The Dordt University men's track and field team won five titles and set four records at the 2025 GPAC Indoor Championship held today at the Avera / DWU Sports and Wellness Complex in Mitchell, S.D.
Payton Mauldin won three GPAC titles, taking first in the 200m and 600m, while anchoring the Defenders winning 4x400 relay.
Ryan Schober collected a pair of GPAC Championships, winning the 60m with a school record time while also being part of the 4x400 relay, along with
Isaac Davelaar and
Noah Schroder.
Jacob Schmoll was the fifth and final Defender to win a title, earning a victory in the 400m.
Dordt finished as the GPAC runner-up to Doane in the final team standings, totaling 159 points to the Tigers 220.5. The Defenders have finished first or second in each of the last six indoor championships, placing as the runner-up four times (2020, 2022, 2024 and 2025) and winning twice (2021 and 2023). This was the Defenders ninth consecutive top five finish.
Mauldin won his first GPAC title of the championship in the 600m, doing so in his "vintage" Mauldin fashion where he stayed in the middle of the pack for the first lap, moved to the front by the end of the second lap and pushed it into high gear over the final 200m to ensure the win. Mauldin's time, 1:17.59, established a 24-year meet record held by Jacob Koczman (Northwestern, 2001). This was the fourth GPAC title for Mauldin in the 600m, also winning the championship in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
Schober won the Defenders second conference title of the day and the first of his career in the 60m. The senior won his preliminary heat with the second fastest time overall (6.94) and came back to win the final with a school-record time of 6.88. This was Schober's first win in an individual event and his first time earning all-conference honors for the indoor season. Schober also placed fifth in the 200m, earning all-conference honors in his second individual event.
Schmoll won his first ever GPAC title, taking first in the 400m with a personal-best time of 50.29. The sophomore, running in the second of three heats, crossed the finish line first in his section by nearly a second and then had to wait until after the final heat was complete to claim the title. Caleb Mulder (Doane) ran a 50.37 to win the third heat but Schmoll's time held up.
Mauldin won his second individual championship of the day in one of the last races, taking first in the 200m. The senior came across the finish line in 21.85, just ahead of both Leighton Olesen (Morningside) and Wilton George (Briar Cliff). This was the first conference title for Mauldin in the 200m.
The Defenders 4x400 relay team of Schober, Mauldin,
Isaac Davelaar and
Noah Schroder secured the fifth and final GPAC title and did so with a championship record time of 3:17.18, nearly six seconds ahead of second place Northwestern. This was Mauldin's 21st GPAC title of his career.
A total of 28 Defender entries earned all-conference honors on the day (top eight finishers in individual events, top three in relays), 27 in individual events and one relay. Dordt had at least one all-conference athlete in every individual track event entered and four of the six field events. The Defenders had the most all-conference entries (4) in the 5000m while the 1000m, Mile and 3000m all had three all-conference entries.
Noah Schroder earned all-conference honors in the 400m for the second consecutive year, placing fourth with a time of 50.69.
Isaac Davelaar finished as the GPAC runner-up in the 600m, running a personal-best time that also broke the championship record (along with Mauldin). Including his GPAC Championship as part of the 4x400 relay, Davelaar has earned all-conference seven times in his career.
Two Defenders,
Hunter Shanks and
Trace Obbink, placed in the top eight and earned all-conference honors in the 800m. Shanks, who earned his fourth all-conference honor in the event and first as a Defender, recorded a time of 1:58 and placed sixth while Obbink placed seventh with a time of 1:59.34.
Dordt scored 13 points in the 1000m as
Luke Swanson,
Jonathan Breems and
Justin Kroeze all placed in the top eight and earned all-conference honors. Swanson, now a two-time all-conference runner in the 1000m, held for third place with a time of 2:35.6 while Breems finished fourth and ran a personal-best time of 2:35.79. Kroeze placed seventh (2:36) and both he and Breems earned all-conference honors for the first time.
Both Swanson and Kroeze, along with
Kaden Van Wyngarden, produced 18 points with their finish in the mile. Van Wyngarden ran a huge personal-best time (4:19), 10th-best all-time in program history, to finish second behind GPAC Champion Michael Grigsby (Doane). Swanson placed third and Kroeze fifth, giving both runners all-conference honors in their second event of the 2025 championship.
Three Defenders finished among the top eight in the 3000m, the final individual event of the championship.
Ethan Summerhays placed second and ran a season-best time of 8:48, earning all-conference honors for the second time in the event.
Tage Hulstein ran a personal-best 8:54 and placed fifth for his second all-conference honor in an individual event.
Aidan Vorster claimed all-conference honors for the fourth straight year, placing sixth with a season-best time of 8:55.7.
Dordt scored the most points in the 5000m (19) with four Defenders placing in the top eight. Summerhays (2nd), Hulstein (4th), Vorster (5th) all claimed their second all-conference honor of the championship. Hulstein ran a personal-best time and both Summerhays and Vorster earned the all-conference honor for the fourth time in the event.
Levi Landman placed seventh overall (15:38) and claimed the postseason honor for the second time overall and the first time in the event.
Micah Schaap recorded a pair of all-conference performances to lead the Defenders in field events, placing sixth in both the long jump and triple jump. This is the third straight season Schaap has placed among the top eight in both events at the GPAC Championship.
Willem Den Hartog and
Nathan Adams both earned all-conference honors with a third and sixth place finish in the pole vault. Den Hartog matched his career best by clearing 4.45m (14'7.25") and Adams cleared a personal-best 4.30m (14'-01.25").
Derek Heynen earned all-conference honors in the shot put for the second time as the sophomore placed seventh with a personal-best mark of 15.16m (49-09), ranking second best all-time in program history.
Eight Dordt athletes earned all-conference honors in multiple individual events;
Four Dordt runners earned all-conference honors in an individual event(s) and one relay;
GPAC Champions (5):
Championship Records (3):
- Dayton Brunsting - 1000m Heptathlon, broke old mark (2:40.91) set by Grant Brouwer (Dordt) in 2021
- Payton Mauldin - 600m, broke old mark (1:19.23) set by Jacob Koczman (Northwestern) in 2001
- 4x400 Relay, broke old mark (3:18.66) set by Mount Marty in 2019
Program Record (1):
National Qualifier Times / Marks (4):
All-Time Top 10's (5):
Personal Bests (20):
Defenders Who Earned All-Conference (28):
