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

USTFCCCA Press Release

May 2, 2017 - For the second time in 2017, North Central College pole vaulter Luke Winder has been named one of the United States Track & Field at Cross Country Coaches Association's (USTFCCCA) National Athletes of the Week, earning the designation as the highest-achieving NCAA Division III men's competitor for the week of Apr. 24-30.

Winder began the week by clearing 17 feet, 6 1/2 inches to place first at the Lewis University Twilight Meet on Tuesday, then traveled to the 108th annual Drake Relays, where he cleared 18' 1 3/4" on Friday to break his own outdoor school record in the event. He placed first in an 18-man field populated mainly by NCAA Division I opposition, becoming the Cardinals' first individual champion at the long-running national-caliber meet. 

Winder's clearance at Drake is just below the all-time Division III outdoor best of 18'2 1/2", set by Jeremy Scott of Allegheny College in 2002, and is the highest achieved by any vaulter during the Division III regular season. Winder also received National Athlete of the Week honors during the indoor season in January.

Winder was also voted the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Field Athlete of the Week, marking the third straight week that a North Central athlete has won one of the conference's weekly awards.

A five-time Division III national champion (three indoor, two outdoor) in the pole vault, Winder will look to claim his third straight CCIW outdoor title this weekend, as the Cardinals travel to Augustana College for the CCIW Outdoor Championships on Friday and Saturday.