FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
USTFCCCA Press Release
Apr. 7, 2014 - North Central College distance runner John Crain has been selected as the NCAA Division III Men's Track and Field Athlete of the Week by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
| Video: A full video replay of the Stanford Invitational 10,000 is available here from flotrack.org. |
Crain became the first athlete in any division to win the USTFCCCA's award six times after opening the outdoor season on Friday at the Stanford Invitational. Crain placed 24th in a 75-man field full of NCAA Division I and post-collegiate athletes in the 10,000-meter run, turning in a time of 28 minutes, 52.73 seconds which knocked nearly a minute off of his previous personal best and stands as the second-fastest 10,000 ever run by a Division III athlete.
The only Division III competitor to run faster at the 10,000-meter distance also wore a North Central jersey. Athletic Hall of Famer Dan Mayer '94 established the Division III record of 28:48.4 at the Chicagoland Outdoor Championships in 1994. Mayer and Crain are the only Division III runners to finish the 10,000 in under 29 minutes.
Crain was the national runner-up in the 10,000 and the national champion in the 5,000-meter run at the Division III Outdoor Championships last year, then won national titles at 3,000 and 5,000 meters at the Division III Indoor Championships in March.
The National Athlete of the Week Awards are a new award bestowed by the USTFCCCA this season. Nominations are open to the public and can be submitted by clicking on the 'Awards' tab at ustfccca.org. Crain won the award once in the 2013 outdoor track & field season, was a three-time selection during the 2013 cross country season and also won once indoors in 2014.
North Central travels to Lewis University for the Chicagoland Outdoor Championships this weekend.
