GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. -- Trine University junior women's cross country runner Evie Bultemeyer (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead) finished as the individual champion at the annual NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional Meet hosted by Calvin (Mich.) College in Grand Rapids, Mich.
As a team, the Thunder finished with 409 total points to place 14th of 34 teams. John Carroll (Ohio) University took the team title with 83 points and Baldwin Wallace University finished a point back in second place with a team score of 84 points. Oberlin (Ohio) College rounded out the top three teams with 110 points.
After claiming top individual honors at the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Championship two weeks ago and garnering MIAA "Most Valuable Runner" honors, Bultemeyer continued her impressive 2019 season by posting the top overall mark out of 233 total runners at the regional meet in a time of 20:58.4 for a course that was shortened from the traditional 6K length due to course conditions and was 12 seconds faster than her nearest competitor, Mica Hanish from Allegheny (Pa.) College.
"The women's team ran well today," said Head Coach Zach Raber. "Evie was extremely patient throughout the race and just widdled away the competition. It was a big performance for her to be the Great Lakes Region Champion and a huge step forward for our program."
Bultemeyer was joined in the top-35 by fellow junior Elizabeth Lohman (Fort Wayne, Ind./Carroll) who ran a time of 22:27.8 which put her in 34th place. Sophomore Chloe Brittain (Wheeler, Mich./Breckenridge) was third to cross the finish line for Trine after completing the course in a time of 23:28.5.
The junior duo of Stacy Dibley (Bristol, Ind./Elkhart Central) and Miranda Coombs (Lexington, Mich./Croswell-Lexington) finished back-to-back with the fourth and five fastest times on the team for the day of 24:36.9 and 24:38.3, respectively.
"Elizabeth Lohman improved on her 2018 race to earn All-Region as well," added Raber. "In addition, Miranda Coombs also ran a really good race today."
Freshman Sammi Silva (Oregon, Ohio/Clay) was the next Trine runner to clip the tape having navigated the course in a time of 25:15.4. The final Thunder competitor was sophomore Madi Howard (Stockbridge, Mich./Stockbridge) who ran a time of 26:22.7.
Bultemeyer and Lohman both earned All-Region awards by finishing in the top-35 times among the field. Bultemeyer will also earn an automatic spot in this year's NCAA Division III National Championship Meet as the result of finishing in the top-four at this year's regional competition.
The NCAA National Meet will be held at Tom Sawyer Park on the campus of Louisville University in Louisville, Ky. next Saturday, Nov. 23. The women's race is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.