Kaskaskia College Men's Cross Country

KC Graduate, Mike Hargis, begins his 15th year as head coach of the men’s and women’s cross country teams at Kaskaskia College. A Salem resident, Hargis has a proven track record in the sport of cross country serving as the coach for Selmaville Grade School for eight years before moving on to the high school level in 2002 where he served as head coach for seven years. As the head coach at Salem, Hargis has been quite successful earning the school five Apollo Conference Championships in boys track, two Apollo Conference Championships in Cross Country, one girls Regional Cross Country Championship, one NEC Conference in Boys Track, ten junior varsity boys track championships, one NEC boys and girls conference cross country championships. He has also coached a Boys Cross Country State Qualifying Team as well as had twelve IHSA AA Boys All- State Track athletes, including two AA state champions in 2014 and 2023. His 2009 KC Blue Devils men’s team was named to the Coaches Association Academic All-American team, two members of that team received individual Academic All American honors and one member of the women’s team earned individual. In 2010 two members of the men’s team earned Coaches Association Academic All-American honors and one member of the women’s team. The 2011 season brought several first for the program, for the first time in school’s history both the men’s and women’s teams were both ranked nationally in the top twenty-five. Two members of the women’s team earned NJCAA All Region 24 team honors with top ten finishes. The highlight of the season was the Lady Blue Angels earning the number one ranking for academics in the Coaches Association Academic All American selection and earning year end honors as a NJCAA All Academic team. Five members of the women’s team were members of the Coaches Association All Academic team as well as two members of the men’s team. His 2014 Lady Blue Angles finished seventh nationally in Coaches Associations Academic All American final season poll and earned NJCAA Academic honors as well. His 2018-19 women's team won its first NJCAA Region Championship in school history.  

Fischer has been an assistant coach of the men's and women's cross country teams at Kaskaskia College since the start of the program in 2009. A Centralia resident, Fischer competed for the Centralia High School cross country program under the guidance of coach Rod White before moving on to college at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois. A four time All-American at NCAA Division 3 North Central, twice in cross country and twice in the steeplechase, Fischer was a member of two National Champion cross country teams while running for legendary coach Al Carius. He was also an individual champion in the always tough CCIW conference, and helped North Central start an unprecedented streak of conference team championships that extends from 1974 to the present. Fischer brings a wealth of knowledge of what it takes to be a successful runner as well as a genuine love for the sport to the Blue Devils and Blue Angels teams.