FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302

Team Results
Individual Results

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (Oct. 4, 2013) - One of the nation's best competitive fields did little to deter the North Central College men's cross country team Friday afternoon, as the Cardinals emerged with a second-place finish out of 23 teams in the Gold Division at the University of Notre Dame Invitational.

The Cardinals, who entered the meet as the No. 1-ranked NCAA Division III team in the nation, totaled 78 points in the meet, finishing only behind the No. 3-ranked NCAA Division II team, Grand Valley State University (Mich.) The Lakers placed five runners among the top 17 finishers and won the meet with 40 points. The top five was rounded out by the University of Windsor (Ontario) with 108 points, Central Michigan University with 126, and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis with 150.

North Central did make off with the individual championship, as John Crain pulled away for an impressive first-place finish. Crain remained unbeaten in 2013 by touring the 8,000-meter (five-mile) course in 25 minutes, 15.2 seconds, bettering runner-up Alan Peterson of Grand Valley State by 20 seconds.

The Cardinals' second finisher was Troy Kelleher, who crossed the line 13th overall in 25:54.7, while Ben Dickshinski also cracked the top 20, placing 18th in 26:01.9. North Central's scoring was rounded out by Travis Morrison, who finished 25th in 26:11.0, and Mitch Gilbert, who placed 27th in 26:14.6.

North Central has placed in the top three at Notre Dame each year since 2008, taking first place three times. Crain is the first Cardinal to win the individual championship at the meet since Michael Spain in 2010.

North Central will send a squad to the Benedictine University Eagle Invitational on Friday at St. James Farm in Warrenville.