Runner surprises coach, surpasses own expectations

When men's cross country coach Robert Chapman designed his plan to rebuild his team, he wanted to use a base of Indiana high school stars and eventually land some high school All Americans.\nLast year, Chapman was able to take a step towards those national stars by bringing in three Foot Locker All-Americans in Stephen Haas from North Carolina and twins John and Sean Jefferson from Florida.\nHe also brought in Eric Redman from Indianapolis, a signing that slipped under the spotlight. After redshirting his freshman cross country season, Redman has been the team's biggest surprise this year.\n"We knew Eric had talent, worked hard, and came from an excellent program at North Central High School in Indianapolis," Chapman said. "But I also thought of him as a little more of a middle distance type of runner, and often they struggle with cross country in college moving to the 8K and 10K. Obviously that isn't the case (with Redman)."\nRedman has scored in all three meets this season at the number four and five position for the team. Last weekend he ran a career best 25:10.1 at the Indiana State Invitational to earn a 21st place overall finish in the eight kilometer race.\nHe has surpassed most people's expectations already this season. \n"I think he's a gutty kid, but I also think being around the other guys has helped him raise his game to a higher level," Chapman said. \nOne of those who has helped Redman is junior Bart Phariss. The two were high school teammates at North Central. As a freshman, Redman was a member of a cross country team in which Phariss won the five kilometer individual title in the state meet, and Phariss has watched Redman run since he was 13-years-old.\n"I knew that he was going to be good during his sophomore year of high school," Phariss said, "He just raced really hard, especially at the big meets at the end of the year."\nRedman said he always expects to perform well when the meets are important and does not accept less. He said he wants to finish in the top 25 at both the Big Ten Championships and the District meet this season and eventually earn All American status. Phariss predicts that in two years Redman will earn those honors.\nIn high school, Redman earned All State honors as a junior and senior in both track and cross country. His senior year, he placed seventh in the state meet for cross country and third in the mile. This spring, he placed tenth in the 1500 meter race at the Big Ten Championships.\nRedman said he entered the cross country season with high confidence from the track season and solid training. Now he works on gaining experience to attain his goals.\n"I think that with every race I'm learning more about running fast with the top runners and by the end of the season who knows where I will be," Redman said.