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Contact: Louis Groce, Graduate Assistant to the Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302

Day One Results

(Mar. 8, 2013) - Senior pole vaulter Josh Winder earned his fifth All-American certificate while the distance medley relay squad of Juliano Lodi, Abraham Oshipitan, Marlen Hamilton, and Matt Muth placed eighth at the 2013 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships held at North Central College's Al B. Carius Track on Friday. 

After day one of competition, the Cardinals sit in eighth place with seven points.  The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is dominating the field with 35 points, with the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh (17 points) and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (15 points) rounding out the top-three. 

Winder, the defending national champion, passed on the first three heights of the afternoon, before clearing 16'0.5” and 16'4.5” in successive attempts.  In his first attempt at 16'6.5”, Winder failed to clear the bar successfully and then passed to a height of 16'8.25”. In his final two attempts, Winder failed to clear the bar and finished third overall. 

“Being at home, I couldn't really ask for much more,” said Winder.  “I've got tons of friends and family that came out to watch me.  I didn't perform as well as I had wished, but it's a really, really tough sport.  All you can do is your best.  I can't complain at all.”

With Winder's performance, it marks the sixth consecutive season the Cardinals have had at least one pole vaulter earn indoor All-American honors. 

“All the All-American stuff has everything to do with my dad (Assistant Track and Field Coach Tim Winder) and the track and field coaches at North Central.  You can't ask for a better coaching staff,” said Winder.    

The distance medley relay squad looked like it would fail to make the podium as the bell sounded for the final lap, but Muth kicked into high gear and passed two runners down the stretch to earn All-American certificates for the relay team. 

“My main goal was to get us back in there,” said Muth.  “I didn't care where those guys were I was just trying to get us as close as possible.  I saw the Stevens-Point guy and thought that's one guy.  Then I saw the eight-place team (Bates College) and thought there's another guy, and I just kept going.  I just finished off that last straightaway and didn't realize we were All-Americans until I saw the final results.”

For Hamilton and Lodi, it was their second All-American award, but for Oshipitan and Muth it was not only their first appearance, but their first All-American honor. 

“We got out on the first run through and I just got goosebumps, just hearing the crowd.  It was one of the more awesome experiences of my life.  It was so much fun.  Everyone ran great, and it was just an awesome day for NCC,” Muth added.    

Pat Foley qualified for tomorrow's 800-meter finals by just .06 seconds, and ran a personal-best time of 1:53.13 to ensure a spot on the podium.

Making his first appearance in the national championships, Matt Souvannasing captured 13^th place in the long jump.  Souvannasing scratched on his first two attempts before leaping 20'3.75 on his final jump. 

Dionte Hackler finished ninth in the 400-meter dash prelims (49.33) and failed to qualify for tomorrow's finals. 

High jumper Zach Heerspink kicks off day two of the meet for North Central tomorrow at 2:15 p.m. The meet gets underway at 11:00 a.m. with the 60-meter hurdles of the men's heptathlon.