Wayne State’s track and field standouts Michaela Dendinger and Derek Lahm were named to the 2016-17 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District 7 teams, recognizing their work in the classroom and in competition.
Dendinger, a junior from Coleridge, maintains a 3.63 grade-point average majoring in biology at Wayne State College. Earlier this month, Dendinger was voted the NSIC Female Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year after winning three events at the NSIC Outdoor Championships. She recorded first-place finishes in the shot put with a personal best mark of 53 feet, 10 1/4 inches, set a new WSC and NSIC meet record throw of 208-5 in the hammer throw and completed the Triple Crown with a first place mark of 157-8 in the discus.
Dendinger was named NSIC Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week all six weeks during the regular season. She posted NCAA automatic qualifying marks in all three events and is competing this weekend at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Bradenton, Fla.
During the indoor season, Dendinger was All-NSIC in the shot put and weight throw and placed 10th at the NCAA Div. II Indoor Nationals in both events. This marks the first time that Dendinger has received CoSIDA Academic All-District honors.
Lahm, a junior from Columbus, carries a 3.91 GPA majoring in chemistry and health science at Wayne State College. He scored points in three events at the NSIC Indoor Championships in February, earning All-NSIC honors with a third place finish in the heptathlon (4,970 points) while also placing fourth in the long jump (23-6) and fifth in the triple jump (47-3 3/4).
During the outdoor season, Lahm collected a fifth place finish in the javelin (168-2) at the NSIC Outdoor Championships.
In 2015, Lahm was an Academic All-District 7 First Team and Academic All-America Third Team selection as a sophomore and sat out last year as a medical redshirt.
Dendinger and Lahm both received First Team honors and now advance to the Academic All-American ballot, with the announcement of the All-American Team set for June 22.
