Two Top-10 Finishes for MIAA Teams Highlight NCAA Women's Cross Country Championship

Posted: Nov 19, 2016

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Two MIAA women's cross country teams finished in the top 10 and two runners earned All-American honors at the 2016 NCAA Division III Women's Cross Country Championship, held at Tom Sawyer State Park. The MIAA was one of only two conferences to have two teams finish in the top 10 at the national championship.

Calvin's steady team effort resulted in 347 points to place the Knights ninth overall. Katie Diekema led Calvin with her 56th-place finish, crossing the 6K course in 21:40. Hot on her heels was McKenzie Diemer, who placed 58th with a time of 21:41.2. It was the 19th time Calvin had a top 10 finish at the national championship, and third top-10 finish in the last four campaigns.

Hope took 10th overall, as the Flying Dutch tallied 376 points. Leading the way was Erin Herrmann, who capped her stellar senior season with a fourth-place finish and scoring two points for Hope; Herrmann finished in 20:51.1, 35 seconds behind individual champion Amy Regan of Stevens. Herrmann's fourth-place finish ties Hope's best individual finish at the national championship, matching Marcia Vandersall's effort in 1992.

Albion's Jessica Shaw, who missed the MIAA Championship but was a top finisher at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional, placed 30th overall to garner All-America accolades. Shaw crossed in 21:15.0, less than one minute behind the national champion.

Alma's Kaitlyn Arnold finished 67th overall in her final collegiate cross country race, crossing the line in 21:44.1. Her strong finish complemented a notable weekend for Arnold, after she received the NCAA Elite 90 Award Friday as the top student-athlete in the championship field.