Calvin Men's Cross Country Wins 2024 NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championship

11/16/2024 2:35:00 PM

SHELBYVILLE, Ind. -- The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association men's cross country programs competed in the 2024 NCAA Great Lakes Region Championship on Saturday, November 16, at the Blue River Cross Country Course in Shelbyville, Indiana. Calvin University took home the championship trophy with a total of 99 points.

Senior Knight Luke Witvliet, the 2024 MIAA Men's Most Valuable Runner, was the runner-up at the regional competition after clocking in at 24:47.98. Trine University sophomore Max Van Huis (4th - 24:54.86) and Hope College senior Connor Vachon (5th - 24:55.72) also finished in the top five.

Sophomore Flying Dutchman Ian Petruska was next to cross the finish line in 25:10.65 for eleventh place. Calvin senior Thaine Nederveld completed the 8K in fifteenth place with a time of 25:17.45. Hope junior Carston Cole (25:29.73) and Calvin junior Eric Swinson (25:30.42) finished back-to-back in seventeenth and eighteenth, respectively.

Trine junior Ryan Hoopingarner claimed 25th place (25:38.22) and was trailed by senior Knight Caleb Gaffner in 26th place (25:39.09). Junior Will Houvener of Adrian College was the final MIAA runner to finish in the top 30 with a time of 25:40.08 for 28th place. Calvin freshman Vaughn Meyer crossed the finish line in 25:54.41 for 38th place.

Junior Robert Lohman finished the 8K in 41st place (25:57.63), followed by Hope freshman Elias Kretchmar in 42nd place (25:59.46). Trine sophomore Blake Overmyer (47th - 26:03.56) and senior teammate Gehrig Longe (26:08.76) were the final two MIAA runners to finish in the top 50.

The Flying Dutchmen concluded the NCAA Regional meet in third place with 129 points, followed by Trine in fifth place with 166 points, Kalamazoo College in nineteenth place with 498 points, and Adrian in 24th place with 705 points. Albion College (923 points), The University of Olivet (1121 points), and Alma College (1149 points) all finished in the top 39.

The NCAA Division III Cross Country Championship selections will be released on Sunday, November 17, at www.ncaa.com.