University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) men’s cross country runner Tyler Pasley has been selected as the UIS Male Spotlight Athlete for the month of September.
Pasley charged to first place in the 4th Annual UIS Prairie Stars Invitational on Sept. 7 with a 6K time of 20 minutes, 41.78 seconds. The Prairie Stars defended their meet title by cruising to a perfect score of 15 points.
Pasley earned 37th in the Gil Dodds Invitational on Sept. 15 with an 8K time of 26:20.4. The performance is currently the third-fastest 8K time by a UIS sophomore.
Pasley locked up 77th (26:12.7) and a personal record during last Saturday's Greater Louisville Classic 8K blue race. The sophomore from Shelbyville recorded the seventh-fastest time in UIS history and the second-fastest time by a sophomore.
UIS battles in Lewis Conference Cross-Over on Saturday at 10 a.m. in Romeoville.
GETTING TO KNOW TYLER PASLEY
What is your favorite candy?
Crunch
Who is your favorite band?
Twenty One Pilots
Which is your favorite season?
Fall (For Cross Country!)
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I’d go back to Vienna, Austria
What is your favorite movie?
Split
What is your lucky number?
7
Who on the team is the best trash-talker?
Alex Phelps
What is your favorite book?
Once A Runner
What is your favorite food?
My mom’s baked ziti
What is your favorite pre-game meal?
Toast with honey
What is your major?
Environmental Studies
Who is your inspiration?
My dad. He has taught me the most basic, yet important lessons I have ever needed. He is a man of few words, but his actions speak louder than any words could. He is selfless, relentlessly dedicated, and the hardest worker I know. He has always supported me throughout my endeavors, and I hope to be that way for others as well.
What is your favorite memory at UIS?
Running in the GLVC Cross Country Championships in Kirksville, Mo. as a freshman. The combination of toeing the line with all of my teammates and running a tough race for a personal best in the 8K was absolutely exhilarating.
List a little-known, but amazing fact about yourself.
I can juggle and ride a unicycle, but I can’t do them at the same time.
Why did you choose UIS?
I first noticed UIS because of the cross country program. After visiting, I also fell in love with the campus size, distance from home, and the CAP Honors program. UIS really felt like a place I could call home.
What is your favorite class?
Calculus II, because I like the challenge and the satisfaction of solving and understanding difficult problems.
Who is your favorite professor?
Professor Cliff White, because his classes were a lot of fun to be in, and the discussions were always interesting.
