Eight Concordia runners earn Scholar-Athlete recognition

By Jacob Knabel on Nov. 23, 2015 in Cross Country

SEWARD, Neb. – A total of eight Concordia University cross country student-athletes garnered 2015 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors, as announced by the NAIA on Friday. Four of the scholar-athletes are repeat winners: seniors Michaela Curran, Taylor Mueller, Lauren Pankow and Kim Wood. The other four are first-time award winners: juniors Ashley Canfield, Christian Egger, Beth Rasmussen and Angela Steinbacher.

In order to be nominated by an institution’s head coach or sports information director, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and must have achieved a junior academic status. A total of 354 cross country student-athletes across the nation were named scholar-athletes by the NAIA.

Concordia University ranks as the NAIA’s all-time leader in number of Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes with 1,222 and counting. The 2014-15 season culminated with GPAC-leading totals of 94 Bulldog scholar-athletes and 17 NAIA Scholar-Teams. During the 2013-14 academic year, Concordia garnered 101 Scholar-Athlete honorees (most in the NAIA) and 17 NAIA Scholar-Teams (tied for fourth nationally).

Concordia University, Nebraska, founded in 1894, is a fully accredited, coeducational university located in Seward, Neb., that currently serves over 2,200 students. Concordia offers more than 50 professional and liberal arts programs in an excellent academic and Christ-centered community that equips men and women for lives of learning, service and leadership in the church and world.

2015 men’s cross country Scholar-Athletes
Christian Egger | Jr. | Galva, Iowa
Taylor Mueller | Sr. | Cedar Rapids, Iowa 

2015 women’s cross country Scholar-Athletes
Ashley Canfield | Jr. | Crete, Neb.
Michaela Curran | Sr. | Wahoo, Neb.
Lauren Pankow | Sr. | Milwaukee, Wis.
Beth Rasmussen | Jr. | Omaha, Neb.
Angela Steinbacher | Jr. | St. Charles, Mo.
Kim Wood | Sr. | Greeley, Neb.