Contact: Taiah Gallisath, Associate Director of Athletics Communication, 630-637-5302
 
NEW ORLEANS (Jan. 30, 2026) – For the 13th consecutive season, the North Central College men's cross country team has been named a United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches' Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic team while six Cardinals earned individual distinction.
 
The Cardinals earned a 3.50 cumulative grade-point average to earn the honors for the 13th straight season. In order to qualify for the All-Academic award, teams must have at least a 3.1 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale for the fall semester.
 
Other College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) teams joining North Central on the All-Academic Teams are Augustana College, Carthage College, Illinois Wesleyan University, North Park University, and Wheaton College. 
 
To qualify for the All-Academic individual distinction, student-athletes must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.3 on a 4.0 scale and finish in the top 25 percent of their respective regional championship meet. 
 
BJ Sorg and Jacob Kluckhohn are repeat honorees after earning All-Academic distinction a season ago. Sorg led the way for the Cardinals this season after earning All-American, All-Region, and All-CCIW First Team honors. Sorg finished 30th overall at the NCAA Championships this fall after placing fourth at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championship and earning a runner-up finish at the conference meet in 2024. Kluckhohn continues to add to his resume after running a career best at the Midwest Regional to finish 13th for All-Region honors, as well as placing third at the CCIW Championship to be named a First Team All-CCIW selection. Kluckhohn finished his cross country career with a 45th-place finish at the National Championships.
 
Oscar Frontjes picks up the academic award after sweeping All-American, All-Region, and All-CCIW honors in his sophomore season. Frontjes finished 32nd overall at the national meet and was 16th in the Midwest Regional after placing fifth at the conference championships.
 
Jack Galminas earns All-Academic distinction after a standout freshman season that saw him claim First Team All-CCIW and All-Region honors. After his fourth-place finish at the conference Championships, Galminas was named the CCIW First-Year Student-Athlete of the Meet before he turned in a 34th-place finish at the Midwest Regional.
 
Ari Elmayan picks up the academic distinction for the first time following a great sophomore year. He earned First Team All-CCIW honors with a sixth-place finish at the conference meet and his 40th-place finish at regionals earned him All-Region accolades as well.
 
Aidan Armstrong closed out his cross country career with All-Academic honors after earning First Team All-CCIW honors for the first time in his career, as well as being named an All-Region selection following his 28th place finish at the Midwest Regional.
 
North Central won its 51st straight CCIW title back in November and finished off the season with a third-place finish at Midwest Regionals and a 10th place team finish at the National Championship.