GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. -- The Trine University men's cross country team finished in fifth place at the annual NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional Meet hosted by Calvin (Mich.) College in Grand Rapids, Mich.
The Thunder end the day with an overall team score of 161 points to place fifth of 37 teams on a day that saw the course shortened from its traditional 8k distance due to course conditions. Host school Calvin finished as the Regional Champions with 43 points and was followed by Otterbein (Ohio) University in second place at 64 points. John Carroll (Ohio) University was third with 90 points.
Trine had three individuals finish in the top-25 with junior Jack Beakas (Auburn, Ind./DeKalb) posting the top time of the trio at 24:27.8 which put him in 10th place among a field of 255 total runners. Junior Levis Neuzerling (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) along with senior Villis Vuskalns (Indianapolis, Ind./Beech Grove), finished back-to-back to claim 22nd and 23rd place with marks of 24:40.1 and 24:41.3, respectively.
Junior Neil O'Brien (Whiteland, Ind./Roncalli) recorded a top-50 time of 25:04.9 to place 42nd overall. Fellow junior Derek Miller (Shipshewana, Ind./Westview) had the fifth fastest time on the team and 65th overall after negotiating the course in a time of 25:32.5.
Junior Harrison Korkos (Rochester, Ind./Rochester) ran a time of 25:35.2 to rank 70th overall and junior Alex Amaro (Fort Wayne, Ind./Concordia Lutheran) finished five spots back of Korkos in 74th place after turning in a time of 25:41.0 to round out the Trine competitors.
By finishing among the top-35 times on the afternoon, Beakas, Neuzerling and Vuskalns all earned All-Region accolades.
"The guys team ran a gutsy race," said Head Coach Zach Raber. "The course conditions were extremely muddy and wet so we needed to get out a bit harder than usual. Jack Beakas ran a fantastic race, putting himself in the top-10 the whole race. Levi Neuzerling, Vilis Vuskalns and Neil O'Brien each ran tough in the top-30 for a good bit of the race, Neil just faded a bit late. We had three men earn All-Region honors and our highest finish at the region meet in recent history. All in all, we had a good day, but we may be a bit short of what the NCAA committee is looking for in an at-large bid."
If the Thunder receive a team at-large bid to the NCAA Division III National Championship, the race will be held next Saturday, Nov. 23 at Tom Sawyer Park in Louisville, Ky. The men's event is scheduled to start at 12:15 p.m.