DES MOINES, Iowa / CRETE, Neb. – A crew of distance runners and throwers braved the elements on Saturday (March 26) while kicking off the 2022 Concordia University Track & Field outdoor season. With Bulldogs competing at both the Grand View University Viking Relays in Des Moines, Iowa, and the Doane Icebreaker Thrower Meet in Crete, Neb., the highlights included a strong performance by All-American Rylee Haecker and four ‘B’ standard national qualifying marks by Concordia throwers. The Bulldogs chose to hold back many of their sprinters and power athletes due to the cold and windy weather.
Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squads are coming off NAIA indoor national placements of third on the women’s side and 36th on the men’s side. This first official day of the outdoor season served as merely an appetizer for what’s to come.
A winner on the track in the 1,500 meters, Haecker came up just shy of a ‘B’ standard while clocking in with a personal best of 4:49.72 at the Viking Relays. She beat out a field of 20 runners. In another PR effort, Keri Bauer ran the 400 meters in 1:00.22 and took first place. Also noteworthy on the women’s side, seven Bulldogs ran the 3,000 meter steeplechase with Grace Reiman coming in as the runner up in a time of 12:43.23. Behind her in third place was teammate Katelyn Nix (13:26.37). In the 10,000 meters, Abi DeLoach ran a PR of 41:39.83.
On the men’s side of the action in Des Moines, Nathan Pennekamp put together a strong steeplechase race and placed second in a time of 10:41.86. Meanwhile, Charlie Hayden led the way in the 10k with his time of 35:40.27. In the 1,500 meters, Concordia’s most prominent men’s distance runners, Calvin Rohde and Camden Sesna, placed second (4:04.90) and fifth (4:05.93), respectively in a large field of 46 competitors. The time for Rohde represented a personal best.
The throws meet hosted by Doane included athletes solely from Concordia, Doane and Hastings. Both Jordyn Anderson (shot put) and Sara Huss (discus) emerged as event champions. The four ‘B’ standards were turned in by Anderson (shot put), Mackenzie Ferrel (hammer), Sarah Ragland (hammer) and Chris Wren (hammer). Ragland was the Icebreaker runner up in the hammer. Their specific marks in those events are listed below. A total of 27 Bulldogs competed at the Icebreaker Meet on Saturday. A year ago, Anderson and Huss both earned outdoor All-America awards.
Concordia will hope for more favorable weather next Saturday (April 2) when it will be at the Central Nebraska Challenge co-hosted by the University of Nebraska-Kearney and Hastings. The meet is scheduled to get underway at 11 a.m. CT from Kearney, Neb.
‘B’ standards achieved at Doane Icebreaker
· Jordyn Anderson – Shot Put (43’ 5 ¼”)
· Mackenzie Ferrel – Hammer Throw (160’ 4”)
· Sarah Ragland – Hammer Throw (161’ 6”)
· Chris Wren – Hammer Throw (178’)
Event titles on Saturday, March 26
· Men’s 4x800m Relay (8:20.87)
· Women’s 4x800m Relay (10:07.61)
· Jordyn Anderson – Shot Put (43’ 5 ¼”)
· Keri Bauer – 400 Meters (1:00.22)
· Rylee Haecker – 1,500 Meters (4:49.72)
· Sara Huss – Discus (138’ 11”)