SEWARD, Neb. – It will be back-to-back Saturdays of action for Concordia University, Nebraska Cross Country. The Bulldogs are preparing to run at the Holiday Inn Express Classic hosted by Dordt, one week following competition at the Briar Cliff Invitational. Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squads have competed at three meets this fall. The field at the Holiday Inn Express will be a strong one and will feature a women’s 6k and then a men’s 8k. Seventeen institutions are expected to be represented in Sioux Center, Iowa, on Saturday.
Holiday Inn Express Classic – Saturday, Oct. 11
Dordt University Prairie (Dordt campus) | Sioux Center, Iowa
-10 a.m. – women’s 6k
-10:45 a.m. – men’s 8k
-Live coverage: Results | Webcast
-Meet Info
New sets of official conference and NAIA national ratings were released last week via the NAIA website. In the GPAC ratings, Concordia appeared at No. 3 on the men’s side and at No. 4 on the women’s side. Nationally, the women received votes (three points). Below is a summary of the NAIA squads at the Dordt meet that appear in the NAIA top 25 or as a “receiving votes” team.
NAIA Top 25/RV teams at Holiday Inn Express Classic
Benedictine: Women 21st | Men RV
College of Saint Mary: RV
Concordia: Women RV
Dakota State: Women RV
Doane: Men 15th
Dordt: Women 9th | Men 25th
Morningside: Women RV
The first three meets of the season have taken the Bulldogs to Sioux Falls, S.D., Lincoln, Neb., and North Sioux City, S.D. On the men’s side, the Bulldogs placed fourth out of 25 at the Augustana Twilight, ninth out of 17 at the Greeno/Dirksen Invite (gold division) and fourth out of nine at the Briar Cliff Invite. Meanwhile, the women placed eighth out of 26 at the Augustana Twilight, eighth out of 16 at the Greeno/Dirksen Invite (gold division) and sixth out of 10 at the Briar Cliff Invite. Individually, Trey Robertson and Keeli Green have emerged as the top Concordia runners at each meet. Green was named GPAC Runner of the Week for the second time this season after she ran the 6k in 22:00.31 (ninth place overall) at the Briar Cliff Invite.
The location for the Holiday Inn Express Classic will be the Dordt University Prairie. According to the meet information sheet, “The course is a grass loop that is located on Dordt University’s campus. The course has rolling elevation change with good footing and broad corners. It is located directly south of the campus buildings in the area known as Dordt University Prairie.” Awards will be given to individuals who place inside the top 10 for both men and women.
The Bulldogs will have a break from action next week before making their way to the Blazing Tiger Classic on Saturday, Oct. 25. That meet will take place at Mahoney State Park in Ashland, Neb., the same location of the upcoming 2025 GPAC Cross Country Championships (Nov. 8).