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Fall Sports Roundup
The journey of Hope's fall sports teams followed many paths.
Runners Head to Nationals
Two Hope College runners have qualified for theNCAA Division III cross country championships to be held Saturday(Nov. 20) at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Senior Jennifer Ernst of Westerville, Ohio (Westerville HS)will compete in the women's 5K race while junior Joe Veldman ofSawyer (Three Oaks-River Valley HS) will be the men's 8K field. Both gained berths at nationals during the Great LakesRegional meet held last Saturday (Nov. 13) in Ada, Ohio. Ernstplaced second in a field of 212 female runners while Veldman wassixth among 203 male entrants. This marks the third consecutive year that Hope hasqualified a runner for the women's nationals. This will beErnst's first trip although she is not a newcomer to nationalcollegiate competition. Last spring she achieved NCAA All-America status by finishing seventh in the 10,000 meter run atthe Division III track and field championships. Veldman becomes the first Hope runner to qualify for themen's nationals since 1995. The Hope runners will be accompanied by coach Mark Northuiswho since taking over the helm of the cross country program in1988 has coached six All-America efforts at the women'snationals. The last was a year ago when Rebecca Timmer finished19th to achieve All-America honors. Northuis is seeking hisfirst men's All-American. The last male runner to achieve All-America designation was Steve Underwood in 1981.