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

July 21, 2020 - Al Carius (H) '16, the head coach of the national powerhouse North Central College men's cross country team since 1966, has announced that he has transitioned to an assistant coaching role within the program. Frank Gramarosso, the Cardinals' head men's track and field coach since 2010 and a member of the coaching staff since 1983, has been promoted to the head coaching position for cross country as well.
 
"It's an evolutionary process where you evolve into what your strengths are," Carius said. "I firmly believe my strengths are in the interactions personally with individuals and with the teams. I love that, and I want the time to be able to do that.
 
"Through this transition, I will be in a stronger position to be in the trenches, where I am most effective. I feel I am going to be in a stronger position to help our program and help Frank Gramarosso the way I'm best capable. I feel very, very, very good about it."
 
The move comes a decade after a similar change in leadership which resulted in a run of competitive success rivaled by few in all of collegiate sport. Following a 2009-2010 season which saw North Central claim Division III national titles in cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field in the same academic year for the first time, Carius handed head-coaching duties for the track and field programs to Gramarosso after 44 years.
 
In the ten years since, the Cardinals have won six national championships in cross country (2011, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018), four in indoor track and field (2011, 2012, 2017, 2019) and the 2011 outdoor track and field title to boost the teams' combined all-time total to 31 team championship trophies (19 in cross country, six in indoor track and field and six in outdoor track and field).
 
"Al designed our coaching staff to be a team," said Gramarosso, a five-time U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Coach of the Year, "so I don't anticipate too much change. Al's been the heart of the program since the '60s, and his beating heart pumps us all with enthusiasm to be the best we can be.
 
"No matter what your title is, our staff is a team and we want to be the best we can be, wherever that gets us. That comes from the heart and soul of what Al started all those years ago, and I take him at his word that he's going to be even more effective with this new arrangement."
 
During his time with the Cardinals, Gramarosso has coached athletes to 209 Division III All-America awards and 190 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) individual and relay titles in addition to 16 CCIW team championships (nine indoor, seven outdoor). North Central has won the USTFCCCA's Al Carius Program of the Year Award four times in his tenure as head coach (2010-2011, 2011-2012, 2017-2018, 2018-2019).
 
"I think our ability to look broadly at everything and, as a staff, put people in their proper assignments to maximize the abilities we all have is a gift," Carius said. "We're governed by common sense and love for what we do and we all get a sense of satisfaction out of seeing each other get better. I love being a part of our staff. We're a team amongst ourselves working for the betterment of the program, and it's an advantage for me to focus on what I know I do best."
 
The 19 national titles won by North Central's men's cross country program are a national all-divisions record. The Cardinals have won the last 46 CCIW team championships and have placed first or second at 11 of the last 12 Division III championship meets. North Central is scheduled to start the 2020 season Friday, Sept. 4 at the Elmhurst College Earlybird Invitational.