Roster: Mark Bachtold, Dan Baker, Joe Baker, Matt Baker, Ron Barnes, Pete Bartelson, Kurt Bounds, Joel Bowman, Jan Cado, Joe Chiaro, Bob Cisler, Bryant Clark, Ed Clark, John Collet, Philip Collins, Dave Columbus, Darin Cue, Ashley Dean, Tom Garvey, Bryan Grafton, Doug Hearn, Paul Hermis, Gregg Jett, Scott King, Jon Koval, Brian Lamb, Tom Lamb, Phil Malone, Gerald McCadd, Harold McCadd, George Kinsey, Wendel McRaven, Kurt Morkunas, Dan Newkirk, Mike Norman, Steve Paddock, Ralph Philips, Tyler Pickering, Andre Pleasance, Joe Plutz, Daniel Reese, Jerry Reyes, Byron Robertson, Dan Rowan, Rich Scopp, Kurt Sievers, Dave Slinn, Mike Salisbury, Steve Shute, Rick Steger, Bill Stewart, Jim Strong, Kevin Swann, Bill Toland, Kevin Udani, Stan Ujka, Jim VanHootegem, Phil Walsh, Kurt Wesselhoff, Jeff Wiencek, Lawrence Williams, Brian Wilson, Shawn Welti, Pete Wolf; Coaches: Al Carius, Pat Gora, Frank Gramarosso, Kurt Hasenstein, Doug Malinsky, Ken Popejoy
The 1989 North Central College men’s track & field team stands among the greatest teams in the program’s illustrious history, winning the program’s first NCAA indoor and outdoor track & field national championships, and doing so in commanding fashion.
At the 1989 NCAA Division III Indoor National Championships, held in Brunswick, Maine, the Cardinals dominated the field, setting what was then the national record for team points with 66.5, smashing the previous record by 22. It was the culmination of a rapid rise to the national stage for the Coach Al Carius-led track & field program, which had recorded just one point at the indoor national meet in 1987, and logged 23 points for a third-place finish in 1988. Two Cardinals came home as national champions: Jan Cado won the triple jump (52’ 3.25”) and the long jump (24’ 11.25”) events, setting Division III records in both disciplines, with his long jump mark still standing as the Division III record at the time of the team’s induction. Dan Baker followed suit, claiming the national title in the 1,500-meter run (3:54.41). North Central had 11 All-Americans across nearly every event group, paced by its national champions Cado and Baker.
North Central racked up 66 points at the 1989 NCAA Division III Outdoor National Championships to claim the program’s first outdoor team championship in its 24-year history. The Cardinals claimed the crown on their home track at Kroehler Field, fending off Lincoln University to win by eight points. Rich Scopp helped the Cardinals pull away from Lincoln with his win in the 1,500-meter run. Cado followed up his stellar indoor performance with outdoor championships in both the long jump (25’ 5.25”) and triple jump (55’ 4.75”), setting a new Division III triple jump record in the process. The pair were two of 10 All-Americans from Coach Carius’ squad.
