SEWARD, Neb. – Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field dominated the final release of conference athlete of the week awards for the 2026 outdoor season. As presented by Hauff Mid-America Sports, the league office named Nathan Baldwin (men’s field), Harper Boche (women’s field) and Adrianna Rodencal (women’s track) as GPAC Athletes of the Week. Both Baldwin and Boche are first time GPAC weekly award winners. Meanwhile, Rodencal has raked in five GPAC Athlete of the Week awards during the 2025-26 academic year.
A two-time NAIA All-American, Baldwin (Sutton, Neb.) whirled a hammer throw personal best of 196’ 7” at last week’s Prairie Wolf Invite (PR by more than 10 feet) and placed second in the large field of competitors. The mark moved him up to No. 2 in the GPAC and to No. 7 in the NAIA. On the current national performance lists, Baldwin also ranks 14th in the discus (164’ 4”).
A sophomore from Torrington, Wyo., Boche will be headed to the national meet for the fourth time. She secured her spot with a hammer throw PR of 178’ 9” at the Prairie Wolf Invite. Boche beat out a field of 33 athletes in the event for a first-place finish. Also at the meet, Boche placed seventh in the shot put (40’ 3 ½”) and 16th in the discus (127’ 6”). On the current performance lists, Boche ranks third in the GPAC and 11th nationally in the hammer.
The national champion Rodencal took her talents to last week’s Drake Relays. While up against NCAA Division I competition, the Lincoln Lutheran alum placed fifth (out of 21) in the 400-meter hurdles (59.09) and sixth (out of 31) in the 100-meter hurdles (13.69). Rodencal also helped the 4x400-meter relay to a season best NAIA B standard time of 3:49.19. Rodencal is the current NAIA national leader in both the 100 and 400 hurdles.
The Bulldogs are prepping for this weekend’s GPAC Outdoor Championships (Friday-Saturday) hosted by Midland. A preview of the conference meet can be found HERE.
2025-26 GPAC Athletes of the Week
April 29 – Nathan Baldwin (field); Harper Boche (field); Adrianna Rodencal (track)
April 22 – *Adrianna Rodencal (track)
April 15 – Jonny Jurchen (track); Adysen McCarter (field)
April 1 – *Adrianna Rodencal (track)
March 25 – Jonny Jurchen (track)
Feb. 18 – Makenna Starkey (field)
Feb. 11 – Adysen McCarter (field); Adrianna Rodencal (track)
Jan. 28 – Adysen McCarter (field)
Jan. 21 – Adrianna Rodencal (track)
Dec. 17 – Josiah Edwards (field); Adysen McCarter (field)
*NAIA National Athlete of the Week