(Sioux City, Iowa) – Honors for the 2020 Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Indoor Track and Field Season have been announced.
The top Track and Field Performances-of-the-Meet and the Coach-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. Also, the top eight individuals in each event are considered GPAC All-Conference performers.
The Outstanding Performances -of-the-Meet were voted on by the league coaches and are as follows:
Men’s Track Performance –
Jacob Vander Plaats, Dordt – 3,000 meters – 8:50.48
Jacob Vander Plaats from Dordt was named the Male GPAC Athlete-of-the-Meet scoring 30 points, and will be honored as the Hauff Mid-America Sports GPAC Indoor Track and Field Male Athlete-of-the-Year.
Vander Plaats won the 1,000 meters in 2:31.68 and also took the mile in 4:23.45 before claiming the 3,000.
Vander Plaats has met the automatic qualifying standard for the NAIA National Track and Field Championships in all three events and was twice named the GPAC Indoor Track and Field Athlete-of-the-Week during the season.
Vander Plaats is the first men’s track and field competitor from Dordt to claim the Athlete of the Year honor.
Craig Heynen from Dordt has been named the Fred Beile – Hauff Mid-America Sports/GPAC Men’s Coach-of-the-Year. Dordt’s men scored 154 points and placed second in the meet.
The finish is the best by the men’s team since the GPAC was formed for the 2000-01 school year. Heynen was named the GPAC Women’s Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year in 2012.
The Defenders will conclude the indoor track and field season at the NAIA National Championships from March 5-7 at Brookings, South Dakota.
The award is named after Fred Beile who coached at Doane from 1973 to 2002.
Final Results: CLICK HERE
The GPAC Indoor Track and Field Championships, Presented by Cypress Risk Management, were held on Friday and Saturday, February 21-22 at Dakota Wesleyan in the Avera Sports and Wellness Complex/Corrigan Arena.
The top eight in each event and top three relays are considered GPAC All-Conference for Indoor Track and Field.
