Contact: Taiah Gallisath, Associate Director of Athletics Communication, 630-637-5302
 
NAPERVILLE, Ill. (Sept. 16, 2025) – For his performance at the Aurora Spartan XC Classic last Saturday, Sept. 13, North Central College men's cross country sophomore Ari Elmayan was named the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Student-Athlete of the Week, Tuesday, Sept. 16.
 
It marks the first weekly award of Elmayan's career and is the second-straight week a Cardinal has earned conference recognition this season as North Central's BJ Sorg earned the weekly honor on Sept. 9.
 
Competing in his first race of the 2025 season, Elmayan was the top finisher for the Cardinals as he placed second at the Spartan Classic with a new personal-best time of 26:51.6, helping North Central to its second team win to start the season. It marks the first time the sophomore has run under 27 minutes in his collegiate career for the 8k. 
 
North Central gears up for a two-meet weekend, sending a small group to Spartanburg, S.C. for DIII Pre-Nationals Saturday, Sept. 20 at 9:15 a.m. ET while another group will stay back to compete at Wheaton College's Gil Dodds Invitational at St. James Farm in Warrenville, Ill. at 10 a.m.