TROUTMAN, N.C.- The EMU Royal triathletes put their training to the test on Saturday, competing at the NCAA East Region Qualifier at Lake Norman State Park in North Carolina. The race featured a 750-meter swim, a 20k bike ride, and a 5k run.
 
Four members of the EMU Women's Triathlon team toed the start line, seeking to qualify for next month's Women's Collegiate Triathlon National Championship in Tempe, Ariz.
 
Juliette Soos and Zoe Clymer both punched their individual tickets to the Grand Canyon State, placing sixth and seventh in the Division III portion of the East Regional Qualifier. The Monday after the competition, it was revealed that the Royals also achieved team qualification for the national championship, which means that Daisy Buller and Sarah Wheeler will join Soos and Clymer in Arizona.

Highlights

• Soos, a first-year from Orlando, crossed the finish line in a time of 1:21:18.5. She was particularly impressive on the bike, posting the third-fastest bike time in DIII at 40:05.
• Clymer, a junior from Collinsville, Miss., clocked in at 1:21:56.2, just 38 seconds behind Soos. Clymer executed a well-balanced race between the three sections, logging the sixth-best swim time (12:40), the eighth-best bike time (42:37), and the ninth-best 5k run (24:07) out of all DIII competitors.
• Buller, a senior from Newton, Kan., finished 12th in a cumulative time of 1:24:44.6. Like Soos, Buller did her best work on the middle bike portion, clocking in at 42:28 for the seventh-best time among DIII competitors.
• Wheeler, a junior from Hudson, Mich., also suited up for the Royals but was unable to finish due to the lap-out rule during the bike portion of the race.

What's Next
The EMU triathletes will conclude their 2025 season at the Women's Collegiate Triathlon National Championships to be held Saturday, Nov. 8 in Tempe, Ariz.