FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
CCIW Press Release
Sept. 5, 2012 - North Central College's
John Crain has been selected the first College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Men's Cross Country Runner of the Week for the 2012 season.
Crain earned the award after his performance in the Cardinals' first meet of the season, the Elmhurst College Early Bird Invitational, on Friday. Crain completed the 6,000-meter (3.7-mile) course in 18 minutes, 53.1 seconds, finishing first in the 168-man field and breaking the previous course record of 18:56, which had been set by North Central's Michael Spain '11 in 2010.
Crain's time was nearly a minute faster than his effort in the same meet a year ago, when he earned All-CCIW and All-Midwest Region honors before placing 48th at the NCAA Division III National Championships to help lead the Cardinals to their 14th national title.
Currently ranked No. 1 in the most recent national Division III Top 35 Poll released by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), North Central will send a squad to Friday's Aurora University Invitational at Oakhurst Forest Preserve before traveling to D.A. Weibring Golf Course in Normal, Ill., for the Illinois Intercollegiate Invitational on Friday, Sept. 14.