As one of six individual national champions in the storied history of North Central College men’s cross country program, Erik Taylor ’98 took full advantage of the championship atmosphere cultivated within the team and achieved each of his competitive goals with a mental approach that has continued to serve him well.
Following a highly decorated high school career that included an Illinois Class AA state championship in the 1,600-meter run as a senior, Taylor had his sights focused on attending either the University of Wisconsin or the University of Illinois before taking a visit to Naperville.
“I was set on going to an NCAA Division I school,” he said. “My high school coach persuaded me to visit North Central. I sat in Al Carius’ office, where his wall was completely covered with framed All-America certificates, and I was blown away.
“I met with coaches at larger schools, and it never seemed like they were willing to take as much time as Al took with me. Four hours later, I was completely convinced that I needed to be at North Central.”
Taylor soon established himself as a national contender in the 1,500-meter run, placing second at the 1996 NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships as a sophomore before adding a fourth-place showing in 1997. A third-place effort in 1998 helped the Cardinals win their third outdoor national title. His personal-best time of 3:48.59, achieved as a senior, ranks fourth all-time at North Central and he is one of 15 Cardinals to earn All-America honors three times in the same event.
He capped off his career with a victory in the 1998 cross country national championships, finishing seven seconds ahead of his nearest competitor and leading the Cardinals to their second straight championship and 11th overall.
Taylor was a three-time College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) individual track and field champion and one of three North Central athletes to win two championships at the Drake Relays. He credits the expectation of excellence prevalent in the North Central program, as well as its culture of inquiry, with helping him foster the proper mental framework to achieve success at the national level.
“I had high expectations for myself,” Taylor said. “Being on a championship-caliber team was a huge appeal for me. Between Al, (volunteer assistant coach) Ken Popejoy and some of the others who were around the program, you could ask questions about what it took for them to reach the top of their game. They had been to where I was aspiring to get, so I always wanted to ask questions. Al has created that environment for the guys who want it.”
Now the owner of his own personal fitness company, Taylor credits the mentality he developed as a student-athlete as a key asset in his daily life.
“What I learned, more than anything from my coaches and my experience at North Central, is that hard work and discipline get you places,” he said. “I wasn’t the most talented guy, but I learned that by putting in the work I could get results. I saw how it paid off as an athlete, and now I’m seeing how it pays off in a career.”
