FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324

Complete USTFCCCA Rankings

Feb. 9, 2011-- The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association released its week three National Team Computer Rankings on Wednesday with the North Central College women's track & field team jumping up to seventh.

The computer rankings are new for the 2011 season. Mathematical formulae based on current national descending-order lists in all events are used to compile a team's ranking. The purpose of the rankings is to create an index that showcases the teams that have the best potential of achieving the top spots at the NCAA Division III National Championships.

The Cardinals amassed 71.87 points in the rankings, climbing seven spots to seventh. Wartburg College sits atop the rankings with 193.64 displacing the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh as the Titans slump to No. 2 with 154.28 points. Williams College (Mass.) is third (100.01) while College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin rival Illinois Wesleyan University is fourth with 88.98 points. Carthage College is the third CCIW institution to appear in the top 10, climbing 17 spots to eighth, garnering 63.11 points.

North Central recorded five provisional qualifiers and established one new school record over the weekend. Melissa Savino broke her own record in the pentathlon with 3,142 points at Friday's Keck Pentathlon while Sheila Walsh (400-meters), Lauren Brightmore (400-meters), Amanda Laesch (5,000-meters) and the 4x400-meter relay all hit the provisional standard at Saturday's Warhawk Classic, helping the Cardinals to a third place finish.

North Central returns to action on Friday at 5 p.m., hosting the annual Chicagoland Indoor Championships at the Al B. Carius Track.