Dr. Garry Killgore is in his seventh year as director of athletics at Linfield University.
Killgore took over leadership of the athletic program in 2017, becoming just the fifth athletic director at Linfield since 1949. He joined a proud legacy of Hall of Fame athletic administrators that includes Scott Carnahan (1996-2016), Ad Rutschman (1973-96), Roy Helser (1968-73), and Paul Durham (1949-68).
Killgore is no stranger to Linfield arriving in 1989 to coach the track & field and cross-country programs for 21 years. He then stepped aside to focus on exercise science instruction and lead fellow faculty as the HHPA Department Head. Though he no longer is active on the academic side of HHPA, Killgore remains a full professor.
As Linfield’s track and field coach, Killgore was a six-time NCAA West Region Coach of the Year, a seven-time NWC Coach of the Year and was honored as the conference’s men’s cross-country coach of the Year after leading Linfield to the team title in 1994. His men’s teams won four NWC track & field team titles as the women took the honor in 1996.
In 1993, Killgore coached Curt Heywood, who won the NAIA National Indoor Championships in the pole vault to become Linfield’s first individual track and field champion. All 10 of the top marks in the men’s pole vault competed for Killgore during his tenure. Killgore also mentored Linfield’s first female individual national champion, Kerrie O’Sullivan, who won an individual title at the 1996 NAIA National Indoor Track & Field Championships in the high jump.
Under Killgore’s tutelage, a total of 53 athletes held track and field school records with eight men and 12 women continuing to hold current records. Ninety six athletes were accorded All-America acclaim while competing in Killgore’s program.
Inducted into the Linfield Athletics Hall of Fame in 2013, Killgore founded AQx Sports, Inc., a land and water-based training and rehabilitation system that has benefited athletes worldwide.
He and his wife, Lisa, have two grown children, Mike and Fen.