Cross Country Kicks Off 2025 Season at Titan Opener

NORMAL, Ill. – The Eureka cross country team kicked off the 2025 season Friday afternoon at the Titan Opener, hosted by Illinois Wesleyan. The Red Devils saw strong individual efforts and several collegiate debuts in their first outing of the fall.

Zoe Stoecker (Metamora, Ill./Metamora) was the lone Red Devil competing on the women's side, making her collegiate debut in the 2-mile race. She clocked a time of 18:37.50, demonstrating impressive progress since the start of preseason and laying a strong foundation for continued improvement throughout the season.

The men's team was led by strong performances from newcomer Cole Glover (Hopkinsville, Ky./University Heights) and Bailey Webster (East Peoria, Ill./East Peoria), who finished 7th and 8th overall with times of 16:38.50 and 16:42.30, respectively. Glover made an immediate impact in his collegiate debut, while Webster showed that he's prepared to build off last season's success.

Jose Amador (Kempton, Ill./Tri-Point), Eureka's team captain, posted a time of 19:18.10 in his season debut. Returning from an automobile accident over the summer, Amador is focusing on regaining strength with the goal of being at peak performance by the SLIAC Championship.

Freshman Evan Gillespie (Jacksonville, Ill./Jacksonville) rounded out the men's lineup with a time of 23:34.80 in his collegiate debut, gaining valuable experience in his first 3-mile race.

"We have a lot of work ahead of us this season, but we laid down a strong showing across the board," head coach Chris Robinson said after the meet. "There were a lot of positives to build upon, and this served as a confidence booster for everyone. It always feels good to get that first race of the season under out belts."

WOMEN'S RESULTS (2 MILE)

Zoe Stoecker – 18:37.50

MEN'S RESULTS (3 MILE)

Cole Glover – 16:38.50 – 7th overall
Bailey Webster – 16:42.30 – 8th overall
Jose Amador – 19:18.10
Evan Gillespie – 23:34.80

UP NEXT

The Red Devils will return to action on Friday, Sept. 5, at the Prairie Stars Invitational, hosted by the UIS. The meet will provide another opportunity for both squads to build on a strong season opener.