ADRIAN, MICH. -- For the second time this season, senior Kyla Binfet (Branson, Mont./West Yellowstone) recorded a school-record time, this time at the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Championships hosted by Adrian (Mich.) College.
Trine finished the event with a team total of 87 points to place third of eight teams, marking the highest finish for the Thunder women in the MIAA Championships in program history. Hope (Mich.) College won the team championship with 20 points and was followed by Calvin (Mich.) College in second with 66 points.
Binfet recorded a school-record time of 22:00.8 to lead Trine and place third overall. She broke her latest mark of 22:38.4 which she recorded at the MIAA Jamboree in September.
Freshman Evonne Bultemeyer (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead) had the second fastest time for Trine of 22:39.6 and crossed the finish line in 14th place amongst the field. Coming in third for the Thunder was junior Hannah Blystone (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) who ran a time of 23:27.5 which was good enough for 26th place.
Following just behind Blystone, was junior Lacie Piekarski (Spring Lake, Mich./Spring Lake) who turned in a mark of 23:29.2 and was 27th overall. Rounding out the team score qualifying times was freshman Elizabeth Lohman (Fort Wayne, Ind./Carroll) who was the fourth Trine runner to complete the course following a time of 23:47.0 to place 34th.
Completing the seven-runner lineup for Trine was freshman Ruthie Luebcke (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) who finished in the top-50 in 48th place after running a time of 24:17.6. In addition, freshman Stacy Dibley (Bristol, Ind./Elkhart Central) had a time of 25:06.8 and was 62nd overall.
After the completion of the race, Trine had two runners earn All-MIAA honors for their individual finish. Binfet garnered first-team accolades, becoming the first Trine women's cross country member to earn the award. Joining her was Bultemeyer on the All-Conference list as a second-team pick. It also marks the first time in program history that the Thunder have had two competitors earn All-MIAA honors.
"The women ran a very good race today," said Head Coach Zach Raber. "Kyla put herself in a great position to win. With 200 meters to go, there were four girls battling for first and she just came up short. It was a tremendous effort. Elizabeth Lohman also stepped up in a big way today to seal the third-place finish. I'm very proud of the he way they all ran."
The Trine women will compete in the annual NCAA Division III Regional Championships which will be held on Saturday, Nov. 11 in Powell, Ohio. Ohio Wesleyan University will serve as host with the somen's race set to begin at 12:15 p.m.