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

Oct. 14, 2009 -- The North Central College men's cross country team continues to hold on to the No. 1 ranking among NCAA Division III teams for the sixth straight week, according to the new United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Top 35 Poll, which was released Wednesday.

North Central garnered 280 points and sits perched atop the rankings with last year's national champion Cortland State (N.Y.) sitting in second with 271 points. UW-La Crosse remains in third with 265 points while Geneseo State (N.Y.) moves up one spot to fourth. Allegheny College (Pa.) rounds out the top five, moving up one spot with 247 points. College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin-rival Augustana College made one of the biggest jumps of the week, climbing nine spots to ninth place after receiving 207 points.

The Cardinals claimed their fifth invitational victory on Friday, winning the 18-team Benedictine University Eagle Invitational despite sending only a partial squad. Emilio Saraga was the top North Central finisher, clocking a 26:52.15 for the 8,000 meter course. The Cardinals finished with 46 points to top runner-up Marian University (Ind.) by seven.

North Central travels to the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh for the Brooks Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 17.