ALLENDALE, Mich. – Grand Valley closed out their second meet of the season in true Laker fashion at the annual Bob Eubanks Open. The team won 16 individual events, recorded 20 podium finishes and met or exceeded 23 NCAA DII Indoor Track & Field Provisional Standards.
 
Jumps
High Jump – The men's high jump squad featured Jaivon Harrison, Jonathan "JayJay" Rankins-James, Marcus Gelpi, Andrew Kraft, and Braden Prielipp. The Lakers took five of the top six spots. Gelpi led the Lakers with a personal-best 2.21m (7-3) – an accomplishment that was six years in the making, according to the K-State transfer. Rankins-James and Harrison took the two and three spots, clearing heights of 2.15m (7-0.5) each. Braden Prielipp grabbed fourth with a personal-best 2.12m (6-11.5) height. Kraft rounded out the top six with a 2.07m (6-9.5) jump – another personal-best. All five jumpers cleared the NCAA DII Provisional Mark.
The Lady Lakers saw three athletes compete: Imogene Brumbaugh, Heidi Newhouse and Lauren Rokos. Brumbaugh tied for first, clearing a personal-best height of 1.65m (5-5). Newhouse also recorded a personal-best, jumping for 1.60m (5-3). In her collegiate debut, Rokos recorded a height of 1.50m (4-11). 
 
Long Jump – GVSU's men grabbed five of the top 10 spots in the long jump. Luke Jelderks led the squad, recording a personal-best jump of 7.38m (24-2.5). His distance moved him to the number two spot in GVSU's All-Time Indoor Record Book. Caleb Taylor and Prentice Gardner Jr. had third-and-second place distances, jumping for 6.82m (22-4.45) and 6.77m (22-2.5) respectively. Alec Crum (6.63m (21-9)) and Peter VanHulle (6.50m (21-4)) grabbed the seven and eight spots to fill out the top 10 for the Lakers.  
The Laker ladies also had impressive performances in the long jump. In her long jump debut for the 2024-25 season, Alaina Diaz took gold with a 5.86m (19-2.75) jump. Kaitlyn Molnar's 5.45m (17-10.75) jump placed her second in the event. Nyla Reed and Zoe Zeiser both recorded 5.36m (17-7) – personal-bests for both.
 
Triple Jump – Nolyn Johnson III was the sole competitor for the Lakers in the triple jump. He recorded a personal-best 14.04m (46-0.75) distance that crowned him the men's triple jump champion.
 
Pole Vault
The men's team saw seven Lakers compete in pole vault. Wyatt Alwine grabbed gold, clearing 5.11m (16-9.25) in his season debut. His height earned him a new spot in the GVSU All-Time Indoor Record Book, ranking fifth overall. Colton Emeott's 4.86m (15-11.25) ranked just behind Alwine at third place. Camryn Battjes cleared 4.56m (14-11.50) to place sixth in pole vault. Three Lakers rounded out the top 10, all tying for 10^th place with a 4.26m (13-11.75) pole vault: Ray Weatherington, David Conrad and Ryan Eck.
 
Five women represented GVSU in pole vault. Brooke Bowers led the squad, clearing a personal-best 4.05m (13-3.5) height to tie for first. Miranda Firari cleared 3.75m (12-3.5), placing fourth in the event. Ava Collier was the last Laker to land in the top 10, tying for ninth with a height of 3.30m (10-10).
 
Throws
Weight Throw – Grand Valley saw four Lakers compete in men's weight throw (invite). On his final attempt, Myles Kerner threw for an impressive 20.12m (66-0.25), placing first of the nine event invitees. Michael Griffey placed just behind Kerner, throwing a personal-best 19.61m (64-4). James MacKey, Jr. rounded out the top three with a 19.46m (63-10.25) weight throw. Freshman Lucas Lesher placed ninth with a 16.72m (54-10.25) throw.
The women's squad dominated in the invite, sweeping first and second place. Both Shelby Ulven and Alaina Omonode surpassed the NCAA DII Provisional Standards. Ulven not only broke her previous record, but also threw her way into the number seven spot in GVSU's All-Time Indoor Record Book with an impressive 19.27m (63-2.75) throw. Omonode grabbed second with an 18.31m (60-1) distance. Kennedy Jackson threw for a sixth-place, 16.23m (53-3) distance.
Alexandra DiCanio also threw for the Lakers in the open. She recorded a 15.02m (49-3.5) weight throw.
 
Shot Put – Myles Kerner, Gerald Capaccio and Andrew Berryhill competed for GVSU in the men's shot put invite, while Mason Floria competed in the open. Kerner placed first, exceeding the NCAA DII Provisional Standard with an 18.05m (59-2.75) shot put. Capaccio grabbed fifth place, recording a 15.66m (51-4.5) throw – a new personal-best. Berryhill placed seventh in the event with a 15.14m (49-8.25) shot put. Floria also recorded a new personal-best with an 11.71m (38-5) throw.
The women's squad also dominated the invite, grabbing two of the top three spots. Reigning National Champion Erika Beistle's 15.78m (51-9.25) throw landed her first place. Mackenzie Bohrer recorded a third-place distance of 14.72m (48-3.5). Kennedy Jackson rounded out the invite flight with a 12.74m (41-9.75) distance, moving her to seventh place.
 
Sprints/Hurdles
60m Dash – Three Lakers advanced to the finals in the 60m dash. In the preliminaries, Myles Rhodes recorded a personal-best of 6.85 that moved him to number seven in GVSU's All-Time Indoor Record Book. However, that wasn't enough for Rhodes; he proceeded to finish second at 6.83 and move up to number four in the record book. Desmond Chapa and Andrew Pizzico also represented GVSU in the finals, recording fifth and seventh place finishes at 7.01 and 7.04, respectively.
Grand Valley's women three of the top five spots in the finals. Taylor Kyle led the pack, finishing second at 7.72. Just behind Kyle was Claire Neumann, who finished at 7.73. Jayla Graham rounded out the top five with a 7.84 finish. Catherine Guckenberger and Melia Williams also represented GVSU in the finals, finishing sixth and ninth at 7.85 and 7.93, respectively.
 
60m Hurdles – Four Laker men advanced to the finals in 60m Hurdles. Joshua Hurt crossed the line first at 8.16. Dominic Downes and Ethan Smith followed, finishing fourth and fifth at 8.30 and 8.40, respectively. Lance Riddle rounded out the top eight in the finals with an 8.87 time.
GVSU saw three Laker ladies advance to the finals. Brooke Barkocy led the team with an 8.84 second-place finish. Kennedy Gardner finished sixth at 9.26; Destini Dorkins crossed the finish line eighth at 9.39.
 
200m – Six of Grand Valley's men competed in the 200m event. Myles Rhodes recorded yet another personal-best, finishing first overall with a 21.60 finish – just 0.01 seconds faster than his previous, number five all-time personal-best. Desmond Chapa was the next to cross the finish line (overall) for GVSU, finishing third at 22.03. Zach Pray and Demarcus Chapa grabbed the five and six spots overall with finishes at 22.14 and 22.23, respectively.
 
The Laker ladies saw seven women run in the 200m. Catherine Guckenberger led the squad with a second-place finish overall at 24.90. Alaina Diaz and Claire Neumann also grabbed top 10 spots, ranking fourth and fifth with times of 25.05 and 25.07.
 
400m – Michael McNeil was the only Laker to compete in the 400m event. His 50.15 finish time landed him eighth place in the event.

Distance
600m – Megan Postma was the only Laker to compete in the 600m event. She finished just short of first at 1:37.78.
 
1 Mile – Grand Valley's women's squad dominated in the 1 mile, taking six of the top 12 finishes. Redshirt-freshman Cara Newman took the crown, crossing the finish line first at 4:57.30. Megan Postma and Maggie O'Malley finished shortly after, grabbing fifth and sixth at 5:03.35 and 5:03.71, respectively. Maria Widmann, Annika Sandman and Shayna Altvater rounded out the top 12 in the event.
Fourteen men represented the Lakers in the men's 1 mile. Redshirt-freshman Samuel Allen led the Lakers with a 4:11.80 time, finishing fourth. Gabe Connelly and Andre Richmond filled up two more spots in the top 10, finishing seventh and ninth at 4:15.26 and 4:16.11, respectively.
 
3000m – Jordyn Hopgood was Grand Valley's sole competitor in the 3000m. The junior recorded a fifth-place finish, crossing the finish line at 10:10.42.
In heat one of the men's 3000m, Drennan Akins led the Lakers with an eighth place, 8:41.57 finish. The second heat saw several Lakers compete, all of whom recorded finishes in the top 10. Colin Vanderschaaf finished first at 8:37.43. Logan Tracia was close behind, finishing third at 8:38.51. Lleyton Axline (8:45.16) , Ethan Parker (8:46.12) and Tyler Heath (8:53.75) finished sixth, seventh and 10^th, respectively.
 
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The Lakers are back in action next week Friday, January 24 as they host the annual Bill Clinger Classic. The meet will take place at the Kelly Family Sports Center with beginning at 1 p.m. To purchase tickets, click here.