Bulldog Athletic Association Member (BAAM) Athletes of the Week
Female: Taysha Rushton, Basketball
Rushton, a native of Midland, Texas, produced a combined 51 points on 21-of-35 shooting from the floor, including 7-of-14 from 3-point range, in last week’s contests against Midland and Dordt. Her 31 points at Midland were one shy of a career high. Rushton leads the team this season with a scoring average of 17.8.
Male: AJ Watson, Basketball
Watson, who hails from Kansas City, Kan., collected a combined 19 points, eight assists, nine rebounds and two stelas last week as the Bulldogs picked up wins over Midland and Dordt. Watson is averaging 9.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game for a Bulldog squad that is now 20-5 overall.
Previous BAAM Athletes of the Week
Feb. 1 – Calvin Rohde (track & field)
Jan. 25 – Calvin Rohde (track & field) / Gage Smith (basketball) / Rylee Haecker (track & field)
Jan. 18 – Carter Kent (basketball) / Rylee Haecker (track & field)
Jan. 11 – Carter Kent (basketball) / Mackenzie Toomey (basketball)
Dec. 14 – Carter Kent (basketball) / Sarah Lewis (track & field)
Dec. 7 – Carter Kent (basketball) / Gabi Nordaker (volleyball)
Nov. 30 – Noah Schutte (basketball) / Taysha Rushton (basketball)
Nov. 16 – Korrell Koehlmoos (football) / Bree Burtwistle (volleyball)
Nov. 9 – Camden Sesna (cross country) / Gabi Nordaker (volleyball)
Nov. 2 – Carter Kent (basketball) / Camryn Opfer (volleyball)
Oct. 26 – Peyton Mitchell (football) / Lexie Kreizel (volleyball)
Oct. 19 – Lane Napier (football) / Kalie Ward (soccer)
Oct. 12 – Caydren Cox (football) / Kalee Wiltfong (volleyball)
Oct. 5 – DJ McGarvie (football) / Sarah Schwacher (shooting sports)
Sept. 28 – Wyatt Hambly (shooting sports) / Gabi Nordaker (volleyball)
Sept. 21 – Camden Sesna (cross country) / Lina Kirst (soccer) / Grace Reiman (cross country) / Carly Rodaway (volleyball)
Sept. 14 – Caydren Cox (football) / Mikeila Martinez (soccer)
Sept. 7 – Drew D’Ercole (golf) / Ivan Yabut (golf) / Erica Heinzerling (volleyball)
Aug. 31 – Martin Herrera (soccer) / Camryn Opfer (volleyball)
BAAM Athletes of the Month
January – Carter Kent (basketball) / Rylee Haecker (track & field)
December – Carter Kent (basketball) / Sarah Lewis (track & field)
November – Noah Schutte (basketball) / Gabi Nordaker (volleyball)
October – Lane Napier (football) / Camryn Opfer (volleyball)
September – Caydren Cox (football) / Gabi Nordaker (volleyball)
News and notes:
BAAM luncheons are held every Tuesday at 12 p.m. CT inside the Dog House Grill, located in the Janzow Campus Center. The luncheons feature reports from head coaches who are in season at the time.
Game/event days on campus: Concordia Athletics continues to welcome fans to its venues for sporting events. Currently, there are no attendance limits. Before visiting road venues involving Bulldog teams, fans should be sure to check the spectator policies on those particular campuses. Other locations may require the use of face coverings. Once again, fans attending varsity sporting events at Concordia are able to purchase advance tickets online via HomeTown Ticketing. Tickets will also be sold on site on the day of events. Should any policies or protocols for fans change, updated information will be available on the athletics fan information page HERE.
Cheer places fifth, Dance sixth at Bethel College Thresher Invite: In a largescale event hosted by Bethel College in North Newton, Kan., the Concordia Competitive Cheer and Dance competed three times over two days (Feb. 4-5). Head Coach Mandi Maser’s cheer squad, led by Shelby Timmerman, recorded its highest score of the season with a 76.65 in the preliminary round. Bulldog Cheer placed fifth out of 11 teams at the invite. Meanwhile, the highest score of the weekend for Concordia Dance was a 61.72, which put the Bulldogs in sixth place out of 12 teams. Place finishes were awarded based on each squad’s highest score on Saturday. For detailed recaps on the performances, check out the following links:
-Cheer Recap | Dance Recap
Concordia Football momentum from fall carries over in recruiting: After going 7-3 and sweeping its in-state foes on the 2021 schedule, the Concordia University Football program has attempted to capitalize on that momentum in this recruiting cycle. As Head Coach Patrick Daberkow says, “we’ll see how we did in two years” after the recruiting class of 2022 has had an opportunity to make its mark. As of National Signing Day 2022 (Feb. 2), the Bulldogs have announced an initial class of 39 future Concordia student-athletes. Broken down by state, the group features 27 future Bulldogs from Nebraska, four from Texas, two from Colorado and one apiece from California, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico and Oklahoma. For more on the 2022 class, click HERE.
All that and Moore: Over her first three seasons with Concordia Softball, Camry Moore has managed to meet the lofty expectations that came with her following a phenomenal prep career at Crete High School. As a First Team All-GPAC performer in 2021, Moore led the Bulldogs to a GPAC tournament runner-up claim and a spot in the national tournament. Said Moore, “I don’t really feel like I’m standing out. I do what I do and have fun doing it. The community support both in Crete and here in Seward – seeing the familiar fans in the stands when you play – is really special and super cool.” Moore is looking for even bigger things this spring. For a feature profile on Moore, click HERE.
Baseball/softball seasons on the horizon: February has arrived, meaning both the Concordia Baseball and Softball teams are counting down the days until their season openers. In preseason rankings, Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad landed at No. 1 in the GPAC and at No. 18 in the NAIA poll coming off a 2021 NAIA World Series berth. Meanwhile, Head Coach Tatum Edwards takes the reins of a program that qualified for the opening round of the 2021 national tournament. The Bulldog Softball team appeared at No. 4 in the preseason conference ratings. Baseball is slated to get the season underway this weekend (Feb. 12-13) with a four-game series at Baker University (Kan.) while Softball will get going on Feb. 19 with a doubleheader at University of Saint Mary (Kan.). Click the links below for detailed season previews.
-2022 Baseball season preview
-2022 Softball season preview
Bulldog Coaches Show airs every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. CT: The Bulldog Coaches Show is underway in its seventh year of existence. The show airs live for a half hour every Thursday beginning at 5:30 p.m. CT on KTMX-FM 104.9 Max Country. The weekly feature can also be heard live via 104.9 Max Country’s website or by downloading the Max Country app. Throughout the 2021-22 season, Bulldog football, men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball contests will be aired live on Max Country. Parker Cyza serves as the host of the coaches’ show as well as the play-by-play voice for football and basketball. Frank Greene is in his seventh season calling Concordia volleyball.
Concordia Sports Network: Live webcasts for most home varsity contests can be accessed by visiting https://www.cune.edu/athletics/watch-bulldogs at game time. Beginning in 2019-20, Concordia Athletics partnered with PrestoSports for live video and statistical streaming. For more details on this change, click HERE. Check team schedules/results pages for webcast dates. Scrimmages, exhibitions and junior varsity events are not broadcasted.
Wrestling
· The regular season is in the books for the Bulldogs, who last week made their final home appearance of the 2021-22 campaign and sent a small group to the Dave Edmonds Sioux City Invitational on Feb. 5. In dual action, Concordia defeated York College, 31-9, as part of senior night on Feb. 3. At the Edmonds Open, six Bulldogs combined for seven wins (four via pin) and one place finish. Head Coach Myron Bradbury’s squad has competed in seven tournaments this season and went 6-6 in duals (3-5 GPAC). For more information on Concordia Wrestling, click HERE.
· Over the 2021-22 season, the Bulldogs hosted six duals and went 4-2 while claiming wins over Midland, 32-18, Oklahoma Wesleyan University, 31-13, Central Baptist College (Ark.), 58-0, and York. The losses were suffered at the hands of Hastings, 29-17, and then No. 15 Marian University (Ind.), 32-11. In a twist to the conference scheduling this season, Concordia wrestled five of its eight GPAC duals in Sioux City, Iowa, with them split between Dec. 1 and Jan. 29. At 3-5 in GPAC duals, the Bulldogs tied for sixth place in the conference.
· What looked to be a competitive dual on paper turned into a dominant win for Concordia in last week’s tussle with York. The Bulldogs got a measure of revenge after being defeated twice by the Panthers last season. In the latest matchup, Concordia won seven matches courtesy of Isaac Agabin (pin; 125), Mario Ybarra (decision; 133), Conner Burrus (technical fall; 141), Issiah Burks (technical fall; 165), TJ Huber (decision; 174), Hunter Weimer (pin; 184) and Jacob Telles (decision; 285). York held back its nationally ranked competitor at 125 and made a series of lineup alterations prior to the dual. The Panthers got three wins by decision, coming at 149, 157 and 197. At 149, Jeaven Scdoris made NAIA sixth-ranked John Fox earn it in a 3-0 decision.
· Barring a decision to return for another season, seniors Issiah Burks and Mario Ybarra have made the final home appearances of their college careers. Both Burks and Ybarra were honored prior to the dual last week. A native of Scottsbluff, Neb., Ybarra will go down as one of the most accomplished wrestlers in program history. With the victory against York, Ybarra pushed his career win total to 73, a figure that ties him for the fourth most in school history. Not only that, Ybarra is a two-time national qualifier, a 2020 GPAC champion and a 2021 NAIA All-American. He's also been honored as a CoSIDA Academic All-District recipient and an NWCA Scholar All-American for his work in the classroom. Meanwhile, Burks has collected 53 career wins and is a two-time GPAC place finisher.
· On the season, the following Concordia wrestlers have claimed at least 10 wins: Jacob Telles (17-6), Thomas Ivey (14-4), Tavoris Smith (14-16), Mason Garcia (13-5), TJ Huber (13-9), Mario Ybarra (11-2), Isaac Agabin (11-12), Conner Burrus (10-7) and Issiah Burks (10-9). Collectively, Bulldog grapplers have combined for 22 tournament place finishes. Both Burrus (141) and Garcia (197) claimed titles at the York Open. Meanwhile, Ivey (125) and Anthony Perez (165) both placed second at the York Open and Ybarra took second at the open hosted by the University of Nebraska-Kearney.
· It’s looking like Telles will wind up leading the team in wins for the second season in a row. The native of Albuquerque, N.M., owns a record of 17-6 with nine pins this season. As a freshman in 2020-21, Telles recorded 33 victories and won the GPAC heavyweight title. Thanks to Burks, Telles and Ybarra, there are three current Bulldogs with at least 50 career wins. Telles became the 17th wrestler in program history to hit the 50-win mark. In addition, Telles is quickly moving up the all-time pins list. His 22 career pins rank behind only Deandre Chery (50), Ken Burkhardt Jr. (43), Alex Stepanek (31) and Kodie Cole (27) on the program’s all-time list.
· A junior from Redondo Beach, Calif., Anthony Perez advanced through the winner’s bracket of the Edmonds Invite by taking an 8-4 decision over Briar Cliff’s Felix Saunders and then a 5-2 victory over Cody Booth of Dickinson State University (N.D.). The sledding got more difficult from there as Perez dropped three matches, all by decision. He was clipped, 1-0, by Morningside’s Caleb Connor with a spot in the 157-pound championship match on the line. In addition, two wins were also claimed by Adam Roberts (133) and Jack Hedke (285). Hedke earned both of his wins via fall while Roberts also picked up a pin. At 141, Josh Broyles collected a pin over a conference foe. Meanwhile, Henry Gaertner (133) and Trenton Wills (174) also competed at the Edmonds Invitational.
· The season will continue for the 12 wrestlers that Bradbury and his staff choose to enter into the GPAC Championships. The Bulldogs will be idle this week while preparing for the conference tournament that is set to be held in Mitchell, S.D., Feb. 18-19. Dakota Wesleyan will serve as this year’s host. National qualifiers will advance to wrestle at the 2022 NAIA Wrestling National Championships in Park City, Kan., March 4-5.
Men’s Basketball
· The Bulldogs accomplished what they set out to do last week in earning wins over Midland, 92-87, and Dordt, 92-62. It was the start to an important month of February that Concordia hoped for as it continues to hunt for a GPAC regular season title. With three games left in the regular season, Head Coach Ben Limback’s squad stands at 20-5 overall and at 13-4 in conference play. The Bulldogs continue to reside one-half game behind Briar Cliff (13-3 GPAC) at the top of the standings. The Chargers picked up wins last week over Mount Marty and Morningside. For more information on Concordia Men’s Basketball, click HERE.
· It would have been difficult to dream up a better week of offensive basketball. The Bulldogs shot 61.0 percent (36-for-59) from the floor at Midland and then shot 53.1 percent (34-for-64) at home against Dordt. With the Defenders sagging off the perimeter, nine Concordia players made at least one trey in an outing that featured 17 triples. Ten 3-point field goals in the second half allowed the Bulldogs to turn a 39-37 halftime lead into a rout. Concordia effectively earned season sweeps of both the Warriors and the Defenders. Within GPAC play, the Bulldogs are 9-0 at home and 4-4 on the road.
· It will be a challenge not to keep one eye on the scoreboard down the stretch. With Jamestown in third place at 11-6 in league play, it appears the chase for the regular season championship is a two-horse race between Concordia and Briar Cliff. After placing seventh in the GPAC last season, the Chargers are attempting to win the regular season for the first time since the 2016-17 campaign. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs are aiming to win a regular season title for the first time since the 1995-96 season. They have celebrated GPAC tournament titles in 2003, 2005 and 2020. Concordia and Briar Cliff will meet in Seward on Feb. 16.
· Under Limback, the Bulldogs have reached the 20-win mark for the third time. Limback guided the 2016-17 squad to a 21-10 mark and the 2019-20 GPAC postseason championship team to a 24-10 record. The 24 wins in 2019-20 were the most for the program since the 2004-05 national runner up team set a new program single season standard with 32 victories. Going back throughout the GPAC era, Concordia also posted at least 20 wins in 2000-01 (20-13), 2002-03 (25-9) and 2003-04 (20-9). Were it not for the cancellation of CIT, the current Bulldogs may have put a couple more wins on the board by now.
· Scoring balance was a theme last week. In the win at Midland, four Concordia players reached double figures: Justin Wiersema (21), Carter Kent (17), Noah Schutte (15) and Gage Smith (15). All 10 Bulldogs who saw action made at least one field goal. In the eyes of Concordia, the game got more interesting down the stretch than it should have been. The Bulldogs led by as many as 18 points and owned a double-digit advantage for nearly the entire second half. Led by 20 points from Bo Sandquist, the Warriors showcased some firepower of their own and shot 55.2 percent from the floor.
· Concordia never allowed Dordt the same opportunity to get within striking distance over the weekend. Seven Bulldogs notched at least eight points: Schutte (18), Tristan Smith (14), Sam Scarpelli (11), AJ Watson (11), Wiersema (11), Gage Smith (10) and Kent (eight). Limback referred to Watson as the player of the game. The 5-foot-8 guard added eight assists and six rebounds to his stat line and played stellar defensively. The 62 points scored by the Defenders marked a season low. Concordia had won the meeting in Sioux Center, Iowa, 84-82, back on Nov. 20.
· The program’s home success bears repeating. The Bulldogs have pushed their home win streak to 16 and are 12-0 at home this season. Incredibly, every opposing GPAC men’s basketball program has lost its most recent trip to Seward. Concordia has won each of its last 13 GPAC home games by margins of 10 points or more. In 12 home games this season, the Bulldogs have won by an average score of 83.9 to 68.6 and has shot 51.3 percent from the floor and 36.2 percent from 3-point range. Opponents are shooting just 41.6 percent inside Friedrich Arena.
· Concordia will be in action just once this week. It will make the short drive to Crete, Neb., to take on Doane (15-11, 8-8 GPAC) at 7:45 p.m. CT on Wednesday. The first meeting was a bit of an eyesore as the Bulldogs held off the Tigers, 60-50, on New Year’s Day. Doane has improved significantly this season after struggling to a 6-19 overall record last season.
Women’s Basketball
· The schedule has made this season a grind for the Bulldogs, who were ranked 23rd in the most recent NAIA coaches’ poll. After four losses in a row, Concordia regrouped and dismantled Midland on the road, 101-57, on Feb. 2 and then came up just short in a 76-69 home loss to Dordt on Feb. 5. Those results leave Head Coach Drew Olson’s squad at 13-11 overall (10-8 GPAC) and tied for sixth in the GPAC standings. The Bulldogs are not far behind the likes of Dakota Wesleyan (12-6) and Briar Cliff (11-7). For more information on Concordia Women’s Basketball, click HERE.
· With four games to go in the regular season, the Bulldogs can realistically hope to finish as high as fourth in the GPAC standings, which would be good enough to earn a home game in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament. In the NAIA coaches’ poll that will be released on Wednesday, Morningside (21-4, 16-2 GPAC), Northwestern (21-5, 13-5 GPAC) and Dordt (20-6, 13-5 GPAC) are likely to be rated inside the top 25. Concordia may have needed the win over the Defenders to hang onto a spot in the poll. The Bulldogs have appeared inside the top 25 of this season’s first six polls.
· For a team hovering just a couple games above .500, Concordia possesses a strong overall profile, based on updated analytics released last week by the NAIA. The Bulldogs own the NAIA’s No. 1 strength of schedule and landed at No. 31 in the official ratings percentage index. Those metrics are key pieces the national selection committee uses to determine national qualifiers and seeding. As of last season, the NAIA went to a one-division format for basketball. This year’s national tournament will include 64 teams and begin with four-team pods at opening round sites. In the new format last season, Concordia advanced to the national quarterfinals.
· It was a fine week for star guard Taysha Rushton. Her quick start at Midland helped get positive vibes flowing once again. In the blowout of the Warriors, Rushton had 10 points in the first five minutes, 17 points at the end of the first quarter and 26 points by halftime. Only Bailey Morris (28 points in a half) has ever produced more points in one half in the history of the program. Rushton finished with 31 points (one short of a career high). Other double figure scorers at Midland included Sadie Powell (13) and Rylee Pauli (11). Pauli also grabbed 12 rebounds as the Bulldogs owned a 48-34 advantage on the boards as a team.
· Rushton then added 20 points as Concordia attempted to end Dordt’s win streak, which has grown to 13. The Bulldogs mounted a lead as large as 10 points (41-31) in the first half and led by six (61-55) early in the fourth quarter. Concordia managed to hold GPAC Player of the Year candidate Ashtyn Veerbeek scoreless in the first half. Eventually she got going and finished with 13 points. The Defenders also got 26 from Bailey Beckman and 20 from Karly Gustafson. The Bulldogs got a strong performance from Powell (19 points and seven rebounds) and Bailey Conrad totaled 11 points, eight assists and four rebounds.
· When things are working right, Concordia can be a very good offensive team. That’s what made the four-game losing streak prior to last week a frustrating stretch. The Bulldogs hope that’s now behind them after they shot 54.5 percent at Midland and 48.3 percent versus Dordt. The key each time out is to have role players take some of the scoring load off of Rushton. Last week, Powell emerged with a combined 32 points. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native ranks second on the team in scoring average at 8.7 points per game. As a facilitator, Conrad leads all GPAC players with an average of 4.8 assists per game.
· Now in her second season as a starter (fourth season in the program), Pauli is closing in on 500 career rebounds. The Omaha native got minutes on the 2018-19 national championship team and has seen her role steadily increase since then. In 117 career collegiate games, Pauli has totaled 565 points, 489 rebounds and 159 steals. This season, Pauli is averaging 7.0 points and 6.9 rebounds and is the lone Bulldog to have started all 24 games. She ranks eighth in the GPAC in rebounding.
· Concordia will take the floor twice again this week as it goes on the road for short trips to Doane (10-16, 4-14 GPAC) and College of Saint Mary (11-12, 5-12 GPAC). Wednesday’s tipoff is set for 6 p.m. CT in Crete while Saturday’s contest in Omaha is slated to begin at 2 p.m. The Bulldogs will be aiming for season sweeps of both teams. Doane has been eliminated from GPAC tournament contention while CSM hopes of qualifying for the postseason are faint.
Track & Field
· It’s crunch time for the Bulldogs, who are now in the midst of their final week prior to the conference championships. The program hosted its third meet of the indoor season on Feb. 4 when the Concordia Classic took place. Athletes from 14 institutions were on hand for a stacked competition. In addition, Concordia athletes were also at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational this past Friday and Saturday. In total, Bulldog athletes combined for six new ‘B’ standard national qualifying marks while Erin Mapson climbed the ladder on the program’s all-time pole vault list. For more information on Concordia Track & Field, click HERE.
· The fresh ‘B’ standards posted last week came courtesy of the men’s 4x400 meter relay (3:19.18), Rachel Battershell in the 400 meters (58.26), Chase Berry in the pole vault (15’ 3”), Abigail Gerber in the shot put (42’ 9”), Kylahn Heritage in the mile (5:14.17) and Abi Wohlgemuth in the weight throw (52’ 10 ¼”). The men’s 4x4 was made up of Xavier Ross, Mark Cooke, Cade Kleckner and Jacob Jennings. That group achieved the ‘B’ standard on day two of the Husker Invite, which took place at the Devaney Center.
· Below is a list of the Bulldogs who achieved marks at the first five weekends of meets that were reported to the national leaderboard. It should be noted that several times were converted for the national performance list. The overall program tally on the season includes 16 automatic national qualifying standards, 16 ‘B’ standards and a pentathlon point total that ranks top five in the NAIA.
o Men’s 4x400m relay – B (3:19.18)
o Men’s distance medley relay – A (9:29.48)
o Women’s 4x400m relay – A (3:52.96)
o Women’s 4x800m relay – A (9:29.48)
o Women’s distance medley relay – B (12:28.44)
o Andy Amos – A, weight throw (57’ 10 ½”)
o Jordyn Anderson – B, shot put (43’ 7 ¾”); B, weight throw (51’ 10”)
o Rachel Battershell – B, 400 meters (58.26)
o Chase Berry – B, pole vault (15’ 3”)
o Dagne’ Buck – B, weight throw (53’ 8 ¼”)
o Olivia Buschow – B, weight throw (52’ 10 ¾”)
o Amira Cummings – A, pole vault (11’ 6 ½”)
o Morgan De Jong – A, weight throw (55’ 10 ½”)
o Abigail Gerber – A, weight throw (53’ 4 ¼”); B, shot put (42’ 9”)
o Rylee Haecker – A, 1,000 meters (2:56:45)
o Kylahn Heritage – B, mile (5:11.10)
o Brady Klute – B, weight throw (54’ 7 ½”)
o Sarah Lewis – A, 400 meters (57.34); A, 60 hurdles (8.87)
o Wyatt Loga – A, high jump (6’ 8 ¼”)
o Erin Mapson – A, pole vault (12’ 9 ½”)
o Hannah Newton – B, high jump (5’ 5”)
o Josie Puelz – A, pole vault (13’ 2 ¼”)
o Sarah Ragland – A, weight throw (57’)
o Amy Richert – No. 5 in NAIA in pentathlon (3,407); B, high jump (5’ 5”)
o Calvin Rohde – A, mile (4:15.18); B, 1,000 meters (2:30.21); B, 3,000 meters (8:38.77)
o Abi Wohlgemuth – B, weight throw (52’ 10 ¼”)
o Chris Wren – A, weight throw (64’ 1 ¾”)
· In terms of national significance, Erin Mapson enjoyed the biggest breakthrough of last week in clearing 12’ 9 ½” in the pole vault. That height represented a personal best for either indoor or outdoor for Mapson, who climbed to No. 3 on the school’s all-time indoor women’s pole vault list. She trails only Josie Puelz (13’ 4 ½”) and Allie Brooks (13’ 4 ¼”) in school history. Mapson is also third on the current NAIA national leaderboard with Siena Heights (Mich.)’s Tyler Fugate (13’ 4 ¼”) at No. 1 and Puelz (13’ 2 ¼”) at No. 2. A Lincoln East High School alum, Mapson has won pole vault competitions at each of the past three meets.
· Head Coach Matt Beisel came away from day two of the Husker Invite quite pleased with what he saw on the track. Also some of top Bulldog cross country runners, Grace Reiman, Calvin Rohde and Camden Sesna clocked new PR’s on Feb. 5. Reiman ran 5:20.59 in the mile (second place out of five), Rohde completed the mile in 4:16.35 (seventh out of 18) and Sesna paced the 3,000 meters in 8:43.44 (ninth out of 13). Each of them managed to beat out NCAA Division I competitors at the Devaney Center. Rohde already owned an ‘A’ standard in the mile.
· As part of the Husker Invite, Concordia’s women’s 4x400 meter relay produced a new season best time of 3:52.96 that met the ‘A’ standard. That time currently ranks first in the GPAC and third in the NAIA. The 4x4 group featured Jacee Pfeifer, Jordan Koepke, Trinity Tuls and Rachel Battershell. Koepke managed the fastest split with a 57.18 split. Battershell was close behind with a 57.26 split. Beisel and his staff believe that time can be cut down even further when a healthy Sarah Lewis is added to the mix.
· In the NAIA national ratings index released last week by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, the Bulldogs landed at No. 2 on the women’s side and at No. 17 on the men’s side. In addition, Concordia boasted the NAIA’s No. 1 event squads for the men’s weight throw, women’s weight throw, women’s pole vault, pentathlon and women’s 1,000 meters. The Bulldogs also ranked No. 2 in the women’s shot put.
· As a precursor to the GPAC Championships, the Bulldogs will host the Concordia Invite on Saturday. The meet is slated to get underway at 12 p.m. CT with field events. The first running events are scheduled to fire off at 1:10 p.m. The meet schedule can be found HERE. The GPAC Championships will take place Feb. 18-19 at Doane.