POWELL, OHIO -- The Trine University men's cross country team posted a top-10 finish at the annual NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional hosted by Ohio Wesleyan University in Powell, Ohio.
The Thunder ended the event with 239 total points to finish in eighth place out of 35 teams. Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opponent Calvin (Mich.) College finished as regional team champs with 61 points. DePauw (Ind.) University was second at 111 points and Ohio Northern University was third with 123 points.
Leading the way for Trine was the duo of senior Robert Lewis Duke (Greentown, Ind./Eastern) and junior Nicholas Zak (St. John, Ind./Hanover Central) who both garnered All-Region honors by finishing in the top-35 individually. Duke crossed the finish line in 30th place of 242 total runners and averaged 5:17.0 per mile to complete the race in an overall time of 26:15.6. Zak finished two spots back in 32nd place after posting a time of 26:21.9.
Sophomore Vilis Vuskalns (Indianapolis, Ind./Beech Grove) was the third Thunder runner to complete the course and was 45th after running a time of 26:41.3. Freshman Levi Neuzerling (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) was 68th in a time of 27:02.5 and freshman Jack Beakas (Auburn, Ind./DeKalb) followed close behind in 68th place with a time of 27:02.5.
Junior Jonathan Phillips (Royal Center, Ind./Pioneer) completed the 8k course in 71st place at 27:03.7 and the final Trine time was turned in by freshman Derek Miller (Shipshewana, Ind./Westview) who placed just outside the top-100 in 103rd place after running a time of 27:31.9.