In 2012, coach Nephi Tyler begins his first season at the helm of the Sarah Lawrence College men's and women's cross country team. He was assistant coach during the 2011 season, which saw both teams make great strides as a program.
Tyler was a distance runner on the cross country and track & field teams at the University of Utah where he studied journalism. At Utah, he set the school record in the 1500m (3:43.48) and placed 11th at the 2003 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships in the mile.
After graduation, Tyler trained at the University of Arkansas for two years under coach John McDonnell, who holds the NCAA all-time coaching record with 42 national championship team titles. While training under McDonnell, Tyler qualified for several USA Championships, placed 22nd at the 2006 USA Cross Country Championships, and improved his personal bests in the mile (4:03) and 3000m (7:57).
Tyler is originally from Fairhaven, Mass. As a high-school senior, he was a state champion in the mile (4:20) and also won the mile at the Loucks Games in White Plains, N.Y.
