GLIAC -- The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) announced its 2025 outdoor track & field athletes of the year, as voted on by the conference coaches following the NCAA Division II Championships.
Grand Valley State swept the honors, with Myles Rhodes earning men's track athlete of the year and Jaivon Harrison receiving men's field athlete of the year. Two members of the Lakers' national championship women's team were honored, with Klaudia O'Malley claiming track athlete of the year and Erika Beistle collecting field athlete of the year.
Harrison (high jump), O'Malley (1,500m) and Beistle (discus) each won individual national titles.
2025 GLIAC MEN'S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Myles Rhodes, Grand Valley State
Myles Rhodes has been named men’s track athlete of the year following an impressive three-event performance at the 2025 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Throughout the season, Rhodes has been extremely consistent, setting (and consequently breaking) numerous personal-bests in several events. He started his tear at the beginning of the season, recording a personal-best finish at the GVSU Early Meet in April. Crossing the finish line at 10.48, Rhodes tied for the fourth-fastest finish in school history. The Texas native continued to dominate, setting a program record in the 400m, only to break it with a 45.99 finish at the NCAA Championships, placing fifth. Rhodes shined in relay events, as well, running the final leg in the 4x100m and 4x400m relays. He helped his team finish at record-breaking times – literally. At the NCAA Championships, Zach Pray, Nicholas Walper and Jacody Sikora ran the first 300m of the 4x100m relay before Rhodes finished it at a program-record time of 39.56. The finish was nearly one second faster than their previous best and earned them fourth place. As the anchor in the 4x400m, Rhodes closed out the relay with a meet and program record at the GLIAC Championships at 3:08.08. This, however, was not fast enough for Pray, Dominik Balenda, Trannon Aylor and Rhodes. The quad broke this record at the National Championships, finishing the 1600m at 3:06.63 in the prelims and at 3:06.76 in the finals to land fifth on the podium. Rhodes closes out his impressive career with several GVSU records and 15 All-America honors.
2025 GLIAC WOMEN'S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Klaudia O'Malley, Grand Valley State
Klaudia O’Malley ends her collegiate career with one more accolade to add to her résumé: GLIAC Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year. At her first meet of the season, the Raleigh Relays, O’Malley ran a personal-best time in the 1500m. Her finish at 4:18.43 ranked her first in Division II – a rank that she kept for the remainder of the season. Just weeks later, the graduate student ran another personal-best, this time a 15:42.43 finish in the 5000m. O’Malley continued to shine in the postseason. At the GLIAC Outdoor Championships, she ran in both the 800m and 1500m events. Unsurprisingly, she snagged a podium spot in both events. She earned a bronze medal for a 2:12.40 finish in the 800m and placed first in the 1500m at 4:28.60. Her presence on a podium did not stop at the conference championships, however. After qualifying for the 1500m finals with a second-place finish at 4:30.78, O’Malley surged past the second-place runner and held her lead, finishing at 4:29.11. For the first time in her career, O’Malley was named National Champion. Just hours later, O’Malley would race in the 5000m for the first time in more than a month. She doubled her All-America honor count with a sixth-place finish at 14:48.73, adding the points her team needed to become 2025 National Champions. With her two podium finishes in Colorado, O’Malley is now the most decorated athlete in GVSU history with 19 All-America honors.
2025 GLIAC MEN'S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Jaivon Harrison, Grand Valley State
Three-time NCAA DII National Champion Jaivon Harrison has been named GLIAC Men’s Field Athlete of the Year. Through seven meets this outdoor season, Harrison never cleared less than 2.11m (6-11). The Bryant Stratton transfer began the season with a 2.19m (7-2.25) mark, which he steadily increased as the season progressed. Just two weeks later, he would clear 2.20m (7-2.5), then 2.21m (7-2.75) in another two weeks. Despite the high marks, Harrison still had not tied or exceeded his personal-best… yet. On May 11, 2025, just one week ahead of the national championships, Harrison tied his personal-best mark. On his second attempt at 2.26m (7-5), the senior soared over the bar with ease. Harrison continued to dominate with a 2.18m (7-1.75) mark at the NCAA DII Outdoor Championships. The height granted him the individual national championship title – the fourth he has earned in his collegiate career and third earned in Laker uniform.
2025 GLIAC WOMEN'S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Erika Beistle, Grand Valley State
Division II record-holder Erika Beistle closes out her collegiate outdoor track and field career as the 2025 GLIAC Outdoor Women’s Field Athlete of the Year. The honor follows the biggest season of Beistle’s career, a season where she shattered several records and left her mark on Division II as a whole. The Rodney, Michigan native opened the season with a 60.46m (198-4.25) discus throw, already nearing her personal-best 62.50m mark. At the first home meet of the season, the Grand Valley State athlete not only exceeded her personal-best, but shattered the NCAA Division II discus record, as well. Beistle threw for 66.63m (218-7.25) to break the division record, which was set at 61.35m (201-4) since 2019. Since her record, Beistle has recorded a discus of more than 210 feet in five of six meets to hold eight of the top 10 best marks in NCAA Division II history. At the NCAA DII Outdoor Championships, she broke two more records in the event. With a 65.05m (213-5) launch, Beistle broke the meet record in women’s discus and recorded the longest mark on Colorado soil in state history. The 10 points she added to Grand Valley State’s women’s team score helped the Lakers win the 2025 National Championship in women’s outdoor track and field.
