EMPORIA, Ks. – Nearly 50 athletes will represent Grand Valley State at the 2026 NCAA Division II Men's and Women's Outdoor Track & Field Championships this weekend. The three-day event, hosted by Emporia State University (Emporia, Ks.), begins Thursday, May 21 and continues through Saturday, May 23. Athletes will compete in 27 events over the three days.
 
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Grand Valley State enters competition as the No. 2 ranked men's and No. 4 ranked women's teams in the nation, according to the latest track and field rankings index from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The Lakers lead the nation in men's hammer throw, pole vault and steeplechase; the women rank second nationally in both high jump and shot put.
 
At last year's 2025 NCAA DII Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Grand Valley State's women won their third outdoor title with 60 team points. The Lakers crowned 2 individual champions and had three National Runner-Up titles over the course of the weekend. The men placed third with a team score of 48 points, trailing West Texas A&M's 66 and leading Wingate by 10. High jumpers Jaivon Harrison and Jayjay Rankins earned National Champion and National Runner-Up titles. 
 
Thursday, May 21
The action begins at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday as four Lakers take the cage in men's hammer throw. Lucas Lesher (62.99m / 206-8) is the first to throw, taking his first three attempts in flight one of the event. Michael Griffey (69.25m / 227-2), Brandon Schirck (65.69m / 215-6) and Sebastian Tesch (68.33m / 224-2) follow the redshirt-sophomore in flight two of hammer throw.
 
Women's pole vault and hammer throw follow at 4 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., respectively. Brooke Bowers, positioned 20^th in the event at 4.26m (13-11.75), will compete in pole vault before Shelby Ulven (61.20m / 200-9) takes the cage in women's hammer. The reigning National Runner-Up will throw ninth in flight two of the event.
 
Three other finals events await the Lakers on day one of competition. Reigning National Runner-Up Alaina Diaz (6.19m / 20-3.75) will compete in flight two of women's long jump at 6:30 p.m. The men's and women's 10000m will close out the day. Conor Somers (29:34.65) and Koby Fraaza (28:52.63) race at 9:10 p.m. while Ana Tucker (34:27.84), Maggie O'Malley (34:46.54) and Abigail VanderKooi (34:08.50) follow at approximately 9:50 p.m.
 
Thursday's preliminary events include the men's and women's 4x100m relays, women's 1500m, men's 400m and men's and women's 3000m steeplechase.
 
The men's 4x100m relay squad (tentatively Sam Mitas/Aaron Gholston, Jason Hamilton II, Sam Coyle, Joshua Page) will race in heat two of the preliminary event at 5:50 p.m. The women's team (tentatively Catherine Guckenberger, Adalyn Liang/Zoe Zeiser, Claire Neumann, Alaina Diaz) will race in heat one of the 4x100m at 6 p.m. The top two teams from each heat and the next four fastest times from both events will advance to the finals, slated for Saturday at 4:30 and 4:40 p.m.
 
Shortly after the relays, Cara Newman will race in heat one of the women's 1500m at 6:25 p.m. Newman will advance to Saturday's finals at 5:05 p.m. if she finishes in the top four of heat one or is one of the next four finishers overall.
 
Joshua Page, a two-time National Champion and reigning National Runner-Up in the event, will compete in the men's 400m at 6:40 p.m. Page (45.98) will race in heat two of the event, where he will have to finish in the top two of his heat or within the next two overall to advance to Saturday's finals event at 5:35 p.m.
 
The 3000m steeplechase closes out the day's preliminary events beginning at 7:40 p.m. Kyler Dean (8:57.10) and Owen Westerkamp (8:46.22) will compete in heat one while Flynn Pumpa (8:43.63) and Noah Selvaraj (8:57.87) follow in the second. To advance to the finals, they must be in the top four of their heat or the next four overall. The finals will begin at 8:15 p.m. Friday.
 
Redshirt-senior Landyn Howell (10:28.69) is the sole lady Laker competing in the steeplechase. She will race in heat two of the event at 8:10 p.m., competing for a spot in the finals on Friday at 8:30 p.m.
 
Friday, May 22
The Lakers get off to a late start on Friday, with the first events beginning at 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
 
Isaac Tavo (55.92m / 183-4) will represent GVSU in flight two of men's discus at 2:30. The West Liberty transfer placed fourth at last year's Outdoor Championships, earning All-America honors with a 55.92m (183-5) throw.
 
Braden Prielipp (2.11m / 6-11) and Marcus Gelpi (2.19m / 7-2.25) compete in men's high jump at 4:30 p.m. Prielipp and Gelpi both earned All-America honors at the 2026 NCAA DII Indoor Championships, with Prielipp placing eighth at 2.11m and Gelpi earning the title of National Runner-Up with a bar at 2.20m (7-2.5).
 
Men's discus and high jump are the only two finals events of Friday's slate, aside from the 3000m steeplechase. Preliminary events for GVSU include the men's 200m, men's and women's 800m, men's 110m hurdles and the men's and women's 4x400m relays.
 
Coyle (20.84) and Page (20.79) take the track for the second day in a row at 6:30 p.m. Coyle races in heat one of the event while Page follows in the second. To advance to Saturday's finals, they must finish in the top two of their heat or in the next two overall.
 
Sam Allen (1:48.67) will approach the starting line next for Grand Valley State in the men's 800m. The redshirt-sophomore competes in heat one of three in the event at 7 p.m. The top two from each heat (three heats total) and the next two overall advance to Saturday's finals round at 6:15 p.m.
 
The Laker ladies compete in the 800m at 7:15 p.m. Daisy Speet (2:06.81) will race first in heat one, Megan Postma (2:06.80) follows in heat two and Addison Washler (2:07.72) rounds out the trio in heat three of the event. Should they finish in the top two of their heat or as the next two overall, they compete again on Saturday at 6:25 p.m.
 
Four Lakers will don Laker logos in the men's 110m hurdles at 7:35 p.m. Parker Campbell (14.02) and Dominic Downes (13.88) race in heat two and Joshua Hurt (13.81) and Jackson Hayward (13.95) follow in heat three. Finishing in the top two of their heat or as the next two overall allows them to advance to the finals on Saturday at 5:15 p.m.
 
The final events of Friday are the men's and women 's 4x400m relays. The men kick things off in heat one at 8:50 as (tentatively) Aydan McCarey, Demarcus Chapa, Desmond Chapa and Page pass the baton. The women's squad (tentatively Catherine Guckenberger, Claire Neumann, Addison Washler/Adalyn Liang, Alaina Diaz) will race in heat two beginning at 9:10 p.m. To advance to the finals (Saturday at 8:20/8:30 p.m.), each team must finish in the top two of their heat or as the next four overall.
 
Saturday, May 23
A champion will be crowned after all 27 of Saturday's events; Lakers have the opportunity to win gold in 16.
 
GVSU's day begins at 1:30 p.m. as Avery Lahti and Paige Westra take the circle for women's shot put. Lahti (14.74m / 48-4.5) throws her first three in flight one and Westra (15.42m / 50-7.25) will follow in flight two.
 
Men's pole vault will begin at approximately 3 p.m. Senior Cam Battjes (5.16m / 16-11), freshman Sam Paeth (5.28m / 17-3.75) and junior Dolan Gonzales (5.31m / 17-5) will compete for a spot on the podium. Gonzales was named National Runner-Up (5.36m / 17-7) during this year's indoor season and placed sixth (5.22m / 17-1.5) during the 2025 NCAA DII Outdoor Championships. Paeth placed 10th (5.01m / 16-5.25) at his first national championships during the indoor season.
 
Women's high jump will see Alexis Weber compete next at 4:15 p.m. The junior enters competition with a personal-best height of 1.73m (5-8).
 
Men's shot put is the next field event. Redshirt-sophomore Andrew Berryhill (18.12m / 59-5.5) will compete in flight two of the event beginning at 4:45 p.m.
 
The final "finals" events of the day, aside from events that required a preliminary round, are the men's and women's 5000m. Koby Fraaza (13:40.61) is the first Laker to take the starting line, beginning the 12.5 laps at 7:30 p.m. Abigail VanderKooi (16:30.36), Ana Tucker (16:35.31) and Lauren Kiley (16:30.14) follow with another 12.5 laps at 7:55 p.m.
 
The remaining 10 events that may await Laker track and field are dependent on athletes advancing from the preliminary round of each qualifying event.
 
Fans can watch the Lakers in action in person or online. Those wishing to watch their favorite athletes in person may purchase tickets online or in person at the Zola Witten Track at Francis G. Welch Stadium on the day of the event. Fans may also follow along via live results provided by LeoneTiming.
 
Be sure to follow @GVSUXCTF on Instagram and X and GVSU CC and TF on Facebook for photos, videos, results and more. A story recapping each day's events and team standings will be posted to gvsulakers.com following the conclusion of the day.