Greenville University Women's Cross Country

Brian Patton has been serving as the head men's and women's cross country and track and field coach at Greenville University since 1994. His men's track and field teams have been crowned NCCAA national champions 10 times and national invitational champions twice while the women's track and field team has placed as high as second at the NCCAA championships.  He or his staff have received 10 NCCAA national coach of the year awards.  In 2019, he was inducted into the NCCAA Hall of Fame for his outstanding leadership and service to the NCCAA.  He is the first member of the NCCAA Hall of Fame who served on the Athletic Department staff at Greenville University.  In 2020, he became the first active Greenville coach to be inducted into the Greenville Athletic Hall of Fame.In track and field, he has mentored 152 NCAA Division III track and field national entries, 72 NCAA Division III track and field All-Americans (including four relays), 190 USTFCCCA academic All-Americans, and six individual NCAA Division III track and field national champions.The outdoor men's track and field team won the first three SLIAC championships in 2017-2019 after being named invitational champions in 2016.  The men's indoor track and field team added a conference championship in 2020.  The women's track and field team has a SLIAC championship in 2017 and an invitational championship in 2016.  He and his staff are five-time SLIAC track and field coach of the year award winners, four outdoors and one indoors.The men's track and field team finished sixth in the 2015 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field championships, seventh in 2003, and eighth in 2014 with Patton at the helm. The program finished 24th at the 2018 championships which included an individual national champion in the 800.  He was chosen as NCAA Division III Midwest regional coach of the year in 2003.On the cross country course, Patton has directed two NCAA Division III All-Americans and five NCAA Division III national qualifiers.Patton is a 26-time recipient of the SLIAC cross country coach of the year award.  An additional four SLIAC cross country coach of the year honors went to an assistant coach on his staff.The men's cross country team has won 16 of the last 23 SLIAC championships while the women's team has won 16 of 25 conference championships. Additionally, he has coached 211 all-conference athletes in cross country alone.Patton, a certified public accountant, graduated from Greenville College in 1988 and has a 15th place finish at the Vineman Ironman triathlon to his credit. He and his wife Heather have two sons, Elijah and Caleb.* updated 3/2/20

Grant joined the Greenville College track and field staff in 2011.  She prepped at Beardstown High School where she was the 200-meter and 400-meter Illinois Class A state champion in 2005.  While at Eastern Illinois University, Grant was a standout sprinter, earning a bachelor's and master's degree in kinesiology.  She has personal bests of 12.09 seconds in the 100-meter dash, 24.82 seconds in the 200-meter dash, and 56.47 seconds in the 400-meter dash.  She is also an accomplished and nationally ranked Olympic lifter.

Easley came to Greenville College by way of Leo High School in Chicago, Ill.  A 2007 Greenville College graduate, Easley majored in Recreation Leadership while jumping for the track team each of his four years. He is a member of the 2003 track team recently inducted into Greenvilles Hall of Fame. Upon graduation, Chris has coached in both the East St Louis and Edwardsville school districts. He will have a masters degree in Coaching by the end of the upcoming track season. This will be his first year serving his alma mater as a full-time jumps coach. Chris and his wife Mollie reside in Edwardsville with their dog, Zero.