Eastern Illinois cross country and track & field has added seven runners to the men's team that will compete in both cross country and distance events for the Panthers this upcoming season. All seven in the group have multiple state championship appearances including one state champion.
The incoming distance crew includes Joe Stoddard, Mario Torres, Bryson Grant, Ryan Palmer, Sam Cruz, Sam Shipp and Cale Smith.
Joe Stoddard (Mt. Horeb, Wis.) competed in cross country and track at Mt. Horeb High School. Stoddard was a three-time state qualifier in cross country wrapping up his prep career as the state champion as a senior. He won the WIAA D2 State Championship with a 5K time of 15:54.7. He posted his season best at the 5K distance earlier in the year at the Midwest Invitational with a time of 15:27.4. He placed 27th at the state meet as a junior and competed as a freshman. The state championship was not contested during his sophomore year due to COVID-19. Following his junior and senior years he competed in the NXR Heartland Regional Championships. In track and field he was a two-time state qualifier in the 3200 meter run. As a senior he placed sixth in the state in the WIAA D1 State Championship with a finals time of 9:11.64. He was eighth in the state as a sophomore at the WIAA D2 State Championship.
Mario Torres (Wheeling, Ill.) competed in cross country and track at Buffalo Grove High School advancing to the IHSA Class 3A State Championship as a senior. Torres placed 28th at the state meet with a 3-mile finals time of 15:31.5. He was second in the Hoffman Estates Sectional after winning the Palatine Regional. Torres season best time at the 3-mile distance was 14:40.7 with a third place finish at the First To The Finish Invite. Following his senior year he competed in the NXR Heartland Regional Championships. As a track and field athlete he would make three different trips to the IHSA State Track Championships. As a senior he placed 23rd in the 3200 meter run with a finals time of 9:34.67. He advanced to the state meet as a junior in the 4x800 meter relay and in the 800 meter run as a sophomore.
Bryson Grant (Onarga, Ill.) competed in cross country and track at Iroquois West High School where he was a two-time IHSA Class 1A state qualifier in cross country. As a senior he finished eighth with a 3-mile finals time of 15:42.5 after winning the Bishop McNamara Regional. Grant's season best time for the year was 15:30 at the 3-mile distance. He placed 18th in the state as a junior with a finals time of 15:27.2. As a track and field athlete Grant was a three-time IHSA Class 1A State Championship qualifier in the 1600 meter run. He posted back-to-back fourth place podium finishes as a junior and senior with finals time of 4:22.68 as a senior. His fourth place time at the state meet as a junior was 4:23.34.
Ryan Palmer (Naperville, Ill.) competed in cross country and track at Neaqua Valley High School where he was a two-time IHSA Class 3A state qualifier in cross country. As a junior he placed 53rd at the state championship with a 3-mile finals time of 15:13.85. He would finish 69th at the state championship as a senior with a 3-mile finals time of 15:55.54. As a track and field athlete Palmer competed in the 800 meter and 1600 meter distances. He competed in the 1600 meter run at the Class 3A Plainfield North Sectional as a senior and in the 800 meter and 4x800 relay at the DuPage Valley Conference Championship.
Sam Cruz (Wheaton, Ill.) competed in cross country and track at Wheaton Warrenville South High School where he advanced to the IHSA Class 3A State Championships in cross country as a junior and senior. He would place 133rd at the state meet with a 3-mile finals time of 16:22.0 as a senior. He placed second at the St. Charles East Regional and sixth at the Lake Park Sectional posting a season-best 3-mile time of 15:20.0. As a track and field athlete he competed in the 1600 meter and 3200 meter distance races. As a senior he was a member of the IHSA Class 3A state qualifier in the 4x800 meter relay, the team posting a state finals time of 7:55.93.
Sam Shipp (Arnold, Mo.) competed in cross country and track at Fox High School where he advanced to the Missouri State Championships in cross country during his senior year. Shipp placed 23rd at the MSHSAA Class 5 championship with a 5K finals time of 16:04.7. As a track and field athlete Shipp competed in both the 1600 meter and 3200 meter distance races. He advanced to the MSHSAA Class 5 State Championships in the 1600 meter run as a senior placing 16th with a finals time of 4:35.0. He posted a top three finish in both the 1600 meter and 3200 meter events at the District Championships.
Cale Smith (Decatur, Ill.) competed in cross country and track at Decatur Eisenhower High School where he advanced to the IHSA Class 2A State Championships in cross country as a junior. He placed 54th at the state meet with a 3-mile finals time of 15:50.4. As a senior his cross country program was a co-op with Decatur MacArthur HS with his season best time posting at 15:32.1. As a track and field athlete Smith was a two-time IHSA Class 2A state qualifier in the 1600 meter run. As a senior he was third in the state with a bronze medal finals time of 4:16.46. He placed tenth in the state in the 1600 meter run as a junior.
EIU men's cross country has won three consecutive Ohio Valley Conference Championships with ten overall OVC titles since joining the league. The men's track and field program was the 2023 OVC Indoor team champion.
