The Dordt University women's track and field team won three titles at the 2025 Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Outdoor Championships held this weekend on the Osborne Family Sports Complex in Hastings, Neb.
A day after
Courtney Joiner claimed the title in the 10,000m on Friday night, the Defenders came back and won two more titles on Saturday as
Corinne Braun took home gold in the 1500m and the 4x400 relay claimed the top prize in the final event of the championship.
Dordt placed third out of 12 teams once the final numbers had been tallied, its fifth consecutive top three finish and 12th straight in the top five at the outdoor championship. The Defenders accounted for 149 points, well in front of fourth place College of Saint Mary (Neb.) with 68 and only 14 points in back of second place Concordia (Neb.) with 163. Doane won the team title with 222 points.
- Last 12 years at the GPAC Outdoor:
- 2025 - 3rd
- 2024 - 3rd
- 2023 - 2nd
- 2022 - 3rd
- 2021 - 3rd
- 2020 - canceled due to CoVID
- 2019 - 4th
- 2018 - 5th
- 2017 - 4th
- 2016 - 4th
- 2015 - 3rd
- 2014 - 4th
- 2013 - 3rd
Defender Notes:
- Corinne Braun surged ahead with one lap to go and proceeded to win the GPAC title in the 1500m
- Braun's time of 4:40 was eight seconds faster than her teammate, Jaci Burtis, who placed second
- the freshman ranks No.2 all-time at Dordt, just behind Justine Van Zee (4:38.99 - 2017)
- the Defenders 4x400 relay team of Lindsay Grau, Kaitlyn Wercinski, Kailee Altena and Shelby Buwalda, won the GPAC title with a season-best time of 3:51.34
- the time ranks 12th in the NAIA and is just .34 away from the auto mark
- Courtney Joiner won the 10,000m on Friday night (see Friday's recap for details)
- Kaitlyn Wercinski recorded three top five finishes and ran a personal-best in all three events
- Wercinski began the afternoon with a fourth place showing in the 400m and crossed the finish line in 57.70, No.5 all-time at Dordt
- the freshman followed with a third place finish and season-best time in the 400m hurdles (1:04.68); the time ranks No.4 all-time at Dordt
- Wercinski concluded the championship with a 58 split on the second carry of the Defenders winning 4x400 relay
- Hannah Thong and Joiner scored points in both the 10,000 and 5000m
- Makenna Walhof and Fran Travis recorded top eight finishes in two field events each
- the Defenders scored points (top eight finish) in 15 of the 22 events, led by the 1500m and steeplechase with 21 points each
- Dordt scored double-digit points in six events; discus, 4x400 relay, 10,000m, 5000m, steeplechase, 1500m
- the Defenders had the highest point total among the 12 teams in five events
- 1500m, Steeple, 5000m, 10K, 4x400
- Defenders who scored points in multiple events (8):
- Kaitlyn Wercinski (400m, 400m hurdles, 4x400)
- Shelby Buwalda (400m, 4x400)
- Arielle DeYoung (800m, 4x800)
- Olivia Hoogland (1500m, 4x800)
- Hannah Thong (5000m, 10,000m)
- Courtney Joiner (5000m, 10,000m)
- Makenna Walhof (Discus, Hammer)
- Fran Travis (Discus, Shot Put)
GPAC Champions (3):
Defenders Who Scored Points: 28 (finished among the top eight in their event):
- 400m (2):
- 400m Hurdles (2):
- 800m (2):
- 1500m (3):
- Steeplechase (4):
- 5000m (3):
- 10,000m (2): (from Friday)
- Discus (2):
- Hammer (2): (from Friday)
- High Jump:
- Javelin: (from Friday)
- Shot Put:
- 4x100 Relay - 6th: 49.64 (Ryli Thompson, Ada Dekkers, Kailee Altena, Caitlin Vander Kooy)
- 4x400 Relay - 1st: 3:51.34 (Lindsay Grau, Kailee Altena, Kaitlyn Wercinski, Shelby Buwalda)
- 4x4800 Relay - 3rd: 9:31 (Arielle DeYoung, Olivia Hoogland, Jenna Hursh, Ashlynn Davis) (from Friday)
National Qualifers (1):
- 4x400 Relay (Grau, Wercinski, Altena, Buwalda)
Times / Marks in the All-Time Top 10 (9)
Personal Best Times / Marks (24):
