Chris May is honored to be considered a cornerstone of the track and field and cross country programs of Coach Jerry Baltes.

"Absolutely honored," said the senior multiple-time All-American distance runner from Elmhurst, Ill. "I came here with the hope of helping build something. In high school I knew this was a program on the cusp of greatness. Every year they were right there in track and field and cross country. I really wanted to be part of building something special like that, so to hear that coming from him – it means a lot."

May made the podium and scored valuable points with a second in the 3000-meter run as the men's indoor track and field team won the GLIAC Indoor title for the 17th time in the last 19 years Sunday at Kelly Family Sports Center.

May has been valuable to the Lakers since his true freshman year when he was suited up for cross country and red-shirted in track and field, and talking about the fifth-year senior tugged at the emotions of Baltes, who is in his 19th year heading track & field as well as cross country for Grand Valley.

"He is a kid we put in uniform his freshman year because he was knocking it out of the park," Baltes said. "We usually don't put our recruits in uniform the first year, but he has competed so well from the start.

"He comes in every day and does the right things, not just in practice, but outside practice with rest, sleep, nutrition, the training room, all that kind of stuff along with academics. Right now he is (working on a doctorate in physical therapy), probably trains on his own maybe 70 percent or more of the time. He still comes through. He is the type of person that has built our program and put it where it is today."

The story behind Chris May's story is the one Baltes finds most compelling and telling. May's father, Darryl May, was diagnosed with cancer in the year prior to Chris coming to Grand Valley. His father battled for four years before passing last January at the age of 55.

"I'm not alone on this, many people have lost parents, but when you have a close family member who has battled cancer for years and finally succumbs there can be a lot of adversity," May said. "You have to be able to find a place within yourself where you can say 'it's going to be alright, we will get through this.' It never hurts any less. It hurts less often."

May said he realizes now that his performance in school, in track and cross country, in everything he does, reflects on his parents, Darryl and Susan.

"You have to do your best in school, in life and you have to be kind to people because that is the sort of thing your parents would want you to do," he said.

Baltes said when he thinks about Chris May he thinks about how much he endured and how well he endured it.

"To make it through that and continue to be the anchor for his family, and to continue being a great student and work so hard in our program – he's just an outstanding young man," he said.

May said when he departs Grand Valley he will always remember the first time he earned All-American honors as a sophomore.

"I was the last person into the (10,000m outdoor) race – I barely made it to the national meet," he said. "I managed to get fifth in the national meet. It was like a dream come true. That was also the year I ran 14:05.86 in the (5000m), which was a huge personal record. Finding myself over those few months of that year and finding confidence was an amazing feeling."

May will also remember what he called his Grand Valley family.

"I came here and I have been surrounded by people who have been right there with me in and out of practice helping me become the best I can be," he said. "The coaching staff is phenomenal. I'm very close with Coach Baltes and really close with Aaron Watson (assistant coach – distance), and the leadership of the athletic department – Keri Becker (athletic director), Walter Moore (assistant director) has been great. The facilities are tremendous. Just look around.

"I'm thankful for everything. There is a family you are born with and a family you find. I found that family at Grand Valley."