City of Naperville issues proclamation to honor North Central women's triathlon team

At the Naperville City Council meeting on March 7, 2023, Mayor Steve Chirico issued a proclamation honoring the North Central College women's triathlon team. The proclamation recognized the team's 2022 national championship, the 100th anniversary of women's athletics at North Central, and the 50th anniversary of the passage of Title IX and its effect of gender equity in college sports.

The proclamation read:

"WHEREAS, The City of Naperville honors the North Central College women's triathlon team for its 2022 USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championship, the fourth such championship in program history; and

WHEREAS, Sophomore Hailey Poe captured her second consecutive individual national title and teammate Bethany Smeed was honored as the Division III Freshman of the Year; and

WHEREAS, North Central celebrates 100 years of women's athletics on its campus while commemorating 50 years since the passage of Title IX, which guaranteed equal access to collegiate athletics; and

WHEREAS, The City of Naperville applauds North Central and its triathlon program for being a model of excellence in women's athletics, and for bringing pride and recognition to our city.

THEREFORE, I, Steve Chirico, Mayor of the City of Naperville, hereby present this proclamation to

COACH AVERI LEWIS AND THE NORTH CENTRAL COLLEGE CARDINALS in celebration of their 2022 National Championship

IN WITNESS THEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the City of Naperville this 7th day of March 2023."

View the proclamation