Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302

Nov. 22, 2016 - North Central College head men's cross country coach Al Carius has been voted the 2016 NCAA Division III National Coach of the Year by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), giving him the award for the 10th time and the fifth time in the past eight seasons.

Carius was announced as this season's winner on Tuesday after the Cardinals stormed to victory by an overwhelming margin in the Division III National Championship at E.P. Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Kentucky on Saturday. North Central placed five athletes among the top 24 finishers and won with a total of 60 points. The Cardinals' 144-point margin of victory broke their own record for the largest in the meet's history. North Central has 17 team national championships men's cross country, a record across all three NCAA divisions, and finished second 16 times in 44 years of Division III competition.

The Cardinals also claimed their 28th Midwest Region Championship on Nov. 12 at Lake Breeze Golf Club in Winnecone, Wisconsin. North Central totaled 37 points to finish well ahead of its closest pursuers, the third-ranked University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (91) and claim the title for the eighth time in the past nine years. The Cardinals also won their 43rd consecutive College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) championship on Oct. 29, finishing with a perfect score of 15 for the eighth time.

A 2016 North Central honorary doctorate degree recipient, Carius is a USTFCCCA, Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaches Association, Chicagoland Sports and Drake Relays Hall of Fame member.