Most college athletes do not know if they are going to take advantage of the extra year of eligibility because of the coronavirus.
But, University of Illinois-Springfield cross country and track and field runner Lexi Throne, who did her prep work at Litchfield, is far from undecided. She has already decided her future athletically and academically.
“It is a fifth year for me, for sure,” said the former Purple Panther. “I have also had some injury problems, which has contributed to me wanting to run the extra time. I have been doing my running and lifting training plans that my coaches provided. In addition to the workouts my coaches give us, I like to do a ton of stretching and foam rolling to help my muscles recover. I also like to lift and do core workout on my own.”
But this cross country season was one of the best for the UIS junior. It was due to her being healthy for one complete season.
“Lexi raced with a great deal of confidence this fall,” said UIS head coach Tyler Pence. “This was her best season at UIS. She was a major factor for us at the Great Lakes Valley Conference Meet. It has been awesome to see Lexi develop into the young woman she is today. She has faced obstacle after obstacle during her time with us, but has been continuously resilient in coming back.”
This article appeared in The Journal-News on December 17, 2020.
Showing posts with label Cross Country. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cross Country. Show all posts
Thursday, December 17, 2020
Thursday, December 10, 2020
Being able to keep running is truly a gift
It was a year of competition for University of Illinois-Springfield freshman Ryan Jones, but as far as eligibility purposes, it did not count.
The Marian Central Catholic High School graduate, a freshman cross-country runner for UIS, was one of the lucky few who had a chance to have a cross-country season during the fall months.
“I was very appreciative of the opportunity to safely compete this fall,” the former Hurricane runner said. “I think the fact that we were able to still compete and have a season is a testament not only to our coaches, but the coaches in the Great Lakes Valley Conference overall. Every runner on the UIS team stayed healthy throughout the entire season. As far as my eligibility, I will make that decision in the future based on where I am with my education. But at this point, I still have four years of eligibility in cross-country.”
Since Thanksgiving, the Marengo resident has been home learning remotely exclusively.
“I prefer to learn in the classroom,” Jones said. “Athletically, many steps have been made to ensure that everything is safe as possible when training. The cross-country team has grown very close, very quickly. We work as one so that we can all get better.”
The Marian Central Catholic High School graduate, a freshman cross-country runner for UIS, was one of the lucky few who had a chance to have a cross-country season during the fall months.
“I was very appreciative of the opportunity to safely compete this fall,” the former Hurricane runner said. “I think the fact that we were able to still compete and have a season is a testament not only to our coaches, but the coaches in the Great Lakes Valley Conference overall. Every runner on the UIS team stayed healthy throughout the entire season. As far as my eligibility, I will make that decision in the future based on where I am with my education. But at this point, I still have four years of eligibility in cross-country.”
Since Thanksgiving, the Marengo resident has been home learning remotely exclusively.
“I prefer to learn in the classroom,” Jones said. “Athletically, many steps have been made to ensure that everything is safe as possible when training. The cross-country team has grown very close, very quickly. We work as one so that we can all get better.”
This article appeared in the Woodstock Independent on December 9, 2020.
Monday, October 26, 2020
Cross Country: UIS’ Blake Jones captures GLVC title
Junior Blake Jones of the University of Illinois at Springfield blitzed the field and won the Great Lakes Valley Conference Men’s Cross Country Championship by more than 10 seconds on Saturday.
Jones finished the 8,000-meter run in 24 minutes 41.30 seconds and became the school’s record-holder at the GLVC championship and first-ever to win the individual title in program history.
As a team, UIS took third place with 69 points. Lewis won the conference championship with 51 points and Southern Indiana was second with 57.
Senior Tyler Pasley came in fourth place and freshman Cortland Ross was eighth for UIS.
UIS’ Taryn Christy took third place for the second straight season as the women’s team finished fourth in the season-ending GLVC meet.
This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on October 25, 2020.
Jones finished the 8,000-meter run in 24 minutes 41.30 seconds and became the school’s record-holder at the GLVC championship and first-ever to win the individual title in program history.
As a team, UIS took third place with 69 points. Lewis won the conference championship with 51 points and Southern Indiana was second with 57.
Senior Tyler Pasley came in fourth place and freshman Cortland Ross was eighth for UIS.
UIS’ Taryn Christy took third place for the second straight season as the women’s team finished fourth in the season-ending GLVC meet.
This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on October 25, 2020.
Tuesday, October 13, 2020
Cross Country: UIS’ Jones, Christy advance Prairie Stars to GLVC Championships
University of Illinois Springfield junior Blake Jones gradually pulled away and earned first place in 24 minutes 6.30 seconds in the 8,000-meter Great Lakes Valley Conference East Divisional men’s race on the Prairie Stars’ home course on Saturday.
Jones, a Lincoln High School graduate, won comfortably ahead of the rest of the field. Fellow UIS junior Wyatt McIntyre finished in eighth place while freshman teammate Cortland Ross was 11th place.
UIS finished in third place out of five teams to advance to the GLVC Championships on Saturday, Oct. 24 in Elsah, a small community on the Mississippi River in Jersey County.
The Prairie Stars also finished runner-up on the women’s side with a score of 45 behind Southern Indiana’s 41.
UIS junior Taryn Christy led the team in third place while senior Gloria Esarco and freshman Sydney Huffman went fourth and fifth place, respectively.
This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on October 10, 2020.
Jones, a Lincoln High School graduate, won comfortably ahead of the rest of the field. Fellow UIS junior Wyatt McIntyre finished in eighth place while freshman teammate Cortland Ross was 11th place.
UIS finished in third place out of five teams to advance to the GLVC Championships on Saturday, Oct. 24 in Elsah, a small community on the Mississippi River in Jersey County.
The Prairie Stars also finished runner-up on the women’s side with a score of 45 behind Southern Indiana’s 41.
UIS junior Taryn Christy led the team in third place while senior Gloria Esarco and freshman Sydney Huffman went fourth and fifth place, respectively.
This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on October 10, 2020.
Monday, October 12, 2020
Basking in cross country glory: UIS’ Gloria Esarco surges on women’s team while Blake Jones leads men’s side
University of Illinois Springfield senior Gloria Esarco never tried cross country until setting foot on campus.
Although she flourished in track and field where she garnered an offer from the Prairie Stars, she could only participate on the high school volleyball team during the fall in Wisconsin.
She has enjoyed every bit of the new opportunity, so much that she will gladly accept an extra year of eligibility from the NCAA due to the COVID-19 pandemic and compete in cross country for a fifth season.
“Personally it’s something I didn’t expect to happen but I take it day by day and I’m excited to have this bonus season in cross country and to be able to get back at it next year and really excel even more,” Esarco said. “In a way, it’s a blessing in disguise and you kind of just have to take it one day at a time.”
Esarco has recently emerged as the Stars’ No. 2 runner on the women’s cross country program and certainly impressed UIS coach Tyler Pence this weekend.
Esarco and Co. finished second place in the 6,000-meter Great Lakes Valley Conference East Divisional women’s race on the UIS course Saturday with a score of 45 behind Southern Indiana’s 41.
The UIS men’s team will also compete in the GLVC meet later this month after taking third place in Saturday’s 8,000-meter competition. Lewis won Saturday’s event with a score of 40, followed by Southern Indiana (47), UIS (68), Indy (71) and Missouri St. Louis (155).
UIS junior and Lincoln High School graduate Blake Jones earned first place in 24 minutes 6.30 seconds and won comfortably ahead of the rest of the field.
“He’s incredibly fit right now,” Pence said of Jones. “He’s one of the top runners in this conference, so he definitely had high expectations coming into the season and I think in two weeks he’ll definitely be a favorite to win the conference championship.”
This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on October 10, 2020.
Although she flourished in track and field where she garnered an offer from the Prairie Stars, she could only participate on the high school volleyball team during the fall in Wisconsin.
She has enjoyed every bit of the new opportunity, so much that she will gladly accept an extra year of eligibility from the NCAA due to the COVID-19 pandemic and compete in cross country for a fifth season.
“Personally it’s something I didn’t expect to happen but I take it day by day and I’m excited to have this bonus season in cross country and to be able to get back at it next year and really excel even more,” Esarco said. “In a way, it’s a blessing in disguise and you kind of just have to take it one day at a time.”
Esarco has recently emerged as the Stars’ No. 2 runner on the women’s cross country program and certainly impressed UIS coach Tyler Pence this weekend.
Esarco and Co. finished second place in the 6,000-meter Great Lakes Valley Conference East Divisional women’s race on the UIS course Saturday with a score of 45 behind Southern Indiana’s 41.
The UIS men’s team will also compete in the GLVC meet later this month after taking third place in Saturday’s 8,000-meter competition. Lewis won Saturday’s event with a score of 40, followed by Southern Indiana (47), UIS (68), Indy (71) and Missouri St. Louis (155).
UIS junior and Lincoln High School graduate Blake Jones earned first place in 24 minutes 6.30 seconds and won comfortably ahead of the rest of the field.
“He’s incredibly fit right now,” Pence said of Jones. “He’s one of the top runners in this conference, so he definitely had high expectations coming into the season and I think in two weeks he’ll definitely be a favorite to win the conference championship.”
This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on October 10, 2020.
Wednesday, September 30, 2020
UIS cross country teams band together, sail to first place in season debut
University of Illinois Springfield cross country runners Tyler Pasley, Wyatt McIntyre, Blake Jones and Cort Ross barreled toward the finish line together in the Prairie Stars’ first triangular meet of the season Friday evening.
McIntyre, Jones and Ross eased up just before the end of the 6,000-kilometer run to give Pasley, the senior, a well-deserved victory in what was UIS’ first sporting event on campus since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in March.
Nothing more could encapsulate the team’s camaraderie.
“We were working together, staying together. The first half of the race, we went at a real race-pace and then the last half we kind of treated it as a workout. It was fun working with them. I enjoy it every single day.”
The UIS men’s team dominated the competitive event in first place.
“My goals are really team-oriented,” said Jones, a three-time state qualifier from Lincoln High School. “At first when I was a freshman, they were pretty individually-oriented. I’ve realized it’s a lot easier when you have great teammates like Wyatt, Cort and Pasley — that front group really.
It was the season opener, but only two more races remain for the rest of the fall season. UIS will also host a Great Lakes Valley Conference qualifying meet on Saturday, Oct. 10 before the conference championships on Oct. 24 in Elsah.
“We’ve got to be ready to roll in two weeks and we are,” UIS coach Tyler Pence said. “We’re fit right now and we’re definitely ready to take that next step and go qualify for the conference championships in two weeks.”
Ditto junior Taryn Christy and the UIS women’s team. Christy finished third overall while the Stars took sixth last fall in the GLVC.
“I need to put in as many points as possible because we have the girl power to do that this season,” Christy said.
Christy kickstarted Friday’s 4,000-kilometer race in first place in 14 minutes 39.78 seconds, alongside senior teammate and runner-up Gloria Esarco (14:39.84). UIS also easily won the women’s side ahead of McKendree and Quincy.
Christy became UIS’ first female runner to qualify for the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships last fall and the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships last winter. However, she wasn’t able to compete in indoor nationals because of the COVID-19 pandemic and coped through the troublesome intermission only after some soul-searching.
“It was kind of shocking in the first 200 and 500 meters of the race, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m actually doing this,’” Christy said. “I love to race and I missed that feeling so much, especially when you finish the race with all of your teammates around you and everyone’s so happy and excited. All of that adrenaline, there’s nothing like it. I think we’re all super excited and grateful to be racing right now.”
This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on September 25, 2020.
McIntyre, Jones and Ross eased up just before the end of the 6,000-kilometer run to give Pasley, the senior, a well-deserved victory in what was UIS’ first sporting event on campus since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in March.
Nothing more could encapsulate the team’s camaraderie.
“We were working together, staying together. The first half of the race, we went at a real race-pace and then the last half we kind of treated it as a workout. It was fun working with them. I enjoy it every single day.”
The UIS men’s team dominated the competitive event in first place.
“My goals are really team-oriented,” said Jones, a three-time state qualifier from Lincoln High School. “At first when I was a freshman, they were pretty individually-oriented. I’ve realized it’s a lot easier when you have great teammates like Wyatt, Cort and Pasley — that front group really.
It was the season opener, but only two more races remain for the rest of the fall season. UIS will also host a Great Lakes Valley Conference qualifying meet on Saturday, Oct. 10 before the conference championships on Oct. 24 in Elsah.
“We’ve got to be ready to roll in two weeks and we are,” UIS coach Tyler Pence said. “We’re fit right now and we’re definitely ready to take that next step and go qualify for the conference championships in two weeks.”
Ditto junior Taryn Christy and the UIS women’s team. Christy finished third overall while the Stars took sixth last fall in the GLVC.
“I need to put in as many points as possible because we have the girl power to do that this season,” Christy said.
Christy kickstarted Friday’s 4,000-kilometer race in first place in 14 minutes 39.78 seconds, alongside senior teammate and runner-up Gloria Esarco (14:39.84). UIS also easily won the women’s side ahead of McKendree and Quincy.
Christy became UIS’ first female runner to qualify for the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships last fall and the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships last winter. However, she wasn’t able to compete in indoor nationals because of the COVID-19 pandemic and coped through the troublesome intermission only after some soul-searching.
“It was kind of shocking in the first 200 and 500 meters of the race, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m actually doing this,’” Christy said. “I love to race and I missed that feeling so much, especially when you finish the race with all of your teammates around you and everyone’s so happy and excited. All of that adrenaline, there’s nothing like it. I think we’re all super excited and grateful to be racing right now.”
This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on September 25, 2020.
Monday, August 10, 2020
UIS AD Peyton Deterding remains optimistic for upcoming school year
University of Illinois Springfield athletic director Peyton Deterding has been on the job for less than a year.
He fortunately had some time to acclimate to Springfield before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in early March. His first day at UIS was Dec. 9 last year.
Spring sports, which had just begun, were canceled and little has improved since then. The Great Lakes Valley Conference in late July postponed most fall sports — except cross country — until the spring semester and the NCAA Division II Presidents Council decided Wednesday to cancel its fall championships. The council “determined that it was not feasible to hold fall championships as planned or to postpone them to the spring while prioritizing the health and well-being of student-athletes,” according to the NCAA announcement. The NCAA Division III Presidents Council also reached the same decision.
Deterding maybe hasn’t been able to explore town as much as he would’ve liked due to the quarantine, but at least he can now look forward to the return of students on Aug. 24.
“We’re excited to get our student-athletes back on campus because to be honest with you, it’s been some time,” Deterding said. “It’s been early March since we’ve had all of them back and interacting. We’ve had a few here in the early summer doing voluntary workouts. It was great to see them, but we’re excited to get the whole crew back.”
Deterding said he feels confident about their impending arrival on a small and more manageable campus and said athletic activity won’t largely begin humming along until early September.
“They will do some voluntary stuff, but ... we’ll look at what’s safe at that time,” Deterding said. “That, again, is changing daily as we all know. Safety is paramount for us. That’s no surprise, but we will get them back and cross country will be the first to embark on a true team practice, which will be in the late August time frame. But we want to get kids back on campus, acclimated to how things are operating now because there are some nuances and differences. But we feel comfortable with that. I think we have a great plan in place as far as the university’s perspective.”
Deterding said he is characteristically optimistic, despite the adversity imposed by the pandemic. He believes the postponed sports, soccer and volleyball, may start in early March and hopes basketball will begin as planned in mid-November. However, he expects the regular season for men’s and women’s basketball to be largely limited to conference-play. The GLVC has set Oct. 1 as the deadline to determine the competition start date for men’s and women’s basketball, each considered high risk by the NCAA.
“I hope so,” Deterding said of the mid-November start. “I try to remain positive. I’m generally a positive person. But I remain pretty positive that we’re going to play sport — all of our sports — during the academic calendar. That will continue to be our focus and try to do it in a safe manner and provide the opportunity to compete.”
He also stressed he wants to build a bigger presence in the area.
“I think there’s great opportunity and I say that because I’m not sure — at least in my early time here — how well known UIS is to the community,” Deterding said. “We’re in close proximity to everybody. We’re a little isolated, but we’re a valuable resource. I think that needs to be stated. Again, I think we need to get some folks out and see what we have to offer and get them out to some games and have them engage and interact.
“I know from the very first month on campus that we’re very high school sports dominated here. That allows an opportunity. There’s a passion for sport.
This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on August 8, 2020.
He fortunately had some time to acclimate to Springfield before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in early March. His first day at UIS was Dec. 9 last year.
Spring sports, which had just begun, were canceled and little has improved since then. The Great Lakes Valley Conference in late July postponed most fall sports — except cross country — until the spring semester and the NCAA Division II Presidents Council decided Wednesday to cancel its fall championships. The council “determined that it was not feasible to hold fall championships as planned or to postpone them to the spring while prioritizing the health and well-being of student-athletes,” according to the NCAA announcement. The NCAA Division III Presidents Council also reached the same decision.
Deterding maybe hasn’t been able to explore town as much as he would’ve liked due to the quarantine, but at least he can now look forward to the return of students on Aug. 24.
“We’re excited to get our student-athletes back on campus because to be honest with you, it’s been some time,” Deterding said. “It’s been early March since we’ve had all of them back and interacting. We’ve had a few here in the early summer doing voluntary workouts. It was great to see them, but we’re excited to get the whole crew back.”
Deterding said he feels confident about their impending arrival on a small and more manageable campus and said athletic activity won’t largely begin humming along until early September.
“They will do some voluntary stuff, but ... we’ll look at what’s safe at that time,” Deterding said. “That, again, is changing daily as we all know. Safety is paramount for us. That’s no surprise, but we will get them back and cross country will be the first to embark on a true team practice, which will be in the late August time frame. But we want to get kids back on campus, acclimated to how things are operating now because there are some nuances and differences. But we feel comfortable with that. I think we have a great plan in place as far as the university’s perspective.”
Deterding said he is characteristically optimistic, despite the adversity imposed by the pandemic. He believes the postponed sports, soccer and volleyball, may start in early March and hopes basketball will begin as planned in mid-November. However, he expects the regular season for men’s and women’s basketball to be largely limited to conference-play. The GLVC has set Oct. 1 as the deadline to determine the competition start date for men’s and women’s basketball, each considered high risk by the NCAA.
“I hope so,” Deterding said of the mid-November start. “I try to remain positive. I’m generally a positive person. But I remain pretty positive that we’re going to play sport — all of our sports — during the academic calendar. That will continue to be our focus and try to do it in a safe manner and provide the opportunity to compete.”
He also stressed he wants to build a bigger presence in the area.
“I think there’s great opportunity and I say that because I’m not sure — at least in my early time here — how well known UIS is to the community,” Deterding said. “We’re in close proximity to everybody. We’re a little isolated, but we’re a valuable resource. I think that needs to be stated. Again, I think we need to get some folks out and see what we have to offer and get them out to some games and have them engage and interact.
“I know from the very first month on campus that we’re very high school sports dominated here. That allows an opportunity. There’s a passion for sport.
This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on August 8, 2020.
Monday, August 3, 2020
GLVC postpones soccer, volleyball seasons
The University of Illinois Springfield’s soccer and volleyball seasons have been postponed until the second semester due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Great Lakes Valley Conference’s Council of Presidents voted to postpone the majority of its fall sports “based on guidance from the league’s athletics directors and an extensive review of the recommended testing and safety measures developed by the NCAA Sports Science Institute,” according to the GLVC’s announcement on Monday.
Football was also postponed in the GLVC. Each of the fall sports affected — football, men’s and women’s soccer and volleyball — were determined high risk by the NCAA Sport Science Institute, based on a consensus by the NCAA COVID-19 Advisory Panel and the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine COVID-19 Working Group.
Student-athletes may still train outside of the playing season beginning Sept. 7 or on the fourth day of classes for the fall term under the NCAA’s countable athletic related activities (CARA) rules.
UIS athletic director Peyton Deterding, who started his first day on Dec. 9, said student-athletes are expected to arrive on campus with the rest of the student body on Aug. 24.
“We are looking at ways to still provide meaningful opportunities for student-athletes and one of those is they come back to campus,” Deterding said. “Obviously some have been away from their sport for a little bit of time, so we’re looking for ways to continue with practices and strength and conditioning in a safe environment. If we can do it in a safe environment, it allows us to build some team camaraderie and team unity and get them back to playing sports.”
UIS’ opening soccer games were scheduled Sept. 6, after their schedules — featuring only conference games — were released in June. The UIS volleyball team was also set to open the year Sept. 3.
Cross country, however, was determined medium risk and will still be permitted to compete this fall with the GLVC meet scheduled for Oct. 24. The UIS cross country teams are slated to begin with a home meet Sept. 4 but that may change, according to Deterding.
Golf and tennis, each judged low risk, will also be allowed to compete in their non-championship segments in the fall and continue their season into the spring when their respective championship seasons begin.
Baseball and softball — considered medium risk — will be permitted to have only intrasquad competition on campus in the fall.
The GLVC said in its press release that it has established Oct. 1 as the deadline to determine the competition start date for men’s and women’s basketball, each considered high risk.
This article appeared in The State Journal-Register on July 27, 2020.
The Great Lakes Valley Conference’s Council of Presidents voted to postpone the majority of its fall sports “based on guidance from the league’s athletics directors and an extensive review of the recommended testing and safety measures developed by the NCAA Sports Science Institute,” according to the GLVC’s announcement on Monday.
Football was also postponed in the GLVC. Each of the fall sports affected — football, men’s and women’s soccer and volleyball — were determined high risk by the NCAA Sport Science Institute, based on a consensus by the NCAA COVID-19 Advisory Panel and the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine COVID-19 Working Group.
Student-athletes may still train outside of the playing season beginning Sept. 7 or on the fourth day of classes for the fall term under the NCAA’s countable athletic related activities (CARA) rules.
UIS athletic director Peyton Deterding, who started his first day on Dec. 9, said student-athletes are expected to arrive on campus with the rest of the student body on Aug. 24.
“We are looking at ways to still provide meaningful opportunities for student-athletes and one of those is they come back to campus,” Deterding said. “Obviously some have been away from their sport for a little bit of time, so we’re looking for ways to continue with practices and strength and conditioning in a safe environment. If we can do it in a safe environment, it allows us to build some team camaraderie and team unity and get them back to playing sports.”
UIS’ opening soccer games were scheduled Sept. 6, after their schedules — featuring only conference games — were released in June. The UIS volleyball team was also set to open the year Sept. 3.
Cross country, however, was determined medium risk and will still be permitted to compete this fall with the GLVC meet scheduled for Oct. 24. The UIS cross country teams are slated to begin with a home meet Sept. 4 but that may change, according to Deterding.
Golf and tennis, each judged low risk, will also be allowed to compete in their non-championship segments in the fall and continue their season into the spring when their respective championship seasons begin.
Baseball and softball — considered medium risk — will be permitted to have only intrasquad competition on campus in the fall.
The GLVC said in its press release that it has established Oct. 1 as the deadline to determine the competition start date for men’s and women’s basketball, each considered high risk.
This article appeared in The State Journal-Register on July 27, 2020.
Friday, April 10, 2020
Men's Track & Field: Pasley still performing for Prairie Stars
Tyler Pasley has been pick 'em up and putting 'em down at the University of Illinois Springfield for three years. He is still performing as an all-conference Prairie Star.
Most recently Pasley competed in the 2020 Indoor track season. At the GLVC Indoor Championships, Tyler Pasley led the men's team, earning a medal in both the 3,000m and 5,000m with third-place finishes. He had a NCAA provisional time of 14:45.09 in the 5,000m, and a mark of 8:37.91 in the 3,000m.
In UIS cross country in 2018, Pasley was an all-GLVC performer, 5th at the conference meet, which was the first top-five finish for a UIS cross country runner. He was named GLVC Runner of the Week after the UIS Invitational, and was the first UIS men’s runner to win that award. He competed in six events. He scored for the team in all six events, and led the team in three competitions.
Pasley ran cross country and track for Shelbyville coach Kevin Kramer throughout high school. Pasley competed on the varsity level in cross country and track and field for Shelbyville High School for four years.
Pasley is pursuing a major in Chemistry. He is the son of Joe and Kelli Jo Pasley.
This article appeared in the Shelbyville Daily Union on April 9, 2020.
Read the entire article online.
Most recently Pasley competed in the 2020 Indoor track season. At the GLVC Indoor Championships, Tyler Pasley led the men's team, earning a medal in both the 3,000m and 5,000m with third-place finishes. He had a NCAA provisional time of 14:45.09 in the 5,000m, and a mark of 8:37.91 in the 3,000m.
In UIS cross country in 2018, Pasley was an all-GLVC performer, 5th at the conference meet, which was the first top-five finish for a UIS cross country runner. He was named GLVC Runner of the Week after the UIS Invitational, and was the first UIS men’s runner to win that award. He competed in six events. He scored for the team in all six events, and led the team in three competitions.
Pasley ran cross country and track for Shelbyville coach Kevin Kramer throughout high school. Pasley competed on the varsity level in cross country and track and field for Shelbyville High School for four years.
Pasley is pursuing a major in Chemistry. He is the son of Joe and Kelli Jo Pasley.
This article appeared in the Shelbyville Daily Union on April 9, 2020.
Read the entire article online.
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
Springfield runner looking to complete comeback at U.S. Olympic trials marathon
Springfield native Tyler Pence will be running at the U.S. Olympic trials marathon on Feb. 29 in Atlanta alongside the fastest marathoners in the country.
The top three finishers will represent the U.S. at the Tokyo Olympics this summer. Pence qualified for the Olympic trials by running 2:15:36 at the California International Marathon in Sacramento in December 2018.
The 26-year-old had what could have been a career-ending injury in high school, and after battling injuries during a successful college career, he thought he was done competing. But Pence said he doesn’t want to look back when he’s older and think, what if?
“A big thing for me is knowing that I’ve given it everything I have,” he said. “I don’t want to leave any regrets. You’re only young once. I want to see what I can do with it.”
Pence is in his fourth year of coaching, and his first year as head coach, for the cross country and track teams at the University of Illinois at Springfield. He encourages his athletes to chase their dreams, work hard and live a lifestyle of no excuses. It made him think about his own running.
“I think I have a lot more left in me. I needed to start practicing what I’m preaching,” Pence said. His mentality of giving 100 percent in training and racing is the result of a serious injury.
Right now, I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in by far,” he said. Pence coaches himself, and he has been following an 18-week training plan for the Olympic Trials.
“My plan is to put myself in the mix and be in the front group and give 100 percent,” he said. “I’m going to give it everything I’ve got on that day. I’ll leave there knowing I gave it my all.” Whatever happens in Atlanta, Pence plans to attempt to qualify for the Olympic marathon in 2024.
This article appeared in The News-Gazette on Feb. 18, 2020..
Read the entire story online.
The top three finishers will represent the U.S. at the Tokyo Olympics this summer. Pence qualified for the Olympic trials by running 2:15:36 at the California International Marathon in Sacramento in December 2018.
The 26-year-old had what could have been a career-ending injury in high school, and after battling injuries during a successful college career, he thought he was done competing. But Pence said he doesn’t want to look back when he’s older and think, what if?
“A big thing for me is knowing that I’ve given it everything I have,” he said. “I don’t want to leave any regrets. You’re only young once. I want to see what I can do with it.”
Pence is in his fourth year of coaching, and his first year as head coach, for the cross country and track teams at the University of Illinois at Springfield. He encourages his athletes to chase their dreams, work hard and live a lifestyle of no excuses. It made him think about his own running.
“I think I have a lot more left in me. I needed to start practicing what I’m preaching,” Pence said. His mentality of giving 100 percent in training and racing is the result of a serious injury.
Right now, I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in by far,” he said. Pence coaches himself, and he has been following an 18-week training plan for the Olympic Trials.
“My plan is to put myself in the mix and be in the front group and give 100 percent,” he said. “I’m going to give it everything I’ve got on that day. I’ll leave there knowing I gave it my all.” Whatever happens in Atlanta, Pence plans to attempt to qualify for the Olympic marathon in 2024.
This article appeared in The News-Gazette on Feb. 18, 2020..
Read the entire story online.
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Unreal Treadmill Sessions Push College Coach to Olympic Trials
Runners at the University of Illinois Springfield abide by two rules: Be a good person, and work harder than anyone else in the room.
Their coach, 26-year-old Tyler Pence, labors right alongside them, picking up trash during community service projects and logging up to 120-mile weeks in preparation for February’s Olympic Marathon Trials.
After a successful collegiate career, Pence wasn’t sure he’d continue running competitively. But when he headed back to his hometown to coach at UIS four years ago, he found himself motivated and challenged by his athletes. “I’m a big believer in practicing what you preach,” he told Runner’s World. “Here I am telling them what it takes to be good, and I wasn’t doing it at the time.”
By December 2018, his efforts paid off. In his second attempt at the distance, he ran 2:15:36 at the California International Marathon, finishing in 17th place and earning a Trials spot. At the same time, he’s led the UIS Prairie Stars from a brand-new program into contention for conference titles. The men’s cross-country team was the runner-up at the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championships in October, and the women placed sixth. And two of his runners, Taryn Christy and Blake Jones, qualified for this year’s NCAA Division II Cross-Country Championships.
“When you’re around hard workers, that’s contagious,” he said. “We hold each other accountable.”
His Trials training has also included a three-week stint at altitude in Colorado Springs over winter break, and he’ll line up at the Houston Half Marathon on January 19.
He doesn’t have a specific goal in Atlanta, and knows his first experience may come with a learning curve. As he tells his athletes, “You don't become great overnight.” Eventually, he hopes to mature into one of the fastest U.S. marathoners. He has big goals for his runners, too—for example, taking the full men’s and women’s cross-country teams to nationals next year—and he sees the two pursuits as entirely complementary.
His running has served as a valuable recruiting tool for the young coach, in addition to the personal fulfillment it brings. “I won’t be able to do this forever,” he said, of the dual roles. “But I don’t want to leave my life having questions of, ‘What if I would have tried?’”
This story appeared in Runners World on January 14, 2020.
Read the entire article online.
Their coach, 26-year-old Tyler Pence, labors right alongside them, picking up trash during community service projects and logging up to 120-mile weeks in preparation for February’s Olympic Marathon Trials.
After a successful collegiate career, Pence wasn’t sure he’d continue running competitively. But when he headed back to his hometown to coach at UIS four years ago, he found himself motivated and challenged by his athletes. “I’m a big believer in practicing what you preach,” he told Runner’s World. “Here I am telling them what it takes to be good, and I wasn’t doing it at the time.”
By December 2018, his efforts paid off. In his second attempt at the distance, he ran 2:15:36 at the California International Marathon, finishing in 17th place and earning a Trials spot. At the same time, he’s led the UIS Prairie Stars from a brand-new program into contention for conference titles. The men’s cross-country team was the runner-up at the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championships in October, and the women placed sixth. And two of his runners, Taryn Christy and Blake Jones, qualified for this year’s NCAA Division II Cross-Country Championships.
“When you’re around hard workers, that’s contagious,” he said. “We hold each other accountable.”
His Trials training has also included a three-week stint at altitude in Colorado Springs over winter break, and he’ll line up at the Houston Half Marathon on January 19.
He doesn’t have a specific goal in Atlanta, and knows his first experience may come with a learning curve. As he tells his athletes, “You don't become great overnight.” Eventually, he hopes to mature into one of the fastest U.S. marathoners. He has big goals for his runners, too—for example, taking the full men’s and women’s cross-country teams to nationals next year—and he sees the two pursuits as entirely complementary.
His running has served as a valuable recruiting tool for the young coach, in addition to the personal fulfillment it brings. “I won’t be able to do this forever,” he said, of the dual roles. “But I don’t want to leave my life having questions of, ‘What if I would have tried?’”
This story appeared in Runners World on January 14, 2020.
Read the entire article online.
Monday, November 25, 2019
Cross Country: Jones, Christy make UIS cross country history; Christy becomes NCAA D-II All-American
The University of Illinois Springfield cross country program has come far since its humble beginnings in 2015.
Sophomores Blake Jones and Tayrn Christy will appear as the first UIS runners ever in Saturday’s NCAA Division II Cross Country National Championship Meet at the Arcade Creek Cross Country Course in Sacramento, California.
Jones, a Lincoln High School graduate, earned the men’s at-large bid after taking eighth place in the Midwest Region meet at 31:42.3 while Christy, of Geneva, clinched the women’s automatic berth by finishing fifth in 21:09.9. Both were school records.
“They’re extremely hard workers,” Coach Tyler Pence said of Jones and Christy. “They do all of the little things right. It’s not surprising that they’re qualifiers at this meet. They’ve got the total package.”
This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on November 24, 2019.
Read the entire article online.
Sophomores Blake Jones and Tayrn Christy will appear as the first UIS runners ever in Saturday’s NCAA Division II Cross Country National Championship Meet at the Arcade Creek Cross Country Course in Sacramento, California.
Jones, a Lincoln High School graduate, earned the men’s at-large bid after taking eighth place in the Midwest Region meet at 31:42.3 while Christy, of Geneva, clinched the women’s automatic berth by finishing fifth in 21:09.9. Both were school records.
“They’re extremely hard workers,” Coach Tyler Pence said of Jones and Christy. “They do all of the little things right. It’s not surprising that they’re qualifiers at this meet. They’ve got the total package.”
This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on November 24, 2019.
Read the entire article online.
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Cross Country: Jones, Christy headed to national meet
University of Illinois Springfield sophomore Blake Jones earned an at-large spot in the NCAA Division II Cross Country National Championships on Saturday, Nov. 23 in Sacramento, Calif.
The Lincoln High School graduate finished eighth place last week in the Midwest Region Championships Meet with a time of 31:42.3 in the men’s 10,000-meter race, which was a program record.
He joins fellow sophomore Taryn Christy, who won an automatic berth on the women’s side last week by taking fifth place at the regional meet with a school record time of 21:09.9 on the 6,000-meter course.
This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on November 11, 2019.
Read the entire article online.
The Lincoln High School graduate finished eighth place last week in the Midwest Region Championships Meet with a time of 31:42.3 in the men’s 10,000-meter race, which was a program record.
He joins fellow sophomore Taryn Christy, who won an automatic berth on the women’s side last week by taking fifth place at the regional meet with a school record time of 21:09.9 on the 6,000-meter course.
This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on November 11, 2019.
Read the entire article online.
Thursday, September 19, 2019
Cross Country: UIS sweeps GLVC cross country awards
The Great Lakes Valley Conference named a pair of cross country runners from the University of Illinois Springfield as its weekly award winners.
Blake Jones was named the GLVC Men’s Runner of the Week after a 13th-place finish at the Michigan State Spartan Invitational on Friday, Sept. 13.
Taryn Christy was the GLVC Women’s Runner of the Week following an 11th-place finish at the same meet.
This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on September 18, 2019.
Read the entire article online.
Blake Jones was named the GLVC Men’s Runner of the Week after a 13th-place finish at the Michigan State Spartan Invitational on Friday, Sept. 13.
Taryn Christy was the GLVC Women’s Runner of the Week following an 11th-place finish at the same meet.
This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on September 18, 2019.
Read the entire article online.
Monday, September 16, 2019
Cross Country: Jones, McIntyre help Stars at Michigan State
The University of Illinois Springfield men’s cross country team finished with 191 points and placed seventh in the 23-team Michigan State Spartan Invitational meet.
Blake Jones led UIS with a time of 25:25.8, finishing in 13th place. Athens native Wyatt McIntyre finished 52nd with a time of 26:11.5 on the 8,000 meter course.
The UIS women’s team, also at Michigan State, finished 11th out of 26 teams with a score of 312.
Taryn Christy led the Prairie Stars with an 11th-place finish, running a time of 21:53.9 on the 6,000 meter course. Her time was second among the NCAA Division II runners.
This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on September 13, 2019.
Read the entire article online.
Blake Jones led UIS with a time of 25:25.8, finishing in 13th place. Athens native Wyatt McIntyre finished 52nd with a time of 26:11.5 on the 8,000 meter course.
The UIS women’s team, also at Michigan State, finished 11th out of 26 teams with a score of 312.
Taryn Christy led the Prairie Stars with an 11th-place finish, running a time of 21:53.9 on the 6,000 meter course. Her time was second among the NCAA Division II runners.
This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on September 13, 2019.
Read the entire article online.
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Pence, Zimmerman take Abe’s Amble victories
Springfield’s Tyler Pence won his fourth straight overall men’s title in record fashion, while Petersburg’s Emily Zimmerman won her first women’s championship in the 42nd annual Abe’s Amble 10-kilometer road race on Sunday morning at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.
Pence, preparing for his first year as head track and cross country coach at the University of Illinois Springfield, took the men’s race in a course-record 31 minutes 25.7 seconds on Sunday.
This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on August 18, 2019.
Read the entire article online.
Pence, preparing for his first year as head track and cross country coach at the University of Illinois Springfield, took the men’s race in a course-record 31 minutes 25.7 seconds on Sunday.
This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on August 18, 2019.
Read the entire article online.
Thursday, May 16, 2019
Springfield High alum Tyler Pence named UIS cross country, track coach
Former Springfield High School runner and University of Southern Indiana standout Tyler Pence was named Wednesday the head coach for the University of Illinois Springfield’s men’s and women’s cross country and track and field teams.
Pence, who has been the assistant coach for the program for the last three years, replaces Scott Slade, who left after one year to fulfill other commitments.
“To become a head coach in my hometown, a city that I love and a sport that I’m incredibly passionate about, has always been a dream of mine,” Pence said in a statement. “I have a great group of athletes who are team oriented and extremely motivated. This program in ready to take another step in the right direction. We will be bringing championships back to Springfield very soon.”
Pence is still a competitive runner and has qualified for the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials.
This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on May 15, 2019.
Read the entire article online.
Pence, who has been the assistant coach for the program for the last three years, replaces Scott Slade, who left after one year to fulfill other commitments.
“To become a head coach in my hometown, a city that I love and a sport that I’m incredibly passionate about, has always been a dream of mine,” Pence said in a statement. “I have a great group of athletes who are team oriented and extremely motivated. This program in ready to take another step in the right direction. We will be bringing championships back to Springfield very soon.”
Pence is still a competitive runner and has qualified for the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials.
This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on May 15, 2019.
Read the entire article online.
Monday, March 11, 2019
Springfield’s Tyler Pence training for U.S. Olympics Trials marathon
Tyler Pence never struggles to get out the door.
Well, unless there’s a freakish snowstorm not unlike the one in January. That forced him to stay indoors and run on a treadmill.
“But usually 99 percent of the time I’m running outside,” said Pence, who graduated from Springfield High School in 2011.
That’s because the 2016 USI grad is prepping for his first appearance in the U.S. Olympic Trials marathon scheduled Feb. 29, 2020 in Atlanta.
“That’s something that I really wanted to accomplish,” Pence said. “The marathon, it’s a gamble. Things can go wrong. It’s such a long period of racing that something can go wrong at any moment, so to put it together and have the day that I had, I was very happy with how it went.”
Pence had only attempted one other marathon – the Las Vegas Rock n Roll Marathon in 2016. Pence said that was just for fun. Sacramento was different.
Pence started training rigorously in August, approximately the same time he won his third straight 10-kilmometer Abe’s Amble road race at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. His training spanned four months, running 110-120 miles a week. Sundays were always his big runs, reaching up to 20-24 miles.
His job was not a hindrance. Beginning in 2016 under Mike De Witt, Pence has been the assistant coach on the University of Illinois Springfield cross country and track programs. He often did morning practices with UIS runners, in addition to a second jaunt in the afternoon. It was the source of his inspiration.
“I’m a big believer in practice what you preach. That’s definitely what got me back into getting motivated to run at the next level.”
”Tyler’s now turning his eye toward higher altitude during the summer, specifically Colorado Springs. He doesn’t have any real goal in mind, except one thing. “I’m just going to go there to compete and give it 100 percent,” Tyler said of Atlanta. “I just want to leave there knowing that I left it all out there for sure.”
This article appeared in The State Journal-Register on March 10, 2019.
Read the entire article online.
Well, unless there’s a freakish snowstorm not unlike the one in January. That forced him to stay indoors and run on a treadmill.
“But usually 99 percent of the time I’m running outside,” said Pence, who graduated from Springfield High School in 2011.
That’s because the 2016 USI grad is prepping for his first appearance in the U.S. Olympic Trials marathon scheduled Feb. 29, 2020 in Atlanta.
“That’s something that I really wanted to accomplish,” Pence said. “The marathon, it’s a gamble. Things can go wrong. It’s such a long period of racing that something can go wrong at any moment, so to put it together and have the day that I had, I was very happy with how it went.”
Pence had only attempted one other marathon – the Las Vegas Rock n Roll Marathon in 2016. Pence said that was just for fun. Sacramento was different.
Pence started training rigorously in August, approximately the same time he won his third straight 10-kilmometer Abe’s Amble road race at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. His training spanned four months, running 110-120 miles a week. Sundays were always his big runs, reaching up to 20-24 miles.
His job was not a hindrance. Beginning in 2016 under Mike De Witt, Pence has been the assistant coach on the University of Illinois Springfield cross country and track programs. He often did morning practices with UIS runners, in addition to a second jaunt in the afternoon. It was the source of his inspiration.
“I’m a big believer in practice what you preach. That’s definitely what got me back into getting motivated to run at the next level.”
”Tyler’s now turning his eye toward higher altitude during the summer, specifically Colorado Springs. He doesn’t have any real goal in mind, except one thing. “I’m just going to go there to compete and give it 100 percent,” Tyler said of Atlanta. “I just want to leave there knowing that I left it all out there for sure.”
This article appeared in The State Journal-Register on March 10, 2019.
Read the entire article online.
Monday, October 1, 2018
Women's Cross Country: UIS’ Christy breaks school record
Taryn Christy broke the school record and placed 18th individually in leading the University of Illinois Springfield to 17th in the team standings Saturday at the Greater Louisville Classic.
Christy, a freshman, finished the 5k-race in 18 minutes 33.8 seconds. She beat the former record by 59.8 seconds.
UIS finished with 483 points.
This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on September 29, 2018.
Read the entire article online.
Christy, a freshman, finished the 5k-race in 18 minutes 33.8 seconds. She beat the former record by 59.8 seconds.
UIS finished with 483 points.
This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on September 29, 2018.
Read the entire article online.
Men's Cross Country: Prairie Stars place eighth at Classic
The University of Illinois Springfield finished with 309 points and placed eighth as a team Saturday at the 8k Greater Louisville Classic.
UIS senior Kenton Wilson finished 39th individually in a time of 25 minutes 43.7 seconds.
Teammate Tyler Hiserole (25:55.7) had a personal-best and placed 50th for UIS.
St. Francis won the 45-team meet with 146 points.
This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on September 29, 2018.
Read the entire article online.
UIS senior Kenton Wilson finished 39th individually in a time of 25 minutes 43.7 seconds.
Teammate Tyler Hiserole (25:55.7) had a personal-best and placed 50th for UIS.
St. Francis won the 45-team meet with 146 points.
This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on September 29, 2018.
Read the entire article online.
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