Men's Cross Country | 10/20/2014 3:09:00 PM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302

Oct. 20, 2014 - North Central College junior Troy Kelleher has been named the NCAA Division III National Men's Cross Country Athlete of the Week by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The organization announced this week's honorees on Monday.

Kelleher was selected as the top-performing male cross country runner at the Division III level following his performance at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh AAE Invitational on Saturday. Up against a field of more than 600 competitors, including 12 nationally-ranked teams representing NCAA Division II as well as Division III, Kelleher placed second in the field by covering the 8,000-meter (five-mile) course in 24 minutes, 35.3 seconds. He was less than three seconds behind the individual champion, Alan Peterson of Grand Valley State University (Michigan), who was named the Division II National Athlete of the Week for his efforts.

Kelleher led North Central, the current No. 1-ranked team in Division III, to a sizable victory in the team competition. The Cardinals' total of 36 points was 33 better than runner-up Grand Valley State, which is ranked No. 2 among Division II teams. Kelleher has now been North Central's top finisher in each of the five races in which he has competed this season and has earned four College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Runner of the Week awards.

The Cardinals are idle until the CCIW Championships on Saturday, Nov. 1 at Hickory Point Golf Course in Decatur, Illinois. North Central will be pursuing its 41st consecutive team conference championship.