Chambana Sun

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Director of track, field and cross country Petros Kyprianou announced the hiring of Dillon Yearby as the team's new director of operations on Monday (Sept. 2).

"We are excited to welcome Dillon to the Illini family," said Kyprianou. "He comes to us highly recommended by NCAA Championships-winning coaches and has experience at two major programs. He's a Midwest guy and wants to plant some roots in the area; we are happy to help him with that. We feel he is a great fit for our team needs and goals as we navigate the new NCAA setting. We are very grateful to Courtney Hill for her service here and wish her all the best as she moves up the administration ladder!"

Yearby comes to Illinois after spending the past two seasons (2022-24) at Florida State University in the same role. He also served as the meet coordinator for the 2023 ACC Cross Country Championships.

"I want to thank Coach Kyprianou for trusting me to assist the program," Yearby said. "Coach Kyprianou is a legendary figure in the sport, and I'm excited for the opportunity to work with him. I'm a Midwest native, so working at Illinois is a bit of a homecoming for me. I'm honored for the opportunity to wear the Orange and Blue."

Before FSU, Yearby became the assistant director of operations for the Notre Dame track, field and cross country program in fall 2021. He was then promoted to interim director of operations in spring 2022. He served as assistant meet director for the ACC Cross Country Championships in 2021 and meet director for the 2022 Meyo Invitational track and field meet.

In 2019-20, Yearby helped the University of Southern Indiana (USI) secure a pair of GLVC Cross Country titles, while both men's and women's teams earned spots at the 2019 NCAA Division II Championships. He also played a role in USI's successful hosting of both GLVC and NCAA II Midwest Region Championship meets in 2019.

Prior to USI, he spent time with UMary Marauders (2017-19). Yearby contributed significantly to UMary's women's cross country team achieving back-to-back Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference titles, consecutive NCAA DII Central Region championships, and second-place finishes at NCAA DII National Championships.

UMary produced eight All-America honorees during his tenure as a graduate assistant; their success extended onto track events where Yearby coached a national champion in 5,000 meters and runner-up in 3,000 meters while UMary women finished fourth at NCAA DII Indoor Championships in 2018.

The men's program at UMary also thrived during his time there with several competitors earning All-Conference accolades.

During his period as student assistant at USI, Eagles' men’s and women’s cross country teams captured Great Lakes Valley Conference titles from 2014 through 2016 along with multiple All-America honors on both cross country course and track fields; notably Eagles’ men secured three individual national championships on track.

Yearby earned his bachelor's degree in sport management focusing on intercollegiate athletics from USI in 2016 followed by an MBA from UMary obtained by completing studies there through year-end completion date listed being finalized during course schedules provided confirming eligibility terms met ensuring qualifications fulfilled under regulatory guidelines set forth accordingly per academic institution standards maintaining compliance adherence protocols administered appropriately ensuring academic integrity upheld throughout educational journey undertaken fulfilling necessary requisites prescribed therein respectively accordingly thus concluding formal educational pursuits completed successfully meeting established criteria requisite thereof affirming credentials duly awarded validated verifiable confirming authenticity records maintained archival repository securely preserved institutional records official documentation accessible upon request verification purposes authorized 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