Once Eastern’s men’s track and field team begins it’s outdoor season, sophomore multi Ben Jessup will finally get to compete in the decathlon.
If Jessup had it his way, his debut would’ve come last year when he came to Eastern with a scholarship to be on the team.
However, he ended up not competing in his first year as a Panther.
Jessup underwent multiple surgeries to repair a fractured bone and torn ligament in his right ankle, an injury he suffered while playing football in his senior year at Salt Fork High School.
The injury happened during a 33-8 win over Hoopeston-Armstrong in Salt Fork’s week eight matchup in 2022. Initially, he and his doctors believed it would just be a quick cleanup surgery.
However, complications aggravated his injury further.
Jessup had no timetable for return when he started rehabilitation, referring to the situation as a snowball effect. He had his third and most recent surgery in May.
“At first I thought [the rehab process] would just be a month or two, and I figured I would be back and I would be able to train, but then it just turned into more months than I thought,” Jessup said. “It was kind of discouraging because I thought I would be back and be able to compete, but then I ended up having to sit out for the whole season.”
During his time away from the sport, Jessup knew he had to find ways to stay in shape to be ready for this upcoming season. These activities included using the stationary bicycle, playing basketball, jogging and now running sprints again.
The rehabilitation itself would be a challenge for Jessup because while in a walking boot, he could not risk doing any exercises that could potentially aggravate his right foot.
“I would train an hour a day for two days a week when I was out and doing physical therapy for my ankle,” Jessup said.
Since getting cleared by his doctor to take part in full practices with the team, Jessup has trained for two hours a day and five days a week.
“It was kind of hard, but over the summer I was able to do some things and then really just about until [November], I was able to start getting back into shape and it’s been going good so far,” Jessup said. “I have been able to do some cross training, just like going on an exercise bike. Other than that, I just really had to keep running.”
Sophomore hurdler Nathan Kirby, who was a state champion with Jessup in 2023, followed him from Salt Fork to Eastern and said it was disappointing to not be able to run with Jessup last season.
“I was very sad and heartbroken because I had been running with him for four years,” Kirby said. “We were blessed enough to go to the next level at the same college together, and then he was not able to run with me that year. So it just hurt my heart.”
Kirby stated that he’s happy to have Jessup back this season.
“It feels amazing,” Kirby said. “I missed him. I am glad to have him back.”
Football was Jessup’s favorite sport in high school, but his success in track and field is what got the attention of recruiters.
During his time at Salt Fork, Jessup helped his track team win back-to-back Illinois High School Association Class 1A State Championships as a junior and senior despite his ankle injury after the team placed second at the state championship during his sophomore year.
Jessup was also a member of the 4×100 relay state championship team that posted a time of 42.81 seconds. Jessup also qualified for the state finals in the discus throw with a personal best distance of 147 feet and 2 inches and he ran the boys 100-meter and 200-meter posting times of 11.51 and 23.10 seconds respectively.
Riley Baker, Eastern’s hurdles and sprints coach, hopes his rehabilitation can get him back to this level.
“I know for him, it’s probably really rewarding just to be at a point where we’re able to train again,” Baker said. “Obviously sitting out an entire year, especially coming in as an incoming freshman, can be really really hard for him mentally not being able to do the kind of thing you love, especially transitioning to the collegiate level. I’m sure it’s just really exciting, for us it’s really nice to have him back, just because he brings a really good energy to practice.”
Baker has seen Jessup’s progress so far in the team’s daily practices, and noted that earlier in the year, Jessup was not able to fully practice with the team. Baker believes that Jessup is progressing well, but he still needs more training for spring.
“He’s doing a really good job getting back into it,” Baker said. “For sitting out for an extensive period of time like he did, it can be really hard to get back to the point where we left off before that kind of injury occurred. So I do think that there’s still some time that he needs to kind of get back up to speed, just given that at the beginning of the year we weren’t fully healthy yet. But he’s heading in a really good direction to get there.”
Baker believes that Jessup’s time away from track helped him learn a little bit more away from the sport. He also believes that Jessup’s rehabilitation will help him mentor others on the team who may go through an injury like he did and will help Jessup with his leadership skills.
“I’m excited for him to bring everything he learned kind of through his injury and whatnot back to the team now and be able to kind of help us in other ways too outside of just leadership and team chemistry and things like that,” Baker said.
Jessup’s parents, Floyd and Becky Jessup, are optimistic about their son’s return to the track.
“We were excited to see Ben [Jessup] compete at EIU as a freshman, and we were sad that he had missed the whole year, but we still encouraged him,” Floyd Jessup said. “This year we are just as excited if not more to see him compete.”
Drew Farrell can be reached at 581-2812 or at atfarrell@eiu.edu.