Northern Athletics Conference Announces Postseason Men’s Cross Country Awards

AURORA, Ill. November 2, 2006 - The Aurora University men’s cross country team had significant representation on the 2006 Northern Athletics Conference All-Conference team and Head Cross Country Coach James Kluckhohn was named NAC men’s cross country Coach of the Year.

The postseason honors came following AU’s winning the inaugural NAC Men’s Cross Country Championship. In winning the NAC Championship, AU won its first conference championship in men’s cross country in school history.

The Spartan men’s cross country team was led by Northern Athletics Conference Men’s Cross Country All-Conference selections junior Matt Baker (Dixon, IL/Dixon H.S.) and freshman Eric Maki (Elgin, IL/Elgin H.S.). Baker finished eighth in the NAC meet with a time of 28:35.2, while Maki finished ninth with a time of 28:43.1.

The Spartans had five members selected as NAC Honorable Mention All-Conference. Junior David Mathew (Aurora, IL/Aurora Central Catholic), Sophomore Tommy Ferguson (Somonauk, IL/Somonauk H.S.) and freshmen Tom Mariak (Burbank, IL/Reavis H.S.), Kevin Peters (North Aurora, IL/West Aurora H.S.) and Jake Schlueter (Westmont, IL/Westmont H.S.) were selected as NAC Honorable Mention All-Conference. Mathew finished 11th in the conference meet with a time of 28:48.5, Ferguson finished 13th with a time of 29:10.2, Schlueter finished 12th with a time of 29:09.3, Peters finished 15th with a time of 29:20.9 and Mariak finished 18th with a time of 30:07.2

AU Head Coach James Kluckhohn was named the NAC Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year as selected by his peers, sweeping the NAC Cross Country Coach of the Year balloting, having won the women’s Coach of the Year Award as well. Kluckhohn led the Spartan men to their first conference championship in AU history in their fourth season of existence.

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