TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — Marietta College's 2009 cross country season came to a close Saturday (Nov. 14) afternoon following the Pioneers' performance at the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional, which was co-hosted by Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and Depauw University at the Wabash Valley Sports Center, site of the upcoming 2009 NCAA Division I Cross Country National Championship. [Men's Results] [Women's Results]

Marietta College's men ran to its best finish, 22nd place among 36 schools, since the program was reinstated in 2002. The Pioneers, who placed 23rd in 2008, compiled 588 points on the afternoon. Marietta's women finished with 639 points to place 26th overall in the 34-team field.

Calvin College and Heidelberg University secured automatic bids to the NCAA Division III Men's Championship on Saturday. Calvin collected 73 points to win its 14th straight Great Lakes Regional Championship. Heidelberg came in second with 94 points.

Calvin also won Great Lake Region Women's Championship for the third straight year after finishing with 50 points. Oberlin College also automatically qualified for the NCAA Division III Women's Championship after taking runner-up with 120 points.

Marietta senior Josh Mickle (Madison, Madison) closed out his cross country career with a 37th place finish at the regional meet. The All-OAC performer crossed the 8K line in 26:50.37. Mickle, the highest Pioneer finisher at a regional competition in recent history if not ever, moved up 61 spots from a year ago when he finished in 98th place after running a time of 26:48.29 at the Great Lakes Regional in Westerville, Ohio.

Senior Michael Siringer (Willowick, Willoughby South ) was the second Pioneer to finish the race. He took 104th place after covering the course in 17:56.52. Freshman Caleb Muller (Columbus, Bexley) was right on his heels and took 108th place with a time of 18:00.44. Finishing fourth for Marietta was freshman Caleb Ellis (St. Albans, W.Va., St. Albans), who placed 160th overall with a time of 28:51.29. Senior Cody Thomas (North Olmsted, North Olmsted) capped the scoring with a 179th place finish after running the race in 29:21.85.

Also competing for Marietta on Saturday was senior Louie D'Amico (Shadyside, Shadyside) and freshman Sean Hoover (Kent, Kent Roosevelt). D'Amico took 218th place with a time of 30:58.67, while Hoover finished in 228th place with a time of 31:51.65.

Marietta's women were paced on Saturday by sophomore Jennifer Emmert (Martinsburg, W.Va., Martinsburg ). Emmert, who finished in 106th place as a freshman, moved up the field to 65th place after covering the 6K course in 24:26.43.

Senior Stephanie Williams (Vincent, Warren Local) came across the line in 126th place to be the Pioneers' second finisher. Williams ran a time of 25:26.88. Senior Shannon McDonald (Lorain, Amherst Steele) ran a time of 25:46.77 to finish in 138th place on Saturday. Junior Mehgan Cline (Dublin, Coffman) was the fourth Marietta runner to finish. She took 154th place with a time of 26:16.56. Freshman Lydia Tillmaand (Xenia, Xenia) completed the scoring with a 156th place finish. Timaand ran a time of 26:20.20.

Freshman Kelsie Markin (West Liberty, Salem) and senior Logan Wern (North Canton, Hoover) also competed on Saturday. Markin finished the race in 27:19.44 to place 181st, while Wern finished 185th with a time of 27:27.51.