Gus Coronado is happy to be back as part of the Morton College family. It's a place he's considered home as a cross country student-athlete in the early 1990s and later as a coach from 2002 to 2019.

Coronado is tasked with restoring a Panther cross country program that won a combined eight conference titles and five Region 4 crowns in his first stint as coach from 2002 to 2019. He pulled off a rare double-double 20 years ago in 2005 when both the Morton College men's and women's teams were Skyway Conference and Region 4 champions.

As an athlete at Morton College, Coronado placed fifth at the NJCAA Division II men's cross country nationals in 1993. He also was the individual conference and Region IV champion that year as well in leading the Panthers to the program's first conference title. He also was one of Morton College's five individual conference champions during the 1990s.

"It's a fresh start and a new beginning," said Coronado, a physical education teacher at nearby Drexel School for 26 years. "I'm excited to be back. My heart has always been here at Morton College. I'm just happy that I was asked to come back. I want to finish what I started and hopefully build up both programs and create a winning culture. I'm looking forward to making new memories."

Morton College athletic director Lee Milano quickly seconds Coronado's thoughts.

"It's great to have Gus back over here," Milano stated. "He has the knowledge and experience at the high school and community college levels. He'll enhance our program and I'm confident with time have our program headed in the right direction quickly."

While Coronado was an assistant to David Rill on Fenwick High School's Class 2A boys state cross country championship team in 2021, he still maintained deep ties to Morton College. He'd regularly attend the dinner part of the Morton College Athletic Association's yearly golf outing fundraiser. He kept his Morton College cross country travel bag and coaching shirts.

Coronado's goals are realistic in his coaching reboot. He got hired in late July and any future Marco Alfaro, Alan Guzman, Sierra Downey, Ashley Quiles or Laura Macias won't be on the scene until 2026.

This year's team has one male and three females. The schedule will be an abbreviated one with two or three invitationals and the Region 4 meet.

"There's growing pains, but they'll get through it," said Coronado, a member of the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference's Athletic Hall of Fame. "We just have to be positive. Right now, we're doing building blocks. This is the first phase of three. We're getting mentally and physically prepared for our first race. We've got time to get ready." 

Coronado, who later ran cross country and track at Southern Illinois Edwardsville, stress patience. He appreciates the opportunity Milano is offering.

"We're going to work hard at recruiting," Coronado said. "We want people who want to excel as student-athletes. More than anything else, we want our runners to be good students and go on to get a four-year degree. Education is the most important thing. Running is second."