Holland Reporter

Senior athletes Myles Kerner and Klaudia O'Malley have been recognized with Track and Field/Cross Country CoSida Academic All-America Honors. Kerner was named to the first team, while O'Malley earned a spot on the third team.

Kerner concluded his senior season at Grand Valley State University as the NCAA Division II National Champion in both men's indoor and outdoor shot put. He was also honored as the GLIAC Male Scholar Athlete of the Year. At the 2024 Indoor National Championships, Kerner defended his title with a throw of 19.31 meters, securing his second individual championship. Additionally, he placed 14th in men's weight throw at Indoor Nationals with a distance of 19.43 meters. His performance contributed to Grand Valley State Lakers' National Runner-Up team title at the 2024 Indoor National Championships, where they scored 56.5 points.

During the 2024 Indoor GLIAC Championships, Kerner achieved first place in men's weight throw and second place in men's shot put, earning him the title of GLIAC Athlete of the Meet for 2024. He ended the indoor season as a first-team All-American and first-team All-Region honoree with seven first-place finishes throughout the season.

In outdoor track and field, Kerner secured his third individual National Championship title in men's shot put with a personal best of 19.94 meters, setting new records for Grand Valley State and Welch Family Stadium in Emporia, Kansas. At the 2024 Outdoor GLIAC Championships, he won first place in men's shot put with a distance of 19.33 meters. He finished his final outdoor season as a first-team All-American and first-team All-Region honoree and was named Midwest Region Male Field Athlete of the Year and GLIAC Male Field Athlete of the Year.

Kerner also qualified for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, finishing in 17th place overall in men's shot put. Throughout his tenure at Grand Valley State, he set school records for indoor (19.71m) and outdoor (19.94m) shot put events.

O'Malley received recognition through her performance during both track & field seasons and cross country competitions while maintaining academic excellence with a cumulative GPA of 3.81 majoring in occupational therapy.

In her final season (2023-2024), O'Malley finished third in the women's 1500m at NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Nationals and tenth in women's 5000m event—earning two All-America honors overall this year—and contributed significantly to her team's fourth-place national finish recording total points tallying up to nearly forty overall by herself alone! She achieved top places within multiple events including winning both women's races:800-meter run along w/5000-meter run held @OutdoorGLIACTitleMeet where she also set personal-best time(2min9sec).

The Lakers secured their twenty-fourth consecutive Outdoor GLIAC Championship Title thanks largely due not only these achievements but entire teams' efforts totaling combined score245points plus some change!

During indoor seasons earlier same year: Ms.Omalley's notable accomplishments included placing fourth-mile race(IndoorNationalChampionships); being part DistanceMedleyRelay(DMR)team which took second place; helping Laker women secure second position overall standings@NCAA DIIIndoorTrackFieldNationals&first-time mile win @IndoorGLIACTitleMeet among others

Finally CrossCountrySeason saw Ms.Omalley's contributions leading Laker Women towards winning seventh national championship program history whilst achieving FirstTeamAllAmericaHonors finishing seventh nationals themselves clocking impressive times all around consistent basis too like21mins15secs over long distances even classroom maintaining high grades consistently throughout studies particularly focused area OccupationalTherapy making quite impact both academically athletically indeed worthy recognition deservedly so now officially AcademicAllAmericanCoSIDAhonorees alike Mr.Kerner himself similarly acknowledged such distinctions recently announced thus far today!