Ryan Hill has been named California's Associate Head Cross Country Coach & Assistant Track Coach, Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Robyne Johnson announced on Aug. 14.

"I am thrilled to welcome Ryan Hill to our coaching staff," Johnson said. "He brings a wealth of experience as both a coach and competitor at the NCAA and international levels, which will be invaluable to our athletes and our program. Ryan's experience coaching on a staff that has won four NCAA titles is immeasurable, and I am excited about the knowledge, perspective, and expertise he will bring to our team. Most importantly, I look forward to the energy and passion Ryan will bring to our program. I am confident that his addition will have a tremendous impact on our athletes."

Hill comes to Berkeley after spending the past five seasons on the NC State coaching staff, first as a volunteer assistant before becoming an assistant coach in 2023. During his time with the Wolfpack, he helped the women's cross country program win four NCAA team titles and four ACC championships. He also helped lead the men's cross country team to an 11th-place finish at the 2022 NCAA Championships.

In 2024, Hill also began coaching at the professional level, serving as an assistant coach for Laurie Henes' Adidas professional athletes, including Katelyn Tuohy. With Henes, he implemented world-class training for USATF and World Championship qualification.

"I think that Cal is a special environment that can keep the focus on developing student-athletes," Hill said. "It's the No. 1 public school in the country, and I don't think that can be understated. I want our cross country teams to strive for athletic greatness based on team goals. That purpose shouldn't take away from academics and the larger goal: to develop people that can graduate from Cal and provide value in anything they want to pursue after their time here."

"I want to strike a balance with academics and athletics. There's a time, place and value for both and they should be mutually beneficial. I've been in high-level athletics for the past 20 years, both coaching and being an athlete. I've seen a lot of things that worked for athletes and a lot that didn't. Understanding that athletes are people who have to embrace adversity and grow through challenges is the essential takeaway."

In his five years at the Division I level, Hill has helped develop 12 All-Americans and 38 NCAA championship qualifiers.

Hill ran track and cross country at NC State from 2008-13, where he was a 10-time All-American and nine-time ACC champion. He was named ACC Rookie of the Year in 2008 and honored as the NCAA Southeast Region Athlete of the Year as a senior, winning the NCAA Southeast Regional Championship.

Hill earned his master's degree in sport management before embarking on a successful professional running career. He competed professionally for Nike and Bowerman Track Club from 2013-20, as well as Hoka and NAZ Elite in 2020. A longtime member of the U.S. national team, Hill brings extensive experience competing at the highest levels of the sport, including multiple World Championships appearances and international competition.

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