Legendary North Central College coach Al Carius (middle) laughs it up after winning his 17th national title
by Drew Sauer
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Nov. 19, 2016) - Living up to their unanimous No. 1 national ranking, the North Central College men's cross country team surpassed even their own expectations on Saturday at the 2016 NCAA Division III Cross Country National Championships, overcoming sub-40 degree temperatures and over 40 mile per hour wind gusts, running away with the 17th national title in program history, while setting a Division III record for margin of victory with all five scoring runners earning All-America honors in the process.
North Central finished with a combined 60 points, while the State University of New York at Geneseo finished a distant second with 204 points and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire rounded out the top-three totaling 209 points. The 144-point winning margin breaks the previous record of 131, also set by North Central during the 2009 national championships.
Zach Plank led the charge for North Central finishing in ninth-place, carousing the 8,000-meter course in a time 24 minutes, 34.3 seconds.
"As the point man, my job is to score the lowest number of points for the team," said Plank, "And when I looked back down the stretch and saw three of my teammates right behind I knew the race was ours. This race wasn't won today though, we have prepared the last 365 days for this moment and all the miles and training we have put in led to this, I couldn't be more proud of the way this team responded after a disappointing end to last year."
The next four Cardinals finished within seven seconds of each other, staying together nearly the entire race as Al Baldonado crossed the line in 15th-place in a time of 24:40.5. Dhruvil Patel and Ethan Adlfinger finished 18th and 19th, respectively, as Patel crossed the tape in 24:41.6 and Adlfinger in 24:41.9. Zach Hird rounded out the Cardinal scoring with a 24th-place finish in a time of 24:47.0.
This marks Plank's second All-America award after a fourth-place finish in 2015 and first time recognitions for Baldonado, Patel, Adlfinger and Hird, as 73 runners have now earned All-America status under the tutelage of head coach Al Carius.
"It's an unbelievable feeling," said Carius. "This team worked so hard to get to this point, after last year's fifth place finish, the way the team responded this year by putting in the work in the off season really prepared us for this moment."
"I dreamed last night that we would win but I really did not expect it to happen like this. These young men ran just a perfect race today and I could not be happier for this team and this program."
After getting pushed to the middle of the pack at last year's start, the Cardinals were positioned on the far right side of the start line this year and were able to come out of the start unscathed and near the front of the pack.
"We knew that we could not make the same mistake as last year at the start," said Adlfinger. "We needed to get out to a fast, clean start and once we did that we just ran our race.
"Running at pre-nationals at this course earlier in the season really helped today, we knew coming in what to expect on the course and when to make the late push."
The team positioned themselves near the front of the lead pack early but let the more inexperienced teams set the pace with brutal winds creating havoc. After 2,000 meters the Cardinals sat in second place, preserving their energy for a big push later in the race.
"We just positioned ourselves behind the groups around us to let them break the wind," said Adlfinger, "then we made our move around the 6,000-meter mark knowing we had preserved enough energy to make a late push."
Once the team made their move the race was all but over, as all five scoring runners finished in the top 24 with just one runner from SUNY-Geneseo placing in the top 56.
The University of Wisconsin-Platteville's Ian LeMere repeated as individual champion this season, finishing the course in a time of 23:40.4, almost 30 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher.
With the victory, North Central has now captured 32 National Titles in all sports and four of the last six men's cross country titles, including 26 at the NCAA Division III level. In addition to the 17 cross country crowns (1975, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016) the Cardinals have tallied four indoor track & field titles (1989, 2010, 2011, 2012), six outdoor track & field titles (1989, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2010, 2011), one women's basketball title (1983) and four NAIA titles in men's swimming (1958, 1961, 1962, 1963).
North Central finished with a combined 60 points, while the State University of New York at Geneseo finished a distant second with 204 points and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire rounded out the top-three totaling 209 points. The 144-point winning margin breaks the previous record of 131, also set by North Central during the 2009 national championships.
Zach Plank led the charge for North Central finishing in ninth-place, carousing the 8,000-meter course in a time 24 minutes, 34.3 seconds.
"As the point man, my job is to score the lowest number of points for the team," said Plank, "And when I looked back down the stretch and saw three of my teammates right behind I knew the race was ours. This race wasn't won today though, we have prepared the last 365 days for this moment and all the miles and training we have put in led to this, I couldn't be more proud of the way this team responded after a disappointing end to last year."
The next four Cardinals finished within seven seconds of each other, staying together nearly the entire race as Al Baldonado crossed the line in 15th-place in a time of 24:40.5. Dhruvil Patel and Ethan Adlfinger finished 18th and 19th, respectively, as Patel crossed the tape in 24:41.6 and Adlfinger in 24:41.9. Zach Hird rounded out the Cardinal scoring with a 24th-place finish in a time of 24:47.0.
This marks Plank's second All-America award after a fourth-place finish in 2015 and first time recognitions for Baldonado, Patel, Adlfinger and Hird, as 73 runners have now earned All-America status under the tutelage of head coach Al Carius.
"It's an unbelievable feeling," said Carius. "This team worked so hard to get to this point, after last year's fifth place finish, the way the team responded this year by putting in the work in the off season really prepared us for this moment."
"I dreamed last night that we would win but I really did not expect it to happen like this. These young men ran just a perfect race today and I could not be happier for this team and this program."
After getting pushed to the middle of the pack at last year's start, the Cardinals were positioned on the far right side of the start line this year and were able to come out of the start unscathed and near the front of the pack.
"We knew that we could not make the same mistake as last year at the start," said Adlfinger. "We needed to get out to a fast, clean start and once we did that we just ran our race.
"Running at pre-nationals at this course earlier in the season really helped today, we knew coming in what to expect on the course and when to make the late push."
The team positioned themselves near the front of the lead pack early but let the more inexperienced teams set the pace with brutal winds creating havoc. After 2,000 meters the Cardinals sat in second place, preserving their energy for a big push later in the race.
"We just positioned ourselves behind the groups around us to let them break the wind," said Adlfinger, "then we made our move around the 6,000-meter mark knowing we had preserved enough energy to make a late push."
Once the team made their move the race was all but over, as all five scoring runners finished in the top 24 with just one runner from SUNY-Geneseo placing in the top 56.
The University of Wisconsin-Platteville's Ian LeMere repeated as individual champion this season, finishing the course in a time of 23:40.4, almost 30 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher.
With the victory, North Central has now captured 32 National Titles in all sports and four of the last six men's cross country titles, including 26 at the NCAA Division III level. In addition to the 17 cross country crowns (1975, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016) the Cardinals have tallied four indoor track & field titles (1989, 2010, 2011, 2012), six outdoor track & field titles (1989, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2010, 2011), one women's basketball title (1983) and four NAIA titles in men's swimming (1958, 1961, 1962, 1963).
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November 13, 2016 - November 19, 2016
California Community College XC State Championships
November 19, 2016 in Fresno, CA
Four Mile Run
- Men - Daniel Schilling (Butte College) 24:23.44h SB;
IC4A/ECAC XC Championship
November 19, 2016 in New York, NY
5,000 Meter Run
- Women - Kiley Britten (Seton Hall University) 20:00.00;
8000 Meter Run
- Men - Jonah Hanig (Columbia University) 26:57.00;
NAIA National Championship
November 19, 2016 in Charlotte, NC
5,000 Meter Run
- Women - Ellie Willging (Saint Xavier University) 17:32.32 SB; Ashley Knott (University of St Francis) 18:05.12 SB; Mae Elizabeth Gimre (Taylor University) 18:19.45; Naomi Noyes (Taylor University) 19:06.41 SB; Katie Hoffert (Mount Mercy University) 19:07.93; Alexa Beezhold (Olivet Nazarene University) 19:24.50; Gracie Ball (University of St Francis) 19:32.30; Jacquelyn Robinson (Milligan College) 19:35.25; Grace Maletich (Saint Xavier University) 19:40.55 SB; Michelle Franch (Taylor University) 19:44.52; Erin Couwenhoven (Indiana Wesleyan University) 19:45.05; Karyn Paisley (Saint Ambrose University) 19:47.31 SB; Deandra Stokes (Saint Xavier University) 19:49.95; Julia Caithamer (University of St Francis) 19:57.79; Taylor Conroy (University of St Francis) 20:06.05; Courtney Correa (Saint Xavier University) 21:01.99; Denise Mccandrew (Missouri Baptist University) 21:17.91 SB; Shana Foster (Missouri Baptist University) 22:15.41;
8000 Meter Run
- Men - Colin DeYoung (Cornerstone University) 24:42.40 SB; Matt Hall (Taylor University) 24:47.90 SB; Joey Santillo (University of St Francis) 25:10.10 SB; Cam Knudsen (University of St Francis) 25:18.90; Jake Fitzgerald (University of St Francis) 25:37.60; Jason Reynolds (Olivet Nazarene University) 25:40.60 SB; Abel Hernandez (Saint Xavier University) 25:42.20 SB; Gabe Ceballos (University of St Francis) 25:45.90; Presley Martin (Marian University) 25:52.30 SB; Tyler Gabriele (Olivet Nazarene University) 26:13.40; Kevin Vroegh (Cornerstone University) 26:14.40 SB; John Principato (University of St Francis) 26:22.20; Jordy Arriaga (Judson University) 26:39.40; Mateo Hernandez (University of St Francis) 26:58.80;
NCAA DI Cross Country Championships
November 19, 2016 in Terre Haute, IN
10,000 Meter Run
- Men - Malachy Schrobilgen (University of Wisconsin) 30:13.50 SB; Michael Clevenger (Georgetown University) 30:36.00 SB; Garrett Sweatt (Stanford University) 30:42.20; Jon Davis (University of Illinois) 30:45.70; Jack Keelan (Stanford University) 30:46.80; Jesse Reiser (University of Illinois) 31:09.40; Ryan Speir (US Naval Academy) 31:32.40 SB; Mike Lederhouse (Georgetown University) 31:44.20 SB; Zach Dale (University of Illinois) 31:46.40; Zack Smith (University of Illinois) 31:51.90; Dan Lathrop (University of Illinois) 32:00.50;
6,000 Meter Run
- Women - Hope Schmelzle (Northern Illinois University) 20:51.30; Kaylee Flanagan (University of Washington) 21:04.10; Judy Pendergast (Harvard University) 21:14.00;
NCAA DII Cross Country Championships
November 19, 2016 in Saint Leo, FL
10,000 Meter Run
- Men - Chris May (Grand Valley State University) 30:37.50; Tony Wondaal (Hillsdale College) 30:56.80; Michael Leet (Lewis University) 31:09.90; Sergio Miranda (Lewis University) 32:04.60; Jamen Helton (Lewis University) 33:39.60; Shawn Milhauser (Lewis University) 34:04.50;
6,000 Meter Run
- Women - Moriah Palmer (UW-Parkside) 21:15.80; Jessica Lincoln (University of Southern Indiana) 21:52.10; Kara Burton (Colorado School of Mines) 22:34.50 SB; Summer Pierson (Southwest Baptist University) 22:35.30; Kayla Wooten (University of Colorado Colorado Springs) 22:55.30 SB;
NCAA DIII Cross Country Championships
November 19, 2016 in Louisville, KY
6,000 Meter Run
- Women - Erin Herrmann (Hope College) 20:51.10 SB; Abigail Nadler (Middlebury College) 21:02.60 SB; Jackie Schane (Aurora University) 21:20.20 SB; Kimber Meyer (Macalester College) 21:36.20 SB; Allison Crimmins (Colorado College) 22:12.20 SB; Elizabeth Hagstrom (Washington University in Saint Louis) 22:23.00 SB; Taylor Campos (University of Chicago) 22:35.00 SB; Emily Hamilton (Hope College) 22:36.60 SB; Cassidy Mcpherson (University of Chicago) 22:45.70; Claire Costelloe (University of Chicago) 22:58.60; Alexis Jakubowski (Middlebury College) 23:11.60;
8000 Meter Run
- Men - Dan Cheung (Allegheny College) 24:18.90 SB; Zach Plank (North Central College) 24:34.30; Al Baldonado (North Central College) 24:40.50 SB; Dhruvil Patel (North Central College) 24:41.60 SB; Ethan Adlfinger (North Central College) 24:41.90 SB; Zach Hird (North Central College) 24:47.00 SB; David O'gara (Washington University in Saint Louis) 24:51.00; Tanner Osing (Augustana College) 25:01.50; Dan O'keefe (North Central College) 25:05.60 SB; Jovan Newsum (St. Mary's University) 25:14.00 SB; Justin Adams (Loras College) 25:17.90 SB; Omar Gomez (North Central College) 25:21.90; Peter Johnsrud (Washington University in Saint Louis) 25:24.30 SB; Ryan Auld (Carnegie Mellon University) 25:33.30; Kyle Cepeda (Washington University in Saint Louis) 25:34.30; Ben Hedges (Loras College) 25:54.40 SB; Jack Carroll (Loras College) 26:23.00; Daniel Weiss (Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)) 26:33.10; Emmett Barr (Allegheny College) 27:27.90; Nick Vucovich (Pomona-Pitzer) 27:38.70;