ALLENDALE, Mich. - The Grand Valley State men's and women's track and field team hosted their final track meet of the regular season on Friday, Feb. 18 at the GVSU Tune-Up. The Lakers claimed over 20 top-five finishes to close out the season on a high note. 
Final Results (pdf)

Matt Thomas secured his place as sixth in the Nation after putting a personal-best distance of 17.80m and finishing second in men's shot put. Brad Warman and Nathan Spitzley also  finished within the top five with Warman in fourth (15.82m) and Spitzley fifth (15.59m). Hunter Harding finished first in the men's weight throw with a distance of 19.97m. Harding is currently ranked fifth in the nation with a distance of 20.08m marked at the Holiday Open in December. 

"We had some good marks today in throws," said assistant coach - throws Matt Conly. " Thomas continues to improve each week and is really working his way into his best throws of the season at exactly the right time. Liz Pyles had a big PR today and moved her way up the National list. Her throw today put five women over the provisional mark in shot put going into the GLIAC Championships. Harding threw really good today in the weight throw and has been working really hard over the past two months in preparation for the championships." 

On the women's side of shot put, the Laker women took home the top five spots with Emma Richards leading the way (14.39m). Elizabeth Pyles placed second with a personal-best 14.24m now 17th in the Nation, Mackenzie Bohrer third (13.83m), Rette Thorns fourth (13.28m), and Alaina Omonode fifth (13.15m).  Omonode placed first the weight throw with a distance of 17.71m, she is currently ranked 14th in the Nation after last weekends Big Meet Friday throwing 18.94m. 

Chanse Setzke finished first in the men's long jump with a distance of 6.87m. Tied for second in the men's high jump, Caleb Taylor and Cameron Graziosi cleared a height of 1.88m. Alessia Olhava won the women's high jump clearing a personal-best height of 1.64m on her first attempt, Jenna Doyle placed second clearing the same height of 1.64m on her third attempt. 

In the women's pole vault three Laker women finished within the top five.  Elli Kimes placed second overall clearing the bar at 4.09m, followed by Carly Livingston in fourth (3.89m) and Kassidie Stimmel in fifth (3.79m).  Kimes ends the season tied for second in the Nation with a season-best height of 4.16m, Livingston is seventh (4.06m). Jacob Krutsch cleared a personal-best height of 4.75m in the men's pole vault to claim first place, the highest height of the season by any Laker. 

On the track, Justin Hill crossed the finish line first in the men's 3000m with a personal-best time of 8:40.27, finishing closely behind was Daniel Lambert in second with a personal-best time of 8:41.87. In the women's 800m Molly McLaughlin placed third with a time of 2:19.90, Katherine Westfall fourth (2:21.39), and Paige Johnston fifth (2:34.24).  Paige McAloon placed second overall in the women's mile with a personal-best time of 5:09.77. 

The Lakers closed out the regular season with 15 men and 15 women finishing with the top-20 of the Nation. Judith Essemiah enters the championship season ranked first in weight-throw with a distance of 20.71m. The championship season begins with the Lakers hosting the GLIAC Championships next weekend Saturday, Feb. 26 - Sunday, Feb. 27. The Lakers will then travel to the NCAA DII Indoor National Championships on March 11 -12 in Pittsburg, Kansas.