The Cardinals compete as members of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) for all sports except women's triathlon, which is an independent.

The college is best known for its men's track and field and cross country teams, which have won 25 national championships, under the leadership of Coach Al Carius.

In April 2002, the field was dedicated to honor the family of Don Shanower, beloved professor emeritus of speech communication and theatre and enthusiastic softball fan.

The dedication took on added meaning after the Shanowers' son Dan, a commander in the U.S. Navy, was among the victims of the September 11 terrorist attack on the Pentagon.

The field has hosted an NCAA III regional tournament and was part of Major League Baseball's RBI World Series.

On the second floor of Merner Field House is Nichols Gymnasium, home to the North Central College wrestling team.

The facility, with its innovative geothermal heating and cooling system and other sustainability features, has been awarded LEED Silver Certification.