The Event: 

• the Dordt University men's track and field team is set to compete in the Red Raider Open this weekend
• the two-day meet will begin on Thursday, April 16 with the first event of the heptathlon at 1pm
• day two on Friday will resume at 9am with the first of the final three events of the heptathlon, followed by field events at 11am
• all of the events will take place at DeValois Stadium, Korver Field in Orange City, Iowa

How to Follow / Important Links:

• Live Results | courtesy of Dakota Timing
• Watch | courtesy of GPAC Network)
• Schedule of Events 
• Heat Sheets | 

Schedule Outlook:

• this is the fourth week of competition for the Defenders during the outdoor season
• the outdoor season is made up of five weeks of the regular season where the Defenders have scheduled eight meets, leading up to the conference championship in week six
• this year's GPAC Outdoor Championship will be on May 1-2 and hosted by Midland University in Fremont, Neb.
• following a "last chance qualifier" in Vermillion, S.D. on May 8, the Defenders, who qualify, will compete at the 2026 NAIA Outdoor Championships
• this year's outdoor championship will be in Asheville, N.C.

• nders, who qualify, will compete at the 2026 NAIA Outdoor Championships
• this year's outdoor championship will be in Asheville, N.C.

Last Time Out:

• the Defenders competed at the Sioux City Relays last weekend
• Willem Den Hartog set the school record by five inches in the pole vault
• the Defenders 4x200 relay was the lone entry to win an event 
  • Dordt's quartet of Noah Schroder, Levi Davelaar, Landon Meerdink, Isaac Davelaar crossed the finish line first and with the eighth fastest time in program history
• the Defenders had four runners finish among the top 10 in the 10,000m, led by Steven Hebert in fourth place
• the Defenders posted six marks / times in the all-time top 10
  • Derek Heynen - Shot Put (3rd)
  • Willem Den Hartog - Pole Vault (1st)
  • Steven Hebert - 10,000m (7th)
  • Derrek Vander Leest - 10,000m (9th)
  • 4x100 Relay - Luke Nikkel, Levi Davelaar, Jacob Schmoll, Noah Schroder (8th)
  • 4x200 Relay - Noah Schroder, Levi Davelaar, Landon Meerdink, Isaac Davelaar (8th)
• the Defenders registered 19 personal best times / marks
• Defender athletes recorded 19 top 10 finishes

All-Time Top 10's This Outdoor Season (12): 

• Willem Den Hartog - Pole Vault (1st)
• Derek Heynen - Shot Put (3rd)
• Thomas Peltzer - Shot Put (6th)
• Steven Hebert - 10,000m (7th)
• Micah Evenhouse - Pole Vault (8th)
• Grant Busker - High Jump (T8th)
• Landon Fransman - High Jump (T8th)
• 4x100 Relay - Luke Nikkel, Levi Davelaar, Jacob Schmoll, Noah Schroder (8th)
• 4x200 Relay - Noah Schroder, Levi Davelaar, Landon Meerdink, Isaac Davelaar (8th)
• Aidan Schaap - Long Jump (T9th)
• Derrek Vander Leest - 10,000m (9th)
• Isaac Davelaar - 200m (10th)

School Records for Outdoor Season (1):

• Willem Den Hartog - Pole Vault 

Top Performances This Outdoor Season / bold denotes last time out:

• 100m - Jacob Schmoll: 10.94
• 200m - Levi Schelhaas: 21.89
• 400m - Isaac Davelaar: 48.01
• 800m - Isaac Davelaar: 1:52
• 1500m - Justin Kroeze: 4:01
• 5000m - Caleb Van Beek: 15:38
• 10,000m - Steven Hebert: 31:59
• 110m Hurdles - Wyatt Tschida: 16.13
• 400m Hurdles - Will Gutzmer: 57.24
• Steeplechase - Hudson Hamilton: 9:51
• High Jump - Grant Busker / Landon Fransman: 1.97m / 6'05.05"
• Pole Vault - Willem Den Hartog: 4.77m / 15'07.75"
• Long Jump - Micah Schaap: 7.04m / 23'01.25"
• Triple Jump - Aidan Schaap: 12.65m / 41'06"
• Shot Put - Derek Heynen: 14.81m / 48'07.25"
• Discus - Derek Heynen: 40.15m / 131'-08"
• Hammer - Thomas Peltzer: 43.49m / 142'08"
• Javelin -  Ben Van Eps: 54.10m / 177'06"
• Decathlon: n/a
• 4x100 Relay: 42.29 (Luke Nikkel, Levi Davelaar, Jacob Schmoll, Noah Schroder)
• 4x400 Relay: 3:14 (Levi Schelhaas, Jacob Schmoll, Noah Schroder, Isaac Davelaar)
• 4x800 Relay: n/a
• 4x200 Relay: 1:29.34 (Noah Schroder, Levi Davelaar, Landon Meerdink, Isaac Davelaar)

Defenders in the Top 10 in GPAC Performance List (April 15) (33):

• 200m:
  • Levi Schelhaas - 8th
• 400m:
  • Isaac Davelaar - 3rd
  • Noah Schroder - 5th
  • Jacob Schmoll - 7th
• 800m:
  • Isaac Davelaar - 2nd
  • Trace Obbink - 9th
  • Ezra Landman - 10th
• 1500m:
  • Justin Kroeze - 6th
  • Hudson Hamilton - 9th
• 5000m:
  • Luke Swanson - 7th
  • Steven Hebert - 8th
• 10,000m:
  • Steven Hebert - 4th
  • Derrek Vander Leest - 5th
  • Chase Kamp - 6th
  • Brett Gifford - 7th
  • Isaac Vos - 9th
• 400m Hurdles:
  • Will Gutzmer - 9th
• Steeplechase:
  • Hudson Hamilton - 2nd
  • Truman Johnson - 3rd
  • Levi Landman - 5th
  • Isaac Fagan - 6th
  • Lawson Burkhart - 7th
  • Sammy King - 9th
• High Jump:
  • Landon Fransman / Grant Busker - T3rd
• Pole Vault:
  • Willem Den Hartog - 1st
  • Micah Evenhouse - 4th
  • Nathan Adams - 6th
  • Isaac Fergen - 9th
• Long Jump:
  • Micah Schaap - 2nd
• Shot Put:
  • Derek Heynen - 6th
• Javelin:
  • Ben Van Eps - 5th
• 4x100 Relay - 4th (Luke Nikkel, Levi Davelaar, Jacob Schmoll, Noah Schroder)
• 4x400 Relay - 1st (Miller, Schaap, Heinrichs, Davelaar)