LINCOLN, Neb. – In capping off the weekend, 11 Bulldogs represented Concordia University Track & Field at the 2023 Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational (Feb. 3-4). In highlighting Saturday’s action, both Rylee Haecker and Calvin Rohde clocked personal bests in the mile, just a day after running that same event at the Concordia Classic. On Friday at the Devaney Sports Center, freshman Adrianna Rodencal set a new school women’s standard in the 60 hurdles with a time of 8.80.
Four fresh automatic national qualifying standards were added by Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squads on Friday. The season tally now stands at 20 ‘A’ standards.
The Reed City, Mich., native Rohde won his heat at the Husker Invite on Saturday with a time of 4:12.33 and placed eighth overall in a field of 24 runners. That time puts Rohde at No. 12 on the national list and at No. 2 among GPAC competitors. Meanwhile, Haecker (Davenport, Neb.) crossed the finish line at the Devaney Center in 5:08.24, less than three seconds off the automatic national qualifying time. To this point, Haecker is a qualifier in the 1,000 meters and as part of the distance medley relay.
A Lincoln Lutheran alum, Rodencal ran three races at the Husker Invite (see below). Her weekend concluded on Saturday with her running a collegiate personal best of 25.76 in the 200 meters. Rodencal broke teammate Rachel Battershell’s 60 hurdles school record on Friday. Battershell returned to the track on Saturday and helped the 4x400 meter relay to a time of 3:55.66, which again met the ‘A’ standard. Battershell ran the anchor after following Jenna Esch, Jordan Koepke and Kayla Kirchner.
The men also ran a 4x4 on Saturday afternoon. The grouping of Colby Sugden, Mark Cooke, Liam Fagan and Colton Meyer recorded a time of 3:21.62 and placed 13th overall. Concordia will have a couple more chances to hit the men’s 4x4 ‘A’ standard of 3:17.83 before nationals come around in March. Meyer also ran the open 400 meters on Friday and crossed the finish line in 49.32.
Bulldogs at Husker Invite
Rachel Battershell
· 60 hurdles – 9.23 (prelims); 11th/18
· 400 meters – 1:00.30; 22nd/30
· 4x400m relay – 3:55.66; 7th/12
Mark Cooke
· 4x400m relay – 3:21.62; 13th/18
Jenna Esch
· 4x400m relay – 3:55.66; 7th/12
Liam Fagan
· 4x400m relay – 3:21.62; 13th/18
Rylee Haecker
· Mile – 5:08.24; 14th/27
Kayla Kirchner
· 4x400m relay – 3:55.66; 7th/12
Jordan Koepke
· 4x400m relay – 3:55.66; 7th/12
Colton Meyer
· 400 meters – 49.32; 12th/50
· 4x400m relay – 3:21.62; 13th/18
Adrianna Rodencal
· 60 meters – 7.92 (prelims); 14th/25
· 60 hurdles – 8.80 (prelims); 9th/18
· 200 meters – 25.76; 14th/27
Calvin Rohde
· Mile – 4:12.33; 8th/24
Colby Sugden
· 4x400m relay – 3:21.62; 13th/18
The string of home meets will continue next Friday (Feb. 10) as the Bulldogs will host the Concordia Invite. A tentative meet schedule can be found HERE. The Concordia Invite will be the final outing prior to the GPAC Championships slated for Feb. 17-18 inside the Fieldhouse.