ALLENDALE, MICH. – The Grand Valley State track and field program opened their 2022-2023 indoor track and field season on Friday, December 9^th hosting the GVSU Holiday Open. The Lakers scored a combined total of 20 NCAA Division II provisional marks within just their first meet. 
 
Seven provisional marks were hit in the women's distance events. Natalie Graber, Lauren Kiley, Abby Vanderkooi, Sarah May and Kayce Rypma safely made it within the 17:21.70 provisional mark in the 5000m. The Laker women claimed five of the Top 10 spots in the 5000m, fourth (Graber), fifth (Kiley), seventh (Vanderkooi), eighth (May) and ninth (Rypma).  Klaudia O'Malley and Taryn Chapko placed second and fourth in the 3000m, both finishing before the provisional mark of 9:56.27.
 
Tanner Chada hit the NCAA Division II provisional mark of 14:29.66 in the men's 5000m while also breaking the Kelly Family Center record, finishing in first with a time of 13:49.84. Fallou Gaye, Jackson Blanchard and Myles Rhodes finished back-to-back to back placing third (Gaye), fourth (Blanchard) and fifth (Rhodes) in the 400m dash. Gaye finished with a time of 48.54, hitting the provisional mark of 48:59. 
 
Grand Valley State once again proved strong in the field events, Eli Kosiba and Jonathan Rankins-James took home first and second in the men's high jump both clearing the provisional mark of 2.03m. Kosiba placed first clearing 2.20m and Rankins-James placed second clearing 2.06m. 
 
Jacob Urban and Shane Byrne placed in the Top three in the men's weight throw claiming first and third on the day. Urban made the provisional mark of 17.98 in the weight throw with a distance of 19.51m, Bryne place third with a recorded distance of 17.74m. Myles Kerner also made the provisional mark of 16.34m in the shot put, placing first with a distance of 18.39m.
 
The women proved dominate in the field events taking home two first place finishes in the women's shot put and weight throw. Erika Beistle and Margaret Stevenson placed back-to-back in the women's shot put, claiming first (Beistle) and second (Stevenson). Beistle won the women's shot put event and hit the provisional mark of 13.63m with a distance of 14.66m. Judith Essemiah won the women's weight throw event throwing a distance of 20.26m and clearing the provisional mark of 17.00m. 
 
The Lakers will be back at the Kelly on Saturday, January 14^th at 2:00pm to compete in the GVSU Bob Eubanks Open.