GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Senior Kaitlin Essig earned her first ever NAIA National Qualification at the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame Classic (GRSHOF) on Friday night, while Ashley Verplank officially took over sole possession of the school record to highlight another strong night of track action. CU competed over at Aquinas for the first time this season in a small meet with only five other teams in competition. Next week Cornerstone will split the team with some athletes going to GVSU and some back at Aquinas for the Big Meet and MIAA vs. WHAC Challenge. 
 
Men's Results:
Sophomore Alexander Schmidt opened the highlights on the men's side with a new PR and program's sixth best time of 6.98 in the 60m prelims at the GRSHOF Open. Later in the evening, Schmidt ran the exact same time and would win the event. 
 
PRs continued with the high jump duo of Brad Holbrook and Phoenix Velthouse. Holbrook recorded a 1.96m jump to win th meet, while Velthouse added a 1.91m jump to each earn a personal best. The 1.96m mark from Holbrook tied him for sixth all-time on Cornerstone's indoor list. 
 
After the high jump, Phoenix Velthouse would move to the 60m hurdle prelims. He recorded a PR of 8.51 to move to fourth in program history. Teammate Patrick Adams and Velthouse have now run the two fastest times of any freshman in Golden Eagle history in the event. 
 
In the men's weight throw, Nick Huynh advanced his NAIA Provisional Standard with a. PR of 16.93m. The mark also puts him in third all-time in program history. Ryan Shinabery also kept his freshman PR streak alive with a new best of 15.94m to move to seventh all-time. 
 
In his indoor 1000m debut, freshman Andrew Adams recorded a time of 2:35.20 to crack the top 10 list at 10^th overall. 
 
Women's Results:
Braely Herrema started the women's highlights at the GRSHOF Invite with a 9.29 in the 60m hurdles to move her to seventh all-time in CU program history and a new PR. 
 
Claire Meacham then recorded a massive freshman record in the weight throw with a mark of 14.45. The throw keeps her in eighth all-time in Cornerstone indoor program history. 
 
The dominance of Ashley Verplank then continued as she once again hit an NAIA Auto Standard. This time though she officially broke the school record set back in 2011 by Amy Boyer after tying it last week. She cleared 3.97m and now holds the school record at CU in both indoor and outdoor pole vault. 
 
Senior Kaitlin Essig earned her first ever NAIA National Qualification with a Provisional Standard in the high jump. She cleared 1.64m for the new PR and moved up to seventh all-time in CU program history. 
 
Claire Meacham's strong day continued in the transition to shot put recording another PR with a throw of 11.57m to move to eighth all-time. 
 
What's Next?
Cornerstone will split action next week for the first time this season with qualified athletes headed to the GVSU Big Meet on Friday and Saturday, while the rest head to the Aquinas WHAC vs. MIAA Challenge on Friday, February 10.  
 
Track & Field Contact: Jesse Campbell 
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