FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302

USTFCCCA Rankings

Oct. 5, 2010-- The North Central College men's cross country squad is the Midwest Region's top ranked team according to the fifth installment of the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association regional rankings, released Tuesday.

Its the third consecutive week North Central holds the No. 1 ranking as the Midwest Region's top three spots remained unchanged from a week ago. Washington University in Saint Louis is No. 2 while the University of Wisconsin-Platteville is third.The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point is fourth with College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin rival Augustana College moving up one spot to round out the top five. Wheaton College is the third CCIW institution to rankings, making its debut at 10th.

The Cardinals competed as a split squad last Friday, finishing second in the Gold Division at the Notre Dame Invitational while winning the Carthage Invitational.

Michael Spain claimed top individual honors at Notre Dame, completing the 8,000-meter course in 24:41, helping the Cardinals score 54 points to finish only behind regionally-ranked NCAA Division I Eastern Michigan University.

In Kenosha at the Carthage Invitational, North Central has four of the top five finishers, including Jon Kaufmann who won the race by a 10-second margin in 26:53.

The Cardinals will once again compete as a split-squad this weekend, sending the top squad to Wartburg College for Pre-Nationals on Saturday while the rest of the squad competes on Friday at the Benedictine Invitational.