Posted: Oct 17, 2020

Miracle in Muskegon

OVERVIEW

Event: Jayhawk Invitational
Men's Finish: 5th of 10 / 150 points
Team Time: 2:21:36
First Runner: Jeremy Fopma - 2nd - 25:04 (8K)
Women's Finish: 9th of 10 / 212 points
Team Time: 1:58:00
First Runner: Abigail Doak - 19th - 20:20 (5K)
Location: Muskegon, Mich. / University Park Golf Course
Next: Saturday, October 24 at Mustang Jamboree (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)

STORY

MUSKEGON, Mich. -- At the Jayhawk Invitational, the Sabercats had a day they'll never forget.

There are almost too many headlines to choose from - Jeremy Fopma set a new program record and personal record with a 25:04 8K to lead the Men to a 5th-place finish. Abigail Doak PR'd with a 20:20 5K to lead the Women - that's the second-fastest 5K in Maranatha Women's Cross Country program history - and the Women's Team put together the team time they needed to qualify for NCCAA Nationals with one meet to spare.

It's not even the headline, but every single Sabercats runner set a personal record, and multiple runners found their way into the Top 20 in program history. On the women's side, Katie Jean Lingle met the individual standard for Nationals qualifying, and Jeremy Zobel met the men's individual standard.

Overall, it was a day to remember. A miracle in Muskegon.

NCAA DIII powerhouse, Calvin College, came away with the win for the men and the women. On the men's side, the Knights walked away with 28 points and a team time of 2:07:42. The Calvin Women scored just 17 points on the day and their top five runners finished within a minute and a half from front to back. Calvin's Justin Varineau was the first sanctioned runner to cut the tape on the men's side, edging Fopma by just two seconds, and Calvin's Annie Needs won the women's race with a blistering 18:14 5K.

RESULTS (Men's 8K)