TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Golden Eagles saw four NAIA All-Americans in the team's first experience at the Tallahassee course for NAIA Nationals on Friday morning. Luke Pohl broke his own school record to be the top finisher of sixth, while three CU women earned NAIA All-American to become the first trio to ever do it in the same race. The women earn fifth overall to finish top five in the country for the second consecutive year, while the men finish 15h overall for the second straight year. Cornerstone has now concluded the cross country season and will jump right into indoor track & field season in early December. 
 
Men's Results
Despite the leader Abraham Chelangam pulling away very early from the rest of the field, Luke Pohl was the star for the Golden Eagles hanging with the top group for the entire race. His late kick moved him from 10^th to sixth in the last half of the race to break his own program record and earn NAIA All-American for the third consecutive year with a time of 24:05.8. 
 
Colten Covington was the next fastest finisher, finishing 74^th with a time of 25:16.5 on the fast course. Despite that being a solid time for the senior, with the course being so fast it found him outside the NAIA All-American honors. 
 
The remainder of the field with Jamin Thompson, Jalen Banfill, and Luke Koopman all finished between 127^th and 179^th to put Cornerstone in 15^th place as a team with 434 points. Banfill ran a personal best in the race to finish 161^st overall and score for the Golden Eagles. 
 
Top Seven:
Luke Pohl – 24:05.8 – 6^th – PROGRAM RECORD/NAIA ALL-AMERICAN
Colten Covington – 25:16.5 – 74^th
Jamin Thompson – 25:42.2 – 127^th
Jalen Banfill – 26:02.0 – 161^st - PR
Luke Koopman – 26:10.9 – 179^th
Carter VanderMeer – 26:18.4 – 190^th
Nate Vruggink – 26:38.1 – 228^th
 
Women's Results
Like the men's, there was one athlete that pulled away early in Lina May while the remainder of the field stuck close together. Anna Martin led CU as she stayed with the main group and finished 12^th overall just a few seconds off her PR with a time of 17:42.4 to earn NAIA All-American honors for a second straight year. 
 
Nygia Pollard used a late kick to get into NAIA All-American status for the second consecutive year as she sat in 42^nd in the first 2000m of the race. Pollard finished with a time of 17:56.3 to place 25^th overall. 
 
The freshman Malarie Pinwar was hanging with Anna Martin much of the race. Her strong start allowed her to become the third Golden Eagle to earn NAIA All-American honors and complete the first ever trio to earn NAIA All-American in the same year. She finished with a time of 18:01.3, also just a few seconds shy of her PR to earn 30^th overall.
 
Annika Shoemaker and Kori Baumann although they did not earn All-American, they raced their hearts out to complete the top five for CU with personal bests from each of them. Shoemaker ran an 18:32.2 while Baumann ran a 19:03.2 to give CU 211 total team points to finish fifth overall. 
 
Cornerstone would fall eight points shy of making the podium for the second consecutive year as St. Francis finished fourth this year with 203 points. 
 
Top Seven:
Anna Martin – 17:42.4 – 12^th - NAIA ALL-AMERICAN
Nygia Pollard – 17:56.3 – 25^th - NAIA ALL-AMERICAN
Malarie Pinwar – 18:01.3 – 30^th -NAIA ALL-AMERICAN
Annika Shoemaker – 18:32.2 - 66^th - PR
Kori Baumann – 19:03.2 - 115^th - PR
Cammie McConnell – 19:05.7 - 122^nd
Haley Nieuwkoop – 19:06.9 - 125^th
 
What's Next?
Cornerstone cross country athletes will have a short break before jumping into the indoor track & field season. The first indoor meet is tentatively scheduled for Friday, December 9 at the GVSU Holiday Open. 
 
Track & Field Contact: Jesse Campbell 
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