Last month, the Northern Michigan University Olympic Training site weightlifters traveled for the National University Championships in
New Orleans. They ended the championship with both the men’s and women’s teams taking first place for the second year in a row.

The men’s team finished in first with a total of 141 points. The team finishing second was Lindenwood University with 123 points, and East Tennessee State University came in third with 70 points.

“We had great individual successes,” NMU weightlifting head coach Vance Newgard said. “Many personal bests, many medals won and even a chance at a university record. And because of all those good performances we came away with a men’s and women’s national title.”

The women’s team took first with a point total of 84. Also, finishing in second and third were Lindenwood and East Tennessee.

For teams competition, the NMU team finished in second with a total of 119 points finishing behind Lindenwood’s 147 point total. The team members who received individual medals were freshman Uli Manzanilla, junior Hope Stockel and freshman Tom Piscopo.

Manzanilla earned a gold medal in the 69-kg weight class with a clean and jerk of a 153-kg lift. He also took home a silver medal for his 263-kg total. Stockel had a team high 22 points for the women. She earned a bronze medal for her 77-kg snatch.

Piscopo took home a total of 3 silver medals. The medals he earned were for his 128-kg snatch, 165-kg clean and jerk and an overall total of 293-kg.

In the Under 25 Championships junior Paul Woelmer also finished with a total of three gold medals.

“Head coach Vance Newgard focuses on each individual athlete differently,” sophomore Jordan Borges said. “So everybody’s workouts and preparations are different. The goal was to make all of your lifts and leave no room for failure.”

The team’s next event will take place in Orlando, Florida in December.