HOLLAND, Mich. – Kicking off the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association outdoor field day presented by Collegiate Credit Union for 2026, the multi-event athletes took part in the combined events championship on Monday and Tuesday, April 20th & 21st, at Hope College. Lauren Brawt and Helena Snyder competed in the Heptathlon, finishing fifth and seventh, respectively. Brady Crake and Ethan Wickham competed in the decathlon and finished in tenth and 11th place, respectively.
In the 110-meter hurdles, Snyder claimed sixth with a time of 16.91 while Brawt finished seventh with a time of 17.39, which was a personal best for Brawt, scoring Snyder 607 and Brawt 553 points. Moving to the 200-meter run, Brawt finished fourth with a time of 27.39 scoring 680 points while Snyder finished seventh with a time of 28.00, adding 631 points to her total. Collecting her second-best finish of the events, Brawt claimed second in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:25.95, adding 745 points. Snyder finished in fifth 2:29.23, scoring 703 points. In the field events, Snyder claimed her best event finish in the high jump, clearing a mark of 1.55 meters for 678 points. Brawt finished behind with a clear of 1.46 meters, scoring her 577 points to her total. Both Scots claimed personal bests in the javelin throw as Snyder finished eighth with a mark of 21.67 and Brawt finished right behind in ninth with a mark of 21.24 meters, scoring 320 points and 312 points, respectively. Brawt came away as the top finisher in the long jump section with a mark of 5.19 meters, scoring 612 points. Snyder claimed sixth with a jump of 4.80 meters, adding another 506 points. For the final event, Brawt snagged a seventh-place finish in the shot put with a throw of 8.83 meters, while Snyder finished in 11th with a mark of 8.05 meters, each scoring 453 points and 403 points, respectively.
Brawt's event total came out to 3,932 points, placing her third all-time on the women's outdoor heptathlon record list, while Snyder finished with 3,848 points, adding her name to the lest a second time, now sitting on fourth ahead of a previous score of hers that currently holds the fifth spot as well.
Looking into the decathlon and the events, Crake took home his best finish and a personal best in the 100-meter run, finishing in third with a time of 11.66, for 719 points. Wickham ran a time of 12.41, placing 14th and scoring 591 points. In the 110-meter hurdles, Crake claimed sixth place with a time of 17.05, scoring another 619 points. Wickham finished in 11th place with a time of 19.04, for 429 points. For the 400-meter run, Crake nabbed a ninth-place finish with a time of 54.45, for 621 points. Wickham was close behind in 11th with a time of 56.71, adding 532 points. Adding some distance, in the 1500-meter run, Crake finished in fifth with a time of 5:06.61 for 522 points, while Wickham finished in ninth with a time of 5:13.80, scoring 483 points. Moving to the field events, Wickham scored a fourth-place finish in the discus throw, throwing for a personal best 33.73 meters, for 538 points. Crake ended in seventh place with a throw of 28.53 meters, adding 436 points. Wickham also led the Scots in the high jump with a mark of 1.76 meters, for 593 points and fifth place. Crake finished eighth with a jump of 1.67 meters, a personal best, for 520 more points. Wickham's best finish of the events came in the javelin throw as he threw for a personal best 46.72 meters, scoring a third-place finish and 540 points. Crake finished in 13th with a throw of 24.44 meters, for 222 points. For the long jump, Wickham finished in eighth with a leap of 5.76 meters, another personal best, adding 535 points. Crake finished in 13th with a jump of 5.25 meters, for 431 points. Crake was the highest Scots finisher in the pole vault with a mark of 2.55 meters, for tenth place and 253 points. Crake's best finish for the two days came in the shot put as he threw for 10.79 meters, finishing fifth with 533 points. Wickham finished in ninth with a mark of 9.94 meters, scoring 482 points to his total.
The men also saw two top ten entries for the all-time decathlon scores record as Crake finished tenth for the championship, scoring 4,876 points, placing him in eighth for Alma history in the event. Wickham finished right behind his teammate with a score of 4,723 for 11th place at the championship, while also placing tenth on the Alma College record board in the decathlon.
Alma will now return to non-conference meets as they will take part in the Don Kleinow Invitational, hosted by Siena Heights University on Thursday and Friday, April 23rd & 24th. Start times are set for 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM.
