Contact: Taiah Gallisath, Associate Director of Athletics Communication, 630-637-5302
Results
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. (Nov. 1, 2025) - For the 51st consecutive season, the North Central College men's cross country team is the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Champions. The Cardinals totaled 20 points and all ten runners earned all-conference honors in the victory. The Cardinal coaching staff also earned the 2025 Men's Cross Country Coaching Staff of the Year award while Jack Galminas was named the CCIW First-Year Student-Athlete of the Meet. BJ Sorg was named the CCIW Elite 26 recipient for the second straight season, awarded to the all-conference honoree with the highest grade-point average.
Following North Central's 20 point performance, Carthage College finished as runner-up with 65 points while Wheaton College was third with 79 points.
Through the first mile, Carthage's Jacob Curulewski and Sorg headed the lead pack with North Central in places 2nd through 11th. The Cardinals shifted amongst themselves at the 4k mark but still held steady in the top-11.
Sorg got ahead of Curulewski with just over 2k to go but it was the Carthage runner who took the top spot. Sorg finished as runner-up in a personal-best time of 24:01.1 to earn his third All-CCIW nod. Graduate student Jacob Kluckhohn notched his fourth All-CCIW honor as he finished third in a time of 24:54.5. Galminas had an exceptional race, achieving a 14-second personal best as he clocked a 20:00.3 second effort to finish fourth and earn his first all-conference honor as well as the CCIW First-Year Student-Athlete of the Year award.
Oscar Frontjes finished fifth in 25:01.2 while Ari Elmayan and Aidan Armstrong crossed the finish line together in sixth (25:13.6) and seventh (25:14.9), respectively, as both recorded personal-best times for First Team All-CCIW honors. A Carthage runner broke up the Cardinal lineup in eighth but Nolan Crooks and Tyler Schick ran career-best times to round out North Central's eight First Team All-CCIW honorees. Crooks finished ninth in 25:33.6 and Schick was 10th in 25:36.5.
Owen Dare placed 16th in 25:53.8 to earn his first All-CCIW honor on the second team. Dare was joined on the second team by Richard Klein who finished 18th in 26:00.8, his first all-conference honor as well.
The Cardinals capped off the day with both North Central's men's and women's teams winning the Al Carius & Paul Olsen Open races. The men scored a perfect 15 points in their victory and the women totaled 29 points for their win.
The CCIW also announced the nine winners of its RESPECT Award for the season. RESPECT Award recipients have distinguished themselves as an integral member of the team, their institution, and community by upholding the values of Responsibility, Enthusiasm, Service, Pride, Excellence, Collaboration, and Trust. The RESPECT Award recognizes the intangible traits a student-athlete possesses that exemplify great character and encourages inclusiveness and a positive culture.
Kyle Nofziger was named North Central's CCIW RESPECT Award recipient.
North Central will have a team racing at the Red/White Invitational next Thursday, Nov. 6 at St. James Farm. Race time is set for 4 p.m. in Warrenville, Ill.
