The North Central College cross country team continued its domination of the NCAA Division III by winning it second consecutive national title on the 8,000-meter course at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.

Led by four individual All-Americans, North Central compiled a low team score of 109 points to win the title over runner-up Humboldt State University (Calif.), which totaled 153 points. Brandeis University (Mass.) with 191 points, Carleton College (Minn.) with 202 and Mt. Union College (Ohio) with 252, rounded out the top five teams in the meet. In its four years of competition in the NCAA Division III, the North Central team tied for second in 1973, placed  third in 1974, first in 1975 and first in 1976.

Cardinal harriers Ron Piro, who finished 10th in 25:33; Dave Bashaw, 19th in 25:42; Bruce Fischer, 21st in 25:44; and Jim Mitchell, 22nd in 25:45, each gained individual All-American status. Fischer and Mitchell won that recognition for the second time. Rich Scott (55th), Bob Patrick (85th) and Jon Macnider, who did not finish, completed North Central's seven-man team entered in the meet.

Coach Al Carius summarized the feelings of his team in a post-meet celebration by saying, "It's the culmination of what we've worked toward since last year. We didn't have any individuals up front, but all season long we've stressed the team concept. Individual success comes with team success."

It was the same team concept which also led the Cardinal harriers to their third straight College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin Championship title in 1975. In that meet, North Central had a low team total of 27 points to runner-up Augustana's's 60 points. Cardinal runners finished third, fourth, fifth, seventh, eighth and ninth in the conference meet.

The Cardinals also finished third in the Illinois Intercollegiates earlier in the season. North Central and Augustana (ninth) were the only private colleges with a team among the top 10.

- excerpt from North Central NOW (December, 1976)
information provided by the College Archives