GLIAC -- The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) has announced its fifth weekly awards of the 2023 outdoor track & field season. Grand Valley State graduate student Jackson Blanchard (men's track), junior Eli Kosiba (men's field) and senior Emma Richards (women's field) were honored in addition to Michigan Tech senior Jesse Jacobusse (women's track).
MEN'S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK - Jackson Blanchard, Grand Valley State
Jackson Blanchard earns his second GLIAC Men's Track Athlete of the Week honors for the 2023 outdoor season after competing at the Al Owens Classic this weekend. Blanchard took home two Top 5 finishes this weekend as he placed first in the men's 110m hurdles with a time of 14.35 and fourth in the 200m with a new personal-best time of 21.61.
WOMEN'S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK - Jesse Jacobusse, Michigan Tech
Michigan Tech senior Jesse Jacobusse has been named GLIAC Track Athlete of the Week. Jacobusse, hailing from Chelsea, Michigan, won the women’s 800m at the Phil Esten Challenge with lap splits of 1:08.26 through 400m and an eye-opening 1:02.14 second lap to set a new personal-best time of 2:10.39. She won the race by over four seconds and her time now sets her 21st in the nation.
MEN'S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK - Eli Kosiba, Grand Valley State
This weekend at the Al Owens Classic, Eli Kosiba broke the Grand Valley State school record in the men's high jump (outdoor) clearing a new personal-best height of 2.25m. The previous school record was set by Kosiba last season with a height of 2.21m. In addition, Kosiba holds the school record in the men's high jump (indoor) with a height of 2.23m. Currently, Kosiba ranks first on the USTFCCCA National List in both Division I and Division II with a height of 2.25m.
WOMEN'S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK - Emma Richards, Grand Valley State
Emma Richards claims her second GLIAC Women's Field Athlete of the Week honors for the 2023 outdoor season after competing at the Al Owens Classic. Richards took on both the women's shot put invite and discus invite this weekend, earning a Top 3 finish in both events. Richards finished first in the shot put invite with a throw of 15.67m and third in the discus invite throwing a distance of 47.38m.
