SEWARD, Neb. – A big spring season for Morningside elevated the Mustangs above Concordia in the final 2015-16 GPAC All-Sports Trophy standings released on Tuesday by the conference. Morningside won back the trophy with a total of 163.5 points. The Bulldogs amassed a runner-up total of 156 points. The standings award points based solely on final regular-season standings. Concordia and Hastings were the only two GPAC institutions to qualify each of their sports for conference postseason play in 2015-16.
This marks the first time that Concordia has finished in the top two of the GPAC All-Sports standings in consecutive years since the 2001-02 and 2002-03 academic years. Concordia has won three GPAC All-Sports titles (2002-03; 2004-05; 2014-15).
This spring Concordia garnered 11 all-sports points apiece from men’s and women’s outdoor track thanks to second-place finishes at the GPAC meet. Both baseball (tied for fourth) and softball (fifth) garnered 7.5 points. Women’s tennis contributed nine points via a third-place finish. The sports of men’s tennis and men’s and women’s golf also factored into the scoring.
This past winter, Concordia received 11 points apiece from wrestling and women’s indoor track and field. Head coach Dana Vote’s wrestling program captured a second-straight GPAC dual title. Meanwhile, head coach Kregg Einspahr guided his indoor track and field squads to second (women) and third (men) place finishes at last week’s conference meet. Also this winter, Bulldog women’s basketball tied for fourth in the league and men’s basketball placed sixth.
Back in the fall, Concordia earned 8.5 points apiece from fourth-place finishes by women’s soccer and volleyball. Both cross country teams racked up eight points while football added 7.5 points and the GPAC tournament champion men’s soccer squad chipped in six points. Postseason play is not part of the criteria for the GPAC all-sports standings. Concordia was the only GPAC institution to have each of its men’s and women’s soccer and volleyball teams advance to conference tournament championship games.
FINAL 2015-16 GPAC All-Sports Trophy Standings
1. Morningside – 163.5
2. Concordia – 156.0
3. Doane – 144.5
4. Hastings – 135.0
5. Northwestern – 129.0
6. Nebraska Wesleyan – 127.0
7. Midland – 113.5
8. Briar Cliff – 96.5
9. Dordt – 91.0
10. Dakota Wesleyan – 88.0
11. Mount Marty – 58.0
12. College of Saint Mary – 30.0
Concordia all-time GPAC All-Sports Trophy finishes
2015-16 – 2nd
2014-15 – 1st
2013-14 – 4th
2012-13 – 6th
2011-12 – 4th
2010-11 – 7th
2009-10 – 6th
2008-09 – 6th
2007-08 – 5th
2006-07 – 5th
2005-06 – 5th
2004-05 – 1st
2003-04 – 3rd
2002-03 – 1st
2001-02 – 2nd
2000-01 – 3rd