Kyprianou Named USTFCCCA Midwest Region Women’s Coach of the Year

USTFCCCA Release

NEW ORLEANS – The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced their regional outdoor season honors for the 2025 season on Friday (June 20).

Director of track, field and cross country Petros Kyprianou was named the Midwest Region’s Women’s Coach of the Year in his third season leading the Illinois track and field programs.

“I am honored to receive this award, but I could not do it alone,” said Kyprianou. “I want to thank everyone on my staff as they are some of the best in the country and make my job easier. My athletes are also world class in responding to our coaching, but more importantly they are amazing people outside of athletics. We are just scratching the surface here at Illinois and we will continue improve and compete at the national level. Why not Illinois?”

This honor comes on the heels of the program’s first top-5 finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 29 years, they placed fifth with 29.5 points. It’s only the second time this century that the team has finished inside the top-10 joining the 2002 team that took 10th. Fifth is now the program’s third-highest finish as the 1995 and 1996 teams each finished in fourth.

He led 10 women to qualify to the NCAA Outdoor Championships across six events with six of them walking away as All-Americans:  Sophia Beckmon (long Jump), Tacoria Humphrey (long jump),  Mia Morello (pole vault), Abria Smith (shot put), Melissa Wullschleger (heptathlon) and Rose Yeboah (high jump). Those six All-American’s are also the most the program has seen since the 1996 team had 10.

Kyprianou coached Humphrey and Smith to Big Ten Champion status, five school records and 41 top-10 program marks throughout the outdoor season. Additionally, he’s the first coach in program history to be tabbed at the USTFCCCA Midwest Region Women’s Coach of the Year.

Members coaches voted on these honors after the 2025 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships this past weekend in Eugene, Ore., and considered performances throughout the season. Only USTFCCCA member schools are eligible for awards.