Grand Valley varsity and club athletic teams compiled another championship season, bringing home national titles, NCAA individual titles and the GLIAC’s President’s Cup for the 30th time.
The men’s and women’s track and field teams had several student athletes excel on the national stage this season. The men’s track and field team finished as the national runner-up at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships in March. Myles Kerner (shot put), Jaivon Harrison (high jump) and Caleb Futter (mile) won individual national titles at the meet while Jonathan Rankins-James (high jump) placed as runner-up behind Harrison.
On the women’s side, Erika Beistle (shot put) and the distance medley relay team of Maria Mitchell, Kate Zang, Taryn Chapko and Klaudia O’Malley won national titles at the meet.
Beistle and Kerner continued their dominance by placing first at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships in May. Beistle won national titles in shot put and discus while Kerner earned his in the shot put.
Erika Beistle won three individual national championships in shot put and discus this season.
After a 32-year hiatus, the wrestling team claimed its first individual national champion. Josh Kenny, the No. 4 seed in the 174-pound division , defeated Anthony Des Vigne of Central Oklahoma to become GVSU’s first national champion since 1988. Kenny finished his season with a 32-5 record.
At the NCAA Division II Swimming & Diving Championships, Maddie Kooistra won the national title for her performance in the 1-meter springboard event.
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