The Event: 

• the Dordt University women's track and field team will in two meets early this week; Concordia Invite and USD Early Bird
• both meets are adjustments to the schedule due to the inclement weather last weekend
• on Monday, April 6, the Defenders will send the steeplechase crew to compete at a meet hosted by Concordia
• the rest of the Defenders will head to Vermillion, S.D. on Wednesday, April 8 to compete in the USD Early Bird

How to Follow / Important Links:

• Live Results (Black Squirrel Timing)
• Live Results | courtesy of Dakota Timing (USD)
• Schedule of Events (Concordia) | USD
• Heat Sheets | Flight Sheets (when available)

• this is the second 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.

Last Time Out:

• the Defenders opened their outdoor season at the Wildcat Classic, a two-day meet hosted by Wayne State College last weekend
• 3 national qualifiers:
  • Makenna Walhof - Hammer
  • Makenna Walhof - Discus
  • Fran Travis - Discus
• 3 winning entries:
  • Shelby Buwalda - 400m
  • Addy Liston - 800m
  • 4x400 Relay (Den Herder, Wercinski, DeYoung, Buwalda)
• 1 school record:
  • Makenna Walhof - Hammer
• 3 all-time top 10's:
  • Anna Heynen - 100m (T4th)
  • Makenna Walhof - Hammer (1st)
  • Fran Travis - Hammer (4th)
• 13 personal bests
• 35 top 10 finishes

National Qualifiers This Season (Outdoor): 

• Makenna Walhof - Hammer (2nd)
• Makenna Walhof - Discus (5th)
• Fran Travis - Discus (7th)

• Anna Heynen - 100m (T4th)
• Makenna Walhof - Hammer (1st)
• Fran Travis - Hammer (4th)

GPAC Runners / Athletes of the Week: 

• Makenna Walhof - April 1

Rankings:

• the Defenders open the season ranked 17th in the first outdoor poll released by the USTFCCCA
• Dordt is one of three teams from the GPAC in the current top 25; Doane (3) and Concordia (13)
• the Defenders totaled 117 points, carried by three field event entries ranked in the top 10 in the NAIA
  • Makenna Walhof - Hammer (2nd)
  • Makenna Walhof - Discus (4th)
  • Fran Travis - Discus (6th)
• Dordt's 4x400 relay is ranked sixth and is the highest ranking in a running event
  • Den Herder, Wercinski, DeYounge, Buwalda

• 100m - Anna Heynen: 12.28
• 200m - Kailee Altena: 25.44
• 400m - Shelby Buwalda: 58.38
• 800m - Addy Liston: 2:20
• 1500m - Jeni Burtis: 5:00
• 5000m - Jessica Opfer: 19:06
• 10,000m - n/a
• 100m Hurdles - Faith Minderhoud: 16.67
• 400m Hurdles - Kaitlyn Wercinski: 1:05
• Steeplechase - n/a
• High Jump - Ada Smies: 1.59m / 5'02.50"
• Pole Vault - Karly Champness: 2.63m / 8'07.50"
• Long Jump - Taydem Graden: 5.31m / 17'05.25"
• Triple Jump - n/a
• Shot Put - Fran Travis: 12.56m / 41'02.50"
• Discus - Makenna Walhof: 47.68m / 156'05"
• Hammer - Makenna Walhof: 55.35m / 181'07"
• Javelin - Ava Ingwersen: 30.79m / 101'00"
• Heptathlon: n/a
• 4x100 Relay: 50.95 (Houser, Balt, Grau, Vander Kooy)
• 4x400 Relay: 3:57 (Den Herder, Wercinski, DeYoung, Buwalda)
• 4x800 Relay: n/a

Defenders in the Top 10 in GPAC Performance List (April 2):

• 100m:
  • Anna Heynen - 6th
  • Kailee Altena - 9th
• 200m:
  • Kailee Altena - 7th
  • Shelby Buwalda - 10th
• 400m:
  • Shelby Buwalda - 3rd
• 800m:
  • Addy Liston - 1st
• 1500m:
  • Jeni Burtis - 6th
  • Addy Crow - 7th
  • Macy Marshall - 9th
  • Raegan Snieder - 10th
• 5000m:
  • Jessica Opfer - 2nd
• 400m Hurdles:
  • Kaitlyn Wercinski - 4th
  • Faith Minderhoud - 9th
• High Jump:
  • Ada Smies - 4th
• Long Jump:
  • Taydem Graden - 3rd
  • Jenna Balt - 7th
  • Jenny Lumkes - 10th
• Shot Put:
  • Fran Travis - 4th
• Discus:
  • Makenna Walhof - 1st
  • Fran Travis - 3rd
• Hammer:
  • Makenna Walhof - 1st
  • Fran Travis - 7th
• 4x100 Relay - 5th (Houser, Balt, Grau, Vander Kooy)
• 4x400 Relay - 1st (Den Herder, Wercinski, Dekkers, Buwalda)