Grand Valley State University’s track and field teams competed at home in the Mike Lints Alumni Open, where the Lakers won 20 individual events, set 11 personal bests and met multiple NCAA Championship-qualifying marks. Currently, the men’s team is ranked first nationally, while the women’s team is right behind, ranked second.
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.
