Track & Field 2k22: Grand Valley State Preview

Yes it is early, but we are kicking off the "Track & Field 2k22" season. The theme of the season is "Rise of the Woman." The meaning of the theme is that it is simply time. It is time for women's sports to have a serious space in the minds of sports fans. We are not comparing women's sports to men's sports. Women's sports are unique and show everyone that times are progressing and anything is possible.

Our first piece for the Track & Field 2k22 season is a season preview about Grand Valley State's women's track and field team. Enjoy!

Grand Valley State was the winner of the 2021 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships and it wasn't even close. The Lakers scored 93 points. Runner-up Minnesota State scored 40 points and West Texas A&M tallied 37 points for third place in the nation. Grand Valley State followed that up with a national runner-up finish during outdoor season with 77 points, just four points behind winner Azusa Pacific.

Senior Angelica Floyd returns to Grand Valley State. The senior of Mount Clemens, Michigan, earned more All-American honors in 2021. She was the USTFCCCA First-Team All-American in the 60 meters in the indoor season. Floyd also was an outdoor All-American in the 400-meter relay. She won national championships in both events at the NCAA meets. In 2019, Floyd was an All-American in the long jump and 60 meters during indoor season as well as the 400-meter relay during the outdoor season.

All-American Taryn Chapko shined as a true freshman. During the indoor season she won the 800 meters at the GLIAC Indoor Track & Field Championships. She was also on the conference winning squad of the 1,600-meter relay. At NCAA indoor meet Chapko placed third in the 800 meter finals. She also won a national championship as part of the distance medley relay. Senior Allie Ludge, also an All-American is back as a top distance runner. She placed third in the 1,500 meters at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Along with Chapko, Ludge, joined forces with Jessica Eby and Hannah Roeske in the distance medley win at the indoor national meet. Back in 2019, Chapko was third at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships in the mile and as a member of the distance medley relay.

Two-time All-American Jessica Gockley is another distance runner for Grand Valley State that should be in store for a big season. She was the winner of the GLIAC's 5,000 meter run at the outdoor conference championship meet. She placed fourth in the 10,000 meter run and seventh in the 5,000 meter run at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Gockley qualified for the 3,000 and 5,000 meter runs at the 2021 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships where she placed sixth and fifth respectively.

Sophomore Jenna Doyle is Grand Valley State's top high jumper. She was fourth at the conference championship meet in the high jump competition. As for pole vaulting, four-time All-American Elli Kimes, a native of Cashmere, Washington, is an All-American that placed second in the event at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Prior to that she won the indoor NCAA championship in the pole vault.

Emma Richards became an All-American last season and will return as a top thrower. The junior of Fredonia, Wisconsin, won the discus throw at the GLIAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships. She competed in that event at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships, where she placed seventh.

The previous story is brought to you by Track Stars App.

Download Track Stars App for free on iPhone by clicking the link below:

Download Track Stars App for free on Android by clicking the link below: