BEREA, OHIO -- Baldwin Wallace University men's indoor track and field thrower Tyler Burdorff (Painesville/ Riverside) was named the 2016 USTFCCCA (United States Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association) Division III Great Lakes Regional Field Athlete of the Year. He was joined by six other Yellow Jacket men on the All-Great Lakes Region team. Click here for a list of the 2016 USTFCCCA Regional Award winners.
Burdorff received the GLR Men's Field Athlete of the Year honor. In addition, senior Ben Beidleman (Washington, D.C./ St. Anselm's Abbey) joined Burdorff as a team-leader. The other men selected to the All-Great Lakes Region team included senior Michael Beidleman (Washington, D.C./ Col. Zadok A. McGruder), junior Johnathon Spilker (Solon), sophomores Cody Smith (Port Clinton) and Vee Sealey (Painesville/ Harvey) and freshman Jordan Leverette (Cleveland/ John Adams). Click here for a full list of the 2016 All-Great Lakes Region teams.
Burdorff, who is making his fourth trip to the NCAA Division III National Championship Meet this weekend at Grinnell (Iowa) College and will compete in the weight throw (59'5.75"), earned All-GLR accolades in both the weight throw and shot put (a career-best 59'9.5").
Ben Beidleman is a two-time CAPITAL ONE Academic All-American and a Div. III All-American in the 200 meters. He earned All-GLR accolades in the 200 meters and as a member of the 4x400-meter relay team.
Ben Beidleman was joined on the All-Great Lakes Region 4x400-meter relay team by his twin brother, Michael Beidleman, Sealey and Leverette (3:23.01). Leverette, who set a BW school-record in the 200-meter dash in 22.06 seconds and will join Burdorff at this weekend's Div. III national meet and compete in the 200 meters, also earned All-GLR honors in that event and was a key wide receiver on the football team last fall.
Spilker and Smith are having their best season as collegians. Spilker earned All-OAC and All-GLR honors when he vaulted a career-best 15'5.5". Smith earned All-OAC and All-GLR honors in the shot put with a career-best toss of 51'9.75".
The 2016 NCAA Division III National Championship Meet begins on Friday, March 11 and concludes on Saturday, March 12.
