Lakers continue exceptional streak, adding indoor crown to cross country and outdoor titles, with Mavericks rebounding following second-place finish last year to secure first championship; Williamson, Swoopes set all-time records and Bassitt wins three events

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Grand Valley State continued one of the most impressive runs by a men’s program in Division 2 history and the Minnesota State women finally broke through Saturday to secure their first title in the return of the indoor championship meet at the Robert W. Plaster Center in Pittsburg, Kan.

Following an outdoor title at home in May and the cross country crown in Florida in November, Grand Valley State continued its Division 2 men’s championship streak by earning its first indoor crown with 66 points, holding off another exceptional effort in the finals from a Trevor Bassitt-led Ashland team, which took runner-up with 49 points.

After placing second to Grand Valley State in last year’s indoor championship meet, Minnesota State relied on Denisha Cartwright and Makayla Jackson to turn the tables to capture its first women’s title with 58 points, ahead of the runner-up Lakers, who had 51 points.

Cheyenne Williamson of Saginaw Valley State produced the all-time division mark in the women’s pentathlon with 4,292 points, eclipsing the record of 4,193 points established by Lindsey Lettow of Central Missouri in 2012.

Zada Swoopes of West Texas A&M broke the Division 2 women’s shot put record with a mark of 58 feet, 0.25 inches (17.68m), surpassing the 2017 standard of 57-9.75 (17.62m) achieved by McKenzie Warren of Concordia (Oregon).

Bassitt was his usual brilliant self, winning the 60-meter hurdles by a 7.73 to 7.75 margin over Tyrin Lewis of West Texas A&M and the 400 meters by clocking 45.36, with Pittsburg State’s Braylen Brewer clocking 46.60 to finish second.

Ashland also prevailed in the 4x400 relay, with Bassitt anchoring to secure the title in 3:09.59 to deny Pittsburg State yet another championship in 3:10.81, with Brent Fairbanks winning the weight throw for the Eagles with a mark of 74-7 (22.73m) to continue to honor the memory of former coach Jud Logan, who died in January as a result of COVID-related pneumonia.

Brandon Miller captured the 200 title in 21.02 for Grand Valley State, holding off 60-meter champion Benjamin Azamati of West Texas A&M (21.32). Azamati won the 60 in 6.63 and Tiffin’s Malachi Adams clocked 6.71.

Titus Winders of Southern Indiana doubled in the 3,000 and 5,000.

Winders captured the 3,000 championship in 7:57.01, holding off Isaac Harding and Tanner Chada of Grand Valley State in 7:57.64 and 8:00.15, respectively. He was even more impressive against a deep 5,000 field, winning in 13:38.92, with Dillon Powell from Colorado School of Mines placing second in 13:42.58.

Harding (13:47.67) and Chada (13:48.20) were third and sixth for the Lakers, who also received sixth-place finishes from Makiyah Smallwood in the 60 hurdles (8.01) and the 4x400 relay in 3:12.46.

Wes Ferguson of Nebraska-Kearney emerged victorious in the 800 in 1:50.05, with Clement Paillon of American International finishing second in 1:50.47.

Callum Elson of American International won a tactical mile final in 4:08.59, after Lee standout Christian Noble was disqualified, denying him a title after he clocked 4:08.25. Austin Miller of Augustana was second in 4:08.96 and Caleb Futter of Grand Valley State took third in 4:08.99.

Noble did anchor Lee to a thrilling victory in the distance medley relay, as the Flames clocked 9:34.51, with Simon Fraser finishing second in 9:36.05.

Ushan Perera of Texas A&M-Commerce cleared 7-1.50 (2.17m) to extend his divisional dominance in the high jump, ahead of Grand Valley State’s Eli Kosiba at 7-0.25 (2.14m) and Jonathan Rankins-James at 6-11 (2.11m), with Ryan Stanley of Fort Hays State clearing 17-9.25 (5.42m) to prevail in the pole vault.

Jermel Jones II of Azusa Pacific triumphed in the long jump with a leap of 25-6.75 (7.79m).

Henry Kiner earned a triple jump victory in his home arena for Pittsburg State with a 53-2.75 (16.22m) performance.

Davenport’s Isaiah Schafer won the shot put with a mark of 62-4 (19.00m), as Grand Valley State’s Myles Kerner was fifth at 59-9.75 (18.23m). Hunter Harding added a fourth-place finish in the weight throw for the Lakers at 67-2 (20.47m).

Johnathon Harper of Texas A&M-Kingsville won the men’s heptathlon with 5,751 points and Trey Miller of Central Missouri took second with 5,688 points.

Williamson won the pentathlon 60-meter hurdles in 8.45 and cleared 5-10.50 (1.79m) in the high jump, followed by a 39-0.50 (11.90m) shot put and 19-2 (5.84m) long jump.

Although Trace Mosby of Pittsburg State ran a lifetime-best 2:13.86 to win the 800, producing a runner-up score of 4,098 points, Williamson clocked 2:18.60 to punctuate her record-setting effort.

Jackson won the 60-meter dash for Minnesota State by a 7.34 to 7.40 margin, ahead of 200 champion Leah Belfield of West Texas A&M (23.93), and emerged victorious in an exciting long jump battle with Marie-Jeanne Ourega of Academy of Art. Jackson prevailed with a leap of 20-4.25 (6.20m) and Ourega was second at 20-3.75 (6.19m).

Cartwright won the 60-meter hurdles in 8.39 and was eighth in the 60-meter dash at 7.50, with Jackson placing sixth in the 200 at 24.34.

Minnesota State also received valuable support from three top-five finishes in the weight, along with two scoring efforts in the shot put.

Grand Valley State’s Judith Essemiah won the weight throw with a 67-1.25 (20.45m) performance, with Minnesota State’s Brea Perron securing second at 66-9.75 (20.36m), Katie Taylor taking third at 65-7 (19.99m) and Kaylee Jensen finishing fifth at 64-4 (19.61m).

Perron and Taylor were fifth and seventh in the shot put, with performances of 49-7 (15.11m) and 48-11 (14.91m), respectively.

Berenice Cleyet-Merle of Indianapolis, already a division indoor champion in the 800, added a mile title to her indoor all-time mark, clocking 4:52.05 to prevail against Klaudia O’Malley of Grand Valley State (4:55.17). Cleyet-Merle added a seventh-place finish in the 3,000 in 9:27.87.

Celine Ritter of Lee captured her first 3,000 championship in 9:18.53, with Western Colorado’s Katie Doucette placing second in 9:20.85. Ritter was also third in the 5,000 in 16:08.59, with Doucette finishing fourth in 16:08.73.

Brianna Robles of Adams State won her first 5,000 crown in 16:00.98, ahead of Fatima Alanis from Queens in 16:06.90. Robles also took third in the 3,000 in 9:20.92, with Alanis finishing fifth in 9:25.45.

Alison Andrews-Paul of Simon Fraser, a Baylor transfer representing New Zealand, won the 800 crown in 2:04.04 and Kelly-Ann Beckford of Lincoln (Missouri) was second in 2:04.34, before anchoring the 4x400 relay victory by a 3:42.03 to 3:42.36 margin over Texas A&M-Commerce.

CSU Pueblo relied on the efforts of Yasmine Hernandez and Hailey Streff to win the distance medley relay championship in 11:23.21, with Cleyet-Merle anchoring Indianapolis to second in 11:24.93.

Shereen Vallabouy of Winona State edged Ayana Fields of Cal Poly Pomona 53.79 to 53.82 in the 400 final.

D’Andra Morris of University of Mary won the triple jump title with a 42-8 (13.00m) performance and Arika Robinson of Concordia-St. Paul cleared 5-11.50 (1.82m) to secure the high jump crown.

Three athletes cleared 13-7.25 (4.15m) in the pole vault, with the title being decided on fewer attempts.

Kyla Davis of Pittsburg State made the championship height on her first attempt, Ellianne Kimes of Grand Valley State cleared the bar on her second opportunity and Virgi Scardanzan of Washburn was successful on her third try.