2021 Track & Field Schedule/Results
Men's place finishes
GPAC: 3rd indoor | 4th outdoor
NAIA: 12th indoor | T-28th outdoor
Women's place finishes
GPAC: 1st indoor | 1st outdoor
NAIA: 3rd indoor | 3rd outdoor
INDOOR
| Date | Meet | Location | Results |
| Dec. 5 | Bulldog Early Bird Meet | Seward, Neb. | Results |
| Jan. 16 | Doane University Scott Nisely Invite | Crete, Neb. | Results |
| Jan. 22 | Concordia Polar Dog Invite | Seward, Neb. | Results |
| Jan. 29-30 | Doane University Fred Beile Invitational | Crete, Neb. | Results |
| Feb. 5 | Concordia University Classic | Seward, Neb. | Results |
| Feb. 13 | Concordia University Invite | Seward, Neb. | Results |
| Feb. 19-20 | GPAC Indoor Track & Field Championships | Sioux Center, Iowa | Results |
| March 3-6 | NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships | Yankton S.D. | Results |
OUTDOOR
| Date | Meet | Location | Results |
| March 26 | Grand View Vikings Relays | Des Moines, Iowa | Results |
| April 2 | Hastings Bronco Invite | Hastings, Neb. | Results |
| April 9-10 | Concordia University Invite | Seward, Neb. | Results |
| April 17-18 | Jim Dutcher Invite (Doane) | Crete, Neb. | Results |
| April 22 | Nebraska Wesleyan University Invite | Lincoln, Neb. | Results |
| April 23-24 | Drake University Relays | Des Moines, Iowa | Results |
| April 30-May 1 | GPAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships | Seward, Neb. | Results |
| May 7 | Bronco Last Chance Meet | Hastings, Neb. | Results |
| May 14 | Concordia University Twilight Meet | Seward, Neb. | Results |
| May 26-28 | NAIA Outdoor T&F National Championships | Gulf Shores, Ala. | Results |
2020-21 Roster
MEN
| Name | Event | ID | OD | Hometown | Previous School |
| Brayden Adams | Mid-Distance | Jr. | So. | Omaha, Neb. | Elkhorn |
| Andy Amos | Throws | Jr. | So. | Mountain Grove, Mo. | Mountain Grove |
| Jackson Armitage | Throws | Fr. | Fr. | Gretna, Neb. | Gretna |
| Hunter Bartels | Throws | So. | So. | Imperial, Neb. | Chase County |
| Zach Bennetts | Pole Vault | Jr. | So. | Denton, Neb. | Lincoln Southwest |
| Chase Berry | Pole Vault | So. | Fr. | Seward, Neb. | Seward |
| Dalton Berry | Pole Vault | Sr. | Jr. | Seward, Neb. | Seward |
| Antonio Blaine | Distance/Steeplechase | So. | Fr. | Golden, Colo. | Faith Christian |
| Dagne' Buck | Throws | Jr. | So. | Plumas Lake, Calif. | Whitney |
| Keaton Burgess | Distance | Jr. | So. | Red Cloud, Neb. | Red Cloud HS |
| Zach Christensen | Throws | Jr. | So. | Hastings, Neb. | Adams Central Jr-Sr |
| Jacob Cornelio | Throws | - | Sr. | Elk Grove, Calif. | Elk Grove |
| Owen Dawson | Distance/Steeplechase | So. | Fr. | Cedar Falls, Iowa | Valley Lutheran |
| Brett Determan | Distance | Fr. | Fr. | Cedar Falls, Iowa | Valley Lutheran |
| Kameron Farmer | Hurdles/Sprints | So. | Fr. | Leander, Texas | Rouse |
| Jayson Frank | High Jump/Horizontal Jumps | Fr. | Fr. | Sterling, Colo. | Sterling |
| Marc Freiberg II | Hurdles/Sprints | So. | Fr. | Seward, Neb. | Seward |
| Zack Gentry | Multi-Events | Jr. | So. | San Antonio, Texas | Lutheran |
| Jayden Graham | Mid-Distance | Sr. | Jr. | Yutan, Neb. | Yutan Jr-Sr |
| Cameron Gray | Mid-Distance | So. | Jr. | Riverside, Calif. | Woodcrest Christian / Riverside City College |
| Ethan Hensley | Distance | Fr. | Fr. | Golden, Colo. | Golden |
| Ricky Herman | Distance | Jr. | So. | Springfield, Mo. | Central |
| Deivydas Hermanas | Distance | Fr. | Fr. | Dardenne Prairie, Mo. | Francis Howell |
| Charlie Hewell | Throws | Jr. | Jr. | Sacramento, Calif. | Christian Brothers |
| Ethan Ideus | Distance | Fr. | Fr. | Seward, Neb. | Seward |
| Quinton Janecek | Hurdles/Sprints | So. | Fr. | Gering, Neb. | Gering |
| Jacob Jennings | Jumps | Sr. | Sr. | Shawnee, Kan. | De Soto |
| Jacob Joachim | Throws | So. | Fr. | Corsica, S.D. | Stickney |
| Zachary Johnson | Mid-Distance | So. | Fr. | Aberdeen, S.D. | Central |
| Shane Jones-Trammell | Throws | So. | Fr. | Roseville, Calif. | Roseville |
| Cade Kleckner | Sprints | Jr. | Jr. | Colorado Springs, Colo. | Pine Creek |
| Brady Klute | Throws | So. | Fr. | Hampton, Neb. | Hampton |
| Peter Kreutzer | Throws | Fr. | Fr. | Kearney, Neb. | Kearney |
| Grant Lammers | Mid-Distance | Jr. | So. | Blair, Neb. | Blair |
| Wyatt Lehr | Distance | Jr. | So. | Lamar, Colo. | Lamar High School |
| Wyatt Loga | High Jump/Horizontal Jumps | So. | Fr. | Bee, Neb. | Malcolm |
| Jordan Lorenz | Distance | Sr. | Jr. | Gretna, Neb. | Gretna |
| Cade Lutz | Horizontal Jumps | Fr. | Fr. | Benkelman, Neb. | Dundy County Stratton |
| Rees Lyon | Multis/Pole Vault | So. | So. | Giltner, Neb. | Giltner |
| Rody Lyon | Sprints | Fr. | Fr. | Giltner, Neb. | Giltner |
| Andy Lyons | Horizontal Jumps | So. | Fr. | Dwight, Neb. | Aquinas Catholic |
| Austin Meisel | Sprints | Jr. | So. | Jefferson City, Mo. | Calvary Lutheran |
| Maccoy Menke | Mid-Distance | So. | Fr. | Lawrence, Neb. | Blue Hill HS / Univ. of Nebraska |
| Colton Meyer | Hurdles/Sprints | So. | Fr. | Eagle, Neb. | Lincoln Lutheran |
| Ben Moll | Throws | Fr. | Fr. | Seward, Neb. | Lincoln Lutheran |
| Kenny Paetow | Sprints | Sr. | Jr. | St. Louis, Mo. | Lutheran HS South |
| Ethan Pankow | Mid-Distance | Jr. | So. | Milwaukee, Wis. | Milwaukee Lutheran |
| Jerod Peters | Throws | - | Sr. | Aurora, Neb. | Aurora |
| Tucker Platt | Pole Vault | Sr. | Jr. | Stromsburg, Neb. | Cross County |
| Zach Potratz | Distance | Sr. | Jr. | Seward, Neb. | Seward |
| Nick Price | Mid-Distance | Fr. | Fr. | Wamego, Kan. | Wamego / Highland CC |
| Joel Rathe | Horizontal Jumps | Fr. | Fr. | Sterling, Neb. | Sterling |
| Jarod Reed | Mid-Distance | Jr. | So. | Blair, Neb. | Blair |
| Jeremiah Reeser | Sprints/Horizontal Jumps | Sr. | Jr. | Grand Island, Neb. | Heartland Lutheran |
| Henry Reimer | Hurdles/Sprints | Sr. | Jr. | Sussex, Wis. | Milwaukee Lutheran |
| JP Reynolds | Mid-Distance | Sr. | Jr. | Nuevo, Calif. | Woodcrest Christian |
| Caleb Roberts | Distance | Sr. | Jr. | Wamego, Kan. | Wamego |
| Calvin Rohde | Mid-Distance | Fr. | Fr. | Reed City, Mich. | Reed City |
| Xavier Ross | Sprints | Jr. | So. | Melrose Park, Ill. | Timothy Christian |
| Daniel Royuk | Sprints | Sr. | Jr. | Seward, Neb. | Saint Paul Lutheran |
| Cory Ruybalid | Mid-Distance | Fr. | Fr. | Grand Island, Neb. | Heartland Lutheran |
| Darien Semedo | Throws | Fr. | Fr. | Sacramento, Calif. | Capital Christian |
| Camden Sesna | Distance/Steeplechase | So. | Fr. | Kearney, Neb. | Kearney Catholic |
| Walker Shaw | Throws | So. | So. | Bassett, Neb. | Rock County |
| Samuel Sisco | Pole Vault | Sr. | Jr. | David City, Neb | Aquinas Catholic School |
| Grant Stadler | Pole Vault | Jr. | So. | Columbus, Neb. | Columbus Senior |
| Brennan Taylor | Distance | Fr. | Fr. | Seward, Neb. | Seward |
| Josh Taylor | Sprints | So. | Fr. | Geneva, Neb. | Fillmore Central / Dakota Wesleyan |
| Christian Van Cleave | Mid-Distance | Sr. | Jr. | Arvada, Colo. | Jefferson Academy |
| Kadin Vrbas | Sprints | Fr. | Fr. | Imperial, Neb. | Chase County |
| Christian Watters | Distance | Jr. | Jr. | Panama, Neb. | Norris |
| CJ Williams | Distance | Jr. | So. | Saint Peters, Mo. | Lutheran HS of St. Charles County |
| Cody Williams | Multis/Jumps/Hurdles/PV | Jr. | Jr. | Imperial, Neb. | Chase County |
| Micah Willweber | Distance | Fr. | Fr. | Kailua, Hawaii | Kalaheo |
| Christopher Wren | Throws | So. | Fr. | Fair Oaks, Calif. | Bella Vista |
| Nick Zadar | Distance | Sr. | Jr. | Boise, Idaho | Timberline |
| Zach Zohner | Pole Vault/Hurdles | Fr. | Fr. | Battle Creek, Neb. | Battle Creek |
WOMEN
| Name | Event | ID | OD | Hometown | Previous School |
| Lauren Ada | Mid-Distance | Fr. | Fr. | De Soto, Kan. | The Lutheran HS of Kansas City |
| Emily Agena | Throws | So. | Fr. | Sterling , Neb. | Sterling Public |
| Amiah Akerson | Distance | Fr. | Fr. | Pennock, Minn. | Benson Senior High School |
| Jordyn Anderson | Throws | Jr. | So. | Plainview, Neb. | Plainview |
| Anna Baack | Pole Vault | Sr. | Jr. | Seward, Neb. | Seward |
| Jordin Battaglia | Hurdles/Sprints | Fr. | Fr. | Seward, Neb. | Seward |
| Rachel Battershell | Hurdles/Sprints | Jr. | So. | Wheatland, Wyo. | Wheatland Senior |
| Keri Bauer | Distance | Jr. | Jr. | Pleasanton, Neb. | Pleasanton |
| Maddie Beran | Distance/Steeplechase | Sr. | Jr. | Grand Island, Neb. | Grand Island Northwest |
| Alyssa Bierwagen | Distance/Steeplechase | Sr. | Jr. | Sioux Falls, S.D. | Roosevelt |
| Emily Boyer | Distance/Steeplechase | Sr. | Jr. | Mullen, Neb. | Mullen |
| Kaylee Boyle | Hurdles/Multi-Events | Jr. | So. | Scribner, Neb. | Scribner Snyder |
| Mika Brees | Sprints | Sr. | Jr. | Seward, Neb. | Seward |
| Jamey Broman | Horizontal Jumps | Jr. | So. | Geneva, Neb. | Fillmore Central |
| Olivia Buschow | Throws | So. | Fr. | Blue Hill, Neb. | Blue Hill |
| Sydney Clark | Distance | Sr. | Jr. | Clive, Iowa | Des Moines Christian |
| Lydia Cook | Distance/Steeplechase | Sr. | Jr. | Perryville, Mo. | Perryville Jr/Sr |
| Amira Cummings | Sprints/Pole Vault | Fr. | Fr. | Cheyenne, Wyo. | Cheyenne East |
| Nicole Daum | Horizontal Jumps | Jr. | Jr. | Colorado Springs, Colo. | The Classical Academy |
| Lauren Dawson | Distance | Fr. | Fr. | Cedar Falls, Iowa | Valley Lutheran |
| Morgan De Jong | Throws | Sr. | Jr. | Orange City, Iowa | Moc-Floyd Valley |
| Abi DeLoach | Distance | Jr. | So. | Kearney, Neb. | Kearney |
| Gabby Diamond | Horizontal Jumps | Sr. | Jr. | Bennington, Neb. | Bennington |
| Mackenzie Ferrel | Throws | Jr. | Jr. | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln North Star |
| Jodi Fry | Throws | Jr. | Jr. | Ewing, Neb. | Ewing |
| Alyssa Fye | Mid-Distance | Sr. | Jr. | Randolph. Neb. | Randolph |
| Abigail Gerber | Throws | Fr. | Fr. | Columbus, Neb. | Columbus |
| Tayler Gipe | Distance | Sr. | Jr. | Scottsbluff, Neb. | Scottsbluff |
| Peyton Gissler | Distance | Fr. | Fr. | Malcolm, Neb. | Malcolm |
| Rylee Haecker | Mid-Distance | Fr. | Fr. | Davenport, Neb. | Raymond Central |
| Sarah Heck | Horizontal Jumps | Sr. | Jr. | Coon Rapids, Iowa | Coon Rapids-Bayard |
| Kylahn Heritage | Distance | So. | Fr. | Nampa, Idaho | Melba |
| Jordyn Hilyard | Mid-Distance | Jr. | So. | Holdrege, Neb. | Holdrege |
| Madison Holt | Throws | So. | So. | Elk Grove, Calif. | Elk Grove |
| Sara Huss | Throws | Fr. | Fr. | Fairbury, Neb. | Fairbury |
| Mackenzie Koepke | High Jump | - | Jr. | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Lutheran |
| Skylar Kreifels | Sprints | Fr. | Fr. | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln East |
| Averie Lambrecht | Horizontal Jumps | - | Fr. | Waverly, Neb. | Waverly |
| Sarah Lewis | Hurdles/Sprints | Jr. | So. | Mason City, Neb. | Ansley Public |
| Emily Loy | Hurdles/Multis | Sr. | Jr. | Wood River, Neb. | Wood River Rural |
| Elle Luehr | Throws | Jr. | Jr. | Wood River, Neb. | Wood River Rural |
| Erin Mapson | Pole Vault | Jr. | So. | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln East |
| Amie Martin | Distance | So. | Fr. | Arnold, Mo. | Fox C-6 |
| Anna McCoy | Hurdles/Sprints | Fr. | Fr. | Grand Island, Neb. | Grand Island |
| Abigail Meier | Distance | So. | So. | Lawrence, Kan. | Lawrence Free State |
| Taylor Moes | Horizontal Jumps | So. | Fr. | Elm Creek, Neb. | Elm Creek |
| Kennedy Mogul | Hurdles/Multis | Sr. | Jr. | York, Neb. | York |
| Hannah Mulligan | Sprints | Jr. | So. | Hastings, Neb. | Adams Central |
| Hannah Mundt | Distance | So. | Fr. | Blue Springs, Mo. | The Lutheran HS of Kansas City |
| Cora Olson | Sprints/Horizontal Jumps | Jr. | So. | Trimont, Minn. | Martin County West |
| Marie Ortiz | Sprints | Fr. | Fr. | Central City, Neb. | Palmer |
| Allison Owings | Throws | So. | Fr. | Imperial, Neb. | Chase County |
| Erin Painter | Throws | Fr. | Fr. | Ainsworth, Neb. | Ainsworth |
| Grace Pennekamp | Distance | Fr. | Fr. | Fort Wayne, Ind. | Concordia Lutheran |
| Mary Pennekamp | Distance | Fr. | Fr. | Fort Wayne, Ind. | Concordia Lutheran |
| Jacee Pfeifer | Pole Vault/Sprints | Jr. | So. | Holdrege. Neb. | Holdrege |
| Allison Pinkall | Pole Vault | Sr. | Jr. | Gretna, Neb. | Gretna |
| Kamryn Pokorney | Throws | Fr. | Fr. | Shelby, Neb. | Shelby-Rising |
| Josie Puelz | Pole Vault/Hurdles | So. | Fr. | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Lutheran HS |
| Sarah Ragland | Throws | Sr. | Jr. | Rocky River, Ohio | Lutheran West |
| Mollie Rathjen | Mid-Distance | So. | Fr. | Osceola, Neb. | Osceola |
| Aubrey Rathke | Mid-Distance | Fr. | Fr. | Fremont, Neb. | Fremont |
| Sydney Reichert | Pole Vault | Fr. | Fr. | Benkelman, Neb. | Dundy County Stratton |
| Grace Reiman | Distance | Fr. | Fr. | Hastings, Neb. | Adams Central |
| Grace Reimer | High Jump/Hurdles | Fr. | Fr. | Hartland, Wis. | Lake County Lutheran |
| Kellie Rhodes | Sprints | Fr. | Fr. | Mullinville, Kan. | Kiowa County |
| Amy Richert | Hurdles/Multis | Fr. | Fr. | Gresham, Neb. | Nebraska Lutheran |
| Faith Riggle | Throws | Fr. | Fr. | Scribner, Neb. | Scribner-Snyder |
| Laura Riley | Throws | Fr. | Fr. | Thornton, Colo. | Jefferson Academy |
| Malia Rolf | Distance/Steeplechase | Fr. | Fr. | Seward, Neb. | Seward |
| Sydni Schernikau | Sprints | Fr. | Fr. | Waverly, Neb. | Waverly |
| Erin Schmidt | Throws | Fr. | Fr. | Geneva, Neb. | Fillmore Central |
| Morgan Schuette | High Jump | Fr. | Fr. | Sabetha, Kan. | Sabetha |
| Gemma Seevers | Horizontal Jumps | Fr. | Fr. | Seward, Neb. | Seward |
| Katie Severt | Sprints/Horizontal Jumps | So. | Fr. | Coralville, Iowa | Iowa City West |
| Addie Shaw | Throws | - | Sr. | Bassett, Neb. | Rock County |
| Beth Shaw | Throws | - | Sr. | Kearney, Neb. | Kearney |
| Abigail Shay | Pole Vault | Fr. | Fr. | Wray, Colo. | Shay Academy |
| Adrianna Sims | Horizontal Jumps | Jr. | So. | Malcolm, Neb. | Malcolm |
| Rachel Smith | Multi Events | Fr. | Fr. | Earlham, Iowa | Earlham |
| Abigail Staehr | Distance | So. | Fr. | Grand Island, Neb. | Heartland Lutheran |
| Elizabeth Stottlemyre | Throws | Jr. | Jr. | Olympia, Wash. | NW Christian / Concordia-Portland |
| Samantha Thompson | Throws | Fr. | Fr. | Sloan, Iowa | Westwood Community School |
| Rebecca Weddell | Sprints | So. | Fr. | West Point, Neb. | West Point-Beemer Public |
| Kailey Weichel | Mid-Distance | Jr. | So. | Plymouth, Neb. | Tri Country Public |
| Natalya Wells | Hurdles/Sprints/LJ/Multis | Fr. | Fr. | Omaha, Neb. | Ralston |
| Lainey Werts | Mid-Distance | Fr. | Fr. | St. Edward, Neb. | St. Edward |
| Alexa Williams | Pole Vault | Jr. | So. | Elkhorn, Neb. | Elkhorn |
STAFF
Matt Beisel, Head Coach (5th Year)
Ed McLaughlin, Assistant Coach
Mark Samuels, Assistant Coach
Benjamin Hinckfoot, Assistant Coach
Wayne Earney, Assistant Coach
Jason Berry, Assistant Coach
Kurtis Bonner, Graduate Assistant Coach
Season Preview: 2020-21 Concordia Track & Field
MEN
Head coach: Matt Beisel (5th year)
2020 indoor finishes: 3rd (GPAC); 17th (NAIA)
2020 outdoor season canceled
2020 All-Americans returning: Chase Berry (pole vault); Jacob Cornelio (*weight throw; returner for outdoor only); Xavier Ross (400 meters); Cody Williams (missed 2020 indoor nationals but is a career 3x All-American).
2020 All-Americans lost: Gavin DeHaai (pole vault).
2020 Indoor National Qualifiers returning: Chase Berry (pole vault); Colton Meyer (60H; 4x400m relay); Jerod Peters (shot put; returner for outdoor only); Tucker Platt (pole vault); Henry Reimer (4x400m relay); Xavier Ross (400 meters; 4x400m relay); Sam Sisco (pole vault); Christian Van Cleave (4x400m relay).
*National Champion
--NOTE: list of national qualifiers includes athletes who traveled to the 2020 NAIA indoor meet.
WOMEN
Head coach: Matt Beisel (5th year)
2020 indoor finishes: 1st (GPAC); 4th (NAIA)
2020 outdoor season canceled
2020 All-Americans returning: Rachel Battershell (*400 meters; 4x400m relay); Mika Brees (4x400m relay); Morgan De Jong (weight throw); Sarah Lewis (4x400m relay); Jacee Pfeifer (4x400m relay); Josie Puelz (pole vault); Addie Shaw (weight throw; shot put; returner for outdoor only).
2020 All-Americans lost: Allie Brooks (pole vault).
2020 Indoor National Qualifiers returning: Rachel Battershell (400 meters; 60H; 4x400m relay); Jamey Broman (long jump); Alyssa Fye (DMR); Kylahn Heritage (DMR); Emily Loy (pentathlon); Kennedy Mogul (pentathlon; 4x400m relay); Cora Olson (long jump); Jacee Pfeifer (4x400m relay); Josie Puelz (pole vault); Sarah Ragland (weight throw); Katie Severt (long jump).
*National Champion
--NOTE: list of national qualifiers includes athletes who traveled to the 2020 NAIA indoor meet.
Outlook
The long awaited return to competition is almost over. After COVID-19 wiped out the entire 2020 outdoor season, the storied Concordia University Track & Field programs picked up preparation this August for the 2021 indoor season. The last time the Bulldogs competed publicly, both Rachel Battershell and Jacob Cornelio celebrated individual NAIA national titles. Those momentous performances occurred all the way back in March.
Anticipation is growing for what the first meet will bring. Another December kickoff meet will provide a barometer for where Concordia athletes stand right now. Entering his fifth season as head coach, Matt Beisel oversees a program that always aspires to reign atop the GPAC.
Said Beisel, “They’re ready to roll. They’re itching to compete. It has been almost a year since they’ve been able to do their thing and they’ve all been working towards this for so long. They’re pumped.”
The 2020 indoor season yielded GPAC finishes of first for the women and third for the men along with 14 combined All-America awards, two individual national titles and a fourth-place NAIA nationals team trophy for the women. As a sophomore, Battershell put together one of the all-time great indoor seasons in school history while earning GPAC Athlete of the Year honors and breaking the school’s 400 meter record. She’s essentially the posterchild for what is possible for a Bulldog athlete.
However, it takes more than just Battershell to ascend to the heights Concordia has reached in recent years – and to climb as high as it hopes to in the future. The Bulldog women won seven of 19 events at the 2020 GPAC indoor championships as part of a dominant showing. Beisel and his staff have been working to maintain that type of depth on the women’s side while putting the men on a similar path.
“We need to continue developing and building our recruiting classes to bring in kids in every event area who can provide competitive depth,” Beisel said. “There aren’t just one or two events that we focus on. Every year we’ve gotten a good range (of athletes). We had 57 freshmen come in this year, covering every event area – and they’re really good. We’ll keep on working towards (building depth).”
The women’s team has plenty of firepower returning this indoor season as it welcomes back GPAC champions in Battershell (60 meter hurdles; 400 meters), Kylahn Heritage (3,000 meters), Kennedy Mogul (pentathlon) and Josie Puelz (pole vault). Battershell and Mogul were also part of a conference championship 4x400 meter relay that included Sarah Lewis and Jacee Pfeifer.
It takes a long time to rattle off the names of potential national qualifiers for a squad that expects to again be one of the top women’s teams in the NAIA. In addition to the names mentioned above, the Bulldogs welcome back All-Americans such as Mika Brees (4x4) and Morgan De Jong (weight throw), who add to a well-rounded team. There’s a culture of excellence in which success is expected inside and outside of competition. Battershell and her teammates have definitely thought about what it might take to win a national title as a team.
Says Battershell, “You can see it every day. Whether or not someone is having a good day, we know we have had success in the past, but it is never taken for granted. We show up every day and we know what we are capable of as a team, which makes us push harder.”
Based on last season, the Concordia women can expect to be strong in areas like the hurdles, jumps, pole vault, multi-events, distance races and anything Battershell competes in. The pole vault crew includes not just a rising star in Puelz (who will also compete in hurdles), but also other past All-Americans in Erin Mapson and Pfeifer. The jumps group includes national qualifiers in Jamey Broman, Cora Olson and Katie Severt. Beisel also likes what he sees from the new class of throwers, a group that will lean on senior leadership from Sarah Ragland (two-time national qualifier).
“I think there is a spirt of high expectation,” Beisel said of the women’s outlook. “They’ve always had that. When I took over the program, it wasn’t any different. Now that we’ve had a string of wins there’s this desire to keep doing that. We want to win another national title. We’ve never won an indoor title.”
On the men’s side, the Bulldogs are still striving to catch back up to rival Doane. Chase Berry (pole vault) and Xavier Ross (400 meters) return after earning 2020 All-America honors. Concordia’s conference and national finishes were limited to some degree last season due to star Cody Williams being sidelined by injury. Named the 2019 GPAC Outdoor Athlete of the Year, Williams is back to health and ready to pursue his first career individual national title (placed as the 2019 heptathlon runner up).
Ross seems to have another gear in him as he enters his junior year. The Chicago-area native has hopes of challenging assistant coach Mark Samuels’ school record in the 400 meters and contributing to a GPAC championship team. Ross can see things beginning to come together for him and his teammates.
“We have had the largest freshman class this year,” Ross said. “I think we are looking very strong on all aspects. Throws are strong and the sprinting group is adding a lot more depth. We are going to see a lot of growth and maturity as a whole this season. If not this season, the upcoming season we will have a powerhouse of a squad.”
That large freshman class should help prop up the men’s team. So too should the continued development of up-and-comers such as sophomore Colton Meyer, who qualified for nationals in his first collegiate track season. In the distance group, top runner Camden Sesna is eyeing a return to health after being hobbled towards the end of cross country season. Past pole vault national qualifiers include Tucker Platt and Williams. Freshman Zach Zohner, one of the top new men’s athletes, also figures to be a factor in the vault.
Furthermore, well-regarded throws coach Ed McLaughlin will coach up a young men’s throws group (led by veterans such as Andy Amos) expected to make a leap forward. Elsewhere, the 4x400 relay remains strong (with help from Meyer, Ross, Henry Reimer and others) and Beisel expects contributions from Bulldogs who are transitioning from other sports – Jacob Jennings (basketball) and Cade Kleckner (baseball). Past All-American Christian Van Cleave headlines the mid-distance group.
Says Beisel, “You put all those pieces together and I think we’re going to be a much stronger team this year. I’m excited to see what they do.”
A star group of senior throwers will be back to use up their outdoor eligibility this spring. That bunch includes national champions Jacob Cornelio (2020 weight throw) and Addie Shaw (two-time discus national titlist) as well as national qualifiers Jerod Peters and Bethany Shaw. In other words, Concordia appears to have even greater scoring potential come outdoor season.
The indoor season will get underway at this weekend’s Concordia Early Bird Meet slated for Friday and Saturday inside the Fieldhouse. The Bulldogs are scheduled to host four home meets prior to the GPAC Indoor Championships (Feb. 19-20). The NAIA National Championships for indoor will be held in Brookings, S.D., with the outdoor national meet set to be staged in Gulf Shores, Ala., once again.
“Both our men and women drive themselves to win the conference title and put ourselves in a position to be able to win more national titles,” Beisel said. “That is what they talk about. They all have individual goals, but I think there’s a really good synergy and team spirit in regards to thinking about their teammates as much or more than themselves. That’s what drives so many of them to even greater things than they thought were possible.”
More from Battershell/Ross
Battershell: “(Winning a team national title) is so exciting to think about. I know it is on everyone’s minds. There is so many factors that play into earning the national title as a team but if everything comes together it will definitely be a possibility.”
Ross: “My goal is to break Coach Samuels indoor 400 record. That is what I am motivated for and gunning for. My teammates are my motivators as well, especially the underclassmen. I want to see them shine and that is what keeps me going.”