As part of UIS Athletics' 15 Years of NCAA Division II Membership celebration, the department is highlighting 15 standout teams and 15 standout student-athletes who have shaped the program's Division II era. Each week, UIS features one team and one player, honoring the accomplishments, championship moments, and legacy-building performances that have defined Prairie Stars Athletics.

The 2022 UIS men's cross country team made history by capturing the program's first-ever Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Championship, marking a milestone season in just the eighth year of the program's existence. Under first-year head coach Emmons King, who earned 2022 GLVC Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year honors, the Prairie Stars established themselves as a force in the conference and on the national stage.

Early in the regular season, UIS put together a strong showing at the Lewis Crossover, finishing second behind Colorado Christian—one of the nation's premier programs—and defeating four nationally ranked teams in the process. That performance set a high bar and gave the team confidence heading into the remainder of the season. The Prairie Stars finished in the top five at every meet besides nationals, and ranked as high No. 15 in NCAA DII during the regular season. 

At the GLVC Championships, UIS overcame adversity to claim the conference title, with one of its top runners, Cort Ross, sidelined for the week. The Prairie Stars totaled 35 points to win the championship, with senior Wyatt McIntyre crossing the finish line first in the 8,000-meter race at 24 minutes, 50 seconds. McIntyre earned both the GLVC Individual Championship and GLVC Runner of the Year honors, while his brother Noah McIntyre finished just behind him in second place at 25:02, helping UIS edge out the Lewis Flyers by a single point. The top five Prairie Stars runners all finished within the top 12, producing a historic first league championship and solidifying the program's growing reputation.

Following the conference championship, UIS competed at the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Championships at Wisconsin Parkside. Despite a fall by Noah McIntyre during the race, the Prairie Stars finished fifth as a team, with Wyatt McIntyre leading the way in ninth place and earning All-Region recognition. Chris Cherry and Cort Ross also earned All-Region honors with top-25 finishes, demonstrating the team's depth. UIS left the meet without a top-three team finish, which would have given them an automatic bid, and waited until the following Monday to learn that they had earned an at-large bid to their first-ever national championship.

At the NCAA Division II National Championships in Seattle, Washington, during an NCAA DII festival year, the Prairie Stars again raced the 10-kilometer distance and posted a program-best sixth-place team finish. Wyatt McIntyre became the program's first All-American with a 26th-place finish, while Noah McIntyre ran a personal best of 30:35 for the 10k, ranking third in school history. Chris Cherry also set a personal best of 31:00, moving into fifth on UIS's all-time 10k list. Overall, five of the seven Prairie Stars ran times that ranked among the program's top-12 all-time cross country 10k performances.

The 2022 season was a breakthrough campaign for UIS men's cross country, combining conference dominance with national-level success. The team's achievements included six All-GLVC runners, three All-Region honorees, and one All-American, setting a new standard for the program and laying a strong foundation for future Prairie Stars teams. The combination of historic victories, standout individual performances, and a first national appearance established the 2022 squad as the most significant in UIS cross country history.

Explore the growing list of NCAA Division II 15 Years Anniversary honorees celebrating the legacy of Prairie Stars Athletics.