SEWARD, Neb. – After a week off from competition, Concordia University, Nebraska Cross Country will be back in action on Saturday for the annual Briar Cliff Invitational. The meet will take place at Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve in North Sioux City, S.D., with the gun slated to go off at 9:30 a.m. CT. A men’s 8k race will precede a women’s 6k race. Head Coach Matt Beisel’s programs will be looking to defend their 2024 Briar Cliff Invite championships.
Briar Cliff Invitational – Saturday, Oct. 4
Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve | North Sioux City, S.D.
-9:30 a.m. – men’s 8k
-10:15 a.m. – women’s 6k
-Live Results
New sets of GPAC ratings were announced on Monday by the NAIA. The Bulldogs landed at No. 3 on the men’s side and at No. 4 on the women’s side in the conference. Both Concordia teams received votes in the NAIA coaches’ poll unveiled on Sept. 25. Individually, a pair of Bulldogs have been recognized at the conference level this season. Thanks to their efforts at the season opening Augustana Twilight, Keeli Green and Trey Robertson made for a Concordia sweep of GPAC Runner of the Week awards on Sept. 10.
Through two meets this fall, the Bulldog men have placed fourth out of 25 at the Augustana Twilight and ninth out of 17 (Gold Division) at the Greeno/Dirksen Invite. Meanwhile, the women placed eighth out of 26 at the Augustana Twilight and eighth out of 16 (Gold Division) at the Augustana Twilight. On the women’s side, Green has been especially impressive with 5k times of 17:31.9 at the Augie Twilight and 18:21.78 at the Greeno/Dirksen Invite. For the men, Robertson has set the pace with times of 19:22.8 in the four-mile at the Augie Twilight and 25:42.04 in the 8k at the Greeno/Dirksen Invite. The group of top runners thus far has also included Vaughn Hendrickson and Aidan Limback for the men and Annaka Schlachter and Ashley Robertson for the women.
At the 2024 Briar Cliff Invite, the women won with 33 points (to 54 for runner up College of Saint Mary) and the men claimed the title with 27 points (to 77 for runner up Northwestern). The men had the top two individual place finishers in Hendrickson and Robertson. On the women’s side, Hannah Beintema topped Concordia by placing fifth.
The Bulldogs will compete in back-to-back weeks with the Holiday Inn Express Classic hosted by Dordt coming up on Oct. 11. Counting the Briar Cliff Invite, there are three meets remaining prior to the 2025 GPAC Cross Country Championships.