National Coed Champions: 2014, 2016, and 2017
2014
In 2014 for the first time in program history, Olympic weightlifting won the coed division National University Championships title September 28 in Albuquerque, N.M. The team totaled 70 points at the event to top the University of Georgia in second place by 36 points.
Lindenwood captured 17 individual medals in the process, with two Lions earning three gold medals each.
Darren Barnes swept the three gold medals in the men's 56 kg division. He also set a new American university record total. Not to be outdone, his brother
Darrel Barnes swept the three gold medals in the 62 kg division.
Jacky Bigger won three silver medals in the women's 58 kg division and
Kyle Dosterschill won three silver medals in the men's 94 kg division.
Cayla Amatulli earned three bronze medals in the women's 48 kg division,
Miranda Gilley won a bronze medal in the women's 53 kg division, and
Austin Rodriguez earned a bronze medal in the men's 62 kg division.
As the leader of the team, head coach
Jianping Ma was named the gold medal title coach by USA Weightlifting. Both Barnes brothers and Dosterschill received invitations to represent Team USA for the 2014 University World Championships in Chiangmai, Thailand in early December.
Lindenwood had a total of 22 lifters at the event, which attracted close to 250 athletes from universities around the United States.
2016
After narrowly missing a title the previous year, Olympic weightlifting captured the 2016 National University Coed Championship September 23-25 at the Alario Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Lions totaled 147 points as a team, finishing ahead of the 2015 title winners, Northern Michigan University with 119 points. East Tennessee State was third, followed by East Carolina in fourth, and Weber State in fifth.
Three Lindenwood lifters earned podium finishes at the competition, led by Darrell Barnes, who won the 62kg men's division with a snatch of 95kg and a clean and jerk of 126kg. His total of 221kg was just a single kilogram ahead of second place. John Steiner finished third overall in the 105kg+ class. He snatched 130kg and lifted 160kg in the clean and jerk for a total of 290kg. Devin Mundy took the number two spot in the 105kg division clean and jerk with a lift of 180kg. He snatched 129kg for a total of 309kg and a fifth place overall finish.
It was the second national title in the past three years for the Olympic weightlifting program.
2017
It took several days to confirm due to an electronic scoring glitch, but Olympic weightlifting swept all three team titles including Coed, Men's, and Women's at the USA Weightlifting University Nationals April 6-9 at the Stephen C. O'Connell Arena in Gainesville, Florida. In addition to the team success, there were six individuals that won titles in their respective divisions at the event.
In coed team competition, the Lions finished with a total of 183 points for a 22-point margin over second place Northern Michigan with 161. Eastern Tennessee State was third with 130 points. In the Men's standings, Lindenwood earned 174 points for first, once again over Northern Michigan, and in the Women's Team standings, the Lady Lions totaled 147 points for a 76-point margin over second.
An individual crown belonged to
Darren Barnes in the men's 56kg class. He lifted 105kg in the snatch and 125kg in the clean and jerk for a total of 230kg. His brother,
Darrel Barnes won the 62kg division with lifts of 105kg in the snatch and 131kg in the clean and jerk for 236kg total.
In the 69kg class, Austin Rodriguez hoisted 150kg in the snatch and 182kg in the clean and jerk for a first place total of 258kg.
Muhammad Begaliev won the 85kg division with lifts of 150kg and 182kg for a 332kg total. The 94kg class belonged to
Matthew Montgomerey with a snatch of 136kg and a clean and jerk of 166kg for a total of 302kg.
Chelsey McMichael claimed the title in the women's 90kg class with a snatch of 83kg and clean and jerk of 105kg for a 188kg total.
2018
Olympic weightlifting won its third straight coed title at the 2018 USA Weightlifting University Nationals April 20-22 on the campus of Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. The Lions earned 146 points overall to take the crown over second place Northern Michigan with 135 points. Lindenwood also won the men's title with 134 points over Northern Michigan with 106 points. The Lady Lions finished second in women's competition with 97 points, finishing behind Eastern Tennessee State with 107 points.
Individually, two Lindenwood lifters medaled.
Riley Stefan earned the bronze in the women's 69kg division with a snatch of 83kg. She took fourth with a clean and jerk of 101kg and finished fourth overall with a total of 184kg.
Paul Smith earned the silver in the 105kg+ class with a snatch of 142kg and he earned bronze overall with a total of 307kg. He also hoisted 165kg in the clean and jerk to set a new personal record by 15kg.
The 2018 coed title is the fourth championship for Olympic weightlifting overall and the fourth in the last five years for the program.
University Nationals
Final Standings
Coed
1. Lindenwood University 146 points
2. Northern Michigan 135 points
Men
1. Lindenwood University 134 points
2. Northern Michigan 106 points
3. East Carolina 67 points
4. Eastern Tennessee State 41 points
Women
1. Eastern Tennessee State 107 points
2. Lindenwood University 97 points
3. Northern Michigan 69 points
Individual Results
