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Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
(article posted by Lauren Brightmore, Student Sports Information Assistant)

May 24, 2011 - For 13 men on the North Central College track and field team, the end of May signifies one thing: the NCAA Division III National Championships. After winning the Indoor National Championship this past March, the quest for an outdoor title is on for the Cardinal men. Last year the team hit a historic trifecta with national titles in cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field.

The team looks to repeat another championship performance with 13 entries in seven events: Michael Spain (10K, 5K), Dan Kerley (10k), Neal Klein (10k), Dan Benton (400m, 1600m relay), Jon Howard (400m, 1600m relay), Jon Caron, Randal Ellison (1600m relay), Joe Schneiderbauer (decathlon), Zachariah Heerspink (high jump), Josh Winder, Peter Geraghty, Thomas Stacey, and John Wood (pole vault).

For a few of these athletes, it is their first trip to outdoor nationals, and for some it is the final trip of their careers.

Winder, a sophomore, is looking to rise to new heights in his first trip to outdoor nationals. He finished seventh in pole vault at the Division III Indoor Championships this past March, earning All-American honors for the first time. At the CCIW Outdoor Championships, he cleared 17'1 1/2” to win the conference title. His performance ranks second among all athletes in Division III.

About his personal-record clearance, Winder said, “It felt really, really good. It was the first time I had vaulted anything close to that height in about a year. Basically being able to get another 17-foot jump in was probably one of the greatest feelings. It was really relieving to know I could do it again.”

Winder's goals for nationals center on consistency and focus. “It doesn't have to be anything spectacular, I just have to do exactly what I know, and what my dad (North Central pole vault coach Tim Winder) knows, and what all of our teammates know we can do,” Josh said. “A goal of mine is to just run down the runway, plant the pole, and land in the pit every time.”

Spain is leading the nation in both the 5,000 and 10,000-meter runs. At the indoor national championships, he won the 5,000-meter run in a time of 14:17.42. He does not let the pressure of being number one get to him though. “Going into races I have high expectations for myself,” he said, “but I take that pressure off by focusing on the team and what I have control over, which is my effort.”

With early qualifying times in both events, Spain was relieved and the opportunity allowed him to continue training hard through the season. Now in his final national championship, Spain has a select few simple goals: win another team championship and perform well as a group.

Just as they did in the indoor 5,000-meter championship race, Kerley and Klein will join Spain in the 10,000, an exciting aspect for Spain who said that having his teammates with him, “really helps out A TON! It gives me purpose to push myself that much harder and maintain focus because my performance is not just for my satisfaction, but the 100-plus guys from the team, wanting to win a national championship as much as I do.”

As hard as Spain has worked, he still attributes his success to his family, “who let me do crazy things all the time and didn't oppose to those oddities that come from being a runner.” He also credits the North Central coaching staff with “helping me grow not only as a runner but as a human being as well. There is no better support staff anywhere. I'm convinced of that.”

Head men's track and field coach, Frank Gramarosso, is a major part of that supportive coaching staff. Gramarosso is very pleased with the team's accomplishments this season. He is most proud of winning the CCIW Outdoor Championships earlier this May. Gramarosso said, “Our team goal is always conference. That's the highlight of the season, and whatever happens at nationals is just frosting on the cake.”

After an impressive second day at the CCIW Champions for the Cardinal men, they took the win from conference rival Augustana at their home field. “This was the first step,” Gramarosso remarked. Now with thirteen athletes spread across seven events, the team looks onto nationals ready to take home another national championship trophy.

So what is the advice Gramarosso gives his athletes heading into a national event? “If you just do what you did to get there, you're probably going to do pretty well,” he says. “Don't try harder; don't think you have to do something above and beyond.”

The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association will honor Gramarosso Wednesday evening with the Midwest Region Coach of the Year award. The values he teaches along with associate head track and field coach Al Carius has helped build upon a supremely successful track and field program. Gramarosso discussed how the 2010-2011 team bought into the program right away, instilling that belief in the process. Gramarosso said, “It's not about the wind, the weather, it's taking the right steps.“

The 2011 Division III Outdoor National Championships, held this season at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio, will begin Thursday at 12 pm.