Gus Coronado returns for a second stint as head coach of the Morton College men’s and women’s cross country program.
“It’s a fresh start and a new beginning,” Coronado said. “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.”
In Coronado’s first run at Morton College from 2002 to 2019, the Panthers were among the top programs in the Skyway Conference and Region 4.
On the men’s side, the Panthers won six Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference (2005, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019), three Region IV championships (2005, 2006, 2012) and produced a pair of Region IV individual champions – Marco Alfaro (2006) and Alan Guzman (2012). With the women, it’s been a pair of Skyway titles (2005, 2011) and five individual Region IV champions – Laura Macias (2004), Ashley Quiles (2006-07), Paola Salazar (2011) and Sierra Downey (2014). Coronado also has produced 69 all-conference and 48 all-Region IV runners.
Since 2000, Morton College is just one of three Illinois Skyway schools to win both the men’s and women’s cross country champion in the same year. The Panthers have done it twice in 2005 and 2011.
Coronado’s 2006 men’s team established the gold standard, not only for Morton College but also in the Illinois Skyway and Region IV. The Panthers were a point shy of a perfect 15 score in running away with the Illinois Skyway title as Morton College, led by two-time champion Alfaro, went 1-2-3-4-6. A week later, the Panthers rolled to a 57-point victory at the Region IV meet in finishing just three points shy of perfection with 18. Morton College runners came away with a 1-2-3-5-7 finish. The Panthers registered their second straight top 15 finish at nationals, placing 14th in the team standings.
In 2005, both the men and women qualified for the Division I national meet. The men were 13th and the women, 22nd. Coronado has overseen the best national finishes by a Morton College men’s team (13th in 2005) and women’s team (18th in 2011).
As a result of the Panthers’ dominance during that two-year run, the 2005-06 men’s cross country team is a member of the Skyway Conference Hall of Fame.
“It’s enjoyable to develop runners and see them mature from high school to the college level,” Coronado said. “We hope to develop runners and have them ready to run at the next level. We want them to reach their potential.”
Academically, the Panthers have been recognized by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Cross Country Coaches Association as an Academic All-America Team. The men were honored in 2011 and 2012, while the women received an award in 2011. Men’s runner Hector Lopez was the organization’s two-time All-American, an honor very few achieve.
“More than anything else, we want our runners to be good students and go on to get a four-year degree,” Coronado said. “Education is the most important thing. Running is second.”
Coronado’s method of challenging his runners by having them run at large meets with four-year schools prepares his teams for what he calls the three biggest races of the year – conference, region and nationals.
“Our goal is to have them prepare for the end of the year,” Coronado said. “It’s not what they do at the beginning, but rather at the end of the year. It’s a long season.”
Coronado, a graduate of the Morton system, was a standout high school and college runner. At Morton High School, Coronado placed fifth in the Class AA state cross country meet and third in the 3,200-meter run for track.
He was recruited by the likes of DePaul, Marquette and Illinois State and drew attention from Michigan State and West Point before heading to NCAA Division II power Lewis. After a year at Lewis, Coronado transferred to Morton College, where he earned his associate’s degree and finished fifth at the NJCAA Division II meet in 1993.
Coronado, a member of the Illinois Skyway’s Hall of Fame, also was the individual conference and Region IV champion that year as well in leading the Panthers to the team conference title. He also was one of Morton College’s five individual conference champions during the 1990s.
Coronado received his degree in education from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, where he qualified for the 1996 NCAA Division II track and field national meet in the 5-kilometer run. He is a physical-education teacher at Cicero Grade School District 99’s Drexel School.
“I’ve been fortunate to have met many wonderful people through the Morton College program,” Coronado said. “I’ve enjoyed every single moment coaching at Morton College.”
