BRADENTON, Fla. - Four different national champions from the Great Midwest Athletic Conference were crowned at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships at the IMG Academy over the weekend.
Six student-athletes from three institutions were entered in seven total events. All events turned in NCAA All-American status to officially close the door on the 2016-17 academic year.
The Sunshine State entertained and hosted the best of Division II over a three-day stint as the Great Midwest enjoyed a breakout performance with fleet of foot runners and a memorable throws performance in the cage.
The G-MAC also had a total of 11 All-American performances and one national title at the indoor meet earlier this year in Birmingham, Ala.
Cedarville junior Carsyn Koch now has company standing at the top of the podium as a national champion. Not only did Koch cruise to her fourth total event title in the 800-meter run (2016 indoor/outdoor, 2017 indoor/outdoor), but she was joined by Yellow Jackets' teammate and junior Daniel Michalski, who blistered multiple records in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
Ursuline sophomore Janelle Perry showcased her talents with a 100-meter hurdles national title despite going in as a clear underdog in terms of seeding. She also earned All-American honors in the long jump.
Malone's senior Duke Taylor also brought home national championship hardware with a dominant showing in the discus competition.
Cedarville's Olivia Esbenshade (1,500-meter run) and Malone's Ashton Dulin (400-meter hurdles) also earned NCAA All-American hnors. Esbenshade was third overall and Dulin shattered his previous conference record with a fourth-place finish.
Perry started the momentum on Thursday with a fourth-place finish in the long jump. She had a new conference record with an attempt of 6.25 meters (20' 6 1/4") to blow the door off her previous best of 5.85m. Michalski also won his heat in the steeplechase prelims with a time of 8:59.83.
Perry qualified for Saturday's 100-meter finals on Friday while Koch booked her finals entry by winning her 800-meter heat in the prelims (2:06.08).
Taylor saved his best for last with a heave of 58.78 meters (almost 193 feet) to become the first DII All-American in Malone's track and field program. He shattered his own PR and league standard set prior to nationals at the Grand Valley State-hosted 2nd to Last Chance Meet.
Perry went into the 100-meter hurdles ranked 13th in the country. She crossed the line 13.46 seconds to bring home the Arrows' first national title and set a new school/conference record in the process.
Michalski set a PR, conference record and facility record at IMG Academy in a time of 8:44.49. He easily bested his previous mark of 8:52.01 that was set on the West Coast at Azusa Pacific University, the Bryan Clay Invite.
Koch now possesses four of the top six times in Division II history including the #1 effort of 2:02.39. She was also an NCAA All-American earlier this year in the distance medley relay. Esbenshade ran a time of 4:21.23 in the finals of the 1,500, which ranks second all-time in conference history. She closed a strong season with G-MAC Cross Country Runner of the Year and Indoor Track Athlete of the Year honors.
Dulin's efforts also resulted in a new conference record with a time of 51.33 in the 400-meter hurdle final. Dulin was the G-MAC Indoor and Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year in his first year with the league.