NAPERVILLE, ILL.  --  Junior Hannah Blystone (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) led the Trine University Triathlon Team at the first NCAA meet of the season by finishing first amongst D-III opponents and eighth overall at the Central Region Qualifier hosted by North Central (Ill.) College.

Blystone completed the three-stage race with an overall time of 1:06:27.2, setting a personal best and also qualified for the National Championship Meet in November.  Blystone's time was only surpassed by seven athletes from Division I Arizona State University with World Championship experience.

Blystone started out the event by completing the 750-meter swim in a time of 10:15.8 which was the fourth fastest amongst D-III athletes.  In the next stage, the 20-kilometer bike, Blystone was the first Thunder athlete to cross the finish line with a mark of 35:35.2.  She then made up time in the five-kilometer run by posting the top time amongst D-III athletes and fifth fastest overall at 19:12.4.  

"Our ladies all did amazing," said Head Coach Danny Powell.  "We have some work to do, but considering we have only been together for a short period and it is our first season, they all did a superb job."

Blystone was one of five total athletes competing for Trine in the event.  Kirsten Godfrey (Homestead), Natalee Landel (Edgerton), Kari Guthrie (East Noble) and Melissa Wirtz (Huron) also competed for TU and completed the swim stage before withdrawing.  Godfrey finished in the middle of the pack with a time of 10:42.4.  Wirtz and Guthrie finished back-to-back with marks of 11:52.7 and 11;53.8.  Landel rounded out the competitors with a time of 13:46.9.

Trine will next compete in the Lake Geneva Escape Triathlon in Williams Bay, Wisc. on Saturday, Sept. 23.