LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Today the Calvin women's cross country had a stellar performance at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championships in Louisville, Kentucky.
 
As a team, the Knights finished in second place with 91 points while fellow MIAA competitor Trine claimed the first-place spot with 58 points. Hope finished with a team score of 122 in third place while John Caroll and Ohio Wesleyan rounded out the top five. 
 
Senior Sophie Bull (Denver, Colo./Denver Christian) shined for the Knights as she led the field and was crowned the Great Lakes Regional Champion with a time 21:40.85. Bull is the ninth individual from Calvin to win an individual regional championship and the first to do so since Lauren Strohbehn did so in 2015. Junior Hailey Erickson (Arlington Heights, Ill./Prospect) also cracked the top ten for Calvin as she finished in eighth place with a time of 22:26.14.
 
The Knights continued to excel as freshman duo Ayla Holben (DeWitt, Mich./DeWitt) (22:40.62) and Brynn Ellenbecker (Itasca, Ill./Lake Park) (23:07.92) both finished in the top thirty. Calvin capped off their scoring when senior Catie Kramer (Pickering, Ontario/Dunbarton) crossed the finish line at 23:07.92 in thirty-sixth place. 
 
Sophomore Alexis Ball (Grand Rapids, Mich. Traverse City Central) and Emma Wierenga (Grafton, Mass./Whitinsville Christian) also competed in the field and finished with times of 23:25.05 and 25:17.13, respectively. 
 
COACHES COMMENTS: "This team has been phenomenal to see grow together and click through thick and thin this season," said head coach Nicole Kramer. "Coming off a tough conference meet, these women were fired up and committed to working as a unit throughout the full 6k today. They were ready to show that they belong at the national meet, and they left no doubt today with a runner-up finish and low team score. 
 
I am so proud of Sophie with how she has competed and responded to adversity over the past few weeks. She was patient early on today, then made a move before the 3k and extended her lead from there. We're excited to see how she can cap off her cross-country career next week at the National meet. Hailey Erickson and Ayla Holben also each had huge breakthroughs today, which we knew were only a matter of time. Brynn, Catie, Alexis and Emma all contributed in big ways to get across the line and help each other produce the best team day we've had all season. This is a special time of year, and we will be grateful and excited for the trip to Spartanburg next week!"
 
UP NEXT: The Knights will now await their fate as today's second place finish at the Great Lakes Regional has made them strong contenders to receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships on Saturday, November 22nd in Spartanburg, N.C.
 
CALVIN WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY INDIVIDUAL REGIONAL CHAMPIONS
1983 Laura Vroon, Calvin 
1993 Renea Bluekamp, Calvin 
1994 Betsy Haverkamp, Calvin 
1995 Amy Kuipers, Calvin 
1998 Amy Mizzone, Calvin 
1999 Amy Mizzone, Calvin 
2003 Jessie Lair, Calvin 
2013 Cassie Vince, Calvin 
2014 Cassie Vince, Calvin
2015 Calvin  Lauren Strohbehm, Calvin 
2025 Sophie Bull, Calvin