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

USTFCCCA National Coaches' Poll

Nov. 2, 2011-- The North Central College men's cross country team remains the nation's unanimous No. 1 team in the eighth installment of the NCAA Division III National Coaches' Poll, released Wednesday by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

The Cardinals secured 280 points and all eight first place votes, remaining on top of the rankings for the eight straight week. Haverford College (Pa.), the defending national champions, remain No. 2 with 272 points followed by Washington University in Saint Louis with 261 points. Calvin College (Mich.) is fourth with 255 points while College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin nemesis Wheaton College is fifth with 250 points. Augustana College is the third CCIW squad in the Top 35, remaining 19th with 144 points.

North Central captured its 38th straight CCIW crown and 45th overall on Saturday, earning a perfect score of 15 for just the sixth time in school history. Matt Perez led the charge at Chicago's Montrose Harbor, winning the 8,000-meter race in 25 minutes, 15.87 seconds with Neal Klein coming in second in 25:23.95. Four-tenths of a second separated the next three Cardinal runners with Dan Kerley (25:30.42) finishing third, Kevin Sparks (25:30.53) placing fourth and John Crain (25:30.80) finishing fifth.

The Cardinals return to action on Saturday, Nov. 12, making the trip to the Saukie Golf Course in Rock Island, Ill. where they will look to capture their fourth straight NCAA Division III Midwest Region title.