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

USTFCCCA Release

Nov. 23, 2011-- For the second time in three years North Central College men's cross country head coach Al Carius has been honored by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, winning the 2011 NCAA Division III National Coach of the Year Award on Wednesday.

Carius claims the award after guiding the Cardinals to their 14th national championship on Saturday at the Lake Breeze Golf Course in Winneconne, Wis., as the team overcame some early adversity with two runners falling to capture the second national crown in three years. Carius was also named the USTFCCCA National Coach of the Year in 2009 while earning USTFCCCA Midwest Region Coach of the Year accolades in each of the last four seasons.

Prior to nationals, the Cardinals crushed the field at the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional on Nov. 12, winning the team title for the fourth straight season with a 72-point victory. North Central additionally tallied its 38th straight College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Championship on Oct. 29, attaining a perfect score of 15.

During the course of the season North Central won five meets, including the Illinois Intercollegiate Championships and the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Brooks Invitational.

Carius, a member of the USTFCCCA Hall of Fame has won 14 national titles in cross country during his tenure at North Central along with seven national titles in track and field (five outdoor, two indoor) as the head coach and two more (one indoor, one outdoor) as an associate head coach.