Coming off of a GLIAC Championship in the 200 meters, Alaina Diaz still had some unfinished business on the track.
The Grand Valley State senior was looking for a higher seed for the NCAA Division II Championships in the event, after reaching the standard in the long jump and as part of a couple of GVSU relays.
That is why track and field has last-chance meets.
Diaz, from Hudsonville, scorched a 23.86 in the 200 meters on Friday, May 8, at the Len Paddock Open in Ann Arbor, to break the school record in the event.
The previous mark was set by Angie Ritter (23.87) in 2017.
That makes three school records for Diaz, who also holds both the indoor and outdoor long jump marks.
But Friday was all about the 200 meters as Diaz prepares for the NCAA Division II Championships, which begin Thursday, May 21, at Emporia State University in Kansas.
Now, it is all about aiming for a title – or multiple titles.
“I know it is doable. It doesn’t matter what you do before nationals, it matters what you do at nationals. I am just glad I have a number that will get me in,” Diaz said.
The Lakers are coming off of a sensational NCAA title last spring, winning the national championship by a single point.
Most of the NCAA qualifiers were part of that team and experienced the tension throughout an extremely close meet with a championship on the line.
“We know it won’t be easy,” Diaz said. “We have a lot of good athletes but we have to execute. We have to have a little more grit and motivation. Having that experience is really going to help.”
Diaz wasn’t the only West Michigan star to make a mark a last-chance meet.
Zeeland East graduate Shelby Ulven moved to No. 6 in NCAA Division II with a 61.20 meters (200 feet, 9 inches) season-best throw in hammer. The GLIAC champion is aiming for the NCAA championship after finishing runner-up last year.
“I really want the national championship and I am doing whatever I can to get there,” Ulven said.
That goes for the team title, too.
“It means more when I realize when things aren’t perfect, we still get it done when we need to,” Ulven said. “It helps a lot to realize it comes down to every single point. I think “the team title) is something we can definitely do again.”
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’s Alaina Diaz shatters school record in 200m, aims for NCAA title
Reporting by Dan D’Addona, Holland Sentinel / The Holland Sentinel
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