ALLENDALE, Mich. – For the first time in program history, the Grand Valley State men's track and field team has captured the Division II Outdoor National Championship title. The Laker men took the crown with a dominant 76 points, tallying a commanding 21-point deficit over runner-up, West Texas A&M.
Making a total of 15 podium appearances across the three-day championships span, the Lakers were powered behind
Isaac Harding's individual National Championship, four runner-up marks and a pair of third-place stances. Entering the final day, the men ranked atop the leaderboard with 26 points. In the latest USTFCCCA National Rating Index, the men were tagged as the favorite to win the crown and did not disappoint.
Harding used a narrow runner-up finish in the 10,000m to motivate him to a powerful finish in the 5,000m, crossing the line in 14:13.78 thanks to a come-from-behind final lap of 55.91 seconds. Following his lead in both races were
Tanner Chada (29:16.17; 14:16.82) and
Enael Woldemichael (29:19.47; 14:16.63) to compile a total of 30 points across the two long distance events. In the 3,000m steeplechase,
Caleb Futter stunned the crowd with a final lap of 1:04.09 to capture the runner-up title with an 8:54.94 clocked time. Leading a 2-5-7 finish,
Dennis Mbuta (1:49.47),
John Groendyk (1:50.40) and
Scott Spaanstra (1:51.01) cushioned the GVSU lead with 14 points.
Jackson Blanchard (2
nd; 50.75) and
Daniel Walker (3
rd; 50.94) finished one after the other while punching a new program record in the 400H, as the men's 4x400m relay team comprised of
Jaylen Hasan, Blanchard,
Myles Rhodes and Walker captured the bronze with a new GVSU record of 3:10.09.
Justin Scavarda ended his GVSU career with a pair of All-American honors in a sixth-place finish in the discus throw (52.51m) and an eighth-place mark in the shot put (17.72m). Also competing for the Lakers were
Hunter Harding (hammer throw; 60.64m) and
Myles Kerner (shot put; 16.44m).
In his 22 years as head coach, this is the best program finish for head coach
Jerry Baltes on the men's side. Previously, the men's best finish was met by a 2019 fourth-place trophy. The 76 points highlight the highest score posted by a team in the last five years.
