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

Regional Rankings

Oct. 19, 2010-- The North Central College men's cross country team remains the Midwest Region's top ranked squad for the fifth straight week in the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association regional rankings, released Tuesday.

The Cardinals maintain their No. 1 ranking in the seventh installment despite significant shuffling of the rankings. The University of Wisconsin-Platteville rose up four spots to No. 2 while Washington University in Saint Louis fell one spot to third. The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater round out the region's top five, both dropping a position to fourth and fifth, respectively.

The College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin is additionally represented by Augustana College and Wheaton College in the rankings. The Vikings dropped two spots to seventh while the Thunder remain the Midwest Region's 10th-ranked team.

The Cardinals blew away the 37-team field at the UW-Oshkosh Brooks Invitational on Saturday in Winneconne, Wis., scoring 49 points. Calvin College (Mich.), the top ranked team in the Central Region, was second with 78 points followed by the Atlantic Region's third-ranked New York University (138 points).

North Central's Michael Spain captured the individual title, finishing the 8,000-meter race in 24:23, a whole 17 seconds faster than the next closest competitor to remain undefeated on the season. For his efforts, Spain was honored as the CCIW's Runner of the Week for the fourth time this season.

The Cardinals have the weekend off before focusing their attention on the CCIW Championships on Oct. 30 where they will look to secure their 37th consecutive conference crown and their 44th overall championship.