Contact: Sam Fretto, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, sjfretto@noctrl.edu
Nov. 21, 2024 - It has been a season of milestones for the Cardinals in the 2024 cross country season. 50 straight College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Championships, 15 Consecutive Individual CCIW Champions, and 51 National Championship Appearances. In the season of milestones, the North Central College men's cross country team looks to add another: their 20th NCAA Division III Cross Country National Championship.
Going into the National Championship, held at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course in Terre Haute, Ind., on Saturday, Nov. 23, the Cardinals sit at No. 4 in the nation according to Week 8 of the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches' Association (USTFCCCA) Poll.
The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse heads into championship weekend as the overwhelming favorite sitting at No. 1 with all 10 first place votes and 320 points. Wartburg College, who narrowly won the NCAA Midwest Regional Championship, was voted No. 2 with 309 points. Pomona-Pitzer College (296) is at No. 3 with North Central (295) right behind at No. 4.
The Cardinals have ranked anywhere from No. 4 to No. 6 in the national polls but the team doesn't care what the polls say.
The Cardinals have seen substantial growth and improvement over the course of the season as the team looks at each meet as a learning experience and for ways to improve.
"A month ago, Wartburg beat us by 100 points. At Regionals, it was only by four. We learned a lot a month ago and we learned a little more over the weekend. So we'll be better prepared to run the best race that we can do on November 23rd," Sinnott said.
North Central put up an excellent fight against the No. 2 team in the country at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championship, coming in second place. The Cardinals earned six All-Region selections: Emerald Svienty (First Team), BJ Sorg (First Team), Matt Jett (First Team), Jonathan Olenek (Second Team), Jacob Kluckhohn (Second Team), and Lucas Hoffman (Second Team).
In addition to the All-Region honors the Cardinals racked up, they had a very successful award season within the CCIW, earning 10 total All-CCIW Team selections and four CCIW Student-Athlete of the Week Awards. Svienty collected their fourth career CCIW Student Athlete of the Week Award and earned the Individual CCIW Championship after an impressive showing at the CCIW Championship on Nov. 2. Sorg earned a CCIW-First Team selection along with two CCIW Student-Athlete of the Week Awards, and the Elite 26 Award.
Other Cardinals that earned All-CCIW selections were: Olenek (First Team), Kluckhohn (First Team), Clark Kelly (Second Team), Luke Hoffmann (Second Team), Kyle Nofziger (Second Team), Oscar Frontjes (Second Team), and Hoffman (Second Team).
Despite North Central's hard fought effort in the Regional Championship, they came up just short and missed out on the automatic bid for the National Championship. However, the NCAA announced on Nov. 17, the Cardinals would receive one of the 22 at-large bids to go to the National Championship.
With this berth the Cardinals are the only men's cross country team to make the National Championship in all 51 seasons since Division III was created in 1973.
"It means a lot to the history and tradition of our program, but what is more meaningful is that the men have trust and confidence in our process because it has repeatedly proven to be successful," Sinnott said.
It all comes down to Saturday, Nov. 23 when all the top teams will be rumbling down the LaVern Gibson Championship Course in Terre Haute, Ind. The men's race is set to begin at 12 p.m. (ET). Click HERE for more information about the NCAA Division III National Championship.
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