1st Year of Powerlifting
I first started lifting when I got to high school for football. I fell in love with the process of lifting and didn't just do it to get stronger, but I really enjoyed it. Once I got to college, I wanted to still compete in something since I wasn't playing sports anymore. I saw that GCU had a powerlifting club, so I decided to join. I was able to meet some great people and decided to go into it competitively. My first-ever meet did not go very well, where I did not hit the required depth on any of my squat attempts so I did not place. I took that as an opportunity to keep growing and then in my next meet, I was able to set 4 Colorado State records in the squat, bench, deadlift, and total. Throughout the course of my first year of powerlifting, I competed in 5 different meets. I was able to break 10 Colorado State records between the two different federations I competed in. My current personal bests were a 485 squat, 303 bench press, and a 540 deadlift at 165 lbs body weight. I was excited to start competing in some national events and continue to increase my PRs!
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Year 2 Experience
During my Second year of powerlifting, I was named president of the GCU powerlifting club. This was a great opportunity for me to continue to grow as a leader and help other powerlifters reach their goals. I learned how to write programs, help other people with form, manage gear orders, and plan team competitions. The best part of my second year however was I was able to compete at collegiate nationals! This event took place in Arlington, Texas where I faced some of the best collegiate lifters in the country. I ended up taking 27th place for the 75kg weight class with a 485 squat, 325 bench press, and a 523 deadlift.
Year 3 Experience
My 3rd year of powerlifting was filled with blessings and growth. Our club went from about 10 members to 3o and I was able to feel like I was a part of a powerlifting team. I would lead a Bible study outside of practice and do many communication events with the members as well. On the lifting side of things, I made huge growth during my 3rd year, ending my time at GCU with a national championship at the 2024 PA University Nationals in the 83kg division. I hit PRs of a 528 squat, 358 bench, and 568 deadlift. Then, the Lord continued to bless me as over the summer at University Worlds I was able to continue to improve and hit PRs of a 556 squat, 368 bench, and 585 deadlift. I also got the offer to be the head coach of the GCU Powerlifting team which will be an amazing experience to help other athletes hit their goals.