2018 GLIAC Indoor Track & Field Championships Central
ALLENDALE, Mich. -- Two records came crashing down on the first day of the 2018 GLIAC Indoor Track & Field Championships hosted on the campus of Grand Valley State University inside the Kelly Family Sports Center. GVSU leads both the men's and women's rankings after Saturday action with the bulk of the finals heats to follow on Sunday.
GVSU junior distance runner Zach Panning smashed the conference record in the Men's 5000 Meter Run with a blazing time of 14:17.74 on his home track to take down the old record set by Joshua Mirth of Hillsdale from 2015. Freshman sensation Enael Woldemichael from GVSU finished second with Tom Goforth of Saginaw Valley finishing third.
Both GVSU Laker Distance Medley Relay squads earned first-place finish atop the podium to cap Saturday GLIAC Indoor action. The GVSU men's relay consisting of Joe Renner, Jaylin Golson, Dennis Mbuta and Wuoi Mach set a new GLIAC record with a time of 9:47.07 to capture the gold, nearly four seconds faster than the previous mark set by GVSU in 2015. Rachael Walters, Jessica Eby, Carly Burnup and Rachel Bendewald.
The GVSU continued its success in the Women's Pole Vault competition with a clean sweep of the podium positions. Freshman Ellianne Kimes leapt over the bar set at 12' 10 1/4" to earn the title ahead of her teammates junior Lucy Buckholz in second and sophomre Sara Overbeek in third.
Bobbie Goodwin took home the top prize in the Women's Weight Throw as the sophomore came through with the winning mark (19.71m) on her sixth and final attempt to defeat a pair of Ashland throwers in Natalie Helenthal and Gianna Dipippo. In the men's weight throw, Ashland's Alex Hill set the pace early on with a toss of 22.49 meters and never relinquished his lead with teammate Brent Fairbanks finishing second and Ferris State junior Cody Stilwell claiming third.
GVSU freshman Angelica Floyd posted a distance of 18' 8 3/4" in the Women's Long Jump to outdistance Tiffin sophomores Miaisha Blair and Shalbe Evans for the top spot. Tiffin freshman Vincent Vogel captured the Men's Long Jump crown as he hit the sand at 24' 11 3/4" to earn the win over Northwood freshman Mason Phillips and Isaiah Thomas from GVSU.
In the Women's 5,000 Meter Run, GVSU sophomore Hanna Groeber set the pace at 17:04.06 to claim the event championship with Northern Michigan senior Kameron Burmeister finishing runner-up while GVSU freshman Jessica Gockley wound up in third.
Stay tuned to @GLIACsports on Twitter and @GLIACsports on Instagram & Snapchat for coverage throughout the Championships.
