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

Results

CHICAGO, Ill. (Oct. 29, 2011)-- A one-two punch of Alicia Zimmerman and Krista Cota helped the North Central College women's cross country team capture its third straight College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Championship on Saturday at Montrose Harbor, outdistancing runner-up Illinois Wesleyan University by a 17-point margin.

For the second straight season and sixth time overall, the Cardinals claimed the individual champion as Zimmerman traversed the 6,000-meter course in 22 minutes, 46.72 seconds to claim top individual honors. Cota was a close second, finishing in 22:48.58. The duo's efforts helped the 24th-ranked Cardinals tally 30 points in the team standings, winning the CCIW title for the third straight season and seventh time overall.

 Illinois Wesleyan was second with 47 points followed by Augustana College (80 points), Wheaton College (111 points) and Carthage College (119 points). Elmhurst College was sixth with a team score of 126 while Millikin University was seventh with 214 points. North Park University competed but did not compile a score as only four runners participated.

Kala Bingham was the third Cardinal to cross the finish, placing fourth in 23:17.30 while Maggie Lapinski and Amanda Marek placed back-to-back in 11th and 12th places, respectively. Lapinski finished the 6K race in 23:49.73 with Marek crossing the tape in 23:52.49.

Amy Schwent and Jordan Wagner rounded out the varsity seven, Schwent placed 24th in 24:35 while Wagner finished 34th in 24:55.

Zimmerman, Cota, Bingham, Lapinski and Marek all earned All-CCIW accolades by virtue of their top 15 finishes while Mahesh Narayanan and his coaching staff secured CCIW Coach of the Year honors.

North Central is idle next week before heading to Rock Island, Ill. on Saturday, Nov. 12 for the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional at the Saukie Golf Course.