Quietly competing on an online stage from CrossFit Sandstorm in north Phoenix, two members of the Grand Canyon University CrossFit officially qualified for the quarterfinal rounds of the 2024 CrossFit Games Open. Lopes' Student Leader Maddy Hinman and Lopes' sophomore Ava Jeziorski completed their three-week stints in the worldwide 2024 CrossFit Open, finishing among the top 25% worldwide to move on to the quarterfinals, which begin April 18. Hinman and Jeziorski were part of a seven-person contingent of Lopes to compete in the event, which sees tens of thousands of athletes compete across the globe between February 29 and March 18.
 
Hinman is finishing out her impressive tenure overseeing the program in style. Hinman finished the Open just outside of the top 7000 females in the competition. Hinman did 180 reps in eight minutes, 30 seconds in Week 1; slammed out seven rounds of the 150-meter row in Week 2; then finished up with eight rounds of thrusters and four-bar muscleups in the final week. Meanwhile, for Jeziorski, her first foray into the worldwide event has been a memorable one so far. The native of Manhattan, Illinois actually had to complete her three-week run in both Arizona and her home state due to spring break on the GCU campus, but that in no way slowed her down. Jeziorski completed her 180 reps in Week 1 in just under 13 minutes; did six rounds of 300-meter row, 10 deadlifts and 39 double-enders in the second week; then wound up with five rounds of seven thrusters in the final session.
 
Jeziorski wasn't the only Lopes to break the seal on her CrossFit Open career this season, since fellow first-year GCU CrossFit members Derek Brown, Gabrielle Hartenstein and April Rhoads were also throwing their proverbial hats in the ring for the first time in 2024. Hinman was also not the only veteran of the competition for the Lopes, since she was joined by fellow returners Lopes' Student Leader Dominic Brink and Lopes' senior Ethan Crecco. And even though Hinman impressed the others, she was the first to give praise to her fellow Lopes' competitors.
 
"Throughout the Open, we had so many successes and wins for all of our athletes," said Hinman. "Since for many, this was their first Open experience, all in all, we've learned so much this season. I can't wait to see how our athletes continue to grow for next year."