Terre Haute, IND./Long Beach, CA – The Grand Valley State men's and women's track and field team concluded four meets within the past three days. A group of Lakers traveled to California on Thursday, April 13^th to compete at the Pacific Coast Invitational (April 13^th), Bryan Clay Invitational (April 13^th-15^th) and the Beach Invite (April 14^th-15^th). While the remainder of the squad took on the Gibson Invitational (April 13^th-15^th) in Terre Haute, Indiana. 
 
Gibson Invitational Takeover
The men's relay squad consisting of Steven Harris, Jackson Blanchard, Fallou Gaye and Myles Rhodes took home first place in the men's 4x400m relay recording a new meet record and personal best time. The relay squad now ranks first in the Midwest region and sixth in the Nation (Division II) with a time of 3:11.11. 
 
Steven Harris and Fallou Gaye both placed first in their respective hurdle events, Harris in the 110m hurdles with a new personal-best time of 14:09 and Gaye in the 400m hurdles in a personal-best time of 50.95. In addition, Jackson Blanchard placed second in the 400m hurdles with a time of 51.42. 
 
Jacody Sikora finished second in the men's 100m and fifth in the 200m races. Sikora recorded a new personal-best 100m time of 10.38 and a time of 21.01 in the 200m. Myles Rhodes placed fourth for the Lakers in the men's 400m with a time of 48.07. 
 
For the women, Paige McAloon and Jordyn Hopgood finished back-to-back in the 1500m race placing third (McAloon) and fourth (Hopgood). McAloon recorded a new personal-best time of 4:41.84 while Hopgood finished in a personal-best time of 4:42.32. Cameron Cleveland placed second in the 800m crossing the line with a time of 2:14.48. In the women's steeple, Landyn Howell earned second place with a time of 10:56.93.
 
The women's relay squad consisting of Angelica Floyd, Melia Williams, Timia Robinson and Kate Zang placed fourth in the 4x100m relay with a time of 46.71. 
 
 
Lakers on the West Coast
At the Beach Invite in Long Beach, California, the Lakers' throws team was led by Myles Kerner who took home a second-place finish in the men's shot put. Kerner threw for a distance of 19.37m falling shortly behind Wisconsin (19.86m). Emma Richards placed fifth in the women's shot put with a distance of 15.79m. 
 
Over in Azusa, California at the Bryan Clay Invitational, Kassidie Stimmel brought home her second victory of the weekend as she placed first in the women's pole vault yet again. Stimmel cleared a height of 3.90m while Taylor DeHommel cleared a height of 3.75m, finishing third. For the men, Colton Emeott placed first in the pole vault clearing a height of 4.90m.

Coming Up
The Grand Valley State track and field team is home next weekend for the first time in the 2023 outdoor season. The Lakers will host the Al Owens Classic on Friday, April 21st - Saturday, April 22nd beginning at 12 noon.