For immediate release, Florida State Track and Field
Contact: Bob Thomas (bthomas2@fsu.edu)

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The chance to compete for NCAA championships in cross country and track & field at Florida State was enough to bring Kelly Phillips back to the state where she launched her coaching career and hopes to conclude it.

Phillips has been named the head women’s cross country coach for the nationally-ranked Seminoles, and will also direct the women’s distance program on the track.

Florida State head coach Bob Braman, who gave Phillips her first full-time coaching position in 1997 at South Florida, has turned to the veteran of 19 collegiate seasons to replace Karen Harvey. Harvey, who led the cross country and women’s distance programs to unprecedented heights, resigned in March.

“I’m excited to welcome Kelly Phillips to the Seminole Family,” Braman said. “Kelly is a talented and accomplished coach that I know can lead our ladies back to national contenders in cross country, while adding national distance scorers in track & field.

“We worked together at South Florida and I watched her take that program from a Conference USA contender to a top 25 national team.”

Phillips, who is in her sixth season at Miami (Ohio) University as the women’s cross country and track & field coach, simply could not resist the opportunity.

“It’s very exciting,” Phillips said. “Initially, my first reaction was, ‘Miami is a great place; I’m in a great situation. Why would I want to leave?’

“The thought of working with coach Braman again is very attractive to me. Then when he started talking about FSU winning a national championship, the competitive side of me came out and I was drooling over the possibilities. When you’re talking about a school like Florida State, it quickly becomes a no-brainer. From a personal standpoint, with the friends and the administration I’ve had here, it was a tough decision.”

A two-time Olympic Trials qualifier in the 1500 following a record-setting career at Auburn, Phillips has enjoyed success on a multitude of levels. At South Florida (1997-2001), where she served as associate head coach before succeeding Braman following his departure to Florida State, Phillips led the Bulls to three Conference USA cross country titles – twice with the women and once with the men – and had 33 student-athletes qualify for the NCAA Championships. She earned three CUSA Coach of the Year honors in cross country (two women, one men), NCAA South Region Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year three times and the CUSA Women’s Track & Field Coach of the Year in her final season. Out of coaching for three years following the birth of her sons, Michael and Connor, Phillips returned as the women’s assistant cross country and distance coach at Purdue, serving from 2005-2009.

Hired at Miami (Ohio) in 2009, she delivered the first of two Mid-American Conference women’s cross country team championships in her first fall. The second followed in 2013, snapping a three-year run by Toledo. Each year she was selected the MAC Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year. On the track, the Redhawks have finished in the top-four at the MAC Championships five times between the indoor and outdoor seasons. She has coached multiple NCAA Championship individual qualifiers between cross country and track with the Redhawks, while also setting a high standard for academic excellence, with both the cross country and track & field teams earning USTFCCCA All-Academic honors. That too has been a common thread throughout Phillips’ coaching career.

Phillips began her coaching career as a graduate assistant at Auburn (1991-93), after establishing 14 school records and earning All-American honors in both the mile and 3000-meter run there as a student-athlete. She graduated in 1991 with a degree in marketing. After experiencing success at the SEC, Conference USA, Big Ten and Mid-American conference levels, Phillips will apply what she has learned along the way in the ACC.

“They all have very different dynamics; the kind of athletes they bring in and the competitive success they look for,” Phillips said. “It’s been an exciting coaching career, but to go back to Florida and be with a bunch of coaches that want to win a national championship and do it the right way, it makes it hard to sleep at night when you think like that.

“When you’re talking national championships, I really, really like to win. It’s Florida State. It’s awesome.”

In addition to her own coaching experience, Phillips has also been influenced by her nationally-renowned post-collegiate coaches, Frank Gagliano and Ron Helmer.

“I trained under Frank Gagliano and coach Ron Helmer – who is at Indiana now and was at Georgetown at the time – with the Reebok Enclave,” said Phillips, who lived and trained with an elite group of USA athletes in the Washington, D.C. area. “That was a tremendous experience, trying to be the best.”

With her competitive career winding down, Phillips connected with Braman, who was then the coach at South Florida.

“He just took a chance on me and it was great,” said Phillips, who fondly remembers the two of them directing a combined program of 100 athletes. “I learned a ton. We lucked into some good success down there and it was a great place.”

Braman was clearly impressed, and has kept tabs on Phillips’ progress throughout her career.

“She’s a tireless recruiter and that's going to pay huge dividends in our quest for that elusive national title,” Braman said. “At all her coaching stops she’s had national distance qualifiers in track & field and that’s key to our pursuit of a national title.

“But just as importantly, Kelly is very personable and an extremely caring coach. I’m confident our ladies will flourish under her guidance."

Phillips will finish the outdoor season at Miami University and will officially join the Florida State staff on June 1, following the NCAA East Preliminary meet.

“I appreciate the confidence that not only the athletic director, Mr. [Stan] Wilcox, but coach Braman have shown in me,” Phillips said. “I appreciate the opportunity and am very excited to come to FSU and win a national championship. I hope the returning and incoming athletes are excited and have that goal as well.”