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

USTFCCCA Press Release
CCIW Press Release

Apr. 23, 2019 - For the second time this outdoor season, North Central College men's track and field student-athlete Dhruvil Patel has been recognized as the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Track Athlete of the Week and the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division III National Track Athlete of the Week. This week's awards, encompassing all performances from Apr. 15-21, were announced Tuesday.

Patel was recognized by both governing bodies after establishing a new Division III all-time in-season record in the 5,000-meter run at Stanford University's Cardinal Classic on Friday. Making his second trip to the West coast in three weeks, Patel placed 12th in the invitational section of the 5,000 in a time of 13 minutes, 51.40 seconds. Patel's finishing time is a seven-second personal best over the North Central-record time of 13:58.27 set at the Drake Relays last season and improved upon the previous Division III record by nearly two seconds.

Patel also received both awards on Apr. 2 after clocking the third-fastest time in Division III history at 10,000 meters in the Stanford Invitational on Mar. 29.. In a 30-man field otherwise comprised of Division I and post-collegiate competitors, Patel placed 16th overall in a time of 28:50.87. The time far surpassed Patel's previous personal best of 29:47.30, accomplished last May when he won the Division III Outdoor Championship in the event, and ranks second-fastest all-time at North Central.

He is a National Track Athlete of the Week outdoors for the third time, and now owns seven CCIW Track Athlete of the Week awards in his career.

The Cardinals will send a group of athletes to the Drake Relays this weekend before heading to Carthage College May 3-4 for the CCIW Outdoor Championships.