INDIANAPOLIS – The IU Indianapolis Athletics Department and head men's cross country and track and field coach Justin Roeder announced its recruiting class for the 2024-2025 campaign. Roeder and the Jaguars will welcome 13 true freshmen for the upcoming campaign, hailing exclusively from Indiana and Ohio.
 
The group joins a core that finished as runner-up at the Horizon League Cross Country championships and showed well in distance events at both the indoor and outdoor track championships.

"We are absolutely thrilled to welcome this exceptional recruiting class to our program. The depth and range of talent across middle and long distance events is truly extraordinary. Each of these athletes not only brings impressive running accolades but also unique qualities that will elevate our team culture and performance," Roeder said. "This class represents a significant step forward for our program, and I'm excited to see how they will contribute to our continued success in the Horizon League and NCAA Region."

Below are the 13 newcomers, listed alphabetically.
 
Joey Ashman (Indianapolis, Ind. / Franklin Central)
-Three-time IHSAA State Cross Country Championships qualifier
-Finished third in the 800m event at the IHSAA Boys State Track & Field Championships as a senior, running 1:52.52
-Two-time Greenfield Central Sectional champion in the 800m event; also won the regional title in the 800m as a senior 
-PRs: 800m (1:52.52); 1,600m (4:16.34); 3,200m (9:28.93); 5K XC (15:32.63)
 
Nick Cook (Selma, Ind. / Wapahani)
-Two-time IHSAA State Cross Country Championships qualifier, placing 39th his senior year (15:50.9)
-Earned 14 individual wins in cross country, including three straight Mid-Eastern Conference Championships, two Delaware County titles and two Delta Sectional titles
-Helped Wapahani to a fifth-place finish in the 4x800 relay at the 2024 IHSAA Boys State Track Championships 
-PRs: 800m (1:52.41); 1,600m (4:18.93); 5K XC (15:35.90)
 
Thomas (TJ) Gorman (Greensburg, Ind. / Greensburg)
-Qualified for the IHSAA State Cross Country Championships his senior year, placing 43rd (15:53.4)
-Earned two individual wins in cross country his senior year, including the Eastern Indiana Athletic Conference championship
-Earned a pair of individual wins in the 3,200m event his junior year
-Sectional runner-up in the 3,200m event as a senior
-PRs: 5K XC (15:53.40)
 
Sam Grimes (Greenwood, Ind. / Greenwood Community)
-Qualified for the IHSAA State Cross Country Championships his senior year
-Won the Johnson County Cross Country championship his junior year
-Earned 10 individual wins on the track his junior year, including winning the Johnson County title in the 800m event
-Helped Greenwood Community win the 2024 Mid-State Indoor Championship in the DMR, running the closing mile of the relay
-PRs: 1,600m (4:25.04)
 
Alec Hueftle (Indianapolis, Ind. / North Central)
-Qualified for the IHSAA Boys State Track & Field Championships as a senior in the 4x800 relay, running anchor for North Central's team
-Was sectional champion in the 800m his senior season
-Helped North Central to the MIC Indoor Championship in the 4x800 relay and a runner-up finish in the DMR, running the 800m leg in that event
-PRs: 800m (1:56.26); 1,600m (4:25.92)
 
Joey LaPatra (Griffith, Ind. / Griffith)
-Qualified for the IHSAA State Cross Country Championships his final two years, earning All-State honors as a senior with a 25th place finish (15:39.7)
-Followed up with a 13th place finish at the Mid-East Meet of Champions following his senior season
-Was Greater South Shore Athletic Conference and Highland Sectional champion in cross country his senior year
-Two-time IHSAA Boys State Track Championship qualifier in the 3,200m event
-Earned five individual wins on the track his senior year and 13 in his high school career
-PRs: 1,600m (4:27.37); 3,200m (9:25.38); 5K XC (15:39.70)
 
Alec Moor (Noblesville, Ind. / Noblesville)
-Three-time IHSAA State Cross Country Championship qualifier
-Ran the NXR Midwest Regional Cross Country Championships in 2021 and 2022
-Competed with Noblesville's 4x800 relay at the IHSAA Boys State Track & Field Championships his final three seasons, including helping the Millers to a sixth-place finish in 2024 and ninth-place finish in 2022
-Helped Noblesville to the HCC Indoor Invitational title in the DMR his senior year, running the 800m leg
-PRs: 800m (1:55.74); 1,600m (4:21.51); 3,200m (9:31.94); 5K XC (15:53.80)
 
Riley Nixon (Toledo, Ohio / Ottawa Hills)
-Qualified for the OHSAA State Cross Country Championships (D3) all four years, finishing fifth his senior year (15:52.9)
-Was the 12th place finisher his junior year and 11th place finisher his sophomore year
-Later placed 31st at the Mid-East Meet of Champions following his senior season
-Won the 1,600m event at the OHSAA D3 State Track & Field Championships his senior year (4:12.70) and was fifth in the 3,200m event (9:28.33)
-Also won the 1,600m event at the OATCCC Division 2&3 Indoor State Meet his senior year (4:15.46)
-Was state runner-up in the 1,600m event as a junior (4:14.42)
-PRs: 1,600m (4:12.70); 3,200m (9:20.70); 5K XC (15:48.50)
 
Ty Perez (Amherst, Ohio / Amherst Steele)
-Qualified for the OHSAA State Cross Country Championships (D1) as a freshman and senior, placing 41st his senior year (16:02.5)
-Earned three individual wins in the 3,200m event his junior year, including winning the District and Region titles
-Finished 16th at the OHSAA D1 State Track & Field Championships in the 1,600m event his junior year 
-PRs: 1,600m (4:22.00); 3,200m (9:24.39); 5K XC (15:29.40)
 
Carter Schorr (Lancaster, Ohio / Lancaster)
-Qualified for the OHSAA State Cross Country Championships (D1) his final two years, placing 71st his senior year
-Competed at the NXR Midwest Regional Championships in 2022 and 2023, placing seventh overall in 2023
-Was OHSAA Central District runner-up in the 3,200m event his senior year
-Followed up with a personal best 3,200m time of 9:36.53 at the Pickerington North Region his senior season
-PRs: 1,600m (4:30.16); 3,200m (9:36.08); 5K XC (15:59.47)
 
Zane Schorr (Lancaster, Ohio / Lancaster)
-Qualified for the OHSAA State Cross Country Championships (D1) his final two years, placing 86th his junior year
-Competed at the NXR Midwest Regional Championships in 2022 and 2023, placing 11th overall in 2023
-Was Ohio Capital Conference runner-up in cross country his senior season
-Helped Lancaster to a pair of 4x800 relay wins his senior year
-PRs: 800m (1:57.78); 1,600m (4:18.88); 5K XC (15:58.78)
 
Cameron Smith (Lapel, Ind. / Lapel)
-Earned a spot at the IHSAA State Cross Country Championships his junior and senior years
-Was runner-up at the Nike XC Town Twilight his senior season
-Advanced to the IHSAA Boys State Track & Field Championships in the 3,200m event as a junior, placing 21st overall
-Won the Mt. Vernon Sectional title in the 3,200m event as a junior
-PRs: 1,600m (4:30.13); 3,200m (9:32.19); 5K XC (15:35.40)
 
Jaydon Steidinger (Leo, Ind. / Leo)
-Competed at the IHSAA State Cross Country Championships his senior season
-Ran at the IHSAA Boys State Track & Field Championships three times in his high school career, including qualifying in the 1,600m event his senior year
-Qualified for state in the 4x400 relay his senior year and 4x800 relays his freshman and sophomore years
-Was NE 8 Conference and Fort Wayne North Side Sectional champion in the 800m event his junior year
-PRs: 800m (1:58.83)