SEWARD, Neb. – For the first time since the 2020 NAIA Indoor National Championships, the Concordia University Track & Field squads will return to action as the program hosts the Early Bird meet this Friday and Saturday. The Walz Fieldhouse will serve as the venue for the two-day meet, which will include athletes from nine different institutions. The field has been limited in order to satisfy current health guidelines associated with COVID-19.
MEET INFO
Concordia Early Bird Meet
Friday, Dec. 4 / Saturday, Dec. 5
Fieldhouse | Seward, Neb.
Live Results: Black Squirrel
Meet Program (includes schedule/heat sheets) | PDF
Live Stream Info
Running Events: https://www.youtube.com/c/BulldogTrackandField
Women’s Long Jump / Triple Jump: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChWMXJ0G97vIWXuBqGS3Iww
Women’s & Men’s Throwing Events: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqn-dBHnX9YmlOunOX9cweA
Vertical Jumps & Men’s Long Jump / Triple Jump: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIerIQe-tQv53fnpGwp_wTQ
Competing Teams
*2020 NAIA indoor national finishes in parentheses
Briar Cliff University (M: T-42nd | W – NA)
Concordia University (M: T-17th | W – 4th)
Dordt University (M: 12th | W – T-36th)
MidAmerica Nazarene University (M: T-30th | W: 9th)
Midland University (M: 7th | W: NA)
Morningside College (M: NA | W: T-36th)
Mount Marty University (M: T-51st | W: NA)
Northwestern College (M: T-39th | W: T-30th)
York College (M: T-55th | W: NA)
For nearly all teams headed to Seward, this will mark the first outing of the 2020-21 indoor season. The lone exception is Dordt, which put several national qualifying marks on the board at its own triangular on Nov. 21. In terms of last season’s national finishes, the top men’s teams at the Early Bird meet will be Midland (seventh), Dordt (12th), Concordia (17th) and MidAmerica Nazarene (30th). The top squads on the women’s side include Concordia (fourth), MidAmerica Nazarene (ninth), Northwestern (30th) and Morningside (36th).
Head Coach Matt Beisel has high hopes as he enters his fifth season leading his alma mater. The returning indoor All-Americans from 2020 include Rachel Battershell (400 meters; 4x400 meter relay), Chase Berry (pole vault), Mika Brees (4x400 meter relay), Morgan De Jong (weight throw), Sarah Lewis (4x400 meter relay), Jacee Pfeifer (4x400 meter relay), Josie Puelz (pole vault) and Xavier Ross (400 meters). Battershell is the reigning GPAC Athlete of the Year and the school record holder in the 400 meters and 60 meter hurdles.
This will mark the second-straight year that Concordia has hosted the Early Bird Meet. The meet provides an opportunity to put national marks on the board prior to an extended semester break. At the 2019 Early Bird meet, Bulldog athletes combined for nine automatic national qualifying standards. Junior Cody Williams competed in the Early Bird last season and then missed out on the remainder of the indoor campaign. Williams earned 2019 GPAC Outdoor Athlete of the Year recognition and is one of the top all-around athletes in the program.
As currently scheduled, the meet will begin with multi-events at 2 p.m. CT on Friday. Things will heat up on Saturday afternoon as the open field and running events get going.