Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois • Page 144

4 Section 2 Chicago Tribune, Friday, May 26, 2000 DN SPORTS FOCUS: LISLE NAPERVILLE EAST AURORA Reid Hanley On Sports '1 r. is on assignment. John Kass in main news. Skip Bayless in Sports. And Sid Smith in Arts Entertainment The Chicago Tribune.

What else do you need to know? Homes chicagotribune.com instant Chicago M0L CubnCoisinr Latin Bistro offering the finest in Cuban cuisine accented with the sights and sounds of 5outh Beach. -it Rated 4 by the Chicago Tribune Tribune photos by John Kringas Tim McCoskey works out on the North Central College track, which hosts the NCAA Division III track meet this weekend. North Central runner on right track 224 South Main Street, hi ri JJ MiM I Naperville 630-933-COPA (2672) By Jack McCarthy Special to the Tribune The payoff comes this weekend for North Central College runner Tim McCoskey and his teammates. The host Cardinals hope the hundreds of Til OGllV Gull, Fr VOTE" Si SUgilif TEC's patented cooking process sears in kT: 'mm -mm- JF flavor. The uniform cooking my lung would collapse," he said.

"It was all in the top half of my lungs, so doctors went in and scarred the outside of my lung to the inside of my chest so if any blisters formed, the lung wouldn't go down." Surgery was successful, but McCoskey re- mained wary. "It was scary for a while," he said. CI "For about a year I wasn't sure whether I was go- A ing to run, but it worked out well." McCoskey qualified for the state track finals as a high school senior, then entered North Cen tral the following fall. The school's relatively! small size and the reputation of Carius was ap- pealing. "I looked around and this has been the best 'J place for me," McCoskey said.

"I got to come here and develop at my own rate, and Al was behind me all the way. Al's a great coach, and the people that buy into the program learn a lot more about a track. You learn a lot about life, too. He's very dedicated to the responsibility of life's lessons." i But it took a while for McCoskey to develop. "When I came to North Central I wasn't very i strong," he said.

"That's where cross country helped. I ran cross country in the fall and didn't -n do anything spectacular but it got me a lot stronger." McCoskey went on to make impressive strides" over the next three years. "McCoskey came here primarily as a quar 1 ter-miler, half-miler really coming from thej sprint side rather than as a distance runner," rius said. 'But In four years, he's just climbed the ladder and taken advantage of every tunity to become much stronger and utilize theS speed that he does have. "He was third in the NCAA cross countryj championship this last year," Carius added.

"The year before that he was 27th or 28th. That was tremendous improvement. I can't remem-berwhathewas the year before because we probably didn't even consider him a cross country runner." That speed and endurance was evident at this winter's national indoor meet when he won the run and anchored North Central's medley relay team. McCoskey runs up to 70 miles a week and says he's ready for this weekend's competition. "The way I look at it, all the work's done," he said.

surface prevents hours and uncounted miles of training result the school's fourth men's national team title at this weekend's NCAA Division III track finals in Naperville. "We're a very high-mileage program," said McCoskey, a distance runner who's among the top entries in the 800- and "This program's all about strength. The more strength you have under your belt, the faster you can run." Competition began Thursday and concludes Saturday afternoon at North Central's reconstructed stadium. McCoskey, a 22-year-old history major, entered the finals with impeccable credentials. He was third in the nation in cross country last fall, then grabbed two firsts in last winter's national indoor track finals, along with honors as Division III indoor runner of the year.

"I thought that was a heck of an accomplishment for him to be recognized prior to even the first events at the indoor national championships," said Cardinal coach Al Carius. "He's grown tremendously in four years and is reaping the rewards of all his efforts, dedication and commitment." McCoskey is among 14 North Central men's qualifiers as the NCAA small college meet returns to Naperville for the first time since 1996. "Our national team's really developing," McCoskey said. "Over the past three weeks we've gained a lot of qualifiers. I know we'll perform well.

And if we perform well, we'll place very well." McCoskey enters the championships with the nation's second-best times in the 800- and Teammate Ed Riegert has the nation's top 1,500 time McCoskey is the latest in a series of top runners who have helped North Central gain and maintain national prominence. Cardinal teams have claimed 12 national cross country titles and three track and field crowns. North Central captured its last track title in 1998. "He's a tremendous leader in our program," hot spots and flare-ups. Come see us today and ask about TEC.

FREE Grill Cover -4 wpurchase and Cy 7 this ad by 'VJ 61 82000 -r-fri INFRA RED OAS QRIli.5 'The more strength you have under your belt, the faster you can Tim McCoskey Carius said. "He commands an awful lot of respect by the kind of person he is He's a very motivated young man and it's easy to coach when you've got that kind of talent, dedication, commitment and confidence." McCoskey, who started running at age 7, participated in cross country and track in high school but was never a standout. "I didn't have a spectacular high school career," he said. "I had some trouble with my health and had two lung surgeries. I couldn't build a very good base ever for a season." McCoskey's lungs collapsed twice during or after competition, the last time during his junior year at Downstate Washington High School.

"Blisters formed on the surface of my lungs and while I was running a blister would pop and ii.ii.iBHi!iin,Mwn 'Cover appropriate to grill style. Not valid on previous purchases or any other offers. In stock only. See store tor details. 1998 Thrmal Engineenng Cofpoiilion US 1 48850M Pal 432185; Oes 266 050 CRYSTAL UUS AURORA FTREPLAKrfilil ITER INC.

CHICAGO LAND CROOP CSYSTAL LAKE T10T-I Ptngm Id. 2830 I. FmiMraUj wmi.1,.111 lyi. una it i REPUBLIC BANK'S Meet shines spotlight on new stadium a new millennium. a new aqe.

new IDEAS, new approaches to banking. mum new REWARDS. Tribune photo by Mario Petitti North Central College athletic trainers watch a pole-vaulter compete Thursday at the NCAA Division III track and field finals, which mark the national debut of the college's new outdoor athletic facilities. NEW expectations. "This Is the money market account for By Jack McCarthy Sl'ECIAL TO THE TRIBUNE North Central College's new outdoor athletic facilities sparkled under brilliant sunshine Thursday as the NCAA Division III outdoor track and field championships got under way It was quite a different look from 19, the last time the college hosted the event.

Inside the rebuilt concrete stadium, a scattering of fans cheered local entries as women pole-vaulters competed in the comfortable weather under clear skies. The new press box was open for business, and an elevator was operational. Outside, on a new brick plaza, several local restaurants were busy setting up food stands while nearby ticket sellers handled steady sales of single- and three-day meet passes. North Central officials, who have worked for years on rebuilding facilities and for months on planning the NCAA finals, were confident the meet would go off without a hitch. "Things look beautiful out there," said Cardinals men's track coach Al Carius, as workers and volunteers fine-tuned the facilities earlier this week.

"I'm really impressed. The people have worked incredibly hard around here to get things looking spectacular." Final preparations including placing flowers around the track and awards stand, as well astlast- the new century. The 5.90 APY is a tremendous bank-grade investment opportunity! Carlos X. Montoya President CEO REPUBLIC BANK'S NEW CENTURY Money Market Account DuPage river runs just 10 feet from the beginning of the football field and it just overflowed right into the field. The field became part of the river." The stadium was rebuilt at a cost of $6.5 million, and the new facility officially reopened last September with a Cardinals football game.

C. Jay and Dot Buikema, owners of an area hardware store chain, donated money to replace the oval track. Friday's competition is scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. with the decathlon 110-meter hurdles and continue into the evening with men's 100-meter trials scheduled for 8:10. Saturday's activities will begin at 10 a.m.

with javelin finals and conclude with the men's relay final. North Central's men are among the leading contenders for top team honors. The Cardinals have 14 qualifiers, i minute trimming and cleaning-wrapped up several days before Thursday's opening, well ahead of the arrival of participants, coaches and fans. "I don't think we've been this ready this early before," Carius said. "Things have fallen into place really well." This weekend's NCAA track finals are the ninth to be held in Naperville.

The event also marks the national debut of North Central's rebuilt Cardinal Stadium and track facilities, along with an attractive plaza connecting the stadium and nearby field house. A torrential rainfall that caused millions of dollars in property damage in the Naperville area in July 1996 wrecked the stadium and track. "It was all underwater, the whole football field, track and stands," said North Central spokesman Joe Dennis. "It was really ba The DARIEN 1510 75th Street (630) 241-4500 H0DGKINSC0UNTRYSIDE 9440 Joliet Rd. (708) 387-2680 0AKBR00K 100 Oak Brook Center (630) 954-3760 NAPERVILLE Rt 59 111th St (630) 922-1500 N0RTHSIDE 2720 W.

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