FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
(article posted by Jamie Legner, Student Sports Information Assistant)

Sept. 26, 2011 - As a member of the women's cross country team at North Central College, Alicia Zimmerman is constantly on the move. She has applied the same philosophy to the rest of her routine on campus, maintaining a high level of involvement in community service and musical pursuits in addition to her academic endeavors.

This high-energy, high-activity approach has paid dividends for the senior physical education major from Wheaton, Ill., who has earned Academic All-College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin honors in each of the past three seasons and has finished in the top 10 at the CCIW Championships in each of the past two years to earn All-CCIW honors and lead the Cardinals to back-to-back conference titles.

Zimmerman was North Central's top finisher at the Illinois Intercollegiate Championships on Sept. 16, placing 17th, a performance which earned her CCIW Runner of the Week Honors. She placed fourth last weekend in Wheaton College's Gil Dodds Invitational at St. James Farm in Warrenville as the Cardinals placed second.

Q: What other groups/organizations are you involved in on campus?

A: I am involved in a lot! I am president of a community service club on campus called Cardinals In Action (CIA). We work around the community with neighbors, Feed My Starving Children, and Independent Village. I am also involved in FOCUS, which is the campus worship service on Wednesday nights. I am also in the College's Concert Winds, where I play flute! Outside of North Central, I attend my church's college group on Sunday nights and I work at Dick Pond Athletics in Lisle which is a running/wrestling store.

Q: How do you find a balance with all of those things and school work?

A: Honestly, balance is a key component of my life that I am continuously working on. I am still learning how to balance the activities in my life with my school work but the most important lesson I have learned is that I have to know when to say no. I am first a student and then an athlete, so I have to realize that in order to get my school work done I have to say no to some things.

This year especially I am trying to get to bed at the same time each night. I owe that partly to Professor Karl Kelley, a psychology professor at North Central. He told me last year that getting sleep was sometimes more important than staying up late to do homework which I was consistently doing. So this year I have found that if I go to sleep instead of staying up late and wake up early in the morning I get a fresher start on my homework and get it done more efficiently and better understand my classes. I also have to make sure that I am staying on top of deadlines and talking with the professors.

Q: How do you feel about being voted the CCIW's Runner of the Week?

A: I feel honored! I feel as though it doesn't just reflect on me though, that honor reflects on my team and the girls I run with as well. Because the vote was off of one race, I can say that there is no way I could have run that race if it wasn't for my teammates. They are the ones who push me farther than I can push myself and make me the athlete that I am. I am excited but know that there is more to go.

Q: How did you feel about the team's standings in the Illinois Intercollegiate Championships?

A:I am happy with the standings but definitely not satisfied. I wanted to see that gap a little closer between us and the University of Chicago and I know that in the future it will be. However, finishing 7th in that meet was a good first start for us as a team and I am so excited to see where it will take us the rest of the season!

Q: What is your favorite part of running in a cross country meet?

A: When my team steps on the line, I can trust that every single last girl who is wearing a Cardinal uniform has done what they need to do and will do whatever they can do during the race. Hearing people cheer for me and the girls around me really motivates me when I run past. Being able to race and go after people with my teammates and best friends during the race is such a great feeling. My favorite part is finishing the race and turning around and watching the team as they come in. Every person is giving it their all and it is amazing to watch that dedication and passion for the sport.