FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324

CCIW Release

Jan. 17, 2012-- The College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin released its weekly award winners for men's indoor track & field on Tuesday, with North Central College student-athletes sweeping the awards. Tim Hird was honored as Track Athlete of the Week while John Wood claimed Field Athlete of the Week honors.

Hird claims the honor after earning a pair of event victories on Saturday at the Private College Invitational in Kenosha, Wis. The junior anchored the distance medley relay team, helping the squad to a first place finish in 10 minutes, 31.84 seconds after clocking a time of 4:20.6 in the mile leg. Hird followed up that performance by besting the 21-man field in the 3,000-meter run, crossing the tape in 8:44.06. The Cardinals time in the DMR is currently the third fastest time in NCAA Division III this season.

Wood captures the Field Athlete of the week honor after winning the pole vault on Saturday, clearing a career best 17 feet, 0 3/4 inches. The junior's vault currently leads the nation by over seven inches, with the next closest competitor being teammate Josh Winder, who cleared 16' 5 1/4" to place runner-up.

The top-ranked Cardinals easily won the Private College Invitational, tallying 179 points while Division I University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee was second with a team score of 116. North Central returns to action on Friday, hosting the Cardinal Opener at the Al B. Carius Track. Action is slated to get underway at 5 p.m.