June 18, 2007

Grand Valley State will send four student-athletes to the US Track and Field Championships at the IU Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. June 20-24. This marks the eighth straight year Grand Valley State will be represented at the championships. Senior Mandi Zemba will run in the 5,000 at the 2007 AT&T USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, while three freshmen, Nate Miller (high jump), Maegan Doyen (high jump), and Katherine McCarthy (800 meter run) will all participate in the 2007 Finish Line USA Junior Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

Zemba, who will be competing for New Balance, qualified for the championships with a time of 15:38.54 at the Mt. SAC Relays on April 13th. Her time also qualified her for the 2008 Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore. Mandi, who just completed her final season at GVSU, won her seventh and eighth NCAA National Championship titles this spring in the 3,000 and 5,000 meter runs. "We are thrilled to see Mandi compete this weekend and for her opportunity to compete at a professional level over the next few years," said head coach Jerry Baltes. "She did so much for both the Laker track and field and athletic programs over her career and we are excited to see what she can accomplish in the next stage of her career."

Zemba currently owns seven GVSU track and field school records. In indoor track, she holds the record in the mile, 3,000, 5,000, and distance medley relay, while in outdoor track she set the record in the 1,500, 3,000, and 5,000. In addition, Zemba owns three NCAA meet records in the indoor 5,000 and distance medley relay and the outdoor 3,000. She was an 11-time GLIAC Track and Field Champion and claimed the 2005 GLIAC and NCAA National Championship titles in cross country. Zemba will continue to workout under GVSU coach Jerry Baltes and serve as an assistant coach for the Lakers.

"Having her continue to be a part of our program will be a huge plus for us over the next few years," added Baltes. "We are very confident that she will bring a lot of positive to our programs and I am confident we can help her continue to improve as well in her quest to make a US Championship team."

Miller, from Trenton High School, had a season and lifetime best of a jump of 6-11.75 this past season. In his freshman year, Nate won both the GLIAC Indoor and Outdoor high jump championships. His personal best jump is the best by a freshman in GVSU history and the second best jumper in school history. He qualified for the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships and is coached by track and field alumni, Kirk Manchip.

Doyen, from Manistee High School, posted a season and lifetime best of 5-8" in the high jump. She won the GLIAC Indoor and Outdoor Championship titles in the high jump and earned All-American honors at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field National Championships as she finished in eighth place. During the outdoor season, she broke the school record and qualified for the NCAA Championships in North Carolina. She is also coached by Kirk Manchip.

McCarthy, from Kenowa Hills High School, ran a lifetime best of 2:10.20 at the NCAA Outdoor National Championships in the prelims of the 800 meter run. The time was good enough for the eighth and final spot and she earned All-American honors by finishing eighth in the finals. She was also part of the distance medley relay team that broke the NCAA meet record en route to claiming the National Championship at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field National Championships.