Grace VanderKooi

Class:
Sophomore
Hometown:
Fremont, Mich.
Height:
5-8
High School:
Western Michigan Christian

PERSONAL RECORDS
Cross Country
5k: 18:18.2
6k: 21:39.9

Indoor
Mile: 4:56.70
3000: 9:53.68
5000: 17:17.39

Outdoor
800: 2:19.24
1500: 4:39.07
5000: 17:18.60

2026 (Outdoor): Competed in three meets, ran the 800m, 1500m and 5000m … set a personal best of 2:19.24 in the 800m at the Chippewa Challenge (April 11) … set a personal best of 4:39.07 in the 1500 at the Chippewa Challenge (April 11) … set a season best 17:18.60 in the 5000 at the Wake Forest Invitational (April 16-17)

2026 (Indoor): Competed six meets, ran the Mile, 3000m, 5000m and DMR … DMR team ran an 11:50.25 at the GVSU Big Meet (Feb. 14), good for 10th best time in program history … set personal best in the Mile at the GVSU Bill Clinger (Jan. 23) with a time of 4:56.70 … set new personal best in the 3000m at the 2026 Meyo Invitational (Jan. 30-31) with a time of 9:53.68 … set personal best in the 5000m of 17:17.39 at the GVSU Holiday Open (Dec. 5)

2025 (Cross Country): Competed in all six meets … set a personal best in the 6k of 21:39.9 at the NCAA D1 Great Lakes Regional (Nov. 14) … set a personal best in the 5k of 18:18.2 at the Jeff Drenth Memorial (Aug. 29) … finished 10th at the Falcon Invitational (Oct. 17)

High School: Personal records: 200m (27.46), 400m (59.75), 800m (2:18.30), 1600m (5:09.04), 3200m (11:01.00), 5k (17:56) … four-time All-State selection in cross country and nine-time All-State selection in track and field … three-time state runner-up in track and field (2024, 4x800m; 2023, 3200m; 2022, 4x800m) … two-time regional champion in cross country and nine-time regional champion in track and field … three-time area champion in cross country and seven-time area champion in track and field … earned nine varsity letters (four in cross country, four in track and field, one in basketball) … member of Western Michigan Christian’s 2022 track and field state championship team and 2021 cross country state championship team

Personal: Daughter of Leanne and Theodore VanderKooi … youngest of six children, Abby, Sarah, Seth, Nick, and Kaitlyn … sister Abby runs track and field at Grand Valley State … intends to major in elementary education to pursue a career in special education … National Honor Society member

Why CMU?: “I chose CMU because of the location, campus, and athletics history.”