Eastern Illinois director of track & field / cross country James Gildon has announced the first portion of the Panthers incoming class of athletes for the men's programs that will join the Panthers for the 2026-27 season.
 
The group of nine athletes combines multiple state championship qualifiers and one state champion.
 
EIU men's track and field won the 2026 Ohio Valley Conference Outdoor Championship, the 18th outdoor title in program history.
 
Below are quick bios on each of the incoming men's athletes.
 
Khaliq Akou – Competed in track and field at Bloomington South High School in in Bloomington, Ind… reached the Indiana State Championships as a junior in the 100 meter, 200 meter and 4x100 relay events… posted season best 200 meter time of 21.62 at the event… season best 100 meter time of 10.96 came at the Regional 7 Championships… qualified for the Sectional Championships in the 200 meter as a senior hitting the qualifying time of 22.08…
 
Reid Carlen – Competed in track and field at Cumberland High School in Toledo, Ill… qualified for the IHSA Class 1A State Championships in the 100 meter and 200 meter events as a senior… landed on the podium in the 100 meter with an eighth place finish and finals time of 10.89… posted a season best 100 time of 10.82… was second in the 100 meter at the Newton Sectional… ran a season best time of 22.15 in the 200 meter at the state championship… reached the IHSA state championships in the 100 meter and 200 meter event as a sophomore and junior, placed sixth in the state in the 100 meter as a sophomore…
 
Luke Eganhouse – Competed in both track and cross country at Normal Community High School in Normal, Ill… primary sport was track and field as a middle distance runner… advanced to the IHSA Class 3A State Championships as a senior in the 4x400 and 4x800 relay events… ran opening leg on Bloomington Sectional Championship 4x800 relay team that posted a time of 7:49.04… placed fifth during the indoor season in the 800 meter run at the Illinois Top Times Class 3A event… competed in cross country taking part in the Sectional Championships as a junior and senior…
 
Cam Gunn  – Competed in track and field at Peoria High School in Peoria, Ill… advanced to the IHSA Class 3A State Championships in the high jump as a senior placing ninth in the state with a finals height of 6'6"… cleared 6'6" height in two other meets during senior outdoor season… finished eighth in the high jump at the Illinois Top Times meet during the indoor season as a senior…
 
Dakota Edwards – Competed in track and field at Proviso West High School in Hillside, Ill… threw both shot put and discus in high school placing fourth at the IHSA Class 3A State Championships in the shot put as a senior with a finals throw of 61'1.25"… won the Oak Park-River Forest Sectional shot put with a throw of 60'6.50"… season best discus mark was 158'9"… won the shot put event at the Illinois Indoor Championships as a senior with a throw of 58'5.75"… competed in the USATF Region 7 Junior Olympics in the shot put between junior and senior years…
 
Anthony Hardin – Competed in both cross country and track at Roxana High School in Roxana, Ill… was a three-time IHSA Class 1A Cross Country State Championships qualifier placing 104th as a senior with a 3-mile finals time of 16:04.8… season best 3-mile time was 15:17.4… placed second at the Trenton Wesclin Regional and then 18th at the Trenton Wesclin Sectional… reached the IHSA Class 2A State Championships in both the 800 meter run and 4x800 relay as a senior… ran opening leg on 4x800 relay team that placed second at the Troy Triad Sectional with a time of 8:04.92… finished eighth in the state in the 800 meter as a junior with a finals time of 1:56.87…
 
Joel Hayes – Competed in cross country and track at Mt. Vernon High School in Mount Vernon, Ill… placed 61st at the IHSA Class 2A Cross Country State Championships as a senior running a 3-mile finals time of 15:23… finished seventh at the Mattoon Sectional… reached the IHSA State Championships all four seasons in high school cross country… in track qualified for the IHSA Class 2A State Championships as a senior in the 1,600 meter run… advanced to the state meet by placing sixth at the Mascoutah Sectional with a 1,600 meter time of 4:31.21… season best 1,600 meter time was 4:23.59… qualified for the state championships in the 3,200 meter run as a sophomore…
 
Melvin Jenkins – Competed in track and field at Peoria High School in Peoria, Ill… ran sprints advancing to the IHSA Class 3A State Championships in the 100 meter and 200 meter sprints as a junior… reached the IHSA State Championships in the 100 meter dash as a sophomore… finished second at the Class 3A Illinois Top Times meet in the 60 meter dash during senior indoor season posting a time of 6.89…
 
Malik Johnson – Competed in track and field at Peoria High School in Peoria, Ill… was the IHSA Class 3A State Champion in the triple jump as a senior reaching the state meet in both the long jump and triple jump events… won the state championship with a finals jump of 48'4.50"… won the Moline Sectional in the long jump with a mark of 23'2.50"… during senior indoor season won the triple jump at the Illinois Top Times meet while placing second in the long jump…