Hope College runner Ben Zank has earned a return trip to Ohio for next week's national championship meet.

The senior from Midland, Michigan (H.H. Dow HS), placed eighth on Saturday to qualify as an individual for the national meet for the first time. He had a time of a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association-best time of 24 minutes, 44.1 seconds during the Great Lakes Regional in King Island, Ohio.

The Flying Dutchmen totaled 219 points for sixth place out of 37 teams.

Hope coach Mark Northuis said Zank, pictured, posted one of the fastest 8K times ever by a member of the Flying Dutchmen.

"He ran very well," Northuis said.

Zank and Joseph Beemer of St. Joseph, Michigan (St. Joseph HS), both claimed all-region honors. Beemer placed 35th at 25:12.8. 

Others to score for the Flying Dutchmen were: senior Zach Zandbergen of Grandville, Michigan (Grandville HS), at 25:25.8 for 48th, sophomore Tyler Brinks of Commerce Township, Michigan (Walled Lake Northern HS), at 25:34 for 58th, and sophomore Julian Morrison of Aurora, Illinois (Waubonsie Valley HS), for 70th at 25:43.3.

Senior Tim Simon of Richland, Michigan (Gull Lake HS), came in 89th at 25:57.1, while freshman Ben Pederson of Mount Prospect, Illinois (Mount Prospect HS), took 142nd at 26:52.2.

Wabash (Indiana) won with 46 points. Wabash finished ahead of national qualifiers Mount Union, Ohio (135) and Rose-Hulman, Indiana (148), fourth-place Calvin (157) and fifth-place John Carroll, Ohio (214).

The Division III Championships are Nov. 22 in King Island, Ohio, hosted by Wilmington University.