No other men's cross country team in NCAA Division I, II or III can catch the Cardinals!

Michigan State has eight. The University of Arkansas-Fayetteville has nine. But North Central's victory on Nov. 21 brought its number of national championship titles to 11.

The Cardinals edged out Calvin College by 16 points, thereby reaffirming their unquestionable status as the best team in the nation. Senior Erik Dieckman of Palatine, Ill., won the individual race, becoming the sixth man from North Central to do so, covering the course in 24:58.27. Teammate Colin Young, a junior from Naperville, earned 15th place (25:28.46). Young was the individual regional champion as well as this year's College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) champion. Junior Tim McCoskey of Washington, Ill., clocked the course in 25:44.74. All three men earned the distinction of being named All-Americans. Also finishing for North Central were senior Weert Goldenstein (46th, 26:01.23) of Elgin, Ill., freshman Jeremy Borling from Orland Park, Ill., (63rd, 26:13.89), and senior Jack Kafel of Chicago (82nd, 26:25.81).

Perhaps the most surprising part of the day was that the Cardinals won the national title with only six runners crossing the finish line. Senior Tony Rizzo of Schaumburg, Ill., fell out early in the meet due to injuries and could not finish. Rizzo had been battling injuries throughout the season.

North Central also won its 25th consecutive CCIW title. The Cardinals scored 16 points and claimed nine of the first 11 spots. Young and Dieckman finished first and second, respectively.

Top top off the season, Frank Gramarosso - associate professor of health and physical education and associate cross country and track and field coach - was inducted into the Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame. The 17-year assistant has previously been honored as the Northern Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaching Association Track Coach of the Year and Italian American Track Coach of the Year.

Gramarosso joined the College in 1983 after teaching English and serving as head coach of boy's cross country and track for eight years at Dwight D. Eisenhower High School in Blue Island, Ill. He earned B.S> and M.S. degrees in health education from Northwestern University.

- excerpt from North Central NOW  (March ,1999) 
information provided by the College Archives