Cornerstone University - News

[Women's Cross Country] Oosterhouse runs to All-American honors

Randy Strawser — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 22:25:00 -0600

(Vancouver, Wash.) The Cornerstone University Women's Cross Country team ended their remarkable season at the NAIA National Championships, establishing themselves as a top fifteen team. Sophomore, Julie Oosterhouse's All-America honors highlighted the day.

The trip to the Pacific Northwest began well with ideal weather up until race day. Friday night rain drenched the course and Saturday morning brought a passing shower an hour before the starting gun. After the warm up the Golden Eagles switched to half inch spikes, knowing the tight corners on the two kilometer loop would be muddy and slick.

As the race got underway, Oosterhouse was carried along around 60^th place in the first kilometer, "After running here last year, I knew what to expect and how to attack the course. It was difficult though without Jill to get me out at the right pace." CU's co-captain, Jill Louisignau contracted a nasty case of food poisoning Thursday night. Her ability to race was in question until Saturday morning. "She did the warm up and even though she wasn't close to 100%, she wanted to try and run," said coach Rod Wortley. "We adjusted the race plan to give her a better chance of getting through it because she was still pretty drained from the last 36 hours."

[Women's Cross Country] Seventh Ranked Cornerstone Women Head to Vancouver

Aimee Luurtsema — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 09:15:00 -0600

The day after avoiding an upset to win the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference, the Cornerstone Women's Cross Country team found themselves ranked 7^th in the the final NAIA ratings. Qualifying weekend saw two top ten teams upset in their conference meets, and bumping the Golden Eagles to seventh.

On the surface, it looked like just another example of how everything has gone right for the CU women this season, but there is more to the story.

[Women's Cross Country] Women Win Race for Redemption

Rod Wortley — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 20:05:00 -0600

GRAND RAPIDS (11/3) The chill wasn't just in the air at Riverside Park, the morning of the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Women's Cross Country Championship. The Cornerstone Univeristy women's team worked to shake off the nerves as well as the memories from one year ago.

[Women's Cross Country] CU Still Top Ten

Randy Strawser — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 18:15:00 -0600

(Grand Rapids, Mich.) The Cornerstone Women's Cross Country team held their top ten spot in the NAIA National rankings for the third straight week. Their runner up finish at the NAIA Great Lakes Challenge last Saturday to fourth ranked Olivet Nazarene of IL, keeps the Golden Eagles in the ninth slot in this week's poll.

The next ranking occurs on November 4, the day after the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Championships. Cornerstone is the top ranked team in the WHAC, twelve places ahead of Aquinas who fell to 21^st after finishing fifth at last Saturday.

"We are in a great place heading into the conference meet," said Coach Rod Wortley, "but we don't expect to see the same Aquinas team we saw last week. This will be a race both teams need to win and it's Cornerstone vs. Aquinas, so it should be very exciting."

[Women's Cross Country] Great day at the NAIA Great Lakes Challenge

Randy Strawser — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 19:20:00 -0600

(Grand Rapids, Mich.) For the past five seasons the NAIA Great Lakes Challenge has been a make-or-break race for the Cornerstone Women's Cross Country team. More often than not, the result has ended any hope of qualifying for the NAIA Championships. "We've had a crazy range of things go wrong here," said Coach Rod Wortley. Last season, the team's top runner wound up in the hospital the night before the race and didn't run. Three years ago, their #5 runner was knocked down and spiked in the first 100 meters, needing 14 stitches to close the gash. In 2008 CU's #1 runner dropped out after two miles.

The 2012 season has been different. "We have the same team, just a different attitude," said senior co-captain, Julia Contreras, who has been through her share of Great Lakes disasters. That difference has resulted in breaking the school record for team time on three occasions and the highest national rankings in program history. But it didn't start out that way.

[Women's Cross Country] Women Win at Manchester

Randy Strawser — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 17:20:00 -0600

(North Manchester, Ind.) On an ideal day for racing, the Cornerstone Women's Cross Country team easily defended their 2011 team title at the 40^th Manchester Invitational, shattering the school record for team time.

While the host, Spartans and the Calvin College "B" teams set an aggressive pace through the first mile, the Golden Eagles followed with a pack of six. Just after two miles the course entered a wooded trail. The CU group went in positioned in the middle of the lead pack and came out in control of the race.

[Women's Cross Country] Cross Country Women Crack Top Ten in NAIA Poll

Aimee Luurtsema — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 18:30:00 -0600

KANSAS CITY, MO (10/10) One week after breaking into the top 15 in the NAIA rankings, the Golden Eagles flew into the top ten and perched ninth on the list released today.

The preseason poll put CU 20^th, then to 17^th and one spot higher over the next three weeks before jumping to 9^th.

"We were pleased to have consistent progress in the first half of the season, but we were hoping to break out of the 15-20 range in October," said coach Rod Wortley.

They did exactly that with their fourth place finish and school record team time at the Michigan Intercollegiate Championships on October 5^th.

Cornerstone stands as the highest WHAC team in the national rankings, replacing Aquinas who held the #9 spot the previous week. The Saints traded places with CU, falling to 14^th. The two teams meet on October 20 at Riverside Park in Grand Rapids for the NAIA Great Lakes Challenge.

[Women's Cross Country] Tremaine Topples Freshman Record, Team Trounces School Record, Again

Randy Strawser — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 20:30:00 -0600

(Grand Rapids, Mich.) For the second time this season the Cornerstone Women's Cross Country team shattered the school record for team time. Both records occurred at the Calvin College Gainey Athletic Complex.

Running in the Michigan Intercollegiate Championship meet, the Golden Eagles faced a field with 27 Michigan Colleges represented. The rain earlier in the week did little to soften the course and the wooded sections of the course blocked most of the gusting wind.

Coming into the meet, the team was looking forward to racing conference rivals, Aquinas for the first time since early September. The Saints held out their top seven, leaving Cornerstone to find another plan. "Aquinas beat us by 53 seconds here in September, so if we couldn't race them, the idea was to beat their time from that day," said Coach Rod Wortley.

[Women's Cross Country] Cross Country Women Earn Highest Ranking in Team History

Aimee Luurtsema — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 20:10:00 -0600

KANSAS CITY, MO (10/3) Four days after a solid race at the Greater Louisville Classic, the Cornerstone University Women's Cross Country team climbed to 14^th in the NAIA national rankings.

As the largest Cross Country meet in the United States this year, the Greater Louisville Classic provided the ideal stage as the Golden Eagles finished as the top NAIA team. Nearly 150 colleges participated, representing all three NCAA divisions, the NAIA and JUCO programs.

The raters rewarded their efforts, moving Cornerstone up for the third straight week. Last week the women stood 15^th on the NAIA list, matching their highest positions from 2009 and 2000. Today's move to 14^th marked the highest ranking since the program began in 1990.

"I don't want it to be a big deal," said senior captain, Julia Contreras. "This is what we were supposed to do. I don't want us to be comfortable just because we're moving up."

Friday, October 5 the women face conference rival, Aquinas currently ranked 9^th at the Michigan Intercollegiate Championships. Hosted by Calvin College this year, the race takes place at 4:45 p.m. at the Gainey Athletic Complex.

[Women's Cross Country] Golden Eagles Gallop at Greater Louisville

Aimee Luurtsema — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 23:00:00 -0600

LOUISVILLE, KY (9/29) After two weeks of no racing the Cornerstone University women's Cross Country team was ready to compete at the Greater Louisville Classic. Of the nearly 150 teams from every national division, the Golden Eagles entered the Blue division as the top ranked NAIA program: 15^th in the current poll. "This a bit larger than what the NAIA National meet will be and about the same level of competition so it's a nice preview of what we could face in Vancouver in November" said coach, Rod Wortley.

[Women's Cross Country] Ladies Smash School Record at Calvin

Randy Strawser — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 16:50:41 -0600

(Grand Rapids, Mich.) On a beautiful day to run fast at the Gainey Athletic Complex, Cornerstone's women did exactly that, chopping 1:28 of the school record for the fastest team time in a 5k Cross Country race. The Knight Invitational grew to 22 teams adding more quality to the competition.

Jill Louisignau led the charge, spending most of the race in the top 20. Freshman, Audrey Tremaine and senior, Julia Contreras worked together early on as did Julie Oosterhouse and CallyAnne Wyma, until Wyma's right shoe was stripped off near the 2 kilometer mark. She continued without it.

Louisignau finished 21^st in 18:38 with Oosterhouse using her All-American 800 meter kick to catch Audrey just before the finish. Both were clocked in 18:52, placing 23^rd and 24^th. Tramaine's time makes her the third fastest freshman in CU history behind Erin Clason and Oosterhouse. Contreras lowered her PR by :39, finishing 37^th in 19:06.

Wyma reached the line in 19:41 in 59^th place. With the timing chip still attached to her lost shoe, officials used the back-up finish cameras to position her properly in the results.

Sydney Tremaine (20:20 / 94^th) and Leah Shepherd (20:25 / 98^th) ran well in the 6-7 spots while Kala Ovokaitys (20:49 / 153^rd) and Erin Laplander (20:53 / 151) each achieved new best times.

The total of the Golden Eagles' top five finisher's times came to 95:11. The old school record of 96:39 was run twice, once on the same course in 2009 and also in 2000 in Concord, MI.

"We usually get a lot of PR's at this meet," said coach Rod Wortley. "To break the team time record by so much with just 1 PR in the top five shows we are running very well as a group. These women trained hard over the summer and this is what happens when you do that."

Calvin College won the meet with 34 points, ahead of Grand Valley State with 64, Case Western's 121 and Aquinas' 131. Ohio Northern completed the top five with 145 and CU was sixth with 161. Currently ranked 20^th in the NAIA, Cornerstone defeated 14^th ranked Spring Arbor and 17^th ranked Indiana Wesleyan who finished 13^th and 11^th respectively.

[Women's Cross Country] Louisignau leads team to 3rd place finish at Hope

Randy Strawser — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 17:05:00 -0600

(Holland, Mich.) The 2012 Cornerstone University Cross Country Season began at the Vanderbilt Invitational hosted by Hope College under warm, cloudy skies.

Jill Louisignau raced with the lead pack through a blistering first mile in 5:42. After working her way up to second midway through the race she fought a three way battle down the homestretch for the runner-up spot. Sharon Hecker of Hope prevailed in 19:01with Louisignau third in19:02 and Meredith Busman of Hope fourth in 19:03.

Behind her the Golden Eagles' race plan focused on pack running which they did extremely well. The 2-5 group of Audrey Tremaine (13^th / 20:27), Julia Contreras (14^th / 20:28), Julie Oosterhouse (17^th / 20:59) and CallyAnne Wyma (18^th / 21:07) were forty seconds apart. The 6-9 pack of Sydney Tremaine (20^th / 21:22), Erin Laplander (22^nd / 21:29) and Leah Shepherd (37^th / 21:31) were separated by just 9 seconds while Briana Snyder (40^th / 21:53), Mindy Lewis (41^st / 21:58) and Kayla Ovokaitys (42^nd / 22:04) had an 11-second gap.

Hope came one place away from a shutout, scoring 18 points for the win. Albion took second with 61 followed by Cornerstone at 65 and Muskegon Community College with 106.

Cornerstone races next on September 8 at the Calvin College Knight Invitational in Grand Rapids.

[Women's Cross Country] Women's Cross Country Looking To Improve on 2nd Place Finish From 2011

Randy Strawser — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 08:44:03 -0600

After one of the most productive seasons in program history, the 2012 Cornerstone Women's Cross Country team is poised for an even better year. In 2011 the women matched their best finish in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (2^nd) and ran four of the seven fastest team times since the program started in 1990.

Leading the way is a trio of accomplished runners. Junior, Jill Louisignau has been team MVP the past two years and has XC PR's of 18:36 for 5k and 23:18 for 6k. Sophomore, Julie Oosterhouse earned 1^st team All-Conference honors as a freshman and was the top WHAC finisher at the NAIA National Championships. In addition to her 5k season best of 18:48, Oosterhouse earned All-America honors three times during the Indoor and Outdoor T&F seasons in the 800m and distance medley relay. Senior, Julia Contreras improved her 5k from 19:45 in Cross Country to 18:24 on the track and anchored the distance medley relay to a fourth place All-American at the NAIA Indoor T&F Championships.

Also returning from last year's top seven are CallyAnne Wyma and Mindy Lewis. Both have run under 19:00 for the 5k distance. Joining them is freshman, Audrey Tremaine, who earned MHSAA Division 3 All-State honors four times while at Leslie High School and has a 5k PR of 18:47.

The Golden Eagles look to battle cross town rivals, Aquinas, for the Conference team title and earn a spot at the NAIA National Championship meet in Vancouver, WA on November 17.

[Women's Cross Country] Louisignau Leads Team to Third at Hope

Aimee Luurtsema — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 23:00:00 -0600

9/1 (HOLLAND) The 2012 Cornerstone University Cross Country Season began at the Vanderbilt Invitational hosted by Hope College under warm, cloudy skies.

Hope came one place away from a shutout, scoring 18 points for the win. Albion took second with 61 followed by Cornerstone at 65 and Muskegon Community College with 106.

Cornerstone races next on September 8 at the Calvin College Knight Invitational in Grand Rapids.

[Women's Cross Country] Cornerstone Signs Audrey Tremaine from Leslie H.S.

Randy Strawser — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 14:30:46 -0600

Cornerstone University has signed Leslie High School senior, Audrey Tremaine for the 2012-2013 school year. A four-time MHSAA Division III All-State Cross Country runner, Tremaine has 5k personal best of 18:47.1. Audrey plans to study Elementary Education at Cornerstone.