Morgan’s Message is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving student-athletes’ mental health and removing associated stigma. GVSU is one of nearly 2,000 schools that promote the cause and host a dedicated game.

“It’s a really great opportunity to stop and pause for a second,” said head coach Dominique Hamman. “We talk about how we can support each other and raise awareness not only for a community, but for this team.”

Junior defender Kylie Waeghe agreed, adding she feels the competition is a “great game.”

“It really highlights focusing on our mental health and prioritizing that you’re not alone, and that you have the entire team of people and everybody here at Grand Valley you can lean on,” Waeghe said.

Starting the match, the Lakers capitalized early when senior midfielder Ashleigh Rothe found a gap in the Cardinals’ defense and scored her 29th goal of the season. 

Getting a quick turnover, GVSU’s lead was extended by junior attacker Gracie Bancroft, who scored her 16th goal of the season. The momentum from the Lakers’ offense continued with back-to-back goals less than a minute later by both freshman midfielder Kendra Swope and senior attacker Zoe Ziegler. Forcing another turnover, Ziegler gained possession of the ball and made the most of it by scoring her second goal of the match.

Saginaw rallied back into the game and pushed the ball down the field, where they were able to score their first goal of the game on senior goalie Kaylyn Carter. Carter, a longtime starter for the Lakers, achieved her 200th career save in the team’s previous match. She is the fourth player in program history to reach this mark.

The Lakers responded to the Cardinal’s goal by putting pressure on the net, which led to a pair of goals by Rothe and Bancroft. Swope was also credited with an assist.

Keeping their dominance, junior attacker Grace Maddox, with an assist from Ziegler, maneuvered through the defense and put the ball past Saginaw’s goalie to score her fifth goal of the season. With 30 seconds left in the first quarter, Rothe achieved a hat trick, scoring her third goal of the game.

Heading into the second quarter, the Lakers led 9-1. However, Ziegler quickly extended this lead with a hat trick of her own, scoring her third goal of the game. After only a few minutes, Bancroft joined the club with her third goal, becoming the third Laker to score a hat trick in the match. Now leading by 10 points, a running clock was activated. Once again forcing another turnover, Bancroft was able to get possession of the ball and scored her fourth goal of the game.

With a minute left until halftime, Saginaw finally stopped the Lakers’ seven-point run with a goal of their own. This shortage of time did not deter the Lakers’ offense, as junior midfielder Ella Boose made her way to the net and scored her 12th goal of the season.

Controlling a strong 13-2 lead entering the second half, the Lakers spent no time getting into the game, as Ziegler scored her fourth goal of the match off an assist by Rothe. Snatching the ball out of the air, Rothe showed off by making an impressive behind-the-back shot, which began her run of three-straight goals, with assists from Bancroft and redshirt junior attacker Jillian Bingman. The rest of the Lakers’ offense continued to build from this with a pair of goals by Ziegler and Swope.

Leading 19-2 entering the fourth quarter, Saginaw again stopped GVSU’s seven-point scoring run with their third goal of the match. Despite this goal, a breakaway by the Lakers led to a goal from Bingman, her first of the match and 16th of the season. Regaining possession of the ball, Boose got into position and scored her second goal of the match from an assist by Rothe. Getting the quick turnover, Rothe once again put the ball in the net to score her seventh goal of the game. With this, Rothe scored her 100th career goal.

The Lakers were not done yet, as Boose was able get her own hat trick after scoring her third goal of the game. This was immediately followed by goals from freshman midfielder Emerson Holthouser and sophomore midfielder Ella Manfred. This was a special moment for Manfred, as this was her first career goal for the Lakers.

Although the Lakers scored 25 points, the defense was just as dominant as the offense, allowing only seven shots on the goal compared to the Lakers’ 41 total shots.

“Today, they (the players) wanted to focus on us, and not only did we know we were gonna win, but it was more so, what does that win look like,” said Hamman. “We’ve got to work on some things for us, but I told them it’s always nice when you get to celebrate big moments.”

Rothe stated the team had a great day, both offensively and defensively.

“Being aggressive defensively helped us win, so continually being consistent with that will help us in the future,” said Rothe. 

Along with scoring seven goals in the game, Rothe was coming off being awarded the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Offensive Player of the Week.

“I don’t pay attention to accolades too much,” Rothe said. “I wanna focus on myself and then obviously my team and the season up ahead.”

The women’s lacrosse team will play at home on Friday, April 11, for their next matchup against Northern Michigan University (7-4).

After a weather delay held Friday’s game back, senior Jayden Dentler took the mound for the Lakers. The Lakers first put the ball in play in the fourth inning with back-to-back hits from junior Evan Morrison and senior Ryan Dykstra. GVSU scored first off a single from senior Brendan Guciardo, which brought Morrison and Dykstra home. Davenport responded in the following innings with a couple runs of their own to tie things up.

The lead returned to GVSU with a triple by Dykstra and a flyout by junior Jovan Gill, which scored two more. Dentler and the Lakers’ defense took down the next six batters to secure the win.

“When pitching, batting and fielding are all working for us, that’s when we click and get on a hot streak,” said Dysktra.

Assistant coach Jarret Olsen agreed with Dysktra.

“Well, we’re just playing good, complimentary baseball right now,” added Olsen.

Dentler was credited with his sixth win of the season, completing all seven innings with 97 pitches.

Pitching in game two was redshirt sophomore Owen Avery. Down 1-0, the Lakers got on base in the fourth inning with singles from senior Jonas Gulbrandsen and Guciardo. A hit up the middle by sophomore Ryan Stimac scored two, pulling the Lakers ahead, 2-1.

Allowing six hits and giving up five runs in the fifth inning, Avery was substituted for senior Colby Phipps. In the sixth inning, a triple by Caleb Estrada and a wild pitch brought him home to bring the score to 6-3. Three more hits by the Lakers led to scoring two runs, but despite bringing things close, Davenport pushed back with a home run in the seventh inning. 

In the ninth inning, Dykstra brought it back to a one-score game with a home run to right center. However, the Lakers were unable to close the gap, losing game two. Phipps finished with 59 pitches, while Avery threw 84 pitches and was credited with the loss.

Starting on the mound in Saturday’s game three was junior Collin Bradley. Davenport obtained an early lead in the first inning, scoring one run, and later extended it with two walks and three hits in the second inning. This scored the Panthers three more runs.

Down 4-0, the Lakers rebounded with hits by junior Nick Krstich and Morrison, as well as a walk by Estrada. With bases loaded, Dykstra was able to get a ground out RBI. A double hit down the right field line by Gill brought home the remaining runners, bringing the score to 4-3.

After giving up a solo home run in the fifth inning, the Lakers fought back with hits from Guciardo and junior Ayden VanEnkevort. A sacrifice fly from Krstich scored one run, putting it back to a one-run game.

Freshman Sebastian Talaga took over on the mound for Bradley in the sixth inning, where he held Davenport scoreless in the next two innings. In that time, the Lakers were on a roll, scoring from a sacrifice fly from Dykstra and a hit from Krstich that scored two more.

Heading into the ninth inning, VanEnkevort was brought in to close out the game. Unfortunately, chaos struck with the final batter up. With bases loaded, a wild pitch was not able to be controlled by the Lakers’ defense. Davenport took advantage and was able to send three runners home for the win, 8-7.

At the plate on Sunday, the Lakers capitalized early on a RBI double from Gulbrandsen. By the third inning, the score was tied, 3-3. Stringing together more runs throughout the game, GVSU held onto a small lead into the eighth inning. However, Davenport pulled together two runs to take a one-score lead, 7-6, and held this for the remainder of the game.

Upcoming for the GVSU baseball team is a long streak of home games that will last through the end of April.

“We got a new turf field this year, so just knowing how it plays and feels will help us out,” said Dykstra. “The last two home games we’ve had, we’ve had pretty big crowds, so (it’s) kind of cool to have at a home field again.”

The team will next take on Saginaw Valley State University (18-6) in another four-game series from Friday, April 4 through Sunday, April 6.

The two days of golfing were split into three rounds, with rounds one and two both being played over the first day, and round three filling out the second day.

In round one, junior Charlie Cooley and graduate student Drew Coble led the Lakers, both shooting 69 (-3). Juniors Manuel Cue Vargas and Bryce Wheeler followed, both hitting even par with 72. Freshman Ryan Gallagher was close behind after hitting a 74 (+2).

Cue and Gallagher improved in the second round, carding a 67 (-5) and 70 (-2). Coble also had another impressive outing with a 70 (-2). Wheeler and Cooley closed out round two for the Lakers, carding 73 (+1) and a 76 (+4).

Ending a successful day one, GVSU held the lead, shooting rounds of 282 and 280, overall ending -14. Coble and Cue stood out throughout day one, both hitting 10 birdies, as well as being tied for third place and leading their team at five under par.

With one round left to play on day two, the Lakers held a four-stroke lead over second place.

Making five birdies and an eagle, as well as hitting a 68 (-4), Cue was able to jump two spots and finish with the best overall score of -9. This final round success won Cue the title of individual champion. Along with winning his second individual title of the season, Cue was awarded the GLIAC Conference Men’s Golfer of the Week.

“Manuel showed a lot of positive signs this week,” said head coach Gareth Lappin. “He got off to a slow start, but managed to keep his composure and stayed patient and he was rewarded. He is learning fast and there is no limit on how far Manuel can go this season.”

Coble was the next ranked Laker, tied at 13th after carding a 75 (+3) with three birdies, and finishing two under par. Tied for 26th place was Cooley, who finished his round with 73 (-1), hitting four birdies and an eagle. Wheeler followed, shooting a round of 74 (+2) and tying for 31st place. Wrapping things up for GVSU was Gallagher, who tied for 38th, carding a 76 (+4).

“As a team we are close,” said Coble. “We just have to put everything together for three solid rounds. Going forward, I think it is the same mentality, trying to clean everything up. We are just now getting to play outside in Michigan, so that will definitely help us build more confidence going forward.”

Lappin added that despite the team showing “good signs,” the Lakers still have a couple skills to work on.

“We need to continue working on our putting speed, and some guys have technical things to work on,” said Lappin. 

Since this event was the 12th-straight top-five finish for the Lakers, the GVSU men’s golf team looks to continue their winning on the green at the Tennessee River Rumble in Lenoir City, Tennessee from Monday, March 24 through Tuesday, March 25.

“We are a very process-driven team and we treat each event the same,” explained Lappin. “Putting guys in high-pressure situations is the most important thing at this time of year to prepare us for championship play.”

Representing GVSU in the tournament were juniors Chris Donathan, Josh Kenny and Carter Blough, along with redshirt freshman Brayden Mirjavadi and senior Wyatt Miller. To qualify for finals, each wrestler had to place within the top three in their weight class at regional competitions.

The first wrestler to compete for the Lakers was the No. 1 seed Donathan in the 149-pound class. Ranked first heading into the tournament, Donathan snuck out a close win by decision, 6-4, in his first match. In the second round, Donathan scored quickly, gaining enough points to give him the win by technical fall, 20-4. However, in the third round, Donathan was up against No. 4 ranked Nick James from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Despite scoring fast and keeping it close, Donathan took his first loss of the season.

This loss did not knock Donathan out of the tournament, as wrestlers were put in the Wrestleback bracket after their first loss. Donathan rematched against Brennan Watkins. However, Donathan medically forfeited the match, ending his season with a 14-1 record.

The next Laker to compete was No. 2 seed Josh Kenny in the 174-pound class. Winning GVSUs first national title in 32 years during the previous season, Kenny kept a consistent mentality going into the match.

“My mindset stays the same, (which is to) go out, try my best and have fun,” Kenny said. “The only thing I can control is my effort and my attitude.”

In a slow and low-scoring first match, Kenny won his first match, 2-1. He followed this with another low-scoring match against the seventh-seed Matt Ortiz from McKendree University. This time, however, Kenny took his first loss from decision, 4-2.

Kenny then claimed an 11-1 win by major decision in the first round of the Wrestleback bracket. Moving on, Kenny faced off against No. 3 seed Bryce Dagel from St. Cloud State University. The night unfortunately ended for Kenny, as lost by a major decision, and finished the season with a 20-7 record.

Although he was unable to repeat his previous successes, Kenny still reflected positively on this season.

“One thing I think about a lot from this year (are) the outcomes of each match, and all the factors that only I can control,” expressed Kenny. “(I think) about how I have eaten good, managed my weight and worked hard at practice. (I try) not to think about outside factors because of the target on my back that I made last year at finals.”

Seventh-seed Mirjavadi was up next for GVSU, representing the 184-pound class. He began his run in the tournament with a strong outing, winning the first round by major decision, 14-3.

Next, he paired against No. 2 seed Matt Weinberg from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania. Facing a tough opponent, Mirjavadi lost 9-0, which moved him into the Wrestleback bracket. In his first match of the bracket, Mirjavadi took on and lost 4-1 to Damon Ashworth from the University of Central Missouri.

The next Laker up was the 197-pound Wyatt Miller. In his first match, he faced No. 4 seed Max Ramberg from Augustana University, where he lost in a low-scoring battle, 5-0.

Being bumped down to the Wrestleback bracket, Miller quickly started with a win by fall, pinning his opponent in just over a minute. No. 6 seed Dakoda Rodger from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown was up next, where a win by decision, 5-1, gave Miller another victory. This run continued for Miller, as he won his next match, 7-1. In his following match, however, Miller’s run ended with an 8-7 loss against the No. 5 seed Jackson Kinsella from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. 

Due to the amount of wins he racked up, Miller had one final match for fifth place. Competing against the No. 7 ranked Nicholas Johnson from Glenville State University, Miller took his second loss by decision, 10-3. 

The final wrestler representing GVSU was No. 3 seed Carter Blough in the 285-pound class. A transfer from the Divison I Michigan State University, Blough started strong with a close overtime win, 7-5. In the second round, Blough once again went into overtime, but lost 2-1 to the No. 6 Jake Swirple from Minot State University.

In the Wrestleback bracket, Blough managed to take his opponent to overtime again, and won, 9-7. For his next match, Blough faced the No. 1 Crew Howard from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Taking his second loss by major decision, Blough ended the season with a 28-7 record.

Although no Lakers were able to bring home a title this season, the team didn’t leave completely empty-handed. Donathan, Kenny, Miller and Blough all received All-American honors for their seasons on the mat.

Day one of the championship held all of the running preliminary events, where the top eight in each race moved on to finals the next day. On the other hand, the field events did not have any preliminaries, as the final events were split between the two days. In day one’s field events, GVSU medaled in all events. In both men’s and women’s long jump, the Lakers finished in first and third place. GVSU also took the top three spots in men’s pole vault and both men’s and women’s weight throw.

Among these field athletes was senior weight-thrower Shelby Ulven. Ulven was one of the many Lakers who earned the title of individual conference champion.

“The only thing that goes through my mind while I’m in the ring is pushing as hard as I can,” said Ulven. “Once I’m in this mindset, competing comes a lot easier for me and (competing is) more natural. When you aren’t forcing yourself to feel relaxed, things fall into place fast.”

On day two of the competition, at least one Laker finished in the top three for all running events, and many GVSU student-athletes took all top three spots. In the one mile race, the women’s team placed first and third, while the men’s team took the top three spots. In the 60m hurdles, GVSU senior Brooke Barkocy placed second for the women, and sophomore Joshua Hurt placed first for the men by a large margin.

Later on, in the 400m run, the women’s team took the top two spots, while the men took all top three positions. Senior Myles Rhodes, who took first place in the 400m, ran a time of 47.42 seconds, which placed him first all-time in the GVSU record book. In the 60m race, both the men’s and women’s teams placed third. Increasing to the 200m, the women placed third, while the men’s runners again took the top two spots. 

The Lakers also dominated the event’s longer races. In the 800m, the women’s squad took first and third, while the men placed first and second. During the 3000m run, the women’s team dominated, and took the top four positions. The men’s team, on the other hand, took first place. The running events concluded with the 4x400m relays, in which both the men’s and women’s teams placed first.

Day two of the field events started with the high jump, where the women took the top three spots, and the men finished in third place. Taking first for the women in the high jump was senior Kaylee Diamond, whose 1.80m jump set a new GVSU record. Another sweep by the women came in shot put, where the Lakers once again placed in all top three positions. The men followed closely behind, placing first and second in shot put. GVSU senior Myles Kerner took first with a throw of 19.72m. This distance broke his own record for the furthest shot put in GVSU history. In the final field event, pole vault, freshman Brooke Bowers took home her first individual championship for GVSU.

For the No. 1 ranked men’s squad, this was their 24th conference title in the last 26 seasons. For the No. 3 ranked women’s team, this was their 26th consecutive indoor conference title, making them the winningest program in GLIAC history.

The GVSU men’s and women’s track and field teams are looking ahead to the NCAA Indoor Championship. 36 individual Lakers and three relay teams will be heading to finals on Thursday, March 13 through Saturday, March 15 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. In preparation for the championship, the teams will be upping their training and practice.

“Training for the NCAA Championship will look like fast movements and lots of isometric training for our lift and lots of reps in practice,” Ulven said. “We will focus on getting our bodies prepared for bigger competition.”

Leading the way for the Lakers’ track and field teams is head coach Jerry Baltes. Since taking over the program in 1999, Baltes has led the men’s and women’s teams to all of their combined 50 conference title wins.

“The main focus is to keep doing what we are doing,” said Baltes. “It’s about being in the right frame of mind mentally and taking care of our bodies to compete.”

The running events took place on day one of the Big Meet. GVSU seniors Myles Rhodes and Zach Pray took the top two spots in the men’s 400m. Both of their times placed in the top 25 all-time in Division II history. More history was made in the men’s 800m, where freshman Samuel Allen and senior Scott Spaanstra finished with times that placed top 10 all-time in Division II history.

In the men’s 1 mile, freshman Owen Westercamp took second place with a personal-best time of 4:02.73. Westercamp’s time also placed him 13th all-time in Division II.

In the relays, both the men’s and women’s 4x400m teams took first place, with the women’s team placing 10th all-time in Division II.

In the field events, senior Myles Kerner threw an impressive 19.69m in shot put. This throw not only broke the Kelly Family Sports Center’s record, but broke the NCAA Division II all-time shot put record. Throughout the rest of the field events, many Lakers found their way to the top of the leaderboard, medaling in men’s and women’s long jump, high jump and pole vault.

Despite being a freshman, pole vulture Brooke Bowers has made an impact on the Lakers’ team. After being named the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Women’s Field Athlete of the Week and having a jump that placed her fourth all-time at GVSU, Bowers took second place overall in the Big Meet.

“Knowing that I’m able to contribute to something bigger than just my individual success pushes me to stay focused and be persistent,” said Bowers. “Ultimately, it’s about embracing the challenge and enjoying the process. I remind myself that no matter the outcome, there is always an opportunity to improve and grow.”

Day two began on the track, where the women’s team dominated by placing top three in the 60m, 60m hurdles, 200m, 400m and 3000m. The women’s distance medley team had a run time of 11:18.80, which placed them third all-time in the Division II record book. In day two of the field events, the Lakers once again showed out with multiple athletes medaling in both men’s and women’s weight throw and shot put. GVSU also prevailed in the men’s and women’s long jump, where multiple athletes were able to hit a personal best.

After a successful weekend, the track and field team will remain at the Kelly Family Sports Center for the GVSU Tune-Up on Friday, Feb. 21.

Opening the night were the field events. In the weight throws, senior James Mackey Jr. took first place for the men with a throw of 20.19m. The women also showed their talents, taking second and third place in the weight throws. In the shot put events, the Lakers once again topped the charts, taking first in men’s, as well as first and second place in women’s.

For the rest of the field events, the Lakers were present atop all of the event’s leaderboards. The Lakers had multiple athletes in the top three, and won both men’s and women’s pole vault, high jump and long jump.

Although he didn’t compete in this open, junior Marcus Gelpi expressed the mindset that he and numerous GVSU track and field jumpers share. He noted that he “trusts the process” and leans on his support group, whether that be his coach or teammates. 

“Iron will sharpen iron and they’ll (his support group) hold me to high standards,” said Gelpi. “Before each meet, I try to have fun and be laid back. I clear my mind of all the stresses and outside noise. Then, when it becomes time to compete, a new side of me comes out. My sense of fight-or-flight kicks in, and usually, it results in something great happening.”

The team’s winning momentum continued on the track. For the men, multiple Lakers found their way into the top three, and a few took gold in the 200m, 1 mile, and 4x400m relay. However, the women found even more success, taking the gold in the 60m, 400m and 800m, along with the top three spots in the 60m hurdles and the 200m.

The Lakers’ return home to the Kelly Family Sports Center was a big motivator for the team’s athletes. According to head coach Jerry Baltes, knowing a home location’s runways, circles and how things flow is incredibly beneficial. 

“There are certainly benefits of getting out of our comfort zone and going elsewhere, but we had some events (where) they (student-athletes) weren’t used to the runway or the circle was a little bit slower,” Baltes said. “That affects things, and you (have to) adjust on the fly, whereas we know what we have here at home.”

Now, well into the season, GVSU’s track and field team looks to continue their dominance and prove their top national rankings.

“I don’t have to do a lot to get them (athletes) fired up,” said Baltes. “They know what’s in front of them and the opportunities they have. Each person continues to put in hard work, and that’s the goal every weekend. For some of them, that means they’re gonna be in the top 10 in school history, and some might break a school record.”

The Lakers are staying home for their next go-around, as they will host the GVSU Big Meet on Friday, Feb. 14 at the Kelly Family Sports Center.

Opening the night for the Lakers was redshirt freshman Orion Wilson in the 125-pound weight class. With two quick takedowns, Wilson pulled ahead early, 6-1. Keeping pressure on his opponent into the third period, Wilson rallied enough points to take the win by technical fall, 19-1.

Sophomore Jak Keller followed in the 133-pound weight class. Ranked 10th in his class, Keller swiftly pinned his opponent, taking the win by fall.

The next match saw redshirt freshman CJ Poole in the 141-pound weight class. Despite being down early in the first period, a takedown by Poole tied the score, 5-5. The match ended quickly with Poole overpowering his opponent into a pin, giving him the win by fall.

Ranked first in the 149-pound weight class, junior Chris Donathan scored points quickly with multiple takedowns. He closed out his match similarly, putting his opponent’s shoulders on the mat, and winning by fall.

This trend continued with redshirt freshman Maddox Simcoe in the 157-pound weight class. After taking an early lead, he pinned his opponent, giving himself a win by fall. Heading into the halfway point, GVSU controlled the score 29-0.

Redshirt freshman Bradley Mayse started the second half in the 165-pound weight class. A close match ensued, with each wrestler scraping for points and an opportunity. Such an opportunity came for Mayse, taking down his opponent late in the second period to pull ahead. This was enough to give Mayse the win by major decision, 14-6.

Representing the 174-pound weight class for the Lakers was junior Josh Kenny. Ranked fifth in the class, Kenny rallied enough points to give him the win by technical fall, 16-1.

Although he won last season’s national championship in the 174-pound class, Kenny still looks for ways to improve his performance.

“I’ve done a lot in Division II already, so I go prepare for each match trying to learn new techniques, stuff that (I’ve) never hit before,” said Kenny. “I have been doing this for a really long time, so right now it’s all about learning new stuff and (continuing to have) fun out here.”

Kenny also looks to help his teammates improve.

“Mostly, I want to go out there and win a team national title, and if I can, I want to be the guy in the room that helps others improve to the best of their ability,” said Kenny.

Next up for GVSU was redshirt freshman Brayden Bobo in the 184-pound weight class. Bobo and his opponent started aggressively, taking turns nearing a pin. However, Davenport came out on top, and took their first points with a win by fall.

Junior Wyatt Miller, ranked 14th in the 194-pound weight class, was next up for the Lakers. Points came quickly to Miller with a pair of takedowns, and a win followed shortly after by major decision, 16-2.

Closing the duel was junior Carter Blough, ranked third in the 285-pound weight class. Blough overcame his opponent, winning 19-3 by technical fall.

As a Division I transfer from Michigan State University, Blough brought his talents to GVSU and has been a pivotal heavyweight wrestler.

“Here at Grand Valley, the coaches care much more, and it’s more of a family-type feel,” said Blough. “With not as much on the line as Division I, the care here has been big in helping me improve.”

With the NCAA Tournaments a month away, the GVSU men’s wrestling team is beginning to focus on bigger matches.

“We’re going into the fun part,” said Blough. “We are all trying to fine-tune our skills (to) get ready for the big show.”

Head coach Joey Simcoe noted that the team’s philosophy is to “not completely change” who they are. He explained that while the team watches back performances in order to learn from other wrestlers’ tendencies, the Lakers persist in aiming to be selfless.

“We have been able to put this program together quickly and we have faith in what we do,” Simcoe said. “It’s all about sticking together through hard times and being selfless.”

The wrestlers will be on the road next, heading to Indianapolis, Illinois for the Greyhound Duels on Saturday, Feb. 8 through Sunday, Feb. 9.

GVSU started strong in the field events, medaling in nearly every competition. The men’s and women’s weight throw and shot put events were most notable, as this was where many Lakers hit their personal bests.

Junior Erika Beistle not only hit her personal best in women’s shot put, but set GVSU’s record with a throw of 17.20m. The throw also placed Beistle atop national records, placing fourth all-time in Division II track and field history.

“I go into each meet trying to do a little better than I did in the last one,” said Beistle. “Being at this level in college athletics and competing against other college athletes while also trying to compete with the big dogs or professionals is certainly a challenge. Staying healthy is definitely a priority for me long term.”

Altogether, the Lakers earned either gold or silver in the men’s and women’s weight throw, shot put, pole vault, long jump and high jump events.

Domination continued on the track, with multiple Lakers placing in the men’s 60m hurdles, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1 mile and 3000m races. Once again, the University’s record book was rewritten, as senior Caleb Futter completed the 800m in 1:50.25, which placed him fourth all-time at GVSU. Futter was not alone in setting records; close behind Futter was freshman Samuel Allen with a time of 1:50.53, placing fifth all-time in GVSU’s records.

On the women’s side, runners medaled in the 60m hurdles, 60m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1 mile and 3000m races.

Head coach Jerry Baltes noted that preparation for the Bill Clinger Classic could have seemed chaotic to those not on the team.

“Track practice usually looks like a circus of something going on,” said Baltes. “People run all over the place, but there’s some method to the madness. Our training is set up in a progression and a process. (We start) with a wide base and try to fine-tune things over the course of the season, as well as from week to week.”

For the individual athletes, practice time becomes key in preparing for competitions.

“I get all my gear together, stretch really well and get in the right headspace,” said Beistle. “Not every day is easy, but every day is a learning experience for the next.”

Baltes added that for runners, it’s important they keep increasing their pace, and get “a little bit fitter and stronger each week.”

Following the Bill Clinger Classic, the Lakers’ track and field teams will hit the road for the first time this season. They will be heading to Indiana for the Notre Dame Meyo Invite and Midwest Classic on Friday, Jan. 31 through Saturday, Feb. 1.

Prior to the meet, the teams were able to practice for two weeks, which played a crucial role in their performance, according to head coach Jerry Baltes.

“We’ve had a great two weeks of practice (before) getting back into it,” said Baltes. “We’re looking to hopefully pick up (from) where we left off in December, see where we’re at and start building some momentum from week to week.”

Starting the open were weight throws and shot put. In these events, GVSU took first in women’s weight throw and both men’s and women’s shot put. Taking first in the men’s category was redshirt senior Myles Kerner with a throw of 18.05m. Although Kerner is a three-time Division II national champion in shot put, he still looks to improve his performance upon every competition.

“Since I only have an indoor season left in my eligibility, my goals are more focused on this season than years prior,” said Kerner. “Short term, I am always looking to improve on my previous meet’s distance and build consistency week by week. Long term, I want to improve my personal best up at least once a season. Specifically, I feel the NCAA DII indoor shot record has been a good goal to shoot for.”

The Lakers proceeded to take first place in both men’s and women’s long jump, as well as men’s triple jump, high jump and pole vault. In the high jump, junior Marcus Gelpi managed to leap 2.21m for a personal record. Gelpi wasn’t alone at the top of the leaderboard, with four other Lakers placing in the top six.

“There’s strength in numbers,” said Baltes. “I’ve always said there’s two ways to be good to great in track and field. One is to have exceptional top-end talent (that allows you to) perform at a high level. The other piece of that is to have depth.”

Moving into the running events, freshman Cara Newman took gold in the women’s one mile with a 4.57.30 finish. In the 60m hurdles, sophomore Joshua Hurt took first place with a time of 8.16. While taking second in the 60m sprints, senior Myles Rhodes hit his personal record with a time of 6.83. Considering this, Rhodes placed fourth in GVSU’s all-time record. Eventually, Rhodes went on to achieve a gold medal in the men’s 200m with a time of 21.60.

Following the final event’s conclusion, GVSU honored their NCAA championship-winning 1600m and 3000m relay teams from the previous season.

As the teams’ competitions begin to become weekly, there will be less practice time for each athlete.

“I am always looking to improve, and I hate to waste opportunities to get better,” said Kerner. “I am looking to improve from a technical standpoint, no matter the level of intensity.”

Baltes emphasized that the teams’ coaching staff feels confident in their leadership moving forward. He also vocalized the importance of upperclassmen leadership.

“Whether it’s on the technical side of things or just the encouragement and mental side of things, we rely on our upperclassmen to be great leaders and role models who set the tone from a work-ethic standpoint, a mentality and (an) attitude standpoint.”

The Lakers will be back in the Kelly Family Sports Center for the Bill Clinger Classic on Friday, Jan. 24.