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

USTFCCCA Top 35 Coaches' Poll

Oct. 20, 2010-- The North Central College women's cross country team continued its ascent in the NCAA Division III National Cross Country Coaches' Poll, climbing one spot to 34th in the week six rankings released Wednesday by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

The Cardinals amassed 23 points in the seventh installment of the rankings, jumping up one position to 34th as the team remains the only College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin squad to be represented in the Poll.

Middlebury College (Vt.) remains the nation's top squad for the fourth straight week, garnering all eight first place votes while Saint Lawrence University (N.Y.) remains No. 2. Williams College (Mass.), Johns Hopkins University (Md.) and the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh round out the top five in third, fourth and fifth, respectively.

North Central's climb in the poll coincides with its 10th place finish at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Invitational on Saturday that featured eight other ranked Division III teams and one top ten Division II squad. The Cardinals scored 266 points with Amanda Laesch leading the team with a fourth place finish, clocking a 21:40 for the 6,000-meter race and earning CCIW Runner of the Week accolades. The University of Minnesota-Duluth, ranked seventh in Division II, scored 89 points to win the meet while the host Titans placed second with 116 points.

The Cardinals return to action on Saturday, Oct. 30, traveling to Rock Island, Ill. for the CCIW Championships where they will look to claim their second straight conference title.