Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
Results
SOMERS, Wis. (Oct. 31, 2015) - With its veterans stepping forward to lead the way, the North Central College women's cross country team achieved one of its biggest goals for the second straight season Saturday, placing four runners among the top eight individual finishers and claiming the team title in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Championships at the Wayne E. Dannehl National Cross Country Course on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.
The 35th-ranked Cardinals turned in a score of 35 points to easily outdistance runner-up Illinois Wesleyan University, which totaled 59. Wheaton College finished third with 63 points, followed by Millikin University (127), Carthage College (129), Augustana College (134), Elmhurst College (181) and North Park University (241).
North Central collected its second straight team championship and its fifth in the past seven years. Now with nine CCIW team titles in their history, the Cardinals are just one championship shy of matching Wheaton (10) for the most in the conference.
The Cardinals' top finisher, as has been the case all season long, was Megan Costanzo, whose time of 21 minutes, 59.3 seconds on the 6,000-meter (3.7-mile) course placed her second in the 74-woman field. Millikin's Sarah Bradley clocked a time of 21:42.7 to win the individual championship.
Amanda Cortese hit the finish line fourth in 22:41.0, while Helen Majer and Rebecca Kaefring placed seventh (23:02.3) and eighth (23:02.8), respectively and all three claimed First Team All-CCIW honors along with Costanzo by virtue of placing in the top 10. Costanzo is an All-CCIW honoree for the second straight year, while Cortese and Majer become the 13th and 14th Cardinals to earn All-CCIW honors three straight years. By virtue of being the top freshman finisher, Kaefring was named the CCIW's Freshman of the Year.
Allison Hartman finished 14th (23:27.7) and Amy Rotunno placed 20th (23:40.0), as both earned Second Team All-CCIW accolades.
The Cardinals travel to Saukie Golf Course in Rock Island, Illinois on Saturday, Nov. 14 to compete in the NCAA Division III Midwest Region Championships. North Central will be seeking to qualify for the Division III National Championships for the second straight year.
