FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324

USTFCCCA Release

Nov. 16, 2010-- North Central College men's cross country coach Al Carius was honored by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association on Tuesday, earning Midwest Region Coach of the Year honors for the third straight season.

Carius guided the top-ranked Cardinals to five meet victories in 2010, including dominating victories at the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Championships on Oct. 30 and the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional on Nov. 13. Carius' squad had all seven varsity runners earn All-Conference accolades at the CCIW Championships at the Saukie Golf Course in Rock Island, Ill. as the Cardinals finished two points shy of a perfect score, outdistancing runner-up Augustana College by a 50-point margin. Two weeks later North Central returned to the Saukie Golf Course to claim its third consecutive regional crown, outscoring runner-up University of Wisconsin-Platteville by 49-points as all seven runners captured All-Region honors.

Carius, a member of the USTFCCCA Hall of Fame has won 13 national titles in cross country during his tenure at North Central along with seven national titles in track and field (five outdoor, two indoor).

North Central will look to win its second straight national title on Saturday at the Max Cross Country Course in Waverly, Iowa. The race is slated to begin at 11 a.m.