SEWARD, Neb. – In week three of the outdoor season, Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field hopes mother nature will allow for a full-scale meet with calmer wind. Up next on the slate, the Bulldogs will compete at Saturday’s Hastings Invite, which will take place at Jack Osborne Track Complex. Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squads are coming off the condensed Concordia Outdoor Invite. The meet showcased field events but did not include sprints or hurdles due to the cold and blustery conditions.
Hastings Invite
Saturday (April 12) | Jack Osborne Track Complex (Hastings, Neb.)
--Meet Schedule (PDF) | Live Results
The conditions at the Concordia Invite (April 5) did not lend itself to producing personal best times or marks. However, senior Abby Gerber enjoyed a strong day while winning titles in the discus, hammer throw and shot put. Gerber landed a season best and new automatic national qualifying standard in the shot put with her toss of 47’ 3.” Two other Bulldog throwers emerged with first-place claims at the Concordia Invite: Connor Asche (hammer) and Nathan Baldwin (discus).
In the 5,000-meter race walk, sophomore Luke Hammang clocked an NAIA ‘B’ standard of 25:50.36 last week. The season tally of national qualifying standards (A or B) for Concordia stands at eight. In addition to Gerber’s A mark in the shot put, Baldwin (discus) and Mayson Ostermeyer (pole vault) have locked up spots at the outdoor national meet. The men and women with national qualifying standards this season are listed below.
National Qualifying Standards
· A – Nathan Baldwin: Discus (172’ 10”)
· A – Abigail Gerber: Shot Put (47’ 3”)
· A – Mayson Ostermeyer: Pole Vault (16’ 6 ¾”)
· B – Connor Asche: Hammer Throw (180’ 10”)
· B – Matthew Boyer: Javelin (195’ 9”)
· B – Luke Hammang: 5,000-Meter Race Walk (25:50.36)
· B – Jonny Jurchen: 5,000-Meter Race Walk (25:24.08)
· B – Abi Wohlgemuth: Hammer Throw (169’ 5”)
The above group does not yet include junior Adrianna Rodencal, who ran a wind-aided 13.45 100-meter hurdles at the Central Nebraska Challenge on March 28. That time represented a school record and resulted in Rodencal being named the GPAC Women’s Track Athlete of the Week (third time in 2024-25). With her events canceled last week, Rodencal tried her hand in the long jump and placed third at the Concordia Invite. In limited track events this past Saturday, Hammang, Ellie Jander (5,000 meters), Trey Robertson (5,000 meters) and Trinity Tuls (800 meters) won event titles. In addition, Ostermeyer (pole vault) and Adysen McCarter (triple jump) were winners in field events.
The second national ratings of the outdoor season were released on Tuesday by the USTFCCCA. In the NAIA team ratings, the Bulldogs landed at No. 20 on the men’s side and at No. 28 on the women’s side. The full ratings can be found via the USTFCCCA website linked HERE.
Following the Hastings Invite, Bulldog athletes are scheduled to take part in two meets next week: the University of Kansas Relays (April 17-19) and the Jim Dutcher Invite (April 17-19) hosted by Doane. The 2025 GPAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships (May 2-3) are rapidly approaching.