Payton Hopkins

MARQUETTE — The team representing Northern Michigan University won the coed division last weekend at the National University Championships held by USA Weightlifting in Salt Lake City.

The U.S. National Training Site weightlifters participated in the three-day event that was held in a hybrid format with 30 percent of the 866 athletes lifting from home through the internet.

NMU’s Payton Hopkins won gold in the 87-kilogram (191.8-pound) women’s division by lifting 70 kg (154.3 lbs.) in the snatch and 75 kg (165.3 lbs.) in the clean and jerk for a 145 kg (319.7 lb.) total.

Bronze medalist Jayda Jenkins, at 55 kg (121.3 lbs.), lifted 68 kg (149.9 lbs.) in snatch and 89 kg (196.2 lbs.) in clean and jerk for 157 kg (346.1 lbs.) total.

A trio of Wildcat men were also bronze medalists — Lukas Zielke at 67 kg (147.7 lbs.) with a 241 kg (531.3 lb.) total, Calvin La at 73 kg (160.9 lbs.) with a 246 kg (542.3 lb.) total, and Gage Sentry at 109-plus kg (240.3 lb.-plus lbs.) with a 289 kg (637.1 lb.) total.

In addition, other top-six finishers for NMU were women Hannah Hopkins in fifth place and Hannah Alvis in sixth, and for the men, Ryland Shriver and Max Evanson, each in fourth.

The NMU squad earned 110 points to claim the championship title. The University of Texas placed second with 104 and East Tennessee State third with 102.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.