Assistant coach Tim Riley is entering his second year in the Arizona Track & Cross Country program. The Corvallis, Oregon native previously coached at Washington State University under track and field legend Rick Sloan and previous distance coach Pete Julian. Riley was hired by Washington State University to coach the men's and women's cross country teams Aug. 28, 2012, after serving as a volunteer assistant coach with the Cougars' program from 2008-2012.
In the 2016 outdoor track season, Collins Kibet got it done at the Pac-12 Championships where he took home the title at a time of 1:47.23. Redshirt freshman Bailey Roth thrived under coach Riley as he broke a freshman school-record in the steeplechase at the NCAA Championships at 8:37.38 for a 13th-place finish, earning him second-team All-America honors. Roth also finished in ninth-place at the Pac-12 championships.
For indoors, Riley coached Collins Kibet to a personal-best time of 1:48.04 in the 800-meter race at the MPSF Championships, good for a second-place finish. He coached Sam Willis to a tenth-place overall finish in the mile-race at the MPSF Championships with a personal-best time of 4:07.99. Claire Green highlighted the distance runners for the women as she finished seventh-place overall in the mile-race at the MPSF Championships with a time of 4:44.22.
During the 2015 cross country season, Riley coached the women’s team to a 14th-place finish at the NCAA West Regional. The top finisher at the West Regional for the women was Addi Zerrenner, who placed 30th-overall in the 6K race at a time of 21:20. Zerrenner finished 38th-overall at Pac-12’s with a time of 20:56.7, which was also a 6K race. The top finisher at Pac-12’s for the men was Collins Kibet, who finished 36th-overall in the 8K race with a time of 24:18.
In the 2014-15 season, Riley helped coach the men to and eighth-place finish and the women to and eighth place finish as well in the Pac-12 Cross Country Championships. For the men, Sam Macaluso was the fastest runner in the 8K race as he finished in 29th place with a time of 24:23. Collins Kibet finished just behind him with a time of 24:26 and finished in 30th place. For the women, Kristina Aubert ran the 6,000 meters in 21:06 and finished in 32nd for the event. Molly Callahan took 34th at the event with a time of 21:09 as well.
For indoors, Riley helped coach alongside coach James Li and assisted Collins Kibet to a third-place finish in the 800-meter race at the MPSF Championships with a time of 1:48.85. San Macaluso ran the 3K at the MPSF Championships and finished in 17th place with a time of 8:05.26, which was a personal best for him. On the women’s side, Elbvin Kibet took first place at the MPSF Championships with a time of 9:15.14. Kibet also ran the 5K in 16:13.35 at the MPSF Championships and qualified for the NCAA Championships, where she finished 12th with a time of 16:12.14. Kate Penney and Claire Green ran the mile and took 12th and 15th, respectively.
In the outdoor season, Collins Kibet led the way by finishing in seventh place in the 800-meter race at the NCAA Championships with a time of 1:50.35, earning him first-team All-American accolades. Collins Kibet also took second at the Pac-12 Championships in the 800-meter race with a time of 1:47.06. Elvin Kibet also earned All-American accolades by finishing in 13th place at the NCAA Championships in the 10K with a time of 34:12.57. Elvin Kibet also finished in third at the Pac-12 Championships in the 10K with a time of 35:04.97. In the 5K, Elvin Kibet finished in fourth at the Pac-12 Championships with a time of 16:09.81 and took 13th at the NCAA West Preliminaries as well with a time of 16:10.11.
While at Washington State, Riley had success on both the men’s and women’s side.  Under Riley’s guidance, the WSU women set 3 school records and had a total of 9 top 10 WSU marks on the track from the 800m to 10,000m. At the 2014 Pac-12 Track and Field Championships Ruby Roberts finished seventh in the women’s 1500m, and Abby Regan finished fifth in the women’s 800m.  On the men’s side, Riley coached Jesse Jorgensen to earn All-American honors in the 2014 NCAA Indoor Championships in the men’s 800m.  Also in 2014, Andrew Gonzales (steeplechase) and Jesse Jorgensen (800m) qualified for the NCAA Track and Field Outdoor National Championships.  At the 2014 Pac-12 Championships, WSU’s men scored in the 3,000m steeplechase (third, six), the 800m (fourth), and in the 5,000m (seventh).  For the 2014 NCAA West Regional Preliminary Round, WSU had six qualifiers and 27 total individual qualifiers since 2010 in the 800m, 1500m, Steeplechase, 5,000m, 10,000m events.  In cross country, the WSU women finished 14th and 19th while the men have finished eighth and seventh in the 2013 and 2012 NCAA West Regional.  In 2011 the men qualified for the NCAA National Cross Country Championships in 2011 where they finished 21st, the highest finish since 1998.
Prior to WSU, Riley was an assistant coach of track and field and cross country at the College of Idaho from 2004 to 2006. During the 2004 season, Riley coached the men's team to a 17th place finish at the NAIA Cross Country National Championships. The Coyotes had three individual qualifiers for the 2005 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships and three individual qualifiers for the 2004 Cross Country National Championships during Riley's time there. Riley also coached one All-American at the 2005 NAIA Indoor Track and Field National Championships.Â
Riley was an outstanding cross country and track and field athlete at Eastern Oregon University where he earned All-America honors in 2004. He was a two-time NAIA indoor track and field national qualifier and a three-time NAIA outdoor track and field national qualifier, winning the 2004 10,000m national championship. While at Eastern Oregon, Riley also went to four NAIA cross country national championships and was a member of the first place NAIA cross country national championship academic team in 2001. During his time competing at Eastern Oregon, Riley was a four-time cross country MVP and selected track and field MVP once.
He attended Eastern Oregon University where he earned a B.S. in Biology with minors in Chemistry and Art, (2004). In May 2012 he received his PhD in neuroscience from the department of veterinary and comparative anatomy, pharmacology and physiology (VCAPP) at Washington State University.Â
Riley has been a United States of America Track and Field member from 2008 to present and has been a member of the Society of Neuroscience during that time period. He enjoys fly-fishing, golf, photography and backpacking.
