Michigan Normal College started a four-man cross country team coached by F. G. Beyerman in 1911.

1929 was the year that Michigan State Normal College had a national champion in the form of Roger Arnett.

His assistant coach George Marshall filled in, and won Michigan State Normal College's seventh straight championship.

[2] Olds worked with the Michigan State Normal College track and cross country teams for 25 years.

Olds developed the Normal School track and field and cross country program into a national power.

In addition to the honors already mentioned, Olds received the Eastern Michigan University Distinguished Alumni Award, and was elected to both the N.C.A.A.

Prior to his passing in 1967, Marshall hired legendary cross country and track and field coach, Bob Parks.

During his first ten seasons at EMU, Parks' teams qualified for the National Championship meet nine times at either NCAA Division I, II or NAIA.

[5] Two of Parks athletes were USA Olympic team members, (800 meter Bronze medalist, 1984, Earl Jones and 1996 1500 meter runner, Paul McMullen) though middle distance runners, both were big contributors on EMU cross country teams.

This attrition of dropped programs, left the MAC cross country league with only four - five, three season running squads, a shadow of the powerful conference.

The combination of Parks nine MAC Conference cross country championships, setting the EMU cross country dual meet record and consistently taking his teams to national championships during the Mac Conference most competitive era, is why Parks s referred to as the EMU coaching legend.

Parks has been honored with five different hall of fame inductions...Howell high school, Mid-American Conference, Drake Relays, Eastern Michigan University, and the USTFCCCA.

During his stint at Wake Forest, his teams had four Atlantic Coast Conference championships, as well as coaching 19 athletes to 35 All-ACC honors.

In August 2024, Austin Whitelaw was tabbed as the Eastern Michigan Head Men's Cross Country Coach, the 8th in program history.