INDIANAPOLIS – A total of 25 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) student-athletes earned a total of 31 All-America accolades, while one earned a national title last week at the 2015 NCAA Division II Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships, held May 21-23 in Allendale, Michigan.
Additionally, the GLVC saw the University of Southern Indiana men’s program place ninth overall -- the highest finish for the league since 2006 – and Lewis University tie for 12th on the women’s side, the conference’s best placement at nationals since 2008. Former member SIU Edwardsville holds the current marks with a tie for seventh on the men’s side at the 2006 event, while its women’s program placed fifth in 2008.
In the men’s competition, Southern Indiana netted 33 points and was trailed by conference members Lewis (8) in 32nd and the University of Indianapolis (3) and Saint Joseph’s College (3) in a tie for 43rd. On the women’s side, Lewis scored 18 points in the 12th-place tie, followed by USI (15) tied for 17th, UIndy (3) tied for 54th, Bellarmine University (2) tied for 58th, and Saint Joseph’s (1) tied for 67th.
USI’s Tyler Pence won his second national championship in less than three months as the 5,000-meter indoor national champion claimed gold in the 10,000 meters at the outdoor meet. Pence was one of three Screaming Eagles to finish in the top six of the distance event, with 2014 NCAA II 10,000-meter champion and fellow classmate Johnnie Guy finishing second and sophomore Josh Guy finishing sixth.
Other individual feats included Lewis’ Rebecca Preisler, who fell just shy of completing the NCAA title sweep in the pole vault as the indoor champion placed second last week, while teammates Megan Marchildon and Chantel Stennis, Bellarmine’s Emily Frith, and USI’s Julia Kohnen, as well as her fellow Eagles Pence and Johnnie Guy doubled up on All-America distinction in multiple events.
Student-athletes earned first-team U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-America honors by virtue of finishing among the top eight in their events, including as a member of a relay. For the first time, second-team honors were bestowed upon those finishing ninth through 12th.
Of the 31 All-America distinctions, 25 were first-team accolades made up of 16 women and nine men, while the remaining six second-team laurels were earned by four women and two men. All totaled, GLVC women’s track and field representatives netted 20 of the 31 All-America awards for the league.
Below is a complete list of the GLVC’s 25 competitors and their 31 All-Americans honors:
|
MEN |
Event |
Finish (All-America Team) |
|
Austin Hogan, Indianapolis |
Discus |
6th (1st) |
|
Kevin Dorenkamper, Lewis |
400m Hurdles |
4th (1st) |
|
Andrew McLain, Lewis |
5,000m |
6th (1st) |
|
Lucas Rosenbaum, Missouri S&T |
Pole Vault |
12th (2nd) |
|
Logan Barrett, Saint Joseph’s |
1,500m |
6th (1st) |
|
Johnnie Guy, Southern Indiana |
5,000m/10,000m |
5th (1st)/2nd (1st) |
|
Josh Guy, Southern Indiana |
10,000m |
6th (1st) |
|
Hunter Motz, Southern Indiana |
Steeplechase |
11th (2nd) |
|
Tyler Pence, Southern Indiana |
5,000m/10,000m |
2nd (1st)/1st (1st) |
|
|
|
|
|
WOMEN |
Event |
Finish (All-America Team) |
|
Cidnei Johnson, Bellarmine |
4x400m Relay |
7th (1st) |
|
Meghan Roby, Bellarmine |
4x400m Relay |
7th (1st) |
|
Olivia Wrocklage, Bellarmine |
4x400m Relay |
7th (1st) |
|
Meghan Jones, Bellarmine |
4x400m Relay |
7th (1st) |
|
Emily Frith, Bellarmine |
5,000m/10,000m |
11th (2nd)/10th (2nd) |
|
Farin Hickman, Indianapolis |
Hammer Throw |
6th (1st) |
|
Megan Marchildon, Lewis |
100m Hurdles/4x400m Relay |
7th (1st)/6th (1st) |
|
Zoe Mead, Lewis |
4x400m Relay |
6th (1st) |
|
Amy Polhemus, Lewis |
4x400m Relay |
6th (1st) |
|
Rebecca Preisler, Lewis |
Pole Vault |
2nd (1st) |
|
Chantel Stennis, Lewis |
400m/4x400m Relay |
4th (1st)/ 6th (1st) |
|
Amanda Farrough, Lewis |
5,000m |
9th (2nd) |
|
Elizabeth Kiblinger, Maryville |
10,000m |
12th (2nd) |
|
Samantha Nirva, Saint Joseph’s |
100m Hurdles |
8th (1st) |
|
Skylair Hilton, Southern Indiana |
10,000m |
6th (1st) |
|
Julia Kohnen, Southern Indiana |
5,000m/10,000m |
5th (1st)/2nd (1st) |