Tempe – Sun Devil Track and Field is gearing up for the 2025-26 season with the addition of two new coaches: Former USC Associate Head Coach Milton Mallard and ASU alum Adam Meyer. Mallard will continue in his role as Associate Head Coach, bringing a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success. Meyer will join the staff as the Cross Country Coach and Assistant Coach for the track and field program.
Head Coach Dion Miller shared his confidence in the new hires, explaining why both Mallard and Meyers are the right fit for the program: “They’re both two great men. Milton has coached over 30 years combined professionally and collegiately. He has coached in three major conferences, including the SEC, Big 12, and the Big 10, and now he’s returning back to the Big 12. In terms of who Milton is as a coach, he’s an outstanding recruiter and one of the best coaches in the country. That's really what made Milton stick out. Everywhere he's been, he's added to the programs as an Assistant Coach, and programs have gotten significantly better on the national and conference level. And with Adam being one of my former student-athletes, I couldn't find a better person that I can entrust with our cross country and distance group. In terms of who Adam is, he's always been a very respectable young man, with character, and a hard worker. With those two combined, I felt like they were the right fit for the positions, with Milton being an Associate Head Coach and Adam being the Cross Country Coach/Distance Coach.”
Mallard brings over a decade of elite coaching experience to the collegiate track and field world, with an impressive track record of developing top-tier talent. During his tenure at Texas A&M (2011–12, 2018–23), he coached nine NCAA National Champions, seven USATF National Champions, and 27 Conference Champions.
His athletes also earned 46 NCAA All-American honors under his guidance. In the 2023–24 season, Mallard served as the Associate Head Coach at UTEP, where his leadership contributed to six school records being broken. Most recently, he was the Associate Head Coach of Cross Country at USC, continuing his tradition of excellence at the highest level.
When asked about what he plans on bringing to the track and field program, he emphasized “Consistency. I think the number one most important thing is to be on time, be at work every day and totally pour into our student athletes. Be consistently present, consistently every day with the kids and to be excited about the journey. I also want to thank Coach Miller, Mr. Rossini, Mr. Williams, and the entire ASU staff for welcoming me and my family to Arizona State University."
His coaching impact has extended to the international stage. He coached five Olympic medalists (three gold, two bronze) and five World Championship medalists (two gold, two silver, two bronze), underscoring his ability to develop world-class athletes. He also served as Team USA’s Assistant Women’s Distance Coach for the 2023 NACAC U23 Championships and was the Head Jumps Coach for Bermuda’s World Indoor Championship Team in 2008.
Before his successful coaching career, Mallard was a standout professional track athlete from 1997 to 2005. He competed throughout the U.S. and Europe, including a notable appearance at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 200m. His athletic resume includes a 4th-place finish in the 200m at the 2000 USATF Indoor Championships and global recognition as a Top-20 ranked 200m sprinter in 1994, 2000, and 2004.
His collegiate career was equally distinguished. Competing for UTEP (1992–94) and LSU (1994–95), he was a five-time NCAA All-American and five-time WAC Champion. In 1995, he won two SEC titles and was a scoring member on two NCAA Championship Top-3 finishing teams. His runner-up finish in the 400m at the 1994 NCAA Indoor Championships highlighted his versatility and elite performance at the national level.
In regards to the cross country program, Meyer returns to Tempe after a successful collegiate career with the Sun Devils, where he competed in both indoor and outdoor middle-distance events. His indoor personal bests include 51.75 in the 400m, 1:22.18 in the 600m, 1:52.01 in the 800m, and 4:28.43 in the mile.
When asked about his return to Arizona State as a coach, Meyer quoted, “As an alumni, I got a lot of pride and love for the program. So to have the opportunity to come back here and give back to the school, to the student athletes, the community, and the run community in Arizona State, it's great. I thank Coach Miller for the opportunity and I'm very excited to get to work and really help out this program.”
Outdoors, he posted top times of 1:51.58 in the 800m and 3:58.21 in the 1500m. Meyer brings familiarity, passion, and a strong competitive background to his new role leading the cross country program and supporting the track and field team.
In response to how these hires align with his long-term vision for the program, Head Coach Dion Miller emphasized their impact on elevating the team's national and conference standing: "When you look at our program at a glance, our goal is to compete at both the national and conference levels. We aim to consistently be in the top three of the conference and top 10 nationally. With the additions of Milton and Adam, I truly believe we’re in a stronger position—especially when combined with our current staff. Our goal is to get back into the national conversation, and with Milton and Adam’s perspectives, we’re confident in our ability to identify key recruits and strengthen those areas that will help us reach our program goals of being top 10 nationally and top three in the conference."