Webster Makes History, Leads Eureka at SLIAC Championships

GREENVILLE, Ill. – The Eureka cross country and distance team delivered a record-setting performance Friday and Saturday at the SLIAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships, highlighted by a historic weekend from Bailey Webster.

On the women's side, Zoe Stoecker (Metamora, Ill./Metamora) pushed through a leg injury to compete in the 1500 meters, finishing in 7:59.92 despite limited range of motion.

The men's squad turned in a standout showing, led by Webster (East Peoria, Ill./East Peoria), who earned SLIAC Track Athlete of the Year honors after an extraordinary four-event performance. Webster claimed conference titles in both the 10,000 meters and 5,000 meters, setting a school record and personal best in the 10K with a time of 33:33. He followed with another personal record in the 5K at 15:52.12. Webster also posted a personal-best 4:10.24 in the 1500 meters to take second place and added a seventh-place finish in the 800 meters (2:04.16), scoring in all four events.

In the 1500 meters, Cole Glover (Hopkinsville, Ky./University Heights) secured all-conference honors with a third-place finish in 4:12.61, while Evan Gillespie (Jacksonville, Ill./Jacksonville) recorded a personal-best time of 5:43.29, cutting more than nine seconds off his previous mark. Glover also scored in the 800 meters, placing eighth in 2:04.87.

Jose Amador (Kempton, Ill./Tri-Point) closed out his career with a strong showing, placing seventh in the 3000-meter steeplechase (12:10.34) and adding a 400-meter time of 56.93.

As a team, the men placed seventh overall while totaling 39 points, the highest point total in program history.

Webster's weekend marked several milestones for the program, as he became the first Eureka student-athlete to be named SLIAC Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year and the first to win a gold medal at the outdoor championships since 2017. He captured two individual titles and tied for the most career outdoor conference medals in program history with five.

" This team worked hard all season," head coach Chris Robinson said. "They bonded well as a group, encouraged each other through tough workouts and cheered loudly as we competed on the track. This weekend was no different. They showed up, trusted the work they had put in all year, and put everything they had on the track. Anything worthwhile is on the other side of hard. These races are hard. They hurt. They go by fairly quickly. It's all about deciding where you want to be when it's over. Their performances speak for themselves. I am proud."

WOMEN'S RESULTS

1500: Zoe Stoecker – 7:59.92

MEN'S RESULTS

400: Jose Amador – 56.93
800: Bailey Webster – 2:04.16
800: Cole Glover – 2:04.87
1500: Bailey Webster – 4:10.24 (PR)
1500: Cole Glover – 4:12.61
1500: Evan Gillespie – 5:43.29 (PR)
5000: Bailey Webster – 15:52.12 (PR)
10,000: Bailey Webster – 33:33 (PR, School Record)
3000 Steeplechase: Jose Amador – 12:10.34