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Results

STANFORD, Calif. (Apr. 5, 2014) - Having proven himself the class of NCAA Division III distance runners at the recent indoor national championships, North Central College senior John Crain chose to open his outdoor season by testing his mettle in one of the nation's most competitive meets on Friday, taking part in the 10,000-meter run at the Stanford University Invitational and turning in one of the finest performances ever by a Division III competitor.

Taking to the track against a field comprised solely of NCAA Division I and post-collegiate athletes, Crain turned in a personal best by nearly a full minute, completing the 6.2-mile event in 28 minutes, 52.73 seconds to place 24th in the 75-man field and 19th among collegiate competition. Jason Witt of Brigham Young University won the race in 28:36.64. Crain's time ranks second all-time in Division III history, sitting four seconds behind North Central alumnus Dan Mayer '94, who clocked a 28:48.4 in the Chicagoland Outdoor Championships in 1994.

Crain's effort has been bettered by only 17 men at the NCAA Division II level and is the fastest time in Division III in the early going of the 2014 outdoor campaign by nearly two minutes. The next fastest Division III competitor to have posted his personal best at Stanford was Macharia Yuot of Widener University (Pa.), who finished in 29:21.08 in 2005.

Crain now ranks second behind Mayer on two Division III all-time lists. His winning time of 14:06.73 in the 5,000 meters at the Division III Indoor Championships in March ranks behind only the 13:53.17 posted by Mayer in the 1994 national meet. Crain was the runner-up in the 10,000 and the champion in the 5,000 in the 2013 Division III Outdoor Championships.

The rest of the North Central team competes in the Wheaton College Invitational on Saturday before traveling to Lewis University next weekend for the Chicagoland Outdoor Championships.