Men's Track and Field Wins Four Events at Windy City Rumble; Liam Danitz Sets Another School Record

Another meet, another record-setting performance for Hope College sprinter Liam Danitz.

The junior from West Branch, Michigan (Ogemaw Heights HS) broke the Flying Dutchmen's 200-meter record for the third consecutive meet on Saturday at the Windy City Rumble hosted by the University of Chicago.

Danitz's first-place 21.95-second, first-place run surpassed his previous mark of 22.03 set on Jan. 24 at the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame Classic. It also ranks as ninth-fastest indoors in NCAA Division III this season.

Danitz was one of multiple winners and point-earners for the Flying Dutchmen, who placed third at the 10-team meet with 136 points. Host Chicago won with 165 points. Milwaukee School of Engineering took second with 147 points.

Senior Erickson Kunzler (Marne, Michigan / Grand Rapids Catholic Central) and sophomore Dylan Terpstra (Hudsonville, Michigan / Hudsonville) also recorded first-place times for the Flying Dutchmen.

Terpstra won the 400 in 50.73 seconds. Kunzler crossed the first line in the 800 at 1:56.46.

Hope also ran away with a winning run in the 4x400 relay. Senior Joshua Ennen (Zeeland, Michigan / Zeeland West), Terpstra, senior Alex Daniels (Holland, Michigan / Holland) and Danitz clocked a time of 3:26.83.

Danitz finished runner-up in the 60 meters with a run of 6.98 seconds.

In the 200, two more Hope runners joined Danitz in scoring: Daniels in seventh at 23.31 and junior Vamsee Vemana (Canton, Michigan / Plymouth) at 23.43.

In the 400, four more Flying Dutchmen runners scored: freshman Kevin Barifagok (Las Vegas, Nevada / Cristo Rey Saint Viator) in second at 51.34, Ennen in third at 51.90, freshman Logan Lipka (Frankenmuth, Michigan / Frankenmuth) in sixth at 52.54 and senior David McNiff (Norton Shores, Michigan / Mona Shores) in seventh at 52.65.

In the 800, four more Flying Dutchmen runners also earned points: senior Lucas Guidone (Chicago, Illinois / Taft) in third at 1:57.27, Barifagok in fifth at 2:01.04, freshman Logan Begeman (Portage, Michigan / Portage Central) in sixth at 2:01.08, freshman Elias Kretchmar (Granville, Ohio / Granville) in seventh at 2:02.74 and junior Carston Cole (Holland, Michigan / West Ottawa) in eighth at 2:03.14.

Hope also finished second in the 4x400 relay. Kunzler, senior Connor Vachon (Jenison, Michigan / Jenison), Guidone and sophomore Ethan Grevengoed (Spring Lake, Michigan / Spring Lake) posted a time of 3:39.51.

In the mile run, Vachon clocked a third-time run of 4:17.05. Kretchman placed sixth at 4:22.37. Begeman was seventh at 4:22.80.

In the 5,000 meters, sophomore Shane Pitcher (Saline, Michigan / Saline) finished fifth at 15:54.68. Freshman Max Lewis (Barrington, Illinois / Barrington) took sixth at 14:54.80. Freshman Joe Waalkes (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Grand Rapids Christian) was eighth at 16.05.63.

In the 60-meter hurdles, Lipka recorded a third-place of 8.84 seconds.

Hope also scored in two field events.

In the long jump, sophomore Henry Burnham (Carmel, Indiana / Carmel) placed third with a leap of 6.16 meters (20 feet, 2 ½ inches).

In the shot put, junior Caleb Paarlberg (Alto, Michigan / Caledonia) took seventh with a toss of 14.09 meters (46-2 ¾). Junior Wil Pinkerton (Ann Arbor, Michigan / Pioneer) was seventh at 13.15 meters (43-1 ¾).

Hope next competes on Saturday, Feb. 8, at 1 p.m. at the Grand Valley State University Mike Lints Alumni Meet.

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