Dan Gray Named to 2027 ITCCCA Hall of Fame
The Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaches Association selected the Peoria Notre Dame coach for its 2027 class.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Running
The Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaches Association announced that Peoria Notre Dame cross country coach Dan Gray is a member of its 2027 Hall of Fame class. Gray has coached cross country and track and field for almost 40 years.
Why it matters
The honor recognizes a long coaching career that has produced state champions in Peoria and across Illinois. It places a local Peoria coach among the state's track and cross country leaders.
Gray has coached cross country and track and field for almost 40 years, including four state champions and 10 seasons as the PND boys track and field coach. The announcement does not address the induction date or ceremony details.
The players
Dan Gray
Dan Gray is the Peoria Notre Dame cross country coach who has spent almost 40 years coaching cross country and track and field.
Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaches Association
The Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaches Association is the statewide organization that oversees coaching honors and its Hall of Fame.
The details
Gray has spent most of his career at Peoria Notre Dame and has led the Irish boys and girls cross country teams since 2014. The ITCCCA said he develops both girls and boys athletes and connects, builds, trusts, motivates, and gets results.
Timeline
2006: Caitlin Comfort won the Class AA cross country state championship.
2007: Peoria Notre Dame finished as Class 2A state runner-up in cross country.
2009-10: C.J. Elward won the Class 2A 3200-meter run state championship.
2010: Peoria Notre Dame won the Class 2A cross country state championship.
2014: Gray became the Irish boys and girls cross country coach.
Season Trajectory
The selection places Gray alongside Illinois's track and cross country coaches recognized by the ITCCCA's Hall of Fame. It highlights Peoria Notre Dame's history of state titles in cross country, including its 2010 Class 2A championship.
Peoria-area runners and families can follow the Peoria Notre Dame cross country program, which has produced multiple state-level results. The honor adds visibility to local coaching and high school distance competition.
The takeaway
Long-term coaching success at the high school level often shapes state-level competition for years. Gray's selection shows how sustained program building earns statewide recognition.
Further reading
For more on local high school distance coverage, see Running coverage in Peoria.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Indianapolis Star.
