2006 CCIW Men's Cross Country Championship
Hickory Point Golf Course
Oct. 28, 2006, Forsyth, Illinois
Hosted by Millikin
North Central Men & Women Earn CCIW Cross Country Titles
DECATUR, Ill. – The scene was all too familiar at the 2006 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Cross Country Championships on Saturday, Oct. 28 at Hickory Point Golf Course in Decatur, Ill.
When it was all said and done, both the men’s and women’s cross country teams from North Central College had crossed the finish line victorious as the men won their 34th straight conference championship dating back to 1974, while the women picked up their first team title since 1995 and fourth overall.
The North Central men won the team title in the 8K with an overall score of 34 and a total time of 2:10:02.68. Augustana was second with a score of 64 (2:11:37.32), while Wheaton was third (71 points; 2:11:38.04). Elmhurst (102; 2:13:47.66), Carthage (103; 2:13:57.09), Millikin (159; 2:18:37.83), Illinois Wesleyan (200; 2:24:52.15) and North Park (259; 2:37:05.31) rounded out the team scoring.
In the women’s 6K, North Central won with a team score of 30 and a total time of 1:55:41.52. Last season’s champion Wheaton was second with a score of 50 and a total time of 1:58:29.30, while Carthage was third with a score of 89 and a total time of 2:00:45.59. Augustana (130 points; 2:04:50.58), Elmhurst (130; 2:09:33.63), Illinois Wesleyan (161; 2:07:27.65), North Park (181; 2:11:49.91) and Millikin (226; 2:24:09.08) rounded out the team scoring for the women.
North Central’s Amber Druien won the individual title with a time of 22:27.14, while Elmhurst’s Marisa Mele was second with a time of 22:44.92. Jessica Griffin of North Central was third (22:54.06), while teammate Amanda Laesch was fourth (22:54.67). Hannah Landecker of North Park was fifth with a time of 23:00.86.
For the men, Nathaniel Hird of North Central won the individual title with a time of 25:22.62, while Brandon Mull of Wheaton was second with a time of 25:35.39. Mike Ptack of Elmhurst was third (25:50.25), while North Central’s Nicholas Hird placed fourth (25:54.35). Carthage’s Mike White was fifth with a time of 25:56.84.
Both the North Central men's and women's cross country coaching staffs earned CCIW Coaching Staff of the Year honors, while Druien and Nathaniel Hird took home women's and men's athletes of the year respectively. North Central's Laesch took home freshman of the year honors on the women's side, while William Zook from Augustana College was freshman of the year on the men's side.
2006 CCIW Men's Cross Country Championship Preview
NAPERVILLE, Ill. -- The 47th installment of the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Men’s Cross Country Championships makes its way to Decatur, Ill., Saturday, Oct. 28 at Hickory Point Golf Course as eight cross country programs look to capture the conference crown, while seven schools will look to dethrone a North Central program that has won 32-straight CCIW titles dating back to 1974.
Cross country has put forth a strong national showing as three teams have earned a spot in the NCAA Division III national polls, conducted by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. North Central is 10th in the nation, while Wheaton follows in the 12th spot and Augustana is 20th according to the latest poll released on Oct. 17.
Al Carius’ North Central Cardinals not only have won every conference championship since the mid-70s, but also 12 NCAA championships with the most recent coming in 1999. North Central looks to continue the run of conference championships this weekend behind graduate student Nick Hird, who is a two-time all-conference runner that placed 47th at nationals last season. Julius White, Ryan Carrigan and Nick’s younger brother Nate are also talented North Central runners looking to pick up another conference title for their team.
Wheaton came ever so close at ending the North Central conference title run last season, finishing second and just two points behind the Cardinals at 47 during last year’s conference championships. Brandon Mull and Matt Field put forth strong performances at the NCAA Division III Pre-Nationals last month as Mull placed 10th with a time of 26:03.64, while Field was 13th with a time of 26:07.50.
Also looking to give a strong showing is Augustana, who placed third at the championships last season with a score of 55. The Vikings are led by an experienced group of seniors including Jeff Bailey, Tim Frey and Tony Clavio. In addition, junior Dan Leonard, who placed fifth at the championships last season, also leads the way for Augustana. The Vikings recently placed sixth as a team during the UW-Oshkosh Invitational two weeks ago. Bailey was his team’s top finisher at 18th with a time of 25:22, while Leonard was 23rd with a time of 25:25.
Elmhurst (108), Carthage (125), Millikin (167), Illinois Wesleyan (203) and North Park (258) rounded out the team scoring during the conference championship last season.
Elmhurst recently placed first during the Millikin Classic as Mike Ptack placed first with a time of 25:40.6. Carthage finished 11th during the recent UW-Oshkosh Invitational as Michael White finished 40th with a time of 24:20.41. Millikin’s Justin Baer finished 17th (26:53) at the Millikin Classic, while Illinois Wesleyan placed 28th at the UW-LaCrosse Invite on Oct. 14 as Lane Coonrod was 121st with a time of 27:00.
