Contact: Tyler Bremner, Sports Information Graduate Assistant

Results

KENOSHA, Wis. (Mar. 1, 2025) – Through an embattled two days of competition, the North Central College men's track and field team earned its eighth straight College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Indoor Championship title Saturday.

The program has now claimed 23 of the 24 CCIW Indoor Championships, with the only exception coming in the 2015-2016 season. The Cardinals claimed an overpowering 198 points, with the next closest competitor, Illinois Wesleyan University claiming 118 points. Following behind was Augustana College in third (84), Millikin University in fourth (79), Carthage College in fifth (77), Wheaton College in sixth (43), North Park University in seventh (24), Elmhurst University in eighth (21), and Carroll University in ninth (17).

The Cardinals claimed victory in seven events between the efforts of Kamil Kokot, Lucas Hoffman, Braden Nicholson, Oscar Frontjes, Jayden Leise, James Ammenhauser, and Ben Balboa. Kokot sealed his victory in a lightning-fast 7.59 second finish in the 55-meter hurdles to enter second in the program's top ten. The 55-meter dash also saw Randall Reed take fourth in 6.50 seconds, but in the qualifiers, he finished in 6.41 seconds to enter second in the top ten with Alexander Knight also clocking in at 6.49 for third in the top ten. In the 800-meter run, Lucas Hoffman finished in 1:55.91 to climb the podium with Logan Skidmore following in fifth (1:58.09).

The 5000-meter run had Frontjes endure to a 14:59.16 finish, barely over half a second ahead of Millikin's Bradyn Olmstead (14:59.82), with Luke Hoffman (15:06.17) and the Elite 26 recipient Nolan Crooks (15:12.52) following behind. Nicholson earned his title in the 3000-meter run in a CCIW Championship record-setting finish of 8:08.80, with Elite 26 recipient BJ Sorg joining him on the podium in third (8:28.63), Emerald Svienty in fourth (8:39.44), and Kyle Nofziger in fifth (8:39.47).

Ammenhauser leaped to first on the podium for long jumps with his measure of 7.06 meters (23 feet, 2 inches) to improve his fifth best in the top ten while Leise followed in fourth (6.71m, 22' 0.25"). For triple jumps, Leise earned a first place hop of 14.59m (47' 10.50") improving to third in the top ten and No. 10 on the TFRRS list with Ammenhauser following second (14.38m, 47' 2.25") and No. 20 nationally with Prentice Myles following in fifth (13.47m, 44' 2.25"). The shot put featured Balboa's first place heave of 16.37m (53' 8.50") to move to fourth in the top ten and No. 18 in the nation with Daniel Dominguez marking in at fourth (14.69m, 48' 2.25").

Also contributing to the team victory was Reed's fourth place finish in the 200-meter dash, with Connor Riss taking fourth (4:20.16) in the mile run and Owen Dare close behind (4:20.82). The distance medley relay had group A (Jacob Everix, Marc Alday, Ian Regur, and Nicholson) combine for a third place finish of 10:22.65. In pole vaults, Gabriel Parker led the Cardinals in fourth with a measure of 4.41 meters (14' 5.50") with Joel Jaquinde in fifth (4.31m, 14' 1.75"). Colton Oleson snagged a fourth place mark in the high jumps (1.96m, 6' 5.25") while Anthony Zajac took the same in the weight throws (17.59m, 57' 9"). Martin Egbo followed Zajac in sixth with a mark of 16.48m (54' 1") to move up to fourth in the top ten.

Along with the title came a Coaching Staff of the Year Award and Tyler Piron earning the CCIW Respect Award.

The Cardinals will send athletes to final qualifier events at Carthage College and the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse this week ahead of the 2025 NCAA Indoor Division III Indoor Championship Mar. 14th to 15th in Rochester, New York. Access the full schedule HERE.

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