The GINA relays always seem to bring something special out of the Hillsdale College women's track and field team. 

The 56th edition, held over three days on April 16-18, 2026, was no different, as the Chargers posted impressive times and marks throughout the meet, held yearly in honor of the memory of Hillsdale legend Gina (Van Laar) Lanser, Hillsdale's only national champion in cross country and a national title-winner in track and field as well.

Across the three-day meet, Hillsdale's women won five events, posted five new NCAA DII provisional marks and seven new top 10 marks in Hillsdale College history, broke two school records, a G-MAC record and a GINA Relays record.

Many of those accomplishments came from sophomore thrower Amelia Lutz, who had a meet for the ages for the Chargers. On Friday, Lutz shattered her own school record and also broke the G-MAC and GINA relays records in the shot put with a throw of 16.55 meters. That throw is currently the top throw in the country in NCAA DII, and it also broke the G-MAC record of 16.38 meters set by Ndidiamaka Anaraodo of Walsh in 2021, and a 21-year-old GINA Relays record of 16.09 meters set by Breann Smith of Kent State in 2005.

The shot put record was just one of two school records Lutz broke on the day, as she also threw a new Hillsdale discus record of 47.24 meters to place fourth in the elite competition. Lutz's throw broke the old record of 46.68 meters set by Hillsdale's Amber Mueller in 2014, and is a NCAA DII provisional qualifying mark that ranks 21st nationally. On Saturday, Lutz also won the hammer throw for the Chargers, with a new personal best mark of 55.20 meters that ranks 15th in NCAA DII to date, and is the seventh furthest PR in the hammer in Hillsdale College history, while also placing seventh in the javelin with a throw of 29.05 meters.

Hillsdale started the meet with a strong showing in Thursday's distance carnival under the lights at the newly-christened Jim and Sallie MacGinnis Track. Sophomore Allison Kuzma won the 5,000m run with a time of 16:49.20, setting a new provisional mark that ranks 18th in NCAA DII, and freshman Taylor Brodeur claimed the 3,000m steeplechase title in a time of 11:02.02, a personal best that makes her the eighth fastest in the event in Hillsdale College history. Anna Roberts placed sixth in the steeplechase in 11:27.96, and Mavis Banks took eighth in a personal best time of 11:35.45 as well.

Friday saw several strong finishes in tandem with Lutz's huge day as well. Behind Lutz in the shot put, freshman Isabel Rozeveld won the open division and had the seventh-best throw on the day with a mark of 12.27 meters, and also threw a personal best in the discus of 39.89 meters to win the open division in that event as well. Ella Schafer took eighth in the discus Elite division with a personal best throw of 40.02 meters, and Olivia Newsome took ninth with a personal best throw of 39.39 meters.

On the track, freshman Anna Roessner won the 100m dash with a personal-best tying time of 11.60, the 17th fastest time in NCAA DII to date and the second fastest time in the event at Hillsdale. Senior Lucy Minning took third in 11.69, a provisional qualifying time that ranks 25th nationally as well.

Sophomore Sarah Chappelle had a big race in the 100m hurdles, finishing fourth in 14.08. Chappelle's preliminary time of 14.07 was a personal best, the fifth-fastest mark in Hillsdale College history, and a provisional mark ranking 30th nationally as well. Sophomore Baelyn Zitzmann placed 10th in the 100 hurdles with a personal best time of 14.98 meters, and also took second in the high jump with a clearance of 1.65 meters, ahead of teammates Bristol Whitley (fifth, 1.60 meters) and Erika Moglevang (sixth, 1.60 meters).

Also on Friday, freshman Caroline Roberts took third in the 800m run with a personal best time of 2:15.45, ahead of sister Megan Roberts, who took sixth in 2:16.36.

Hillsdale finished out the meet on Saturday with strong relay performances on the track. The Chargers won the 4x400m relay in 3:57.10 with a team of Francesca Federici, Evelyn Overlease, Jessica Church and Megan Roberts, and took second in the 4x800 relay in 9:49.80 with a team of Caroline and Megan Roberts, Taylor Brodeur and Savannah Fraley. Zitzmann also placed eighth in the 400m hurdles in 1:07.90 as well.

In the field, Tara Townsend won the pole vault for the Chargers with a clearance of 4.07 meters, while Olivia Newsome took second behind Lutz in the hammer throw with a mark of 52.63 meters, moving into 10th all-time at Hillsdale in the hammer. Regan Wight took third in the hammer with a personal best throw of 51.29 meters, and Tori Tyo took sixth with a throw of 48.22 meters.

Freshman Devan Foster took second in the javelin with a throw of 38.78 meters for the Chargers, while Ella Schafer placed sixth with a personal best throw of 29.33 meters and Regan Wight took eighth with a throw of 28.32 meters.

Hillsdale's focus now coming off a big weekend is on the G-MAC Outdoor Championships in two weeks. The Chargers will host the three-day meet from April 29-May 1 and will hope to use home-track advantage to full effect as Hillsdale hopes to unseat defending champion Ashland for the outdoor crown.

First, however, Hillsdale has one more home meet on the calendar, as the Chargers host their annual Tune-Up meet on April 24-25 next weekend looking to prepare for the conference championship.