FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
USTFCCCA Region Award Winners Release
Complete USTFCCCA Top 35 Rankings
National Championship Preview
Nov. 19, 2009 -- The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced its All-Region Coach of the Year awards this week, with longtime North Central College men's cross country coach
Al Carius winning the award for the Midwest Region for the second consecutive season.
Carius has guided the Cardinals to eight invitational wins this season while the top varsity are a perfect seven-for-seven in competition, attaining a perfect score of 15 on three separate occasions. The Cardinals, ranked number one all season long by the USTFCCCA, won their first Illinois Intercollegiate Championship this season, edging out the University of Illinois by 16 points while winning the NCAA Midwest Regional by an 84-point margin. Carius guided the team to their 36th consecutive College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin crown this season and his staff was honored as the CCIW Coaching Staff of the Year.
Carius, a member of the USTFCCCA Hall of Fame has won 12 national titles in cross country during his tenure at North Central along with five national titles in track and field (4 outdoor, 1 indoor).
North Central will look to win its 13th national title on Saturday at Highland Hills Golf Course in Cleveland, Ohio. The race is scheduled to begin at noon Eastern time.