ALLENDALE, MICH. – Grand Valley's track and field squads kicked off the indoor season at the GVSU Holiday Open on Friday, December 6. The meet was highlighted by several personal-bests, broken facility and team records and one national record.
 
Holly Jolly Jumps
GVSU's jumps crew had the jolliest of jumps at the Holiday Open.

Vertical Jumps – High jumper Eli Kosiba shattered expectations at the meet. Kosiba cleared a height of 2.30m (7-6.5) to break his own indoor record (2.23m/7-3.8), the Kelly Family Sports Center record (2.25m/7-4.6) and tied the NCAA DII men's indoor high jump record, which was set in 2007. Kosiba's senior co-jumpers Marcus Gelpi and Jonathan "JayJay" Rankins-James both cleared 2.09m (6-10.25) to claim second and third place on the day.

Kaylee Diamond's first time in a GV uniform was one to remember. Diamond, a junior transfer from Aquinas, cleared a 1.76m (5' 9.25") height. Her high jump height tied Grand Valley's indoor high jump record – a record that has existed since 1993. Diamond's record-tying height granted her first place in women's high jump.

Dolan Gonzales (5.15m/16-10.75) and Colton Emeott (4.80m/15-9) placed first and second in men's pole vault. True freshman Brooke Bowers led the women's pole vault squad with a height of 3.65m (11-11.75), taking third in the meet.

Horizontal Jumps – Luke Jelderks grabbed first place in men's long jump with a distance of 7.30m (23-11.5). Chrisly Kelly-Cannon placed second with a 7.19m (23-7.25) jump.
The women's long jump squad had three top 10 finishes on the day, all of which were claimed by true freshmen. Kaitlyn Molnar placed fourth with a 5.41m (17-9) jump in her first collegiate outing. Nyla Reed claimed fifth with a 5.31m (17-2.25) long jump. Zoe Zeiser grabbed sixth with a 5.31m (17-5.25) distance.
True freshman Nolyn Johnson III was the Lakers' sole competitor in triple jump. He placed second on the day with a 13.72m (45-0.25) distance.

Dashing (& Hurdling) Through the Snow
60m Dash – Three Lakers grabbed top 10 spots in the 60m prelims to advance to the finals. Jake Machiniak grabbed first with a personal-best 6.83 time. Sam Coyle finished seventh at 6.91. Michael McNeil was close behind, finishing eighth at 6.93. Taylor Kyle was the sole Laker lady to advance to the finals. She finished second at a personal-best 7.59.

60m Hurdles – Joshua Hurt took the crown in the men's 60m hurdles with a personal-best 7.99 time. Dominic Downes (8.29), Ethan Smith (8.30) and Mason Floria (8.32) finished fifth, sixth and seventh in the finals. Brooke Barkocy finished fifth in the women's 60m hurdles at 8.84.

200m – Three top 10 spots were claimed by the Lakers in the 200m. Jake Machiniak finished second with a personal-best time of 21.40, Olivet Nazarene senior transfer Vincent Giuliano crossed the finish line third at 21.45 and Andrew Pizzico grabbed the tenth spot with a time of 22.08. Taylor Kyle and Melia Williams finished 11^th and 12^th in the women's 200m with times of 25.66 and 25.67.

400m – Zach Pray and Myles Rhodes opened their senior seasons with first and sixth place finished. Pray grabbed gold in the men's 400m with an impressive time of 47.98 and Rhodes crossed the finish line close behind at 48.65.

More Miles Than Santa's Sleigh
Grand Valley's distance squads showed out in their first appearances of the season.

800m – Quinton Bauer finished third in the men's 800m with a personal-best time of 1:52.77. Sam Allen was close behind, finishing fifth at 1:53.62. True freshman Addison Washler made her Laker debut with a bang. She crossed the line first with a personal-best time of 2:10.59.

1 Mile – Bentley Alderson placed third in the men's mile with a personal-best time of 4:10.85. True freshman Lleyton Axline grabbed a ninth place finish at 4:16.89. Cara Newman was Grand Valley's sole competitor in the women's mile. She finished seventh at 4:58.32.

3000m – The Laker ladies grabbed three top 20 finishes in the women's 3000m. Senior Natalie Graber led the way, finishing third at 9:29.25. Landyn Howell and Jordyn Hopgood finished 12^th and 15^th at 9:54.93 and 10:00.21. In heat one of the men's 3000m, Báhozhóni Church made his GVSU track and field debut with an impressive 8:16.86, second-place finish.

5000m – In heat two of the women's 5000m, Maggie O'Malley and Madison Ebright grabbed the fifth and sixth spots. O'Malley set a new personal-best time, crossing the finish line at 17:04.74. Ebright set a personal-best indoor time of her own, finishing at 17:11.04. 

Heat two of the men's 5000m featured three Lakers, two of which finished in the top 15. John Nice's ninth place finish at 14:23.50 granted him a new personal-best indoor time. Daniel Lambert finished close behind Nice, crossing the finish line 13^th at 14:30.22.

Five Lakers brought the heat in heat one of the women's and men's 5000m. The women kicked things off; Lauren Kiley (16:21.32) and Allie Arnsman (16:33.60) finished third and fifth. Abby Olson rounded out the women's squad in ninth, crossing the finish line at 16:43.12. Koby Fraaza and Brock Wooderson competed in heat one for the men. After running toward the back of the pack, Fraaza overtook several runners to finish third at 13:59.89. Wooderson finished 15^th at 14:41.17.

Reindeer Fly, but so do Weights
The men's squad let the weights fly in their first outing of the season, grabbing first in weight throw and shot put. Myles Kerner threw an impressive 19.44m (63-9.5) shot put for a first place finish on the day. James MacKey Jr. grabbed first in the men's weight throw for a 20.52m (67-4) distance. Michael Griffey placed second in weight throw with a 19.49m (63-6.75) throw. For the women, Mackenzie Bohrer placed third with a 14.53m (47-8) shot put.

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Laker track and field returns back to the Kelly Family Sports Center on Saturday, January 18 for the GVSU Bob Eubanks Open. For meet info, follow this link.