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

Complete USTFCCCA Rankings

Mar. 2, 2011-- The North Central College women's track & field team jumped up one spot to fifth in the sixth installment of the National Team Computer Rankings, released Wednesday by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

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 climbed from sixth to fifth in the week six rankings, amassing 66.49 points. North Central was one of three College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin teams to appear in the top 25. Illinois Wesleyan University was sixth with 62.90 points while Carthage College was 13th (53.09 points).

The top four spots remained unchanged from a week ago. The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh maintains the top ranking with 182.17 points followed by Wartburg College (Iowa) with 137.31 points. Massachusetts Institute of Technology was third (122.28 points) while Williams College (Mass.) was fourth (99.79 points).

North Central's rise in the rankings comes after claiming its first CCIW Indoor Championship since 2007 on Feb. 26 as the Cardinals piled up 252 points to defeat defending champion and host Illinois Wesleyan by a 117-point margin. Cardinal athletes won eight events, including three by Amanda Laesch as the senior distance runner captured CCIW Track Athlete of the Meet honors while Kari Kluckhohn and her staff were honored as the CCIW Coaching Staff of the Year.

The team returns to the track on Friday for the NCC Last Chance Qualifier Meet at the Al B. Carius Track with events slated to get underway at 4 p.m.