One year ago, the Grand Valley State women’s track and field team won the NCAA Division II championship by a single point.
This year, it was the GVSU men’s turn.
The Lakers scored 66 points to hold off Pittsburg State (61) and the rest of the field to claim the NCAA Division II championship on Saturday, May 23, in Emporia, Kansas.
It is the second NCAA team title in GVSU men’s history.
The Lakers got huge points in the hammer throw with a 1-2 finish. Michael Griffey launched the winning throw in 69.87 meters (229 feet, 2 inches) to earn the NCAA championship.
Teammate Sebastian Tesch was runner-up with a throw of 69.50 (228-0). Meanwhile, Brandon Schirck was eighth (65.60) and Lucas Lesher (West Ottawa) was 12th (62.13).
GVSU put four in the top 10 in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
Owen Westerkamp took fifth (8:53.49), Flynn Pumpa was sixth (8:54.55), Noah Selvaraj was eighth (8:54.84) and Kyler Dean was 10th (9:01.13).
In the pole vault, Sam Paeth took fifth (5.36, 17-7) and Dolan Gonzales was sixth (5.26, 17-3). Camryn Battjes was 12th (50.1, 16-5 1/4).
GVSU’s Koby Fraaza won the NCAA title in the 10K, crossing the finish in 29:20.62. He also took sixth in the 5K (14:10.82).
Isaac Tavo took fourth in the discus (57.72, 189-4). Braden Prielipp was seventh in the high jump (2.10, 6-10). Teammate Marcus Gelpi was 12th (2.05, 6-8, 3/4). Joshua Hurt was eight in the 110-meter hurdles (14.10).
GVSU’s Sam Mitas, Jason Hamilton II, Sam Coyle and Joshua Page took fifth the 4×100 (39.80).
Page finished third in the 400 meters (45.35).
Page also teamed with West Ottawa graduates DeMarcus Chapa and Desmond Chapa, and Aydan McCarey to finish eighth in the 4×400 (3:10.56) to earn All-American honors.
In the women’s meet, GVSU finished 25th with 11.7 points. West Texas A&M won with 64 points, edging Pittsburg State (63.2) by less than a point.
GVSU senior Shelby Ulven finished third in the hammer throw. The Zeeland East graduate threw a 60.71 (199-2) to finish her spectacular career with another All-American finish.
Paige Westra (Zeeland East) finished ninth in the shot put (14.97, 49-1 1/2) to finish just off the podium.
GVSU senior Alaina Diaz (Hudsonville) battled through an injury to finish her career as an All-American once again.
Diaz finished eighth in the long jump in 5.94 (19-6).
GVSU’s Brooke Bowers was seventh in the pole vault (4.05, 13-3 1/2).
GVSU’s Ana Tucker, a grad student who used to run at Hope College, finished sixth in the 10K (34:32.93). Teammate Abby VanderKooi was ninth (35:07.17) and Maggie O’Malley was 12th (35:32.69).
Tucker also finished 12th in the 5K (16.41.19). Lauren Kiley was 10th (16:37.33) and VanderKooi was 16th (16:47.66).
Alexis Weber took eighth in the high jump (1.67, 5-5 3/4).
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: GVSU men’s track and field wins NCAA championship; Chapa brothers, Ulven All-American
Reporting by Dan D’Addona, Holland Sentinel / The Holland Sentinel
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