RESULTS

AZUSA, Ca. – Calvin senior Sophie Bull made the most of a big opportunity Thursday night at the Bryan Clay Invitational on the campus of Azusa Pacific University.

Running in a field of Division I athletes in the invite only portion of the 3,000 meter steeplechase, Bull shattered her own school record with a time of 10:07.18. Her time surpassed her previous school record of 10:11.73 set last May at the NCAA III Outdoor Track and Field Championships when she captured the Division III national crown in the race. Her time was good for 15^th place in a field of 25 competitors, nearly all of which were current or former Division I runners. Bull was the only Division III runner in the invite field.

Bull (Denver, Colo./Denver Christian HS) ran in the first of two heats and sat near the back of the back as she frequently does. Just past the midpoint of the race, she began to move up. At one point, Bull was in 13^th place in her heat but she finished fifth in her heat including 15^th overall in the two-heat invite race.

Her time is the fastest 3,000 meter steeplechase in Division III women's outdoor track and field this spring by a 10-second margin with Peyton Steffen of Central College running 10:17.90 Thursday night in the open portion of the steeplechase Thursday night at the Bryan Clay Invitational.

Bull is now the fourth fastest women's steeplechase runner in NCAA III women's track and field history. Annie Rodenfels of Centre College has the all-time Division III record at 9:58.83 in 2019.Bull's time is the third-fastest in-season time and the fourth-fastest all-time in D3 women's track and field history. 

Bull is in the midst of an outstanding senior year of distance racing. This fall, she was the Division III Great Lakes Regional individual cross country champion and later went on to finish fifth individually at the NCAA III Cross Country Championships for an All-America berth. Last month at the NCAA III Indoor Track and Field Championships, she captured her second individual national crown of her career, doing so in the 3,000 meters.

COACHES COMMENT: "Sophie ran a phenomenal season (steeplechase) debut with the toughest competition she's had to face yet in her marquee event," said Calvin distance coach Nicole Kramer. "This field went out more aggressively than any steeple she's race before, and she executed her plan perfectly by staying in the mix the first three laps. As the race unfolded,she was able to close gaps and surge ahead to the top five. She was the eighth collegiate finisher tonight, with everyone ahead of her from Division I programs."

ALL-TIME NCAA III WOMEN'S STEEPLECHASE TIMES

9:58.53 - Annie Rodenfels (Centre) - 2019
10:04.76 - Jacqui Wentz (MIT) - 2019
10:06.26 - Evie Miller (Trine) - 2022
10:07.18 - Sophie Bull (Calvin) - 2026
10:07.67 - Amanda Kuca (Concordia, Wisc.) 2006