Men's Track and Field Claims Seven Gold Medals, Finishes Runner-Up at MIAA Outdoor Championships

Hope hosted the two-day meet at Brewer Track

The Hope College men's track & field team captured multiple conference titles and relay medals while finishing runner-up at the MIAA Outdoor Championships.

The Flying Dutchmen totaled 215 points over two days at Brewer Track to place second in the team standings behind Calvin University (238). Hope finished ahead of Trine University (116), The University of Olivet (71), Albion College (65), Adrian College (54), Alma College (33), and Kalamazoo College (25).

Six individual conference titles and a relay championship powered Hope.

Freshman Maurice Streeter (Kalamazoo, Michigan / Kalamazoo Central) led the way with two gold medals, winning the 100 meters in 10.58 seconds, a mark that ranks 37th in NCAA Division III this season.

Streeter also ran the Flying Dutchmen's 4x100 relay of Nolan Sanders (Midland, Michigan / H.H. Dow), Dylan Terpstra (Hudsonville, Michigan / Hudsonville), Streeter, and Luke Bellino (Brighton, Michigan / Brighton) captured the conference championship in 41.32 seconds to score 10 points. Head coach Jordan Bartolazzi said the relay victory helped set the tone early in the meet.

"The men's 4x100 relay getting the meet started the way it did was huge for us," Bartolazzi said. "I thought our team showed up and did everything they could throughout the weekend."

Terpstra, a junior, also added a first-place effort in the 400 meters, repeated as league champion in 48.48 seconds to score 10 points.

Senior Erickson Kunzler (Marne, Michigan / Catholic Central) claimed gold in the 800 meters for the consecutive aeason with a time of 1:53.90, adding 10 points.

Freshman Aiden Moore (Battle Creek, Michigan / Lakeview) earned the 1,500-meter title, crossing in 4:00.62 to secure another 10 points.

Freshman Aaron Hunt (Hudsonville, Michigan / Hudsonville) rounded out Hope's champions in the discus throw with a winning mark of 48.72 meters (159 feet, 10 inches), ranking 38th in NCAA Division III this season.

Sanders also placed second in the 100 meters with a time of 10.66 seconds to earn eight points.

Sophomore Kevin Barifagok (Las Vegas, Nevada / Cristo Rey Saint Viator) recorded a second-place finish in the 400-meter hurdles in 55.30 seconds, adding eight points.

Freshman Elijah Forbord (Howell, Michigan / Brighton) earned silver in the 5,000 meters with a time of 15:04.60 to score eight points.

Freshman Carter Marquard (Shelbyville, Michigan / Wayland) added another runner-up finish in the high jump, clearing 1.98 meters (6-6), a mark that ranks 71st in NCAA Division III this season.

The Flying Dutchmen closed the meet with a second-place finish in the 4x400 relay as Barifagok, Kunzler, Terpstra, and Bellino combined for a time of 3:25.17 to score eight points.

Streeter earned bronze in the 200 meters with a time of 21.85 seconds to score six points.

Sophomore Elias Kretchmar (Granville, Ohio / Granville) placed third in the 1,500 meters in 4:02.14 to add six points.

Sophomore Logan Lipka (Frankenmuth, Michigan / Frankenmuth) finished third in the 400-meter hurdles in 56.12 seconds, contributing six points. Lipka also added a point in the triple jump with an eighth-place effort (12.81m).

In the 200 meters, Terpstra placed sixth (22.04) and Sanders finished eighth (22.15).

In the 400 meters, senior Vamsee Vemana (Canton, Michigan / Plymouth) placed sixth (51.46) and Bellino finished eighth (53.47).

In the 800 meters, junior Tim Peterson (Portage, Michigan / Portage Northern) placed seventh (2:01.48). In the 1,500 meters, Peterson also added a sixth-place finish (4:03.59).

Hope's distance group added depth in the 5,000 meters with Kretchmar placing fourth (15:09.90), senior Carston Cole (Holland, Michigan / West Ottawa) finishing fifth (15:12.18), and senior Chad Perrine (Jackson, Michigan / Jackson) taking seventh (15:15.73).

In field events, senior Wil Pinkerton (Ann Arbor, Michigan / Pioneer) placed fourth in the javelin (47.76m), and junior Matthew Bir (Wenatchee, Washington / River Academy) finished fifth (47.57m).

Junior Henry Burnham (Carmel, Indiana / Carmel) added a sixth-place finish in the long jump (6.49m), while freshman Josh Bruxvoort (Holland, Michigan Holland / Christian) placed eighth (6.36m). Freshman Gavin Grover (Glen Ellyn, Illinois / St. Francis) contributed a fifth-place finish in the pole vault (4.16m).

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Players Mentioned

Matthew Bir: Sophomore; Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Henry Burnham: Junior

Carston Cole: Senior; Exercise Science

Elias Kretchmar: Sophomore; Engineering

Erickson Kunzler: Senior; Exercise Science

Logan Lipka: Sophomore; Nursing

Chad Perrine: Senior; Music and Political Science

Tim Peterson: Junior; Nursing

Wil Pinkerton: Senior; Electrical Engineering

Nolan Sanders: Senior; Chemical Engineering

Players Mentioned

Matthew Bir
: Sophomore; Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Henry Burnham
: Junior

Carston Cole
: Senior; Exercise Science

Elias Kretchmar
: Sophomore; Engineering

Erickson Kunzler
: Senior; Exercise Science

Logan Lipka
: Sophomore; Nursing

Chad Perrine
: Senior; Music and Political Science

Tim Peterson
: Junior; Nursing

Wil Pinkerton
: Senior; Electrical Engineering

Nolan Sanders
: Senior; Chemical Engineering