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

CCIW Press Release

Apr. 26, 2017 - North Central College distance runner Zach Plank has been recognized as one of the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Men's Track and Field Athletes of the Week for Apr. 17-23, marking the second straight week the Cardinals have brought home at least one of the conference's weekly awards.

Plank was recognized after placing third in the 10,000-meter run at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Phil Esten Challenge. His finishing time of 30 minutes, 3.42 seconds is the fastest achieved by any CCIW athlete this season and ranks eighth among all competitors at the NCAA Division III level.

A national championship qualifier in the 10,000 the past two years and an All-American at the distance in 2016, Plank also ranks second in the CCIW and 10th in teh nation in the 5,000-meter run (14:25.62). 

North Central swept the CCIW awards last week, as pole vaulter Dylan Kuipers was named the Field Athlete of the Week and the North Central 4-by-400-meter relay team of Maceo Findlay, Zach Kirby, Ben Nordman and Peyton Piron was selected for the Track Athlete of the Week honor.

Plank will be among a group of Cardinals traveling to Des Moines, Iowa for the Drake Relays this weekend.