Jason Haynes, a 2009 graduate of Illinois College, begins his ninth season as the head coach of cross country and track & field in 2022-23.
The Illinois College track & field teams have made tremendous strides under Haynes' guidance. In six seasons, Haynes has had a total of 100 All-Midwest Conference performers and 183 Academic All-MWC honorees. An IC student-athlete has won MWC Performer of the Week 26 times and an IC school record has been broken on 48 occasions.
The 2016-17 indoor and outdoor track & field teams began their rise under Haynes, with both the men and the women placing fourth at the two championship events. Andrea Hyde was the Indoor Women's Newcomer of the Year and Chris Moore was the Outdoor Men's Newcomer of the Year. Additionally, the men's team won its second consecutive Elite 20 Award as Caleb Rybolt succeeded Sean Kisch in winning the academic award.
The 2017-18 season was one to remember for the Illinois College track & field teams. The men's squad matched their best conference finish since 2009 by taking second in both the MWC Indoor and Outdoor Championships. Haynes was awarded the MWC Coach of the Year Award at the conclusion of the 2018 MWC Indoor Track & Field Championships. Both Anthony Hand and Kisch won Elite 20 Awards at the two conference meets, and Hyde and Brett Peifer were named Most Outstanding Track Performers of the Meet after the 2018 MWC Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Hyde would go on to earn All-America honors, finishing sixth nationally in the 100 Meter Dash.
The 2018-19 season showed that the IC track & field programs were here to stay in the Midwest Conference. The Blueboys finished in third place at both the indoor and outdoor championships, while the Lady Blues were fourth at indoors and tied for sixth at outdoors. Freshman Marshall Brown was named Men's Outdoor Newcomer of the Year at the conclusion of May's championship event. Hyde made her first-ever appearance at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships, ending 20th nationally in the 60 Meter Dash. She would then wrap up the year ranked 14th nationally in the 100 Meter Dash after competing in the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
The abbreviated 2019-20 season was a successful one for Illinois College during the indoor portion of the schedule. The Blueboys finished fourth and the Lady Blues ended in fifth at the MWC Indoor Track & Field Championships with Andrea Hyde taking home Women's Outstanding Track Performer of the Meet honors. A total of 13 individuals from IC ended up with All-MWC honors at the event. From there, Hyde and Anthony Flores each qualified for the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships, with Hyde qualifying in the 60 and 200 Meter Dashes and Flores in the weight throw. Each earned All-American honors after the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Haynes has had five national qualifiers at Illinois College. Brittney Burgess was an All-American in the women's javelin in 2014-15 and Hyde appeared at the national outdoor meet in the women's 100 Meter Dash in 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19, making an appearance at the indoor meet in 2018-19 and qualifying for the event in the 60 Meter Dash and 200 Meter Dash in 2020 before the cancellation of the meet. Hyde would then go on to qualify for the 100 Meter Dash and the 200 Meter Dash in the Outdoor National Championships in 2021. She was joined by Olivia Molette who qualified in the Long Jump in 2021. Flores also qualified for the 2020 NCAA Division III Indoor Championships in the men's weight throw. The men's 4 x 100 Meter Dash made their first appearance at the national meet in 2017-18. The men's 4 x 100, Hyde, Molette and Brant Bess have all been named USTFCCCA Midwest All-Region selections with Haynes in charge.
Haynes came back to IC from Knox College where he was men's and women's head track and field coach, cross country team coordinator/assistant and Fleming Fieldhouse coordinator. During his time at Knox, Haynes saw his athletes break 20 school records, earn nine All-Midwest Conference honors and win two individual event conference championships.
While a student at Illinois College, Haynes competed in cross country, and indoor and outdoor track. He graduated from IC with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and has a Master of Science degree in sports management from Western Illinois University. He is also a USTFCCCA certified event specialist in sprints, hurdles, relays, jumps and endurance events.
Haynes resides in Jacksonville with his wife, Ellen, and daughters, Kiera and Embry.
