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

Results

Jan. 28, 2011-- The North Central College men's track & field squad remained untouchable at home on Friday night, winning 10 of the 16 events contested to win the NCC Quadrangular at the Al B. Carius Track. Cardinal athletes accounted for six national qualifying performances, including Robert Kapustka who hit the provisional standard in both the weight throw and shot put.

North Central, ranked No. 1 by the United States Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association, amassed 299 points in the team tally to blow away runner-up and No. 3 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater as the Warhawks finished with 179 points. Loras College (Iowa) was third with 42.5 points while Benedictine University was fourth, compiling a team score of 25.5.

Kapustka won the weight throw with a provisional qualifying heave of 60 feet 2 1/2 inches before earning the victory in the shot put with a provisional qualifying toss of 52' 9 1/4".

North Central secured the top four spots in the pole vault with three clearing national qualifying heights. John Wood won the event with an automatic qualifying vault of 16' 8 3/4" while Thomas Stacey (16' 4 3/4") and Peter Geraghty (15' 7") each hit the provisional mark, finishing second and third, respectively.

In the jumps, Jonathon Bitner won the triple jump with a leap of 41' 0 1/2" while Erik Brown was third, jumping 38' 4".  Zachariah Heerspink edged teammate Matthew Borchardt in the high jump, winning the event after missing less attempts after they both cleared 6' 6 3/4".

On the track, Daniel Benton tied his own facility record in the 400-meter dash, winning the event in a provisional qualifying time of 49.15 while Jon Howard was second with a provisional qualifying effort of 49.78. Robert Lott assured a top three sweep for the Cardinals, placing third after crossing the finish in 51.51.

North Central dominated the distance events, winning the 800-meter, 3,000-meter and 5,000-meter runs. Scott Foley won the 800-meter run in 1:59.48 paving the way for a 1-2-3 Cardinal finish with Matthew Brinkmeier (2:00.17) and Pat Foley (2:02.16) finishing close behind while seven of the top eight finishers in the 3,000-meter run wore the red and white of North Central. Kevin Sparks won the race in 8:55.37 while Mitch Gilbert was second, crossing the tape in 8:55.61.

The top five finishers in the 5,000-meters belonged to North Central with Daniel Ricketts capturing the win, clocking a 15:38.84. Ryan Root was close behind in second with a time of 15:41.11 while Jordan Pavlovich was third (15:49.55).

Delaney Fluker (7.95) and Nick Galanes (7.99) finished 2-3 in the 55-meter hurdles while Jon Caron placed second in the 200-meter dash, clocking a 22.93 and missing first-place by a hundredth of a second. Yonathan Mascote (4:20.19) and Mike Spain (4:21.79) finished second and third, respectively in the mile while the distance medley squad turned in a runner-up finish (10:38.58).

The Cardinals closed out the meet with a victory in the 4x400-meter relay, finishing in 3:22.99.

North Central returns to action on Friday, Feb. 4, sending a majority of the team to Whitewater, Wis. for the Squig Converse Invitational while select individuals will attend the IWU Pentathlon in Bloomington, Ill.