MONMOUTH, Ill. – Monmouth College track and field coach Roger Haynes will have a busy start to his indoor season in January. Not only will his Fighting Scots open at the St. Ambrose Fighting Bee Invitational on Jan. 11, but the next day Monmouth’s longtime coach will be inducted into the Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaches’ Association (ITCCCA) Hall of Fame.
Now in his 35th year guiding Monmouth’s track and field program, Haynes was approved last month for induction from a field of 40 nominees. Of the seven nominees, only three are from the coaching ranks – Maynard “Pat” O’Brien (Eastern Illinois University) and Renee Zellner (Harper Junior College). O’Brien will be inducted posthumously.
Haynes is “willing to help other coaches and is quite knowledgeable and passionate about the sport of track and field,” said Greenville College track and field coach Brian Patton in his nomination of Monmouth’s head coach.
The numbers bear witness to Patton’s assessment as Haynes has raised the bar for Monmouth track and field student-athletes. Of the 170 All-American awards captured with Haynes at the helm, 12 have won national championships and four teams have placed in the top four, all in the last 10 years. The Scots have claimed also more than 700 individual and relay conference championships and 80 Midwest Conference team titles under his guidance. Haynes himself has been awarded the league’s Coach of the Year a staggering 47 times.
“It’s a great honor, for sure, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank everyone who was involved in this process,” said a humble Haynes. “The Hall of Fame selection is really a reflection of the assistant coaches and student-athletes I’ve been blessed with over the years. I’ve been fortunate to have been surrounded by so many outstanding individuals.”
Haynes and the six other inductees will be enshrined at a ceremony on Jan. 12 at the Lombard Westin Hotel in Lombard.
The ITCCCA Hall of Fame was established in 1977 to honor those who have made significant contributions to track and field and cross country in Illinois. Only those candidates with at least 20 years of service to one or both of the sports may be considered for induction. A maximum of seven inductees may be selected each year.
