KEARNEY, Neb. – After putting four fresh automatic national qualifying marks on the board at Friday’s Concordia Twilight, Concordia University Track & Field added three more ‘A’ standards on Saturday (May 14) at the Loper Twilight hosted by the University of Nebraska-Kearney. This was the very last chance for Bulldogs still trying to book their tickets to Gulf Shores, Ala., for later this month. The likes of Amira Cummings and Zach Zohner in the pole vault and Kamryn Pokorney in the hammer took advantage while registering fresh national qualifying standards.
With the last pre-nationals meet in the books, Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squads have combined for 26 automatic national qualifying marks (full list at bottom). Current ‘B’ standards and heptathlon totals will be converted to NAIA auto marks should they rank inside the top 16 nationally.
Cummings has become the third Concordia women’s pole vaulter to lock up a berth to nationals. She cleared 11’ 11 ¾” in Saturday’s meet in Kearney, Neb. She will join teammates Josie Puelz (three-time national champion) and Erin Mapson (five-time All-American) in the national field. Entering the day, Cummings (Cheyenne, Wyo.) sat 15th in the nation with a ‘B’ standard. That may have been good enough to make it to nationals, but now it’s a certainty. Also at the Loper Twilight, Sydney Reichert got over the bar at 10’ 11 ¾.”
At least two vaulters will be headed to nationals on the men’s side. Chase Berry currently ranks fifth nationally. On Saturday, Zohner clinched a spot at nationals by vaulting 15’ 9.” A native of Battle Creek, Neb., Zohner will be headed to nationals for the second time in his career. Two-time GPAC champion Zach Bennetts holds a ‘B’ standard of 15’ 5” in the pole vault.
Pokorney highlighted the work of the throws group in Kearney. She popped off a personal best of 169’ 1” in the hammer throw and placed first in her division of the competition. Pokorney is a first-time national qualifier. She was one of 12 Concordia throwers to compete at the Loper Twilight. Of the three Bulldog men in the hammer, Ben Moll (168’ 3”) threw the farthest. Among other noteworthy performances, Olivia Buschow was a runner up in the discus (141’ 9”) and Alli Owings placed fourth (42’ 11 ½”) in her division of the shot put competition. Meanwhile, Andy Amos landed a mark of 48’ 6 ¼” in the shot put a day after he qualified for nationals in the hammer.
A two-time All-American, Wyatt Loga is still a hopeful qualifier in the high jump. He cleared 6’ 4 ¾” on Saturday – a little shy of his season best ‘B’ standard of 6’ 8 ¾.” Currently, Loga is ranked in a tie for 14th on the NAIA national list.
Official qualifiers for the national championship meet will be announced next week. The 2022 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships will be held in Gulf Shores, Ala., May 25-27.
Concordia ‘A’ standards, 2022 outdoor season
· Women’s 4x100 meter relay (47.82)
· Men’s 4x400 meter relay (3:14:81)
· Women’s 4x400 meter relay (3:48.93)
· Women’s 4x800 meter relay (9:09.24)
· Andy Amos – hammer (185’ 1”)
· Keri Bauer – 800 meters (2:14.01)
· Chase Berry – pole vault (16’ 1 ¾”)
· Amira Cummings – pole vault (11’ 11 ¾”)
· Morgan De Jong – hammer (176’ 4”)
· Abby Gerber – hammer (167’ 7”)
· Sara Huss – discus (152’ 7”)
· Cade Kleckner – 200 meters (21.16)
· Jordan Koepke – 100 hurdles (14.54); 400 hurdles (59.90)
· Sarah Lewis – 100 hurdles (14.52); 400 hurdles (1:01.91)
· Erin Mapson – pole vault (11’ 11 ¾”)
· Alli Owings – discus (156’ 8”); hammer (168’ 2”)
· Erin Painter – discus (150’ 3”)
· Kamryn Pokorney – hammer (169’ 1”)
· Josie Puelz – pole vault (13’ 5 ¼”)
· Sarah Ragland – hammer (175’ 5”)
· Xavier Ross – 400 meters (48.04)
· Chris Wren – hammer (194’ 5”)
· Zach Zohner – pole vault (15’ 9”)