2024 GPAC Outdoor Track and Field Honors Announced

(Sioux City, Iowa) – Honors for the 2024 Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Outdoor Track and Field Season have been announced.

The top Track and Field Performances-of-the-Meet and the Coaching Staff-of-the-Year honors were voted on by the league coaches.  GPAC Athlete-of-the-Year honors went to the highest individual point scorers in the meet. 

The Outstanding Performances-of-the-Meet were voted on by the league coaches and are as follows:

Women's Track Performance –
Veronica Pinkerton, Hastings – 800 meters – 2:11.21 – GPAC Record and Hastings College Record

Women's Field Performance –
Kiara Anderson, Hastings – Hammer Throw – 58.36 meters/191-06  – GPAC Record and Hastings College Record

Men's Track Performance –  
Payton Mauldin, Dordt – 400 meters – 46.67 – GPAC Record

Men's Field Performance –
Braden Kalvelage, Northwestern – Long Jump – 7.64 meters/25-00.75 – Top Mark in the NAIA

Kiara Anderson from Hastings and Payton Mauldin from Dordt were named the Hauff Mid-America Sports GPAC Outdoor Track and Field Outstanding Athletes-of-the-Year. Anderson scored 28 points in the meet for Hastings, while Mauldin scored 24.5 points for Dordt.                                                      

Matt Beisel from Concordia, representing the Bulldogs coaching staff and program, has been named the Jim McMahon/Hauff Mid-America Sports GPAC Women's Outdoor Track and Field Staff-of-the-Year after leading the Bulldogs to the women's team title (209.5 points).  Craig Heynen from Dordt, representing the Defenders coaching staff and program, was named the Fred Beile/Hauff Mid-America Sports Men's Outdoor Track and Field Staff-of-the-Year after leading the Defenders to the men's team title (185 points). 

(The GPAC coaching staff honors are named after long time Midland Track and Field Coach Jim McMahon and Doane Track and Field Coach Fred Beile.  McMahon passed away in 2016 and Beile passed away in 2018.  These awards honor their legacy in the GPAC and at their institutions and their contributions to the sport)

2024 GPAC OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD FINAL RESULTS

The 2024 GPAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships were held in Orange City, Iowa, and were hosted by Northwestern College.

The top eight in each event and top three relays are considered GPAC All-Conference for Indoor Track and Field.