ITHACA, N.Y. - Kayla Evans joins the Cornell women's track and field staff as an assistant coach. Evans brings a wealth of experience in leadership, athletics, and academic support to the Big Red.

A native of Seattle, WA, Evans is a 2013 graduate of the University of Washington, specializing in the distance events. She was a member of the Husky team that placed third at the 2009 NCAA DI Women's Cross Country National Championship, with additional Pac 10 and 12, West Region, and NCAA championship experience in cross country and track & field.

Evans holds a bachelor's degree in biology with a minor in education from UW, to go along with a Master's in Sport and Exercise Performance Psychology from Minnesota State. She also holds a USATF Level 1 Coaching certification.

"I am thrilled for the opportunity to contribute to the rich tradition of track & field at Cornell. The combination of a prestigious academic institution, high-caliber competition, and an unbeatable location made Cornell an ideal place to put down professional roots. Mike Henderson and the Big Red staff have set a strong foundation of athletic excellence, guiding an exceptional group of student-athletes", Evans mentions. She goes on to say, "I look forward to adding my varied experiences in coaching and sport psychology to help the team grow to new levels of success, both on and off the track".

Coach Evans joins Cornell track and field following a stint at the Pro Sports Club (2015-2020), Newport High School (2017-2021) and Minnesota State (2021-2023).
 
At Minnesota State, Evans aided in the development of many high-achievers, including an NCAA DII All-American, three NCAA DII Qualifiers, two All-Region performances, two NSIC Champions, two NSIC Runner-Ups, and season-long national team ranking in cross country. She was a member of a coaching staff that produced a team sweep of the NSIC indoor and outdoor conference titles and won the 2021 Women's Indoor National Championship for NCAA DII. Evans was apart of the Minnesota State group that was named the 2022 NCAA DII Scholar Team of the Year for Indoor Track & Field.
 
Prior to Minnesota State, Evans spent four years as the head cross country and track and field coach at Newport High School in Bellevue, Washington. Under her leadership, the program revived and produced a cross country district championship, top-10 state cross country team, a state champion, multiple district champions, and numerous collegiate athletes.