EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Evansville Director of Cross Country/Track & Field Brooks LeCompte has announced the addition of Michigan State graduate transfer Melanie Helder (Hudsonville, Mich./Hudsonville) to his 2022 roster. Helder is the first addition to LeCompte as the head of the Purple Aces program.
“I am excited to have Melanie representing the Purple Aces beginning this fall, as my first signee at the helm of the program,” said LeCompte. “I think she will add immediate attention to our program and begin a culture of high-level competitiveness for us at the MVC and NCAA levels.”
Helder was a 2022 CoSIDA Academic All-District selection at Michigan State while being a 1,500-meter qualifier for the 2022 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field East Preliminary Round. Helder placed 34th overall at the NCAA East Preliminary Round in the 1,500-meters and owns a personal-best time of 4:18.09 in the event.
Meanwhile, in cross country, Helder was a part of two Big Ten Championship cross country programs and posted a personal-best time of 21:37.2 in the 6-K event in October for the Spartans. Â Â While she did not compete in the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championships hosted at Evansville last November, she did compete in the NCAA Division I Cross Country National Championships, posting a 6-K time of 21:57.6.
Helder also excelled in the classroom at Michigan State, posting a 3.98 cumulative grade point average in kinesiology, while minoring in health promotion. She was a four-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and a five-time Academic All-Big Ten recipient. Helder received the Big Ten’s Postgraduate Scholarship this past June. She will be a part of UE’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program academically.
