ALLENDALE, Mich. – For the third time in her collegiate career, Erika Beistle has been named the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) NCAA Division II National Women's Athlete of the Week, as announced by the organization this afternoon. The honor comes following her massive performance in shot put at this weekend's GVSU Bob Eubanks Open.
 
Beistle gradually increased in distance throughout the field series. After fouling on her first throw, she notched a 16.39m (53-9.25) shot on her next one, already the highest mark of all nine athletes. The next mark was 16.49m (54-1.25), then 16.85m (55-3.5), slowly inching toward her 2025 personal-best 17.20m (56-5).
 
The redshirt-senior found her groove on her fifth throw: Beistle recorded a personal-best 17.35m (56-11.25) shot put.
 
More than six inches further than her previous best, Beistle rewrote GVSU's indoor shot put record, maintaining her spot as number one in Grand Valley State program history.
 
Following this weekend's meets, the Rodney, Mich. native's mark ranks number one in NCAA Division II, sixth across all NCAA divisions and sixth in the world.