North Central Takes Home Men’s and Women’s Track & Field Titles

NAPERVILLE, Ill. – For the 23rd straight season, North Central was named the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) champion in men’s track and field Saturday, while the Cardinal women won their first conference title since 2002.

The North Central men won with a team score of 276.50, while the women were victorious with a team score of 207.50. Augustana came in second on both the men’s and women’s side with the women’s team earning a score of 199, while the men finished with a score of 212.

Rounding out the men’s scores were Carthage (103), Wheaton (67), Illinois Wesleyan (55.50), Millikin (44), Elmhurst (38) and North Park (18). Rounding out the women’s scores were Wheaton (128), Illinois Wesleyan (123.50), Carthage (91.50), Millikin (41), Elmhurst (14.50) and North Park (7).

The win for the North Central women was the sixth conference title in school history, while the men won their 31st conference title in school history, 29th under legendary coach Al Carius.

Augustana’s Meghan Voiland was named Female Field Athlete of the Meet, while North Central’s Jessica Griffin was the Female Track Athlete of the Meet. On the men’s side, North Central’s Justin McQuality was the Male Field Athlete of the Meet, while Illinois Wesleyan’s Matt Harden was the Male Track Athlete of the Meet.

North Central and Augustana was named the Women’s Coaching Staff of the Year, while North Central also earned Men’s Coaching Staff of the Year honors.

Augustana’s Keli Coleman won the 100-meter dash with an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 12.17, while Illinois Wesleyan’s Rachel Anderson also hit a provisional mark in the 200-meter dash, winning with a time of 24.90. Anderson was also champion in the 400 dash with an NCAA automatic qualifying time of 55.42. North Central’s Amber Druien set a new CCIW record in the 800, winning with a time of 2:12.4. She also set a conference record by winning the 1,500 (4:37.69). Griffin won the 5,000 (18:03.88), while North Central’s Amanda Laesch was the 10,000 winner (38:23.48). Augustana’s Theresa Suwannapal hit a provisional time in winning the 100 hurdles (14.42), while teammate Lindsey Homfeldt won the 400 hurdles (1:06.37).

Griffin broke the CCIW record in the 3,000 steeplechase with a time of 11:03.90. Augustana and Illinois Wesleyan won the 4x100 (48.16) and 4x400 (3:55.34) respectively. Millikin’s Kapricia Poulos was champion in the high jump (5-5) and long jump (18-03.75), while Voiland earned the title in the pole vault (12-08.25) and triple jump (38-05). Augustana’s Marissa Banks won the shot put (44-02.75) and discus (134-09), while Wheaton’s Stephanie Solari was champion in the hammer throw (137-6). Brandi McNeil of Wheaton won the javelin (162-0), while teammate Molly Walton won the heptathlon (4,354 points).

On the men’s side, Segun Olopo of Illinois Wesleyan earned the title in the 100, hitting a provisional time of 10.68, while Elmhurst’s Quentin Bailey took home the title in the 200 with a time of 22.17. Matt Harden of Illinois Wesleyan set a new CCIW record by winning the 400 with a time of 47.66. In the 800, North Central’s Adam Pennington won with a provisional time of 1:52.26, while Elmhurst’s Brian McConnell was champion in the 1,500 (3:52.18). North Central’s Brian Lesiewicz won the 5,000 (14:59.66), Wheaton’s Brandon Mull won the 10,000 (31:57.04), Augustana’s Ted McMillan won the 110 hurdles (15.37) and the 400 hurdles (54.02- provisional time), and Brad Holehan of Augustana was champion in the 3,000 steeplechase with a provisional time of 9:13.21.

North Central and Illinois Wesleyan earned the 4x100 (41.53) and 4x400 (3:14.61) relay titles respectively, while David Winston of Augustana was the winner in the high jump (6-02.75). Mike Bina of North Central was the winner in the pole vault (15-10- provisional jump), while teammate Justin McQuality earned the long jump title (23-08- provisional mark) and the triple jump title (47-09- provisional mark). North Central’s Marc Holt was the winner in the shot put (49-05.50) and the discus (150-0), while Brandon Jones-Harris of Carthage took home the title in the hammer (162-03). Jon Sebby of Augustana was champion in the javelin with a provisional throw of 196-07, while Justin Rudock of North Central earned the decathlon title with 6,041 points.