The Concordia University women's track team had two of the top five individual scorers, Charista Zehnder and Bethany Sutton, at the 2009 Great Plains Athletic Conference outdoor championship meet. Both Concordia's men's and women's teams finished the meet in second place behind perennial power Doane College.
Zehnder earned the female, outstanding athlete-of-the-meet honor for her performance in six events, scoring a total of 31.5 points. The next highest performer scored 24 points. In her first event, the 100-meter dash, Zehnder finished second with a time of 12.46 seconds. She also finished second in the 200 with a time of 25.55 seconds, before running as part of both Concordia's 4X100-meter relay team and the winning 4X400 relay team. Zehnder also competed in two field events, earning second place in the long jump and sixth in the triple jump.
Bethany Sutton was Concordia's second top scorer with 23.7 points, just three-tens behind the second overall scorer for the meet. Sutton won both the 400 and 800 with times of 57.32 and 2 minutes, 15.69 seconds respectively. Sutton was also a member of Concordia's 4X400 and 4X800 relay teams.
Other top performers for Concordia's women included Ann Hershberger, finishing second in the 1,500 with a time of 4:46.30. Emily Wolters won the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:02.96. Lauren Eickemeyer earned a second place finish in the shot put with a throw of 45'7.25", and Carly Stokebrand took second in the discus with a distance of 140'1".
The Concordia men also finished second behind Doane College. Doane picked up its second title in a row. Luka Thor was the top scorer for the Bulldogs with 20 points individually. Thor won both the 5,000 and 10,000-meter runs for the Bulldogs. Bryan Felker and David Goeglein finished just being Thor in the 10,000 in second and third place respectively.
Other top finishers for the Bulldogs included Michael Saalfeld, who narrowly won the 800 over a runner from Mount Marty. Zach Meineke won the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 9:19.74. The Concordia 4X800 relay team was victorious with a time of 7:48.64. Team members included Michael Saalfeld, Jordan Tucker, Keegan Bloomfield and Caleb Egger. Drew Rodine won the triple jump with a mark of 46'10.75". The duo of Jordan Hinrichs and Brock Simonsen took second and third respectively in the shot put. Simonsen also took second in the discus with a distance of 173'.
The following are the 2009 GPAC All-Conference performers for Concordia University:
Women
Charista Zehnder - 100-meter run, 200, 4X100-meter relay, 4X400, Long Jump, Triple Jump
Katie Swanson - 200, 400, 4X100, 4X400
Bethany Sutton - 400, 800, 4X400, 4X800
Ann Hershberger - 800, 1,500
Katie Lutmer - 1,500
Rebecca Mol - 3,000 Steeplechase
Emily Bourret - 3,000 Steeplechase
Rachelle Gross - 3,000 Steeplechase
Taylor Felix - 10,000
Emily Wolters - 100 Hurdles, 400 Hurdles, 4X100, 4X400
Jill Pfeifer - 4X100
Martha Meineke - 4X800
Hannah Ferry - 4X800
Anna Meyer - 4X800
Lauren Eickemeyer - Shot Put
Carly Stokebrand - Shot Put, Discus, Hammer
Amy Sandefur - Hammer
Sara Ratliff - Hammer
Men
Adam Birt - 400
Michael Saalfeld - 800, 4X400, 4X800
Colin Morrissey - 1,500, 5,000
Matt Trampe - 1,500
Zach Meineke - 3,000 Steeplechase, 5,000
Jon Grotefendt - 3,000 Steeplechase
Josh Meyer - 3,000 Meter Steeplechase
Luka Thor - 5,000, 10,000
Tyson Billings - 5,000
Bryan Felker - 10,000
David Goeglein - 10,000
Dan Kober - 110 Hurdles, 400 Hurdles, 4X400
Drew Rodine - 4X100, Triple Jump
Charles Dunbar - 4X100
Dan Uden - 4X100, Long Jump
Joseph Furr - 4X100, 4X400
Adam Birt - 4X400
Jordan Tucker - 4X800
Keegan Bloomfield - 4X800
Caleb Egger - 4X800
Chad Wilshusen - High Jump
Jordan Hinrichs - Shot Put, Discus
Brock Simonsen - Shot Put, Discus
Matt Baller - Shot Put, Hammer
Corbin Jones - Hammer
Derek Rodine - Hammer