Men’s xc
Phil Kopinski joined the Scarlet Hawks men's cross country program as head coach in 2003. Since his arrival at the Illinois Institute of Technology, the men's team has seen significant improvement. In his 8 years, the men from IIT have captured the CCAC crown (2004) and twice been its championships runner up. Along with the team success the Scarlet Hawks have had 19 All-Conference selections and 13 NAIA National qualifiers in that same span.
A 1994 graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago, Kopinski was a four-year letter winner at UIC where he helped lead the Flames to their best-ever finish at the Mid-Continent Conference Championships in 1991. Before joining Illinois Tech, he spent nine years working as an Athletic Trainer at the high school, college, and clinical settings as well as the head ATC in the professional sports setting for six of those years. Kopinski also serves as IIT's head Athletic Trainer (ATC/L), overseeing the conditioning and rehabilitation of the university's intercollegiate athletes.
Mr. Kopinski resides in the near west suburbs with his wife Joan and their three son's Cooper, Shane and Bryce.
Calin Hantau is entering his second season with the Scarlet Hawk programs. In just one season his presence and championship experience has had an immediate impact. Calin graduated Lewis Clark University in 2008 and went on to earn his Masters while being the graduate assistant at Central Methodist University (2009-2010). While at CMU he coached 4 individual athletes who have earned All American status for track and field.
A native of Romania calin earned NAIA All-American status while attending LCS and has an impressive pre collegiate running career. He placed third in the Balcani Team Championships in the 8 kilometer run in 2004, and then was second in the 1,500 and 5,000 in the Romanian Collegiate Championships in 2005. He also has four third-place finishes in the Romanian U23 meets. He also represented Romania in the World Youth Championships.
Calin currently resides in Chicago.
Samuel Vazquez is currently a professional athlete representing Puerto Rico in international competition. A 2011 graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Vazquez is the 2011 NAIA Indoor 1000 meter champion and is also a seven-time NAIA All-American in Cross Country and Track and Field combined. He also competed at the NCAA Division I level at the University of Arkansas receiving All-American status his freshmen year and also participated at the 2004 NCAA National Championships and helped the Razorbacks win the National title.
Vazquez has a Bachelors degree in Business Administration with concentration to Aviation and a Psychology minor. Married to Florencia Isabel Vazquez who both reside downtown Chicago.
