NMU-OTS weightlifters sweep university championships
MARQUETTE, Mich. — Northern Michigan University’s Olympic Training Site weightlifters swept titles in all three categories, women’s, men’s and coed this weekend (Sept. 25-27) at the University National Championships in Ogden, Utah.
In the coed division, the NMU-OTS squad led the pack with 160 points followed by Lindenwood University with 157 points and Weber with 69 points. The NMU women took home their first-place finish by scoring 82 points, followed by Lindenwood with 79 points and Weber State with 33 points. The NMU men totaled 165 points to finish on top. Lindenwood followed with 156 points and Weber State ended the competition with 52 points.
Leading the pack for the NMU-OTS team were Ryan Borges and Chris Santana, who both earned university champion titles.
Borges lifted in the 62-kilogram weight class, earning three gold medals for his 101-kg snatch, for his 125-kg clean and jerk, and for the highest overall total of 226 kg. In the 69-kg weight class, Santana took home a gold in the snatch with a 115-kg lift, silver for his 140-kg total in the clean and jerk, and a gold for the highest overall total of 255 kg.
Also finishing in the top three overall for the men were Ronnie Tucker, Connor Felstead and Nate Lewis. Tucker, lifting at 62 kg, finished third with a lift of 88 kg in the snatch and 123 kg in the clean and jerk, earning bronze and silver medals, respectively. Felstead earned silver medals across the board at 77 kg for his 121-kg total in the snatch, 162-kg lift in the clean and jerk, and 283-kg combined total. Lifting at 105 kg, Lewis took silver in snatch with his 141-kg lift, bronze in the clean and jerk with a 161-kg lift and third overall with his 302-kg total.
Top three overall female finishers were Breanne Carlson, lifting at 53 kg and Hope Stockel in the 63-kg division. Carlson finished second overall, earning a silver medal in the snatch with a lift of 68 kg and a bronze medal in the clean and jerk, lifting 82 kg. Her lifts totaled 150 kg. Stockel placed third overall with her competition total of 165 kg.
The event included 444 of the country’s top collegiate weightlifters from every athletic division. It also featured established programs such as the NMU-OTS, the United States Olympic Training Site at East Tennessee State University and the USA Weightlifting High Performance Center at Louisiana State University at Shreveport, La.