National Championship
1996
Cross Country (23:57)

Matt Brill ’97 applied to North Central “on a whim,” and graduated four years later as an 11-time NCAA III All-American in cross country and track and field.

“I had a relative in the Naperville area, so I applied to North Central just on happenstance,” he said. “It turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made.”

In his four-year cross country career, he was a three-time All-American. Brill was national runner-up in 1995, second only to fellow North Central Hall of Famer John Weigel ’96. The following year, Brill became the College’s sixth runner to capture an individual title with a time of 23:57 on the 8,000-meter course. His teams took second-place three times at the national meet (1994, ’95, ’96) and were also the 1993 national champions, setting a record for lowest team point total ever recorded (32).

Brill’s achievements were not limited to the fall season and cross country. He was an eight-time All-American in track and field, dominating the 5,000- and 10,000-meter events. As a freshman, Brill set a new school record in the 10,000 meters and earned a spot on the United States Junior Olympic Team after placing second at the Junior Nationals. His All-American performance in the 5,000 meters at the 1994 NCAA III Outdoor Track and Field Championships helped the Cardinals to their second national title. Brill was also a standout in the classroom, twice earning GTE Academic All-American honors.