ALLENDALE, MICH. – The Grand Valley State track and field team concluded day one of the annual Big Meet, after hosting just over 100 teams and almost 1800 athletes in the Kelly Family Sports Center on Friday alone. The Lakers combined for a total of 29 NCAA Division II marks, in addition to 13 Lakers setting new personal-bests in their respective events. 

Final Results - Friday

On The Track
In the early running events, Isabel Abdouch claimed first-place for Grand Valley State in the women's 400m open, recording a new personal-best time of 52.27. Kate Zang took home first-place in the 200m open for the lady Lakers, recording a time of 24.91.

In the men's 200m open, freshman, Henry Kennedy recorded a new personal-best time of 22.18 as he finished in second place for Grand Valley. Additionally, Fallou Gaye recorded another personal-best time in the men's 600m of 1:18.77. Gaye finished third overall. In the men's mile open, Drennan Akins placed third with a new personal-best time of 4:11.96.

Later in the afternoon, the Lakers kept the momentum going on the track as Taryn Chapko recorded a first-place finish in her first 800m of the 2024 season. Chapko recorded a time of 2:09.43 and surpassing the NCAA provisional mark. Freshman, Catherine Guckenberger, recorded a new personal-best time in the 200m, finishing in eighth place in a time of 24.94. 

The women's 4x400m relay consisting of Ashtyn Gluck, Alaina Diaz, Isabel Abdouch, and Kate Zang recorded a new personal-best relay time of 3:47.70.

The women's distance crew finished out the night on the track for the lady Lakers, claiming three first-place finishes within the mile, 3000m and 5000m. Klaudia O'Malley finished in first-place in the mile invite with a time of 4:45.05, while Natalie Graber led the way in the 3000m finishing with a time of 9:27.28. Additionally, Lauren Kiley took home first-place in the 5000m with a time of 16:22.04. 

On the men's side, Zach Pray and Myles Rhodes both surpassed the NCAA provisional mark in the men's 400m. Pray recorded a new personal-best time of 47.76, claiming fourth place. While Rhodes finished in seventh with a time of 48.16. Freshman, Nicholas Walper, recorded a new personal-best time in the 200m, finishing in eighth place in a time of 21.72.

The men's 4x400 relay squad consisting of Zach Pray, Fallou Gaye, Ben Ireland, and Myles Rhodes recorded a new-personal best time of 3:11.59, finishing in third place. 

In the men's mile invite, Patrick Lyell recorded a new personal-best time of 4:06.45 as he claimed third place for the Lakers. In the men's 3000m, the Lakers finished with three runners in the Top 5 led by Caleb Futter. Futter recorded a time of 8:02.01, followed by Koby Fraaza in second with a time of 8:09.19 and Cal Yackin in fourth in a time of 8:08.73.

The Throwers' Circle
Alaina Omonode continues to be dominate in the weigh throw circle as she claimed her fourth first-place finish on the season. Omonode threw for a distance of 19.75m, with potential to break the Top 3 on the USTFCCCA Top 25 list. Shelby Ulven finished in fifth place for Grand Valley, throwing a distance of 17.83m.

In the women's shot put, the Lakers claimed four spots in the Top 10, while all four Lakers surpassed the NCAA provisional mark of 13.60m. Erika Besitle led the crew as she claimed first-place, throwing a distance of 16.12m. Mackenize Bohrer finished in sixth with a distance of 14.39m, Reette Thorns in seventh throwing a distance of 14.12m and Paige Westra in eighth with a distance of 13.81m.

On the men's side, Myles Kerner claimed first-place in the men's shot put invite throwing a distance of 19.38m. Shane Byrne remains consistent in the men's weight throw, recording another personal-best throw for the third week in a row. Byrne threw for a distance of 20.47m, earning second place for Grand Valley. James MacKey Jr. finished in fourth place throwing a distance of 19.45m. 

Pole Vault – The High Bar
Taylor DeHommel sets another personal-best in the pole vault for the second weekend in a row, clearing a new height of 4.02m. DeHommel finished in fourth place as the only Laker in the women's pole vault on Friday. James Nutt and Wyatt Alwine finished back-to-back on the men's side, claiming seventh and eighth in a judge's decision, both clearing a height of 4.73m. 

Jump Crew Takeover 
The high jumps crew took over the Top 3, claiming first-place and tying for second at the Big Meet. Jaivon Harrison led the crew as he set a new personal-best, clearing a height of 2.21m. Eli Kosbia and Jonathan Rankins-James tied for second place, clearing a height of 2.15m. In the sand, Luke Jelderks finished in fourth place in the men's long jump invite with a distance of 7.33m, passing the NCAA provisional mark. 

Day two of the Big Meet continues tomorrow in the Kelly Family Sports Center, starting at 10:00 a.m. Spectators are welcome to attend the Big Meet and may purchase tickets online. Follow along @GVSUXCTF or check out gvsulakers.com for more updates. The Big Meet will also be available on FloTrack with a paid subscription to watch live.
 
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