NCC Roundup: Football Team Secures Automatic Postseason Bid

Taking advantage of a series of big passing plays and getting another stout effort from its defense, the football team locked down its second straight playoff bid and at least a share of its sixth straight College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Championship on Saturday, shaking down the 12th-ranked Wheaton College Thunder, 33-7, at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium.

The sixth-ranked Cardinals (8-1, 6-0 CCIW) have clinched the CCIW's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III postseason and will participate in the playoffs for the sixth time in the past seven seasons. North Central can secure sole possession of the CCIW title for the second straight year with a victory over North Park University next Saturday.

North Central also retained possession of the 'Little Brass Bell' for the fourth consecutive year, giving the Cardinals their longest winning streak against Wheaton since winning six straight from 1977-82.

"We love when we can look back at the history of North Central football and set a new mark," coach John Thorne said. "This is a great senior class. We love these guys, they worked hard to get this, and saw that it really paid off."

The North Central College men's cross country team remains the nation's unanimous No. 1 team in the eighth installment of the NCAA Division III National Coaches' Poll, released Wednesday by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

The Cardinals secured 280 points and all eight first place votes, remaining on top of the rankings for the eight straight week. Haverford College (Pa.), the defending national champions, remain No. 2 with 272 points followed by Washington University in Saint Louis with 261 points. Calvin College (Mich.) is fourth with 255 points while College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin nemesis Wheaton College is fifth with 250 points. Augustana College is the third CCIW squad in the Top 35, remaining 19th with 144 points.

The Cardinals return to action Saturday, making the trip to the Saukie Golf Course in Rock Island, where they will look to capture their fourth straight NCAA Division III Midwest Region title.

The women's cross country team is 25th in the eighth installment of the NCAA Division III National Coaches' Poll, released Wednesday by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

The Cardinals accumulated 89 points in the week eight poll, earning a spot in the Top 35 rankings for the fifth consecutive week. North Central remains the sole College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin squad to be represented int the rankings.

Williams College (Mass.) remains No. 1 with six first place votes and 278 points while Washington University in Saint Louis is second with 270 points and one first place nod. Middlebury College (Vt.) is third with 264 points followed by Claremont-Mudd Scripps Colleges (Calif.) in fourth with 256 points. Massachusetts Institute of Technology rounds out the top five with 248 points.

North Central tallied its third straight CCIW Championship on Saturday, scoring 30 points to edge runner-up Illinois Wesleyan University by 17-points. Alicia Zimmerman became the sixth Cardinal to capture the CCIW Individual title, traversing the 6,000-meter course at Chicago's Montrose Harbor in 22 minutes, 46.72 seconds. Krista Cota was runner-up in 22:48.58 while Kala Bingham was fourth in 23:17.30.

The Cardinals return to action Saturday, traveling to the Saukie Golf Course in Rock Island for the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional.

The volleyball team saw the 2011 season come to a close Tuesday, as the Cardinals lost by a 3-0 count to Wheaton College in a play-in match for the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin Tournament at King Arena.

The Cardinals (18-17) were outdone by a narrow margin in all three sets, losing the opening frame, 26-24, before a 25-21 loss in the second set and a 25-23 setback in the third.

Amber Ladwig and Crystal Wright led North Central's attack with 10 kills each, while Ryan Lally finished with 37 assists. Sarah Eggert put up a match-high 25 digs and Joelle Lusson provided two service aces.

Wright finishes her collegiate career ranked fourth in North Central history in career kills (1,325) and 10th in digs (1,030), while Jamie Drozd ranks ninth in digs (1,150) and eighth in service aces (114) and Alli Briner is sixth in career blocks (220).