Friday and Saturday, Mankato, Minn., witnessed a team so hungry it made the “Hunger Games” competitors look stuffed, as the Grand Valley State University women’s track and field team won their second-straight NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field National Championship, while the GVSU men’s team claimed three All-America honors.

“This is a total team, program, athletic administration and school, accomplishment,” said GVSU men’s and women’s head coach Jerry Baltes. “It is not just the kids that were out here competing and the coaching staff. Everyone involved had a little bit to do to help us get where we were today.”

Five National Championship event winners, three second-place finishes and five additional top-eight placers that earned All-America honors culminated in the women scoring 94 team points, greatly outdistancing second-place Adams State University with 51.

“Everyone did the best that they could do and we all worked hard to get here,” said junior Sam Lockhart, who claimed the first individual National Championship of her career on her final toss in the weight throw with a mark of 67 feet, 6 inches, a NCAA Division II National Championship meet record. “I think we are still hungry for even more. It is awesome, but it is still not enough.”

The distance medley relay team of grad students Betsy Graney and Rachel Patterson, and sophomores Leiah Hess and Lisa Galasso, finished in 11 minutes 23.35 seconds, also a meet record. Meanwhile, sophomore Kristen Hixson earned an individual title, winning the pole vault by clearing a career-best 13 feet, 1.50 inches.

Another thrower, senior Lauren Buresh, captured the individual crown in the shot put with a toss of 52 feet, 10.25 inches, just beating out Lockhart, who held a slim margin prior to Buresh’s final throw.

Patterson also claimed another title in the 5,000-meter run, finishing with a meet record time of 16:07.28, demolishing the previous record of 16:16.77, held by former GVSU Laker Mandi Zemba.

“Our kids really did a great job of staying focused on themselves and just competing to the best of their ability,” Baltes said. “You can’t worry what everyone else is doing. We did a very good job of that.”

The men, meanwhile, finished 22nd in the team results with 10 points. Grand Canyon University captured the men’s National Championship.

In his first-ever National Championship meet, GVSU senior Anthony Witt earned All-America honors. Fellow senior Tyler Emmorey also received All-America recognition, as did sophomore Bret Myers.

“We didn’t bring as many people as we were hoping to coming into the season,” Witt said. “We are happy to come away with three of the five as All-Americans. Hopefully we can improve on that vastly going into the outdoor season.”

Witt finished fourth in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 14:20.46. Emmorey, competing in his final race in a Laker uniform, crossed the finish line eighth in a time of 14:28.66, earning his fourth All-America honor.

“It is one of the best life decisions I have ever made was coming to this school because of the program and the people,” Emmorey said. “Really all the guys on the team I can count on. It has been a great ride and it is sad to see it end, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

Myers tallied a fifth-place finish in the pole vault, clearing 16-04.75 to earn All-America honors in his first-ever appearance at the NCAA National Championships.

“They competed well and competed hard,” Baltes said. “They didn’t have as many bodies, but we are very proud of our men as well. I am proud to be a part of it.”

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