Photo courtesy of SAU Athletics.

Saint Ambrose University sophomore and finance major Dylan Grandon is a middle distance runner, running in races such as the 400 meter dash, the 600 meter dash, the 800 meter dash and even the 1,000 meter dash. 

This past weekend, Dylan and a select group of athletes competed in the NAIA National Championship meet in Gainesville, Florida. Dylan and his 4×800 meter relay team finished 10th place, while Dylan himself would go on to take 11th place in the open 600 meter dash, where he ran a new Personal Record time of 1:20.01. This put a nice finish on the end of the 2024-2025 indoor season, but to Dylan, this was just the beginning. 

At this year’s CCAC Indoor conference meet, Grandon was named Men’s Outstanding Track Athlete, and was voted Male Most Valuable Performer of the meet. He was later named the CCAC Men’s Track Athlete of the Week.

“It was a huge honor for Dylan to receive the MVP award,” says head SAU Track and Field Coach Tyler Mulder.

“It’s something we were hoping to get for him with getting the most points and we were very happy for him being able to achieve that!” 

Last year, Dylan’s freshman year, he competed on the SAU team that took second place in the Chicago Collegiate Athletic Conference, for both the indoor and outdoor season. 

Dylan was injured right before the Indoor National Championship meet back in 2024, however he competed and pushed through the pain for his team.

“After getting injured and running with a hurt hamstring, I knew I wanted to get healthy over the offseason and come back able to train how we wanted. If we were able to train that way then I knew the results of my sophomore season were going to be night and day.”

He did just that, training and rehabbing his injuries this past summer and came into the Fighting Bee’s 2024-2025 indoor season as a force to be reckoned with. 

In his first meet, Dylan smashed his old 800 meter personal best, running 1:54.40. This time qualified Dylan in the 800m A Standard for National Qualification, and he only went up from there. 

Dylan was selected as the SAU Men’s Athlete of the Month for December, and in January, ran a new best time in the 800m dash at 1:52.86, breaking the longstanding SAU school record set in 1972 in the 800m.

The sophomore continued to excel in his indoor season, running personal bests and qualifying for nationals in the 600m dash with a time of 1:20.93, and running a PR in the 1,000 meter dash at 2:28.68. He was also a part of the National Qualifying 4×400 team, and the 4×800 team.

Coach Mulder says, “He definitely deserves all the success he’s had as he worked hard on and off the track and has grown tremendously as an athlete from being a freshman to a sophomore now!”

Even after qualifying for multiple events nationally, Dylan wouldn’t be able to compete in all of them, saying he’s turning his focus to his 600 meter dash and the 4×800 meter relay. 

“I would love to make finals for the 4×800 and the 600 and give myself and that relay team a real shot at bringing a national championship back to Davenport.” says Dylan, looking ahead to the upcoming nationals meet.

“Having Dylan on the team has been a blessing. He’s very coachable and a great team leader who really cares for everyone around him.” says Mulder.

Even being only a sophomore, Dylan epitomizes what it means to be a leader and a role model for those on the team. 

“This team is more than just a sport to me. I spend the majority of my day with the guys who are on the team. It’s more than just us going to practice. While I do enjoy going to work hard everyday so we can achieve our goals together, it really is a family just as much as it is a team.”

It’s not easy to be great at something, let alone multiple things. Dylan Grandon has shown that by working as hard as he could, and sacrificing so much, that you truly can make it to compete at the highest level possible. Coach Mulder summarizes,

“He’s a great role model for the next generation to follow. I’m proud to be called his coach as he represents SAU to its fullest potential.” 

Dylan doesn’t plan on slowing down anytime soon, and as far as him and his team are concerned, the sky’s the limit.