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

Team Scores
Individual Results

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (Feb. 26, 2011)-- Eight event winners helped power the North Central College men's track & field squad to its 11th-consecutive College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Indoor Championship on Saturday at Illinois Wesleyan University's Shirk Center.

The No. 1 ranked Cardinals amassed 245.5 points to outdistance its next closest challenger, Augustana College, by a 90.5 point margin. Carthage College was third (95.5) while the host Titans were fourth (85). Elmhurst College was fifth (32) followed by Millikin University (26) and North Park University (17). North Central's coaching staff was also honored as the CCIW's Coaching Staff of the Year.

Daniel Benton earned CCIW Track Athlete of the Meet honors after earning a pair of individual titles. The senior successfully defended his title in the 400-meter dash, clocking a provisional qualifying effort of 49.20 before prevailing in the 200-meter dash with a time of 22.04. Jon Howard was second in the 400, clocking a provisional time of 49.37.

North Central swept the top three spots in the pole vault on Friday with Peter Geraghty winning the event with an automatic qualifying vault of 17 feet 1 1/2 inches. Josh Winder was second, clearing a provisional qualifying 16' 5 1/2" while Thomas Stacey was third with a provisional qualifying vault of 15' 5 3/4". North Central has now captured the last 10 conference indoor titles in the pole vault.

Zachariah Heerspink cleared a provisional qualifying 6' 9" in the high jump to win the event for the second straight season while teammate Andrew Carlson was third (6' 5 1/2"). Heerspink additionally placed second in the long jump with a leap of 22' 3 1/2".

The Cardinals dominated the distance events, sweeping the top three spots in the 5,000-meters and the mile. Daniel Kerley clocked a provisional qualifying time of 14:34.94 to win the 5K on Friday, followed closely by Neal Klein (14:35.41) and Michael Spain (14:35.48) who both hit the provisional standard.

Spain raced to the victory in the mile, finishing in a provisional time of 4:15.03 while Yonatan Mascote was second (4:16.45) and Matthew Brinkmeier was third (4:16.84). Neal Klein captured the 3,000-meter run, finishing in 8:39.02 while Nathan Warstler placed third (8:39.02).

Robert Kapustka won his second straight shot put title with a provisional qualifying heave of 51' 9 1/4".

The Cardinals received second place finishes from Joe Schneiderbauer in the pentathlon (3,183 points) and the distance medley relay squad (10:14.51) while Robert Lott was third in the 55-meter dash (6.62).

North Central returns to the track on Friday, March 5, hosting the Cardinal Last Chance Qualifier at the Al B. Carius Track.