Meet Preview: 2023 Concordia Classic

By Jacob Knabel on Jan. 31, 2023 in Track & Field

SEWARD, Neb. – The third of five home meets this indoor season will take place on Friday when Concordia University Track & Field hosts the Concordia Classic. The first events are slated to get underway at 12 p.m. CT from the Walz Fieldhouse. Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squads have competed through four weekends of indoor competition and have combined for 16 performances that have met the automatic national qualifying standard. The Concordia Classic is scheduled to include athletes from 14 institutions (seven from the GPAC). For the second home meet in a row, the racewalk will be featured.

Meet Info

Concordia Classic
Friday, Feb. 3 | Walz Fieldhouse
--Meet Schedule (PDF) | Live Results (field events will update mark-by-mark)
--Live Streams:

·        Running Events: https://www.youtube.com/c/BulldogTrackandField

·        Men’s & Women’s High Jump: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCnWh95Lz6dW3OUosomZyoA

·        Women’s Jumps (north runway): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChWMXJ0G97vIWXuBqGS3Iww

·        Men’s & Women’s Throwing Events: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqn-dBHnX9YmlOunOX9cweA

·        Men’s & Women’s Pole Vault: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIerIQe-tQv53fnpGwp_wTQ

·        Men’s Jumps (infield jumping events): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIerIQe-tQv53fnpGwp_wTQ

Competing Institutions
Bellevue University
Benedictine College
Briar Cliff University
College of Saint Mary
Concordia University Nebraska
Doane University
Hastings College
Kansas Wesleyan University
Mount Marty University
Nebraska Wesleyan University
Northwestern College
University of Nebraska-Kearney
Wayne State College
York University

Overview

This indoor season, the Bulldogs have hosted the Bulldog Early Bird Meet (Dec. 9-10) and the Concordia Polar Dog Invite (Jan. 21). The program’s tally after four weekends of indoor competition includes 16 ‘A’ standards and 24 ‘B’ standards. In addition, four Bulldog pentathletes have eclipsed the minimum national reporting standard of 2,950 points. Amy Richert currently ranks No. 2 nationally in the pentathlon. Below is a list of the automatic national qualifying standards achieved so far.

·        Women’s 4x400m Relay, A (3:54.81)

·        Men’s Distance Medley Relay, A (10:10.06)

·        Women’s Distance Medley Relay, A (12:20.68)

·        Rachel Battershell – 60 Hurdles, A (8.94)

·        Zach Bennetts – Pole Vault, A (15’ 11”)

·        Chase Berry – Pole Vault, A (15’ 7”)

·        Rylee Haecker – 1,000 Meters, A (2:56.44)

·        Erin Mapson – Pole Vault, A (12’ 2 ½”)

·        Colton Meyer – 400 Meters, A (48.57)

·        Josie Puelz – Pole Vault, A (12’ 9 ½”)

·        Maddie Robinson – Shot Put, A (44’ 9”)

·        Adrianna Rodencal – 60 Hurdles, A (8.89)

·        Calvin Rohde – 1,000 Meters, A (2:28.60); Mile, A (4:12.88)

·        Chris Wren – Weight Throw, A (62’ 10 ¾”)

·        Zach Zohner – Pole Vault, A (15’ 7”)


The first set of 2022-23 NAIA indoor ratings were released last week by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). According to the coaches’ association calculations, the Bulldogs boast national rankings of No. 2 on the women’s side and No. 5 on the men’s side. Both Concordia teams got a boost from owning the No. 1 rated distance medley relays (at the time) and from holding more than 30 marks that met the ‘A’ or ‘B’ national reporting standard when the ratings were released. Top five rankings are nothing new for the Bulldog women’s program, which turned in 2022 NAIA national finishes of third for indoor and fourth for outdoor.

The newest automatic national qualifiers for the Bulldogs are Rachel Battershell (60 hurdles), Zach Bennetts (pole vault), Calvin Rohde (mile) and Zach Zohner (pole vault), courtesy of their efforts at last week’s Fred Beile Classic. The indoor season Rohde has enjoyed is worth highlighting. The Reed City, Mich., native has been especially motivated after falling short of qualifying for cross country nationals. He’s now qualified for the 2023 NAIA indoor meet in the 1,000 meters, the mile and as part of the distance medley relay. Nationally, Rohde ranks fifth in the 1,000 (2:28.60) and 11th in the mile (4:12.88). Meanwhile, the DMR (10:10.06) sits No. 2 on the national list.

The USTFCCCA will put out a new edition of its ratings on Wednesday. Based on last week, the Concordia Classic will feature five nationally ranked teams on the men’s side, No. 5 Concordia, No. 7 Doane, No. 7 Nebraska Wesleyan (NCAA D3), No. 16 Mount Marty and No. 17 Nebraska Kearney (NCAA D2), and four nationally ranked teams on the women’s side, No. 2 Concordia, No. 13 Doane, No. 21 Nebraska Wesleyan (NCAA D3) and No. 24 Benedictine.

Select Bulldogs will also compete at this weekend’s Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational (Feb. 3-4) hosted by the University of Nebraska. Upcoming home meets include the Concordia Invite (Feb. 10) and the GPAC Championships (Feb. 17-18). On Monday evening, the GPAC released the schedule for the indoor conference meet. It can be found HERE.