Contact: Tyler Bremner, Sports Information Graduate Assistant

CCIW Press Release
USTFCCCA Indoor Records
USTFCCCA National Rankings
USTFCCCA Regional Rankings
USTFCCCA Conference Rankings

Jan. 29, 2025 – The North Central College men's track and field team earned a sweep in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin(CCIW) Track Athlete of the Week awards between Braden Nicholson in track events and Ben Balboa in field events.

The Cardinals sent Nicholson to the Pat Healy Classic where he flew to a historic finish of 8:07.30 in the 3000-meter run to enter second in the program's top ten, achieve the best time in this season's national rankings, and ease into the number fifteen slot in the national record books.

At the ONU Invite in Bourbonnais, Balboa heaved a measure of 15.02 meters (49 feet, 3.50 inches) to give North Central the victory in the shot put. He also marked in at 14.69m (48' 2.50") in the weight throw for sixth place.

This past week the first poll of the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) set the Cardinals at third nationally behind the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in second and the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in first. In the first CCIW ranking, North Central leads the conference with Illinois Wesleyan University being the next closest contender in second while the Midwest region has the Cardinals trailing Wartburg University in first.

North Central continues the season at the Squig Converse Invitational at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater on Friday. Access the full schedule HERE.

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