Sioux Center, Iowa — The Dordt University men’s cross country team claimed its second title of the season as they won their home meet, and the women finished second at its home meet, the Defenders Holiday Inn Express Classic, held Saturday morning on campus.
The Defenders nearly recorded a perfect score, totaling 18 points, and had all seven of its counters finish among the top 10 in the team scoring. Doane finished a distant second with 79 points, followed by Wayne State (Neb.) with 99.
Jacob Vander Plaats and Eric Steiger provided the 1-2 punch for the Defenders, placing second and third among the 116 runners. Vander Plaats ran a personal best 8k time of 25:17 and Steiger turned in a season-best 25:27.
A pack of five Dordt runners crossed the finish line within 13 seconds of each other and occupied the 4th-10th spots individually. Nic Veldhorst was the first of the pack (5th – 25:47), followed by Ethan Summerhays (6th – 25:48), Peter Shippy (7th – 25:53), Trey Engen (8th – 25:55) and Thaniel Schroeder (10th – 26:00), who all ran personal best times.
Daniel Street, running unattached from Mount Marty, was the individual champion with a time of 24:57.
Dordt runners turned in 14 personal bests and 21 season bests Saturday morning.
Dordt’s Top Seven:
2nd – Jacob Vander Plaats: 25:17
3rd – Eric Steiger: 25:27
5th – Nic Veldhorst: 25:47
6th – Ethan Summerhays: 25:48
7th – Peter Shippy: 25:53
8th – Trey Engen: 25:55
10th – Thaniel Schroeder: 26:00
The Defender women totaled 64 points and trailed only Augustana (S.D.), the third-ranked team in NCAA D-II, in the team standings. Dordt was the top NAIA team for the third consecutive meet and finished 24 points in front of third place Morningside and 30 in front of Doane.
All seven of Dordt’s counters finished among the top 20, led by Jessica Kampman, who placed fourth with a time of 18:50. It was the second race that the junior ran sub-19:00. Kampman has been the Defenders top runner in all four races.
Taylor Anema was the second Dordt runner to complete the 5K course, placing 12th overall with a season-best time of 19:14. Margaret Myskowski shaved 46 seconds off her previous season best and was the next Defender to finish (17th – 19:30).
A pack of four Dordt runners, Alexa Veldhuisen, Lucy Borkowski, Brenna Tolkamp and Eden Winslow, crossed the finish line within six seconds and occupied the 19th – 22nd places. Veldhuisen turned in a career-best by 32 seconds while the three other Defenders ran season bests.
Dordt runners turned in 20 season bests and five ran career bests this morning.
Dordt’s Top Seven:
4th – Jessica Kampman: 18:50
12th – Taylor Anema: 19:14
17th – Margaret Myskowski: 19:30
19th – Alexa Veldhuisen: 19:40
20th – Lucy Borkowski: 19:41
21st – Brenna Tolkamp: 19:43
22nd – Eden Winslow: 19:46
