Few athletes are able to finish their careers on top. But for senior Grand Valley State University thrower Sam Lockhart, there would not be a more fitting way for her to end her career – than as one of the most accomplished field athletes of all-time.

“Samantha Lockhart is a truly exceptional athlete and performer,” said GVSU distance coach Nick Polk. “She is irreplaceable and invaluable to the team. We will challenge an entire team of women next year to help replace what one athlete had done for us this weekend.”

For what would be the final time of her career, Lockhart stepped into the throwers circle Saturday afternoon and positioned herself to launch. This was to be her fifth throw in the shot put competition, although Lockhart and the rest of the field could have just as easily spared themselves a few extra tosses as any of Lockhart’s five throws in the event would have won the individual championship.
Uncorking a Neta and Eddie DeRose Thunderbowl facility record 16.75-meter bomb (54 feet 11.5 inches), just two inches shy of her own school record, Lockhart concluded her Laker career a champion, a day after besting the field by over 19-feet in the discus with a facility and meet record throw of 58.08-meters (190’7’’).

“As I watched her take her last shot put in a GV uniform, I got very emotional knowing I watched one of the greatest (and most humble) throwers in Division II history finish her career,” said GVSU head coach Jerry Baltes. “I am so thankful we had the opportunity to have her as a part of our track and field program/family.”

Lockhart will retire with five individual national titles (three indoor, two outdoor), 13 career All-American honors (seven outdoor, six indoor) and a fistful of records concluding her four years as a Laker. What she did not retire with was a fifth team national title, where she will stand pat at as a member of two outdoor and indoor team championships apiece.

The lady Lakers finished in third place behind the Academy of the Arts and Johnson C. Smith University after tallying 51 points over three days of competition in Pueblo, Colo., putting a succinct, albeit slightly unsatisfying wrap without a glossy bow to their 2013 season.

“We are happy with our third place finish but not content,” Polk said. “The disappointing part of the meet is not the overall place, but we definitely had spots were we just came up short. I’m sure all of the girls would have liked to perform a little better than they did across the board and that would have put us right at the top.”

Accompanying Lockhart on the All-American honor board, bestowed upon each top-eight finisher in every event, on the women’s side were junior Kristen Hixson, who finished third in the pole vault after clearing a height of 4.2-meters (13’9.25’’), freshman Laura Schroeder and junior Alyssa Zokoe, who finished seventh and eighth, respectively in the hammer throw with matching throws of 55.2-meters (181’1’’), junior Courtney Brewis, who placed seventh in the 10,000-meter run with a gusty 36 minute 43.94 second time, junior Hannah Osborn, who finished sixth in the steeplechase with a time of 11:03.13 and junior Kalena Franklin, who contributed her fourth career All-American performance and first in the 100-meter hurdles, finishing fourth in the field with a time of 13.62 seconds.

Perhaps more impressive than any individual performance were the efforts of the 4×100 and 4×400-meter relays, both of which merited All-American recognition and shattered GVSU school-records.

The 4×100 relay team, composed of sophomores Carly Scott and Brittney Banister and juniors Kayla Addison and Michaela Lewis, finished sixth with a time of 45.58 seconds while the 4×400 group, which included freshman Brittany Terry, sophomores Andrea Kober and Bannister and junior Franklin, closed out the final event of the third and final day of competition with a dramatic fifth-place finish, crossing the line in a time of 3:41.48.

“We always feel if we make the meet, we will do well and this was a great weekend for our relays,” Baltes said. “This was the first time in many years that our women made the 4×100 and the first time we ever scored. It’s always great to end the season on a high note, as both squads did.”

The GVSU men, who only managed to net 10 total points and finished the meet in 27th place, displayed several solid performances throughout the competition, but struggled in the Colorado thin air to breath life into a signature, breakout performance. They did however refuse to leave Pueblo without a couple of All-Americans to call their own.

Wasting no time, freshman Darien Thornton scored on his first far-reaching attempt in the first event of the competition, the men’s hammer throw, placing third with a launch of 63-meters (206’8’’). Sophomore Trent Chappell finished fifth in the men’s high jump after clearing a height of 2.15 meters (7’0.5’’), just 1.5 inches of his own school record.

Coming in just under the All-American bar were freshman Sean Wells, who finished 10th in the field despite pacing a new GVSU school-record in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 14.08 seconds, sophomore Bret Myers, who finished ninth in the pole vault after clearing a height of 4.95-meters (16’2.75’’) and senior Matt Armstrong, who finished 10th in the men’s shot put with a throw of 16.97-meters (55’8.25’’).

“Our men had some things just not go our way – we had a handful of kids just miss making finals or scoring,” Baltes said. “The altitude was tough on our distance crew which was the first time for all of them competing in.”

Replacing a Sam Lockhart as a teammate, a competitor and as an entity will be a near impossible task.

What has distinguished GVSU as one of the top athletic institutions in the nation however is its consummate ability to move on to the next season. With young talent waiting in the wings and models like Lockhart and the rest of the senior class to exemplify – there’s no telling to what lofty reaches the next crop of GVSU athletic fables might climb.

“We were pleased and proud of how our kids competed, but are confident our returners will come back hungry to compete at an even higher level come next year,” Baltes said.

[email protected]