Cross Country Earns Best Regional Finish Since 2007

MADISON, Wis. - - The Ball State cross country team continued its upward trend Friday, turning in its best NCAA Great Lakes Regional finish since 2007 with a 23rd-place showing at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Course in Madison, Wis.

The Cardinals' five scored runners combined for an average 6K time of 22:31.7, with freshman Emily Tromp (Hibbing, Minn./Hibbing) pacing the squad by crossing the finish line in a career-fast 22:17.3. In placing 107th out of the 224 runners in the race, Tromp turned in the third-fastest time in program history on the Thomas Zimmer Championship Course.

"The girls ran a really solid race to end the season on a positive note," second-year distance coach Raynee DeGrio said. "They ran incredibly tough against some of the nation's top programs. For the girls to run some of their best times at the end of the year is a great way to cap off our season."

In fact, all five of Ball State's scored runners Friday topped all but two of the program's previous best times at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional course in Madison. MaryKate Mellen owns the program's best time on the course at 22:09, while Kaitlyn DeVries is second at 22:16, with both coming in 2012.

Fifth-ranked Michigan won the 32-team event, while No. 14 Notre Dame, host Wisconsin, No. 22 Michigan State and No. 13 Eastern Michigan rounded out the top five teams in Friday's field. UM's Erin Finn won the race, clocking in at 19:27.8.

The second Cardinals runner to cross the line Friday was freshman Lauren Whitehouse (Mahomet, Ill./Mahomet-Seymour) who placed 123rd overall in a career-fast 22:30.3. The effort was nearly 30 seconds faster than her previous career-best time set at the Bradley Pink Classic (Oct. 14).

After leading Ball State to the finish line at the 2016 Mid-American Conference Championships two weeks ago, redshirt freshman Stephanie McElhaney (Huntington, Ind./Huntington North) crossed the finish line third for the Cardinals at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional. Her time of 22:33.6 placed 130th overall and was just behind her career-best pace of 22:27.7 set at the Bradley Pink Classic.

Rounding out Ball State's scored runners Friday were redshirt junior Jordan Timmons (Bargersville, Ind./Center Grove) and senior Ericka Rinehart (Angola, Ind./Angola) in her final cross country meet. The only two Cardinals to previously run on the regional course both turned in career-best 6K times by finishing in 22:37.8 (134th) and 22:39.1 (137th), respectively.

"Ericka ran one of her best races in a Ball State uniform to cap off her cross country career," DeGrio said. "We are very proud of how well she ran and the determination she competed with. She's been a valuable member of our program and her leadership on the cross country course will be missed greatly."

Rounding out Ball State's runners in the meet were junior Jessica Bryzek (Brownsburg, Ind./Indiana Academy) and freshman Brooke Talhelm (Indianapolis, Ind./Franklin Central). Bryzek finished the course in 23:21.8, while Talhelm clocked in at 24:05.8.

With the cross country season now wrapped up, Ball State's distance runners will turn their attention to training for the indoor track & field season which is set to begin Saturday, Dec. 3 at the Mastodon Opener in Fort Wayne.

For the most up-to-date news on Ball State cross country, follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateTFXC and @CoachE_BSU.

Ball State's Individual Results at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional

107	Emily Tromp	22:17.3*
123	Lauren Whitehouse	22:30.3*
130	Stephanie McElhaney	22:33.6
134	Jordan Timmons	22:37.8*
137	Ericka Rinehart	22:39.1*
(179)	Jessica Bryzek	23:21.8
(194)	Brooke Talhelm	24:05.8
	* denotes career-fast 6K time

- BallStateSports.com -

Cross Country Earns Best Regional Finish Since 2007

Players Mentioned

Jessica Bryzek

Stephanie McElhaney

Ericka Rinehart

Brooke Talhelm

Jordan Timmons

Emily Tromp

Lauren Whitehouse