College's mascot is the Cardinal, in tradition of the bird's habitat in Illinois. The school competes in NCAA Division III and the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW). It sponsors 22 sports and has won 30 team national championships, 26 NCAA and 4 NAIA. North Central athletes have won 115 individual national championships.
The total number of national championships puts the college at eighth on the all-time list for most national championships. North Central is the only school in the CCIW to win a national championship in four different sports. Since joining the CCIW, North Central has won 164 conference titles along with 14 CCIW postseason tournament titles.
== Notable alumni ==
Dick Blick (Richard Adolph Blick) (born July 29, 1940), is an American former competitive swimmer, 1960 Olympic champion in the 4x200-meter freestyle relay, and former world record-holder. As of 1972, Blick remained the only North Central College athlete to ever win an Olympic gold medal.
James Henry Breasted (1865–1935), …
