FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302

Team Scores
Results

WHEATON, Ill. (May 8, 2010)-- North Central College tallied six event winners and recorded five national qualifying marks en route to a second place finish at the two-day College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Outdoor Track & Field Championships held at McCully Stadium.

The Cardinals accumulated 214.5 points over the two-day meet, finishing behind only Illinois Wesleyan University, who wins the conference title for the second straight year after racking up 245 points. Carthage College was a distant third with 113.5 points followed by host Wheaton College (78 points). Augustana College was fifth (71 points) followed by Millikin University (68 points), Elmhurst College (18 points) and North Park University (8 points).

The Cardinals tallied three event winners on Friday, jumping out to the early lead in the team standings. Kristine Zizis captured the javelin throw, helping North Central secure a 1-2-3 finish in the event. Zizis winning toss went 119 feet 9 inches while runner-up Shelly Dulman recorded a throw of 116'7". Brianna Tolliver completed the Cardinal top three sweep, finishing third with a throw of 116'4".

Rachel Secrest won the pole vault for the third straight season, clearing a CCIW-record and NCAA Division III automatic qualifying height of 12'10 1/4". Teammate Brenna Marron finished runner-up after vaulting 10'8".

Amanda Laesch secured the Cardinals lone win on the track on Friday, provisionally qualifying for nationals process after clocking a 37:13.87 in the 10,000-meter run. It was Laesch's second 10K title of her career after winning the event as a freshman in 2007. Lauren Hooks ran to a third place finish, crossing the tape in 38:29.28.

Laesch would emerge victorious again on Saturday, crossing the finish line in 17:49.86 to win the 5,000-meter run. Lauren Brightmore recorded the second fastest qualifying time in the 400-meter dash, clocking a 57.57 before finishing runner-up in Saturday's finals in 57.75. Brandye Jackson lowered her provisional qualifying time in the 100-meter hurdles, crossing the tape in 14.67 to place second while Kala Bingham turned in a third place showing in the 1,500-meter run (4:48.60).

In the field events, Michelle Criscione tallied her third straight conference title in the high jump, clearing a provisional qualifying height of 5'5". Melissa Savino established a new school record in the heptathlon, placing second after accumulating a provisional qualifying score of 4,215 while Chelsea Armstrong recorded a runner-up finish in the discus with a toss of 124'9".

The Cardinals closed out the meet by winning the 4x400-meter relay, finishing in 3:57.40 to claim the event for the second straight season.

North Central returns to the track on Thursday, hosting the two-day Dr. Keeler Invitational at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium.