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

USTFCCCA Rankings

Sept. 28, 2010-- The North Central College women's cross country team ranked seventh in the Midwest Region in the fourth installment of the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association regional rankings released Tuesday.

The Cardinals are the top ranked College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin squad in the rankings at seventh while Illinois Wesleyan University and Wheaton College also appear in the top 10 in ninth and 10th, respectively. Washington University in Saint Louis jumps up one spot to claim the Midwest Region's top spot, unseating the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire as the Blugolds fall to third. The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh is second while the University of Chicago (fourth) and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (fifth) round out the top five.

North Central finished sixth on Saturday at the University of Minnesota's Roy Griak Invitational in the meet featuring 11 regionally ranked teams. UW-Oshkosh claimed the team title with a low score of 65, followed by UW-Eau Claire (89 points). Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges (Calif.), the top ranked team in the West Region, finished third (115 points) while the Cardinals amassed 187 points, good for sixth at the 32-team invitational.

Amanda Laesch turned in an impressive individual showing at the meet, traversing the 6,000-meter course in 22:22.45 to finish fourth among a field of over 450 competitors. For her efforts, the senior was honored as the CCIW Runner of the Week for the third time this season.

The Cardinals return to action on Friday, Oct. 1, competing at the Carthage Invitational in Somers, Wis.