000 meters, men’s 800 meters and women’s mile, while seven freshman records were set during the indoor campaign.
Strong Cross Country Background
Mires was also instrumental in Louisville’s 2025 cross country success.
The Cardinals’ men’s team qualified for the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2015 and finished 26th nationally. Kipruto earned All-America honors after placing 39th individually.
Louisville also finished sixth at the NCAA Southeast Regional Championships, its best result in a decade, while its eighth-place finish at the ACC Championships represented the program’s best showing since 2016.
Mires previously spent the 2022-23 season at Florida State as the women’s distance coach. During her lone season with the Seminoles, she helped the women’s cross country team reach the NCAA Championships after finishing second at the NCAA South Region Championships. Florida State ultimately placed 18th nationally.
She also coached Alyson Churchill to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 5,000 meters, where Churchill earned Second Team All-America honors.
Before Florida State, Mires began her collegiate coaching career at Notre Dame in 2021-22. She helped the Fighting Irish produce nine NCAA All-Americans, 10 NCAA First Round qualifiers and seven All-ACC selections. Notre Dame’s women’s cross country team also finished fifth at the 2021 NCAA Championships.
Former Washington Standout
Mires brings experience as both a coach and accomplished athlete.
A native of Spokane, Washington, she competed collegiately at the University of Washington from 2012 through 2016 before moving into professional competition with the Brooks Beast Track Club and Under Armour.
During her collegiate career, she earned first-team All-America honors in the 800 meters as a senior and in the distance medley relay during both her junior and senior seasons. She also received second-team All-America recognition in the 800 meters as a junior.
As a freshman, Mires was part of Washington’s 2012 national championship distance medley relay team, which became the first women’s squad in program history to win an indoor national championship.
She also gained high school coaching experience at Bishop Blanchet High School and Interlake High School in the Seattle area.
Now joining Tennessee, Mires said she is eager to help build a distance program capable of competing for championships. She emphasized the strength of Tennessee’s culture, resources and community while expressing excitement about developing student-athletes, recruiting top talent and contributing to the program’s championship ambitions.
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