With the 49th annual Gina Relays starting today, Hillsdale College remembers one of its most decorated athletes.
The meet commemorates Gina Van Laar Lanser, the 1988 class Valedictorian, President’s Ball Queen, Outstanding Senior Woman, and the college’s only cross-country national champion.
“Gina is a treasured person always in my heart and in the hearts of many at Hillsdale College,” said Dean of Women Diane Philipp, Lanser’s track coach during her time on campus.
Eight years after graduating from Hillsdale, Lanser and her unborn daughter Megan Michelle died in a car accident.
After her death, Philipp and the then men’s track and field coach Bill Lundberg decided the college needed to honor Lanser.
Lundberg recalls asking the athletic director at the time, Jack McAvoy, what the team could do to honor Lanser. Philipp and Lundberg suggested naming Lanser’s best event, the 5K, in her name, but McAvoy declined and instead renamed the Hillsdale Relays meet in her honor.
At the 1996 meet, Lanser’s parents and husband were named honorary referees and the Chargers organized it so a cross was illuminated onto the football field throughout the meet.
“The Gina Relays are such a great way for her beautiful legacy to live on at Hillsdale,” Lundberg said. “It’s so great to hear from other coaches and runners, ‘I’ll see you at the Gina’s,’ or, ‘Are you going to the Gina’s?’ It just shows the honor and respect that we all have for her.”
Lanser’s legacy is not only honored during this spring weekend when dozens of schools across all three NCAA divisions congregate on the Hillsdale track to compete, but also anytime anyone walks the halls of the college’s sports complex where Lanser’s picture has its place in the series of All-American Chargers posters, and her Hall of Fame plaque hangs on the brick walls.
During her four years at Hillsdale, Lanser racked up seven All-American titles and four All-Academic honors. She also set a new school record for the 5K and in 1987, she became the college’s only National cross-country champion.
“She was a phenomenal runner— truly one of the best athletes Hillsdale has ever known in a long history of outstanding competitors,” Philipp said. “She was a coach’s dream, she could run anything from the 800 to the 10,000.”
Philipp described how Lanser maintained incredible control when running: “She was on a mission, and it was beautiful to witness.”
Throughout her collegiate career Lanser maintained a 4.0 GPA.
“She was truly a liberal-arts girl,” Philipp said.
Phillips added that Lanser is remembered amongst friends and teammates for her strength, beauty, and humility.
“After Gina would finish a race, which was most often in one of the top positions, she would always turn around and reach towards her teammates coming in behind her. Her humble and gentle words inspired and comforted. She always gave praise to her teammates and glory to God,” Philipp said. “She was and continues to be a role model for all of us.”
Lundberg also saw this humility.
“She was one of the best of the best of our students,” he said, “but you’d never know how much success she achieved — you’d have to pry it out of her.”
The Gina Relays begin today at 3 p.m. and continue through Saturday afternoon.
