Completed Event: Track and Field at UNM Don Kirby Elite on February 13, 2026 ,
Track & Field
at UNM Don Kirby Elite
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Lopes add impressive duo of mid-year transfers
1/12/2022 6:00:00 PM | Track and Field
Oloyede, Vanlierde join GCU ahead of upcoming spring seasons
The Grand Canyon track and field program announced an impressive pair of mid-year transfers who are joining the program ahead of the spring seasons.
Israel Oloyede was a national runner-up in the weight throw at Arizona and moves back to his hometown of Phoenix to join the Lopes program. Transferring from Houston Baptist, Jorg Vanlierde was a top-five finisher in the Southland Conference for heptathlon and a top-10 finisher in the decathlon.
Oloyede competes in the hammer and weight throw. The Phoenix North Canyon High School graduate began his collegiate track career at Paradise Valley Community College, where he had a decorated career with the Pumas. A three-time National Junior College Athletic Association All-American, Oloyede set a national record and won a national championship with a 20.89-meter mark in the weight throw.
Oloyede transferred to Arizona, where he qualified for the NCAA Championships in all three opportunities: 2020 indoor, 2021 indoor and outdoor. He holds the Wildcats' hammer and weight throw records. His career highlight came in the 2021 indoor season, when he finished as the national runner-up with a mark of 23.79 meters in the weight throw. He also qualified for last year's U.S. Olympic Trials.
He is majoring in business analytics. He chose GCU for a chance to be closer to family and be in a faith-based environment.
Vanlierde competes in the multi events (decathlon and heptathlon) and had success during his time with Houston Baptist. At the Southland Conference's indoor and outdoor championship meets last year, Vanliedre logged a fourth-place finish in the heptathlon (including first in pole vault) and an eighth-place finish in the decathlon (including first in shot put, pole vault and javelin).
"After looking at recent results of the team, my interest was raised," Vanlierde said. "After talking to (Lopes associate head coach) Todd Lehman, I was convinced that GCU would be a perfect fit for me."
Hailing from Deinze, Belgium, Vanlierde won a silver medal in the decathlon at the U18 European Championships, which he cites as his favorite personal sports moment.
The Lopes indoor track and field season begins on Friday with a trip to Flagstaff for the Friday Night Axe 'Em Open, which is set to begin at 3 p.m. at Northern Arizona.
Israel Oloyede was a national runner-up in the weight throw at Arizona and moves back to his hometown of Phoenix to join the Lopes program. Transferring from Houston Baptist, Jorg Vanlierde was a top-five finisher in the Southland Conference for heptathlon and a top-10 finisher in the decathlon.
Oloyede competes in the hammer and weight throw. The Phoenix North Canyon High School graduate began his collegiate track career at Paradise Valley Community College, where he had a decorated career with the Pumas. A three-time National Junior College Athletic Association All-American, Oloyede set a national record and won a national championship with a 20.89-meter mark in the weight throw.
Oloyede transferred to Arizona, where he qualified for the NCAA Championships in all three opportunities: 2020 indoor, 2021 indoor and outdoor. He holds the Wildcats' hammer and weight throw records. His career highlight came in the 2021 indoor season, when he finished as the national runner-up with a mark of 23.79 meters in the weight throw. He also qualified for last year's U.S. Olympic Trials.
He is majoring in business analytics. He chose GCU for a chance to be closer to family and be in a faith-based environment.
Vanlierde competes in the multi events (decathlon and heptathlon) and had success during his time with Houston Baptist. At the Southland Conference's indoor and outdoor championship meets last year, Vanliedre logged a fourth-place finish in the heptathlon (including first in pole vault) and an eighth-place finish in the decathlon (including first in shot put, pole vault and javelin).
"After looking at recent results of the team, my interest was raised," Vanlierde said. "After talking to (Lopes associate head coach) Todd Lehman, I was convinced that GCU would be a perfect fit for me."
Hailing from Deinze, Belgium, Vanlierde won a silver medal in the decathlon at the U18 European Championships, which he cites as his favorite personal sports moment.
The Lopes indoor track and field season begins on Friday with a trip to Flagstaff for the Friday Night Axe 'Em Open, which is set to begin at 3 p.m. at Northern Arizona.
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