GLIAC -- The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) has announced weekly awards following the sixth weekend of the 2018 outdoor track and field season. In women's competition, Michigan Tech junior Liz Bloch earned GLIAC Track Athlete of the Week honors, while Grand Valley State junior Bobbie Goodwin captured GLIAC Field Athlete of the Week accolades. On the men's side, the Ashland junior Myles Pringle earned GLIAC Track Athlete of the Week distinction, while Grand Valley State sophomore Jacob Battani captured GLIAC Field Athlete of the Week recognition.
WOMEN'S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Liz Bloch, Michigan Tech
Liz Bloch, a junior from St. Clair Shores, Michigan, highlighted the weekend at the Gina Relays for the Huskies by shattering the school record in the 1500 Meter Run with a time of 4:29.88. The time generated a sixth place finish in the championship round of the event. The previous school record was 4:35.22 which was set in 2015 by Deedra Irwin.
Bloch also claimed third in the championship section of the 800 Meter Run by hitting the line with a time of 2:12.07. She was just four seconds off the pace of Dillon McClintock from Michigan State who won the event with a time of 2:08.74.
Bloch is an NCAA Division II provisional qualifier in both the 1500 Meter Run and 800 Meter Run this season. She ranks 20th nationally in the 800 and is 23rd in the nation in the 1500. At the GLIAC level, Bloch boasts a ranking of second in the 800 and is third in the 1500.
WOMEN'S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Bobbie Goodwin, Grand Valley State
Grand Valley State junior Bobbie Goodwin had a career day for the Lakers as she placed first in the discus during the Calvin Tune-Up. Goodwin, and set a personal-best and hit a provisional mark of 46.93m (154’ 0”) in the event and surpassed her old record of 45.75m (150’1”). Goodwin’s mark ranks first in the GLIAC and 26th in Division II.
MEN'S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Myles Pringle, Ashland
At the ninth Ashland Alumni Open on Saturday (April 28), junior Myles Pringle won the men’s 200-meter dash in 21.34 seconds, the men’s high jump at 2.14 meters/7-feet-0¼, and the men’s 400 dash in 46.64 seconds, the latter for a new facility record. The high jump mark moved him into fifth place on the NCAA Division II national list.
MEN'S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Jacob Battani, Grand Valley State
Grand Valley State sophomore Jacob Battani reached a personal-best in the pole vault this past weekend, after he reached an automatic height and cleared 5.20m (17’ 0.75”), passing his old record of 5.16m (16’ 11”) en route to a first place finish during the Hillsdale “GINA” Relays. Battani now holds the best mark in the GLIAC and is tied with the third-best mark in Division II.
