(St. Charles, IL.) - Waubonsee Community College Cross Country head coach Eric Baron will be part of the 2025 Class of inductees into the St. Charles Hall of Fame on September 27. The Chiefs' head coach was a premier runner on both the Cross Country and Track teams at St. Charles High School (now St. Charles East) from 1984 through 1988. Baron earned All-Upstate Eight and All-State honors twice, leading the Saints' Cross Country team to Conference, Regional and Sectional titles, while also qualifying individually for the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) State Track Meet in three of his four years at the prep level. He still owns the fastest freshman mile time at St. Charles with a time of 4:30. Baron went on to run at Eastern Illinois University where he was team captain for both the Panther's track team and the Cross Country team, earning All-Conference status 14 times during his collegiate career.   

Baron has been an educator and coach for over 30 years at the middle school and high school level, primarily serving at Kaneland High School. He guided his Knights Cross Country and Track teams to numerous Conference and Sectional crowns over the last 25-plus years. His 1999 Cross Country team along with his 2010 and 2014 Track teams all finished second in the state, while his 2019 Cross Country squad won the IHSA championship. Baron, who was tabbed IHSA Coach of the Year in 2014, is set to also be inducted into the Kaneland Hall of Fame in the Spring of 2026.   

Baron took over Waubonsee's program in 2022 and immediately helped guide four runners to All-Region status and berths in the NJCAA Division I National Meet. In 2024 he helped direct the women's team to the Region 4 title and a 30th place finish at the National Meet, and last season he steered David Valkanov to NJCAA All-American status as the freshman placed 9th at the NJCAA Division II Nationals Meet, the highest finish ever for a Chiefs' runner.