SEWARD, Neb. – The outing this past Saturday at the Briar Cliff Invitational yielded a Concordia University, Nebraska Cross Country sweep of GPAC Runner of the Week awards. On Wednesday (Oct. 7), the league office recognized junior Vaughn Hendrickson as GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Men’s Runner of the Week and freshman Hope Beck as GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Women’s Runner of the Week.
A Fort Wayne, Ind., native, Hendrickson earned GPAC All-Conference awards as a freshman and sophomore and was the GPAC champion and an NAIA All-American in 2024. At last week’s Briar Cliff Invite in South Sioux City, Neb., Hendrickson clocked an 8K time of 26:19.5 and placed seventh overall out of 91 runners in the field. Hendrickson placed above all NAIA and GPAC competitors present at Freedom Park. His efforts helped Concordia place third as a team (out of eight squads). Hendrickson is an Elementary Education major.
Beck, who hails from Elk River, Minn., has led Head Coach Matt Beisel’s women’s team at each of this season’s first three meets. In the Briar Cliff Invite 6K, Beck finished in 23:32.8, placing her sixth out of 85 runners. She held off a Morningside foe for the best time among GPAC competitors. Beck and the Bulldogs placed third out of nine teams in the field in South Sioux City. Beck is a Christian Education Leadership major.
Next up, the Bulldogs will be headed to Sioux Center, Iowa, for Saturday’s Dordt Holiday Inn Express Classic. The meet is scheduled to get underway at 10 a.m. CT.