TEMPE, Az. (Nov. 5, 2017) – The desert climate was no match for the North Central College women's triathlon team as the Cardinals made a trip to the podium for three awards after competing for the second year at the 2017 USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championship in Tempe, Arizona. 

North Central secured a fifth-place team finish overall with 86 points, competing in a 19-team field, and won the Division III team title for the second year. Host Arizona State University took home its second Division I team victory with six points and crowned its second individual national champion in addition to the second and third place finishers.  

Katherine Canfield led North Central out of the water from the 750-meter swim and into the bike transition, followed by Grace Miller, Naomi Hill, and Jennifer Hufnagle.

Miller took the lead in the bike, working with Canfield to get the Cardinals in a solid position while Hill and Hufnagle navigated the 20-kilometer bike in their own separate packs. 

The Cardinals came into the 5,000-kilometer run with their eyes on the finish and a will to succeed. Each girl surprised not only the coaches but themselves as well, battling rising temperatures and fatigue setting in to turn in impressive overall times and help secure the team title.  

Miller crossed the finish line first for the Cardinals and first among all Division III competitors, completing the race in 1:10:00.76 and placing 24th overall and crowning her the Division III champion. Canfield, competing in her first national championship and fourth race of her career, came in second with a time of 1:11:17.19, placing 33rd overall. 

Also competing in her first national championship, Hill finished with a time of 1:13:35.46, placing 40th overall. Hufnagle, coming back from an injury that has kept her out of training the past month, placed 56th overall with a time of 1:19:24.55. 

The team's success throughout the season helped establish North Central as a force to be reckoned with at the national championship. The Cardinals claimed the Division III title at each of the regional qualifying meets this season and had four women named to the first ever All-Region team.