USI men’s XC/T&F signs five for 2023-24

The list includes Muhiyadin Ali (Chicago, Illinois), Jackson Collman (Bethalto, Illinois), Joe Schwartz (Waterloo, Illinois), Layden Wagoner (Dixon, Kentucky) and Griffen Wheeler (Greenfield, Indiana).
 
“Coach (Austin) Nolan has done a great job in year one hitting the ground running on the recruiting front,” Hillyard said. “The end result is one of the strongest recruiting classes that we have ever assembled here at USI.
 
“Muhiyadin, Jackson and Joe join us from the state of Illinois, where all three earned multiple All-State honors,” Hillyard continued. “Layden is a late-bloomer who climbed through the Kentucky state ranks quite rapidly during his senior campaign and Griffen is a young man who could contribute in any even from the 800 meters and up. I like the toughness and grit that this group competes with. They will be very good in 2-3 years.”
 
Muhiyadin Ali
Ali is a graduate of Chicago Mather High School where he earned IHSA Class 2A All-State honors following an eighth-place finish at the 2022 IHSA 2A Championships. He finished 14th at the IHSA 2A Championships as a junior in 2021.
 
On the track, Ali qualified for the IHSA 3A Championships in the 800 meters, where he finished 22nd.
 
Jackson Collman
Collman comes to USI from Bethalto Civic Memorial High School where he was a multiple-time All-State honoree in both cross country and track & field. A three-time team MVP, Collman helped lead CMHS to three Madison County cross country titles and a pair of Madison Country track & field championships.
 
A second-team All-Metro honoree, Collman helped lead CMHS to the Mississippi Valley Conference title as a senior in 2022.
 
Joe Schwartz
Schwartz comes to USI from Waterloo High School where he was a two-time state qualifier on the grass and an All-State performer. Schwartz, who has a sub-15 minute three-mile effort under his belt (14:56), finished 16th at the IHSA Class 2A Cross Country Championships as a junior in 2021 before posting a 49th-place finish as a senior last fall.
 
Layden Wagoner
A graduate of Webster County High School, Wagoner is a four-time state qualifier on the grass and a two-time state qualifier on the track. Wagoner earned All-State honors as a junior and senior after posting respective finishes of ninth and fifth in 2021 and 2022.
 
On the track, Wagoner competed in three events at the 2023 KHSAA Championships after helping WCHS to a seventh-place showing in the 4×800-meter relay at the state meet during his junior year in 2022.
 
Griffen Wheeler
Wheeler is a graduate of Greenfield Central High School where he was a three-time state qualifier on the track in addition to a state-qualifier on the cross country course. He was 44th at the 2022 IHSAA Cross Country Championships and posted respective finishes of 11th, 19th and 11th in the 800 meters at the IHSAA Track & Field Championships from 2021-23.
 
The Eagles are scheduled to open the 2023 cross country campaign September 1 when they host the Stegemoller Classic at Angel Mounds.