Cross country: Men and women place fifth and eighth at MIAA Jamboree

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Olivet College men's and women's cross country teams finished in fifth and eighth-place at the 2014 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Jamboree today at the Eastern Hills Golf Course in Kalamazoo. The fifth-place finish for the Comet men is their best at the jamboree since 2003 when they also placed fifth.

The men totaled 148 points to finish seven points ahead of Albion, 28 ahead of Alma and 30 ahead of Kalamazoo. Calvin won the team title with 29 points. Senior Greg Lutzke was 12th of 105 men's runners with a time of 26 minutes and 37 seconds. Sophomore Blake Wilson was next for the Comets with a time of 27:49. Junior Nicholas Roberge-Ferris crossed the line in 28:18, followed by senior Andrew Benkovsky in 28:30. Freshman Bruce Baker provided the remaining Olivet team points when he finished in 29:12.

The Comet women had 231 points, which was 10 less than ninth-place Kalamazoo. Calvin also won the women's title with 20 points. Junior Jessica D'Haene was Olivet's top finisher, as she was 37th of 120 runners with a time of 25:29. Freshman Kaitlin Stults was next in 27:20, followed by sophomore Jacklyn Yates, 28:24; junior Danielle Marsh, 28:57; and senior Milie Funk, 29:19.

The Comets will run at the Lansing Community College Invitational next Friday. The women's race starts at 1:30 p.m., followed by the men's race at 2 p.m. The races will be held at Grand Woods Park in Lansing.