The Dordt University men's track and field team raised the GPAC championship banner after winning its first ever outdoor title this afternoon at the Defenders home complex at Open Space Park in Sioux Center, Iowa.
In a back-and-forth battle with Doane for most of the two-day championship, the Defenders pulled ahead for good in the team standings late in the afternoon after great showings in the 800m, 400m hurdles, triple jump, 200m, 5000m and 4x400 relay. Dordt totaled 210 points and finished nearly 50 points ahead of the second place Tigers. Concordia (112pts), Mount Marty (86pts) and Midland (78pts) round out the top five teams.
The Defender men's track and field / cross country program is the first to win all three titles (cross country, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field) since Nebraska Wesleyan accomplished the trifecta in 2005-06. Dordt went on to win the national title in cross country last fall, placed third overall in a tight battle at the NAIA Indoor Championship in March and will now head to the national outdoor championship in Indiana later this month.
Dordt claimed eight titles over the two-day event, led by
Payton Mauldin who won two individual championships (400 / 800m) and anchored the Defenders championship 4x400 relay.
Mauldin, with his three overall titles, was named the championship's most outstanding performer.
Peyton Miller won a pair of titles (400m Hurdles, 4x400 Relay) while
Trey Engen (1500m),
Joe Anderson (5000m) and
Micah Schaap (Triple Jump) all claimed one championship each.
Mauldin's first win came in the 400m where the junior ran a personal best time (47.76) and hit the NAIA 'A' standard once again. He finished just ahead of his Defender teammate,
Levi Schelhaas, who ran a personal best time (48.31) and hit the 'B' standard. Mauldin followed with a win the 800m, where, in third place after 500m, moved to the front on the back straightaway and held his position for the win. Three Defender teammates,
Cole Zevenbergen,
Trey Engen and
Josiah Wittenberg also placed among the top eight and added to the point total. Mauldin capped off his impressive day with an anchor carry in the Defenders winning 4x400 relay. Other relay members include
Peyton Miller,
Jon De Haan and
Cole Zevenbergen.
Prior to helping the Defenders win the 4x400 relay, Miller cruised to the 400m hurdles championship with a school record time of 52.77 and earned all-conference honors for the second consecutive year. Miller hit the 'A' standard and will head to the NAIA Championships with the No.6 time in the nation. Two of Miller's teammates,
Dawson Teune and
Devin Bos, finished seventh and eighth, respectively, to take home all-conference honors.
Engen won the 1500m with a career-best and 'A' standard time of 3:52.6. Running with his teammate,
Joe Anderson, for most of the race, Engen went ahead for good with a great final 400m to claim the gold. Anderson was second (3:54.93) and hit the 'B' standard while
Sam May placed sixth (4:02.25).
Anderson picked up a win in the 5000m and led a trio of Dordt runners who finished among the top three. Anderson's time, 14:48, was good for the 'B' standard, set a GPAC record (old record was Dana Schmidt, Concordia - 14:53.53) and was three seconds faster than his Defenders teammate,
Aidan Vorster, who placed second (14:51).
Davis Tebben was third (14:55).
Micah Schaap earned the win and picked up 10 points for the Defenders with a personal best in the triple jump. The freshman recorded a mark of 13.99m (45-10.75) on his third and final attempt in the prelims for the win.
Grant Brouwer placed fourth overall (13.65) and also picked up points with a third place finish in the high jump.
The Defenders 4x100 relay broke the school record and hit the 'A' standard once again to finish second in the closest race of the championships. The team of
Levi Schelhaas.
Logan Franken,
Ryan Schober and
Luke Wagner completed the race with a time of 40.85, just behind Northwestern.
A total of 33 Defender entries earned all-conference honors (31 individual, 2 relays) by placing in the top eight in individual events and top three in relay; 24 Defenders set personal best times / marks.
Defender Champions (8):
Defender All-Conference Honors (33) :
- 100m:
- 110m Hurdles:
- 200m:
-
-
- 400m:
- 400m Hurdles:
- 800m:
- 1500m:
- Steeplechase (2):
- 5000m:
- 10,000m:
- 4x100 Relay - 2nd: 40.85
- 4x400 Relay - 1st: 3:15.43
- High Jump:
- Triple Jump:
- Long Jump:
- Javelin:
- Jon De Haan - 2nd: 58.15m / 190-09.5
- NAIA A standard - 18th in NAIA
- personal best mark
Defender Personal Best Times / Marks (24):
