Kelly Lycan was hired to the position of head coach of the Western Michigan University women’s cross country and track and field teams prior to the 2001-02 seasons.
Since being named the Broncos’ fifth head coach, WMU has won 49 individual Mid-American Conference titles and 20 MAC relay titles spread across the indoor and outdoor seasons. In cross country he has produced 12 All-MAC selections and saw Hanne Christensen win the individual title at the 2017 MAC Championship. Danielle Brown (400m hurdles, 2007), Irene Cooper (indoor weight throw, 2010), and Becky Horn (800m run, indoors/outdoors 2008, indoors 2007) have all achieved All-American honors under Lycan. He also coached the 4x400-meter relay team of Andrea Arnold, Iris Campbell, Victoria Chatman and Leya Munwam to Second Team All-American honors after finishing 14th at the 2012 Outdoor NCAA Championships.
As a team the Broncos have finished runners up at the Outdoor MAC Championship in 2007 and 2008, while also taking second at the Indoor MAC Championships in 2011, 2008 and 2007.
Under Lycan, Western Michigan has been a fixture at the NCAA Regional Championships and the NCAA Championships in track and field. The Broncos have also had continued success at historic meets like the Penn Relays and the Drake Relays.
Before arriving at WMU, Lycan spent seven years (1993-00) as the top assistant at Ball State University. During those years the Cardinals won a total of seven indoor and outdoor MAC Championships, where he tutored 41 individual MAC Champions.
Lycan has also experienced great success at the elite level, having coached former Ball State star LaTasha Jenkins to an NCAA Championship in the 200m in 1999. Her time of 22.29 is still the American collegiate record, making her the fastest American college woman ever. Lycan also coached Jenkins in 2000, when she teamed up with Marion Jones to set a world record in the 4x200m relay and later qualified for the finals of the 200m at the 2000 Olympic Trials.
Lycan began his coaching career at the University of Arkansas (1983-90) where he helped take the Lady Razorbacks from the bottom of the Southwest Conference to a team ranked by Track and Field News as one of the top-20 in the nation. Lycan also spent time as the men’s assistant coach at Southwest Missouri State (1993-94) and was an assistant at Eastern Michigan (1992-93).
A native of Wooster, Ohio, Lycan received a bachelor of fine arts degree in creative writing from Bowling Green in 1981, while lettering in football and track. He still ranks third in kickoff return average, averaging 25.9 yards during the 1981 season. Lycan went on to earn his master’s in creative writing from Arkansas in 1990. Still an active competitor, Lycan finished third in the 110m hurdles for athletes ages 45-49 at the U.S. National Master’s meet in 2006, and also finished second at the 2005 U.S. National Master’s Decathlon championships.
Kelly and his wife Nicole are the parents of two children, a daughter, Clare and a son, Grady.
