2025 Track & Field Schedule/Results Men's place finishes
Women's place finishes
Indoor Schedule Date Meet Location Results Dec. 13-14 Bulldog Early Bird Meet Seward, Neb. Results Jan. 11 Scott Nisely Classic Crete, Neb. Results Jan. 17 Concordia Polar Dog Invite Seward, Neb. Results Jan. 17-18 University of Nebraska Graduate Classic Lincoln, Neb. Results Jan. 24-25 Concordia Classic Seward, Neb. Results Feb. 1 Fred Beile Classic Crete, Neb. Results Feb. 7 Concordia Indoor Invite Seward, Neb. Results Feb. 7-8 Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational Lincoln, Neb. Results Feb. 14-15 GPAC Indoor Track & Field Championships Mitchell, S.D. W - 3/12 | M - 4/11 Feb. 27-Mar. 1 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships Gainesville, Fla. W - 20th | M - 56th Outdoor Schedule Date Meet Location Results March 28 UNK-Hastings College Central Nebraska Challenge Kearney, Neb. Results April 5 Concordia Outdoor Invite Seward, Neb. Results April 12 Hastings College Bronco Invite Hastings, Neb. Results April 16-18 Doane University Jim Dutcher Invite Crete, Neb. Results April 17-19 University of Kansas Relays Lawrence, Kan. Results April 24-26 Drake University Relays Des Moines, Iowa Results April 26 University of Kansas Rock Chalk Classic Lawrence, Kan. Results April 26 Nebraska Wesleyan University Prairie Wolf Invite Lincoln, Neb. Results May 2-3 GPAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships Hastings, Neb. W - 2/12 | M - 4/11 May 8-9 Concordia University, Nebraska Twilight Meet Seward, Neb. Results May 10 University of Nebraska-Kearney Loper Twilight Meet Kearney, Neb. Results May 21-23 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships Marion, Ind. W - 9th | M - 67th
2024-25 Roster Men's Roster Event ID OD Hometown Previous School Jenson Anderson High Jump/Horizontal Jumps Fr. Fr. Juniata, Neb. Hastings St. Cecilia HS Connor Asche Throws Sr. Sr. Geneva, Neb. Fillmore Central HS Nathan Baldwin Throws So. So. Sutton, Neb. Sutton HS Matthew Boyer Javelin Jr. Jr. Jefferson City, Mo. Capital City HS Dylan Brei Hurdles/Long Jump So. So. Bettendorf, Iowa Pleasant Valley HS Caden Brooks Sprints/Horizontal Jumps Fr. Fr. Seward, Neb. Seward HS Perry Chadwick Mid-Distance/Sprints Fr. Fr. Cheyenne Wells, Colo. Cheyenne Wells HS Lucas Corwin Mid-Distance/Sprints Fr. Fr. York, Neb. Nebraska Lutheran HS Jordan Dahn Sprints/Jumps So. So. Decatur, Ill. Decatur LSA Westley Determan Distance Jr. Jr. Cedar Falls, Iowa Valley Lutheran HS Sawyer Deters Throws Fr. Fr. Baileyville, Kan. Axtell Public School Josiah Edwards Throws Jr. Jr. Elk Grove, Calif. Consumnes Oaks HS Benjamin Ehrenberg Distance So. So. Omaha, Neb. Cornerstone Christian HS Jack Ellis Distance Sr. Sr. Bend, Ore. Trinity Lutheran HS Aaron Everett Sprints Jr. Jr. Milwaukee, Wis. Milwaukee Lutheran HS Liam Fagan Sprints Jr. Jr. Carson, Iowa Riverside HS Carson Fehlhafer Throws Jr. Jr. Utica, Neb. Centennial HS Rayshun Foreman Sprints/Horizontal Jumps So. Jr. Beaver Crossing, Neb. Centennial HS Easton Fries Sprints/Hurdles Fr. Fr. Imperial, Neb. Chase County HS Gage Fries Hurdles Jr. Jr. Minden, Neb. Minden HS Isaiah Gaunt Sprints/Horizontal Jumps Fr. Fr. Kearney, Neb. Kearney Catholic HS Thomas Gorline Distance/Steeplechase Sr. Sr. St. Louis, Mo. Westminster Christian HS Sven Gredelj Throws Jr. Jr. Zagreb, Croatia XV Gimnazija / Iowa Wesleyan Univ. Emry Gutz Mid-Distance So. So. Salibury, Mo. Salisbury HS Luke Hammang Distance/Racewalk So. So. Arlington, Neb. Arlington HS Charlie Hayden Distance Sr. Sr. Elkhorn, Neb. Elkhorn South HS Micah Heins Pole Vault Fr. Fr. Longmont, Colo. Longmont HS Vaughn Hendrickson Distance Fr. Fr. Fort Wayne, Ind. Concordia Lutheran HS Evan Hill Pole Vault Jr. Jr. Bridgeport, Neb. Bridgeport HS Mason Hodges Distance So. So. Raymore, Mo. Kansas City Lutheran HS Max Jacobson Pole Vault So. So. Oakland, Neb. West Point-Beemer HS Aaron Jendro Distance Jr. Jr. Omaha, Neb. Omaha Burke HS Mike Johnson Pole Vault So. So. Papillion, Neb. Papillion La Vista South HS Jonathan Jurchen Distance Fr. Fr. Seward, Neb. Seward HS Hayden Kluthe Hurdles So. So. Ord, Neb. Ord Sr HS Brooks Kreisel High Jump/Triple Jump So. So. Concordia, Mo. St. Paul Lutheran HS Peter Kreutzer Throws Sr. Sr. Kearney, Neb. Kearney HS Trevor Kuncl Distance Jr. Jr. Mullen, Neb. Mullen HS Aidan Limback Distance So. So. West Des Moines, Iowa Valley HS Jackson Lindburg Sprints/Hurdles So. So. Stromsburg, Neb. Cross County HS Jaxon Lipker Jumps/Hurdles Fr. Fr. Albion, Neb. Boone Central HS Xavier Marburger Sprints/Horizontal Jumps So. So. Harvard, Neb. Harvard HS Stephen Meisel Throws Fr. Fr. Jefferson City, Mo. Helias Interparish HS Teagan Meyer Hurdles/Sprints Sr. Sr. Alta, Iowa Alta-Aurelia HS Jarrett Miles Distance Fr. Fr. North Platte, Neb. North Platte Saint Patrick HS Hank Moore Sprints Jr. Jr. Stephenville, Texas Stephenville HS / Pima CC Gavin Morris Sprints Fr. Fr. Clarks, Neb. High Plains Community Schools Cale Nelson Mid-Distance/Sprints Fr. Fr. Loomis, Neb. Loomis Public School Nate Nelson Distance So. So. Atkinson, Neb. West Holt HS Sam Olson Distance Fr. Fr. Olathe, Kan. Olathe North HS Hudson Opp Mid-Distance Jr. Jr. Lincoln, Neb. Lincoln Christian HS Mayson Ostermeyer Pole Vault Jr. Jr. Crofton, Neb. Crofton HS Nathan Pennekamp Distance/Steeplechase Sr. Sr. Fort Wayne, Ind. Concordia Lutheran HS Colin Pheak Hurdles Jr. Jr. Osceola, Neb. Osceola HS / Southeast CC Colin Pinneo Distance So. So. York, Neb. York HS Riley Prochnow Throws So. So. Seward, Neb. Seward HS Noah Ramirez Hurdles So. So. Anaheim, Calif. Savanna HS Thad Rathjen Mid-Distance Jr. Jr. Osceola, Neb. Osceola HS Trey Robertson Distance So. So. Elsie, Neb. Wallace HS Grant Rohde Sprints Jr. Jr. Reed City, Mich. Reed City HS Austen Rozelle Throws Sr. Sr. Wauneta, Neb. Wauneta-Palisade / McCook CC Myles Sadd High Jump/Horizontal Jumps Jr. Jr. Doniphan, Neb. Doniphan-Trumbull HS Ethan Saunders Throws Fr. Fr. Rock Springs, Wyo. Rock Springs HS Caleb Schlichting Distance So. So. Lyons, Neb. Lyons-Decatur HS Evan Schmidt Distance Sr. Sr. Firth, Neb. Norris HS Adric Schmitz Mid-Distance So. So. Waterloo, Iowa Valley Lutheran HS Justin Sherman Distance So. So. Bellevue, Neb. Cornerstone Christian HS Ethan Sholey Distance Fr. Fr. Rock Springs, Wyo. Rock Springs HS Joel Smith Hurdles/Horizontal Jumps Jr. So. Earlham, Iowa Earlham HS Aaron Spivey Horizontal Jumps Jr. So. Smithfield, Va. Smithfield HS Tyler Suer Throws Jr. So. Fremont, Neb. Fremont HS Colby Sugden Sprints Sr. Jr. Adams, Neb. Freeman HS Noah Taylor Distance Fr. Fr. Mound City, Kan. Trinity Academy HS Ethan Theilen Distance So. So. Cantrall, Ill. Springfield Lutheran HS Thomas Thomas Throws Fr. Fr. Hastings, Neb. Hastings St. Cecilia HS Ransom Watts Distance So. So. Colorado Springs, Colo. Maclaren State Christian School Landon Williams Throws So. So. Phoenix, Ariz. Valley Lutheran HS Matthew Wing Sprints/Long Jump So. So. Lincoln, Neb. Sweet Springs HS Cole Yunker Distance Fr. Fr. Newburgh, Ind. Castle HS Women's Roster Event ID OD Hometown Previous School Rachel Ada Distance Jr. Jr. De Soto, Kan. The Lutheran HS of Kansas City Caitlyn Adams Mid-Distance So. So. Beaver Crossing, Neb. Milford HS Ava Bartels High Jump Jr. Jr. Lincoln, Neb. Lincoln East HS Elena Batenhorst Multis/Horizontal Jumps Sr. Sr. Columbus, Neb. Columbus HS Kyra Becker Distance Jr. Jr. Auburn, Neb. Auburn HS Claire Beikmann Mid-Distance So. So. Linn, Kan. Linn HS Hannah Beintema Distance Jr. Jr. Bettendorf, Iowa Bettendorf HS Keegan Beisel Distance Jr. Jr. Seward, Neb. Seward HS Harper Boche Throws Fr. Fr. Torrington, Wyo. Southeast HS Erin Boggs Pole Vault/Multis Sr. Sr. Bertrand, Neb. Bertrand HS McKenzie Bohlen Pole Vault So. So. Glenvil, Neb. Sandy Creek HS Arisyn Bratt Sprints Fr. Fr. Lincoln, Neb. Lincoln Christian HS Kalee Brosius Throws So. So. North Platte, Neb. North Platte HS Kennedee Canales Sprints/Horizontal Jumps Fr. Fr. Midlothian, Texas Midlothian HS Coral Collins Sprints Fr. Fr. Seward, Neb. Seward HS Greta Corneliusen Horizontal Jumps Sr. Sr. Colorado Springs, Colo. The Classical Academy Mickey Curl Distance Jr. Sr. Colorado Springs, Colo. The Classical Academy Laney Denniston Hurdles Fr. Fr. Nebraska City, Neb. Syracuse Dunbar Avoca HS Eve Domres High Jump Fr. Fr. Fort Wayne, Ind. Concordia Lutheran HS Lydia Edmonds Distance Fr. Fr. Gretna, Neb. Gretna HS Faith Espinosa Hurdles/High Jump/Multis Sr. Jr. Clarinda, Iowa Clarinda HS Alyssa Ferguson Distance So. So. Harvard, Neb. Harvard HS Kajsa Finnern Throws Fr. Fr. Sartell, Minn. Sartell HS Molly Frenzen Hurdles So. So. Columbus, Neb. Columbus Lakeview HS Abigail Gerber Throws Sr. Sr. Columbus, Neb. Columbus HS Gracee Goings Throws Fr. Fr. Wauneta, Neb. Wauneta-Palisade HS Keeli Green Mid-Distance So. So. Arlington, Neb. Arlington HS Laci Havlat Distance Jr. Jr. Lincoln, Neb. Norris HS Kelsie Heins Distance So. So. Longmont, Colo. Longmont HS / Grand Canyon Univ. Marissa Heins Throws So. So. Concordia, Mo. St. Paul Lutheran HS Trinity Houchin Distance So. So. Axtell, Neb. Minden HS Ellie Jander Distance/Steeplechase Sr. Jr. St. Louis, Mo. Lutheran HS North Rhaya Kaschinske Distance Sr. Sr. Fort Wayne, Ind. Concordia Lutheran HS Brittni Kinne Throws So. So. McCook, Neb. McCook HS Kayla Kirchner Sprints Jr. Jr. Ogallala, Neb. Ogallala HS Tayden Kirchner Mid-Distance So. So. Ogallala, Neb. Ogallala HS Carissa Kolle Throws Fr. Fr. Linn, Kan. Linn HS Jaelynne Kosmos Horizontal Jumps So. So. Beatrice, Neb. Beatrice HS Emma Kucera Multis/Jumps/Hurdles So. So. Gibbon, Neb. Gibbon HS Emily Loseke Sprints Sr. Sr. Leigh, Neb. Clarkson-Leigh HS Bella Marchisio Distance Sr. Sr. Queen Creek, Ariz. Higley HS / Park University Gilbert Alyssa Marotz Mid-Distance Jr. Jr. Norfolk, Neb. Lutheran HS Northeast Christina Martinson Mid-Distance So. So. Wausa, Neb. Bloomfield Community HS Adysen McCarter Sprints/Horizontal Jumps Fr. Fr. Overton, Neb. Overton HS Aliana McNair Pole Vault So. So. Imperial, Neb. Chase County HS Ardin Mignea Throws So. So. Las Vegas, Nev. Faith Lutheran HS Hayley Miles Horizontal Jumps/Sprints Jr. Jr. North Platte, Neb. St. Patrick's HS Katelyn Nix Distance/Steeplechase Sr. Sr. Fort Wayne, Ind. Concordia Lutheran HS Josi Noble Triple Jump/Sprints/Hurdles Jr. Jr. Stromsburg, Neb. Cross County HS Kiki Nyanok Sprints/Long Jump So. So. Grand Island, Neb. Heartland Lutheran HS Kailyn Paul High Jump/Triple Jump So. So. Daykin, Neb. Meridian HS Cassie Peatrowsky Pole Vault/Sprints So. So. West Point, Neb. Guardian Angels Central Catholic HS Addison Reimer High Jump/Hurdles/Multis So. So. Lisbon, Wis. Lake County Lutheran HS Lillee Richard Pole Vault Fr. Fr. Washington, Kan. Washington County HS Adrianna Rodencal Hurdles/Sprints Jr. Jr. Lincoln, Neb. Lincoln Lutheran HS Reilly Saline Pole Vault So. So. Highlands Ranch, Colo. Lutheran HS / Hastings College Isabelle Salters Multis Sr. Sr. Valentine, Neb. Valentine HS Cambria Saunders Sprints/Hurdles/Long Jump So. So. Waco, Neb. Centennial HS Annaka Schlachter Distance Fr. Fr. Grand Island, Neb. Grand Island Senior HS Kyla Schleusener Sprints/Long Jump Jr. So. St. Paul, Minn. Liberty Classical Academy Kimberly Schropfer High Jump Jr. Jr. Ohiowa, Neb. Meridian HS Aliyah Sinn Throws So. So. Hanover, Kan. Hanover HS Josie Smith Distance So. So. Sumner, Neb. SEM HS Annika Staab Distance Fr. Fr. Grand Island, Neb. Grand Island Senior HS Amanda Steinke High Jump/Triple Jump/Multis Jr. Sr. Milwaukee, Wis. Milwaukee Lutheran HS Alison Stepanek Distance Fr. Fr. Las Vegas, Nev. Faith Lutheran HS Gretchen Stottlemyre Javelin Sr. Sr. Olympia, Wash. Northwest Christian HS / Northwest Kayla Svoboda Pole Vault/Hurdles/Multis Jr. Jr. Wisner, Neb. Wisner-Pilger HS Trinity Tuls Sprints Sr. Sr. Columbus, Neb. Columbus HS Ellee VanBuskirk Pole Vault Jr. Jr. Omaha, Neb. Millard North HS Claire VanTol Throws Fr. Fr. Unionville, Mich. Saginaw Valley Lutheran HS Alayna Vargas Mid-Distance So. So. Hastings, Neb. Hastings St. Cecilia HS Sammi Vojslavek Distance Jr. Jr. Elkhorn, Neb. Millard West HS Ellie Wackerfuss High Jump So. So. Chaska, Minn. Chaska HS Zoey Walker High Jump/Multis So. So. Osceola, Neb. Shelby-Rising HS Landrey Walter Hurdles Jr. Jr. Fort Morgan, Colo. Faith Christian HS Josey Welch Hurdles Fr. Fr. Hubbell, Neb. Thayer Central HS Abi Wohlgemuth Throws Sr. Sr. Lincoln, Neb. Lincoln Lutheran HS Sophie Wohlgemuth Throws Fr. Fr. Lincoln, Neb. Lincoln Lutheran HS Courtney Wright Distance Jr. Jr. Perryville, Mo. Perryville HS
STAFF
Matt Beisel, Head Coach (9th Year)
Ed McLaughlin, Assistant Coach
Mark Samuels, Assistant Coach
Jason Berry, Assistant Coach
Lia Guigui, Graduate Assistant Coach
Darien Semedo, Graduate Assistant Coach
Steve Hoger, Assistant Coach
Season Preview: 2024-25 Concordia Indoor Track & Field Dec. 3, 2024
MEN 2024 Indoor Finishes : 3rd (GPAC); 8th (NAIA)2024 Outdoor Finishes : 3rd (GPAC); 7th (NAIA)Past All-Americans returning (indoor/outdoor) : Mayson Ostermeyer (1); Austen Rozelle (1).2024 All-Americans lost (indoor/outdoor) : Calvin Rohde (1); Darien Semedo (2); Chris Wren (5; HT national champion); Zach Zohner (4; 2x national champion).2024 National Qualifiers returning (indoor/outdoor) : Connor Asche; Matthew Boyer; Liam Fagan; Carson Fehlhafer; Luke Hammang; Trevor Kuncl; Mayson Ostermeyer; Trey Robertson; Austen Rozelle; Colby Sugden.
WOMEN Head Coach : Matt Beisel (9th year); 12x GPAC Coach of the Year2024 Indoor Finishes : 1st (GPAC); 3rd (NAIA)2024 Outdoor Finishes : 1st (GPAC); 20th (NAIA)Past All-Americans returning (indoor/outdoor) : Abigail Gerber (2); Kayla Kirchner (2); Josi Noble (1); Isabelle Salters (1); Gretchen Stottlemyre (1); Trinity Tuls (4); Zoey Walker (1); Abi Wohlgemuth (1).2024 All-Americans lost (indoor/outdoor) : Jenna Esch (8); Kylahn Freiberg (7); Rylee Haecker (10); Jordan Koepke (8); Julie McIntyre (1); Josie Puelz (8; 5x national champion).2024 National Qualifiers returning (indoor/outdoor) : Claire Beikmann; Erin Boggs; Abigail Gerber; Rhaya Kaschinske; Kayla Kirchner; Hayley Miles; Josi Noble; Adrianna Rodencal; Isabelle Salters; Cambria Saunders; Gretchen Stottlemyre; Kayla Svoboda; Trinity Tuls; Zoey Walker; Abi Wohlgemuth.
Outlook
The 2024-25 indoor track & field season will officially arrive in the middle of December at Concordia University, Nebraska. Head Coach Matt Beisel enters his ninth season leading men’s and women’s programs that both experienced their share of mountaintop moments in 2024. National champions emerged in the form of the women’s 4x800-meter relay (indoor), Chris Wren in the hammer throw and Zach Zohner in the pole vault (indoor and outdoor). From a team perspective, the women continued their string of GPAC championships and the men placed top 10 nationally for both indoor and outdoor.
Both the men’s and women’s teams have undergone a degree of roster turnover with many legendary performers having graduated and moved on. This is where the acumen and expertise of Beisel and his staff comes in. Cohesion continues on the staff thanks to the presence of longtime assistants Ed McLaughlin, Mark Samuels and Jason Berry, who are joined by graduate assistants Lia Guigui and Darien Semedo and racewalk coach Steve Hoger.
Beisel likes what he has seen during the fall semester in terms of the building of team chemistry. Said the 12-time GPAC Coach of the Year, “I think we all agree as a staff that the group of freshmen we brought in, combined with the returners, is probably the most fired-up team environment I can remember having. We did a lot of team building stuff through the fall so that the distance runners, the throwers, the jumpers, the sprinters and everybody were able to connect together. We did a lot of fun stuff. I got a lot of feedback from athletes in every event group saying they really felt connected. I think that lays the groundwork and lets them know they have teammates they’re doing this for. There are a lot of moving pieces with a lot of different events and more than 160 kids on the team. I do feel like we are poised for a really good start when we have our Early Bird Meet.”
Indeed, the Early Bird Meet slated for Dec. 13-14 inside the Walz Fieldhouse will kick off a new indoor track season. While there are difficult-to-replace departures, the Bulldogs bring back 10 national qualifiers on the men’s side and 15 national qualifiers on the women’s side. Entering the year, the combined men’s and women’s roster features 26 seniors, 40 juniors, 55 sophomores and 39 freshmen. Through the fall, the freshman class has been earning rave reviews. There’s plenty enough talent on board to keep expectations at a high level.
On the men’s side, Wren and Zohner said their goodbyes after concluding their Concordia careers with fairytale finishes at the outdoor national meet. The program also graduated All-Americans in distance extraordinaire Calvin Rohde and thrower Darien Semedo. That leaves pole vaulter Mayson Ostermeyer and thrower Austen Rozelle as the lone remaining men’s athletes with past All-America medals to their credit.
Despite, the losses of Semedo and Wren, the throws group is a deep one that includes national qualifiers in Connor Asche, Matthew Boyer (javelin school record holder) and Carson Fehlhafer (also a first team all-conference defensive lineman on the football team). Other returning national qualifiers on the men’s roster include Liam Fagan (sprints), Luke Hammang (racewalk), Trevor Kuncl (distance), Trey Robertson (distance) and Colby Sugden (sprints).
A junior from Crofton, Neb., Ostermeyer takes the baton from Zohner while helping continue the program’s strong tradition in the pole vault. Ostermeyer emerged as the 2024 GPAC pole vault runner up to Zohner for indoor and outdoor and earned a fifth-place NAIA All-America finish at the 2024 indoor national meet. Ostermeyer leads a men’s vault crew that includes the likes of Micah Heins, Evan Hill, Jax Jacobson and Mike Johnson.
Said Ostermeyer, “At times it can be a little bit of pressure because when you go to a meet, you’re like, ‘I should probably do well.’ It’s nice to know that we have a really high reputation in the pole vault. If I do well, it’s adding more to that. We have a transfer from Hastings and she said, ‘Whenever Concordia pulls up to a meet, it’s like an ‘oh no moment.’ They kind of know this is going to be tough. It’s really cool to have that aura around us.”
Beisel already has an idea of what to expect from the distance crew. Vaughn Hendrickson knocked it out of the park during his freshman cross country season as he won the GPAC title and earned All-America honors. Robertson placed as the conference runner up to Hendrickson. Beisel believes both Hendrickson and Robertson could break the school 5k record. Elsewhere on the track, Fagan (400 meters), Kuncl (mile) and Sugden (400 meters) are returning scorers from the 2024 GPAC indoor meet. One freshman to watch is Easton Fries, who broke the Nebraska state meet record in the 300-meter hurdles and was a 10-time state medalist.
The depth of the men’s roster continues into field events. Jacobson joined Ostermeyer with 2024 indoor all-conference honors in the pole vault. In the jumps, Myles Sadd and Aaron Spivey were all-conference performers at the 2024 GPAC outdoor meet.
“Our guys have been building momentum for years,” Beisel said. “We got second (in the GPAC) once in the last five years, but we’ve consistently been coming in third place against really good teams. We go to nationals and we beat some of the teams that beat us at conference. We want to do both. Our main goal is to glorify Christ in all that we say and do as a team. Another one of our goals from a performance standpoint is to win conference for both men and women and place top 10 – and ideally top four and get a trophy – at nationals. To have our guys get eighth at indoor nationals and seventh at outdoor nationals (in 2024) was a big thing.”
On the women’s side, the streak of consecutive GPAC championships has reached 11 after Concordia narrowly held off Doane, 209.5 to 204.5 in team scoring, at the 2024 GPAC outdoor meet. A new group of athletes will have an opportunity to grab more of the spotlight as five individuals who combined for 41 All-America awards have graduated or used up their eligibility: Jenna Esch, Kylahn Freiberg, Rylee Haecker, Jordan Koepke and Josie Puelz (a five-time pole vault national champion).
While those losses will be felt immensely, the Bulldogs do welcome back eight past All-Americans in Abigail Gerber (throws), Kayla Kirchner (sprints), Josi Noble (jumps/multi-events), Isabelle Salters (sprints/hurdles), Gretchen Stottlemyre (javelin), Trinity Tuls (sprints), Zoey Walker (jumps) and Abi Wohlgemuth (throws). The star power continues with school record hurdler Adrianna Rodencal, the 2023 GPAC Female Indoor and Outdoor Athlete of the Year.
The Lincoln Lutheran High School alum Rodencal came up agonizingly short of All-America awards in 2024 while taking another step forward during her sophomore campaign. Her school record times now sit at 8.55 in the 60 hurdles and 13.65 in the 100 hurdles. Rodencal will be looked upon as a leader both on and off the track.
Said Rodencal, “We’re losing quite a few people from last year. We definitely took a hit, but seeing girls we’ve recruited and seeing girls step up in events like the 4x4 make me excited to watch that this year. We have a really good support group so that when we do lose those big key players, we have people who can step up. We’re grateful that we have such an amazing program, coaches and recruiting that we can do that … It makes me really excited to see what’s going to happen in this first meet and see who is going to go out on that track and show themselves.”
All parts of the 4x8 that claimed the 2024 indoor national championship have departed. However, the nucleus for a strong 4x4 remains in place thanks to the return of the likes of All-Americans in Kirchner, Salters and Tuls. Noble and Rodencal are also capable of stepping into relay positions. In other track events, the Bulldogs are looking for big things from cross country national qualifier Keegan Beisel and other past all-conference honorees such as Hannah Beintema, Cambria Saunders and Kayla Svoboda. The latter came on strong last season in the hurdles. Among freshmen, Adysen McCarter is making waves after a successful run at Overton High School and the distance crew is bolstered by a slew of freshmen such as Annika Staab and Annaka Schlachter.
Gerber, Stottlemyre and Wohlgemuth are some of the standouts in the women’s throws crew. This past indoor season, Gerber placed fifth at nationals in the shot put and Wohlgemuth took sixth in the weight throw. Stottlemyre went on to become a javelin All-American at the NAIA outdoor meet. Under McLaughlin’s watchful eye, it’s likely that additional national qualifiers will develop from this crew.
In the pole vault, there’s no way to replace a five-time national champion like Puelz. Erin Boggs and Svoboda are past NAIA national qualifiers in the event. In the jumps, Walker experienced a breakthrough when she placed eighth in the high jump at the ‘24 indoor national meet. Other returning jumpers who were All-GPAC honorees last indoor season were Jaelynne Kosmos, Hayley Miles, Kiki Nyanok and Amanda Steinke. Noble and Walker were indoor national qualifiers last season in the pentathlon. Concordia has routinely excelled in the multi-events on the women’s side.
In aspiring to keep their perch atop the GPAC, the Bulldogs know they have no margin for error with Doane and others breathing down their necks. For ultra-competitive athletes like Rodencal, winning the GPAC is always going to be the expectation.
“We are going to need some people to step up,” Beisel said. “Everyone is developing. I think we have enjoyed, and have not taken for granted, the 11-consecutive conference titles on the women’s side. We almost got gotten by Doane. They’ve really been building their program and got some good kids in there. It is not a certain thing that we’re going to walk in and win the conference title in indoor. It’s very possible they could beat us. We’re going to do everything in our power to keep that from happening. We lose some key women who have been All-Americans and GPAC champions. Those are some legendary athletes who have left a huge legacy at Concordia. But we return a whole bunch of great people in all the event areas. Then you throw in another group of really talented freshmen.”
The tentative meet schedule for the Bulldog Early Bird can be found HERE . That meet will open a season that will make a stop in Mitchell, S.D., for the 2024 GPAC Indoor Championships and will continue for national qualifiers with the 2024 NAIA Indoor National Championships (Feb. 27 – March 1) in Gainesville, Fla., a new destination after the indoor national meet was staged in Brookings, S.D., in five of the past six years. The full 2024-25 Concordia Track & Field schedule can be viewed HERE .
Added Beisel, “I’m cautiously optimistic. We’re going to have to stay healthy, and we’re going to know a lot more after Early Bird about what the men and women are going to shape up like. It will be a lot of fun to see. Ultimately, it’s a God thing as to whether we can keep them all healthy and help them to develop as people and individuals.”
Fries, Rodencal break hurdles records as indoor season kicks off Dec. 14, 2024
SEWARD, Neb. – The 2024-25 Concordia University, Nebraska Indoor Track & Field season kicked off this weekend (Dec. 13-14) with the sixth annual Bulldog Early Bird Meet inside the Fieldhouse, where athletes from 11 institutions convened. School records were broken in the 60-meter hurdles by freshman Easton Fries and junior Adrianna Rodencal as major highlights of the meet. Additionally, Bulldog athletes combined for seven event championships, three NAIA automatic national qualifying standards, another three performances that met the ‘B’ standard and three pentathlon point totals currently ranked in the top 18 nationally.
Head Coach Matt Beisel has begun his ninth season leading the track & field programs. Rodencal, Mayson Ostermeyer and Abi Wohlgemuth have already locked up trips to the national meet.
“There’s always the question of how everyone will do at the first meet after a fall of training,” Beisel said. “We went out and got some good marks. Last year we got 18 automatic marks at this meet. This year it wasn’t that many, but the performances were really good. It’s a really good start for us. I saw a lot of depth in a lot of different events going up against some of our conference rivals. I’m intensely curious to see how we continue to develop in every event area.”
Rodencal’s abilities are no secret. A two-time GPAC Athlete of the Year, the Lincoln Lutheran alum knocked out the automatic qualifying time quickly by running the 60 hurdles in 8.58 in the prelims. She then broke her own former school record of 8.55 by finishing in 8.53 in the finals and was the meet champion. On the men’s side, Fries made an impressive collegiate debut. His time came in at 8.26 in the prelims and then 8.13 in the finals. The previous men’s school record had been 8.14 by Chuck Tasler (1994) and Jose Beaton (2004).
Said Rodencal afterwards, “I was super happy not just for what I did, but for everybody. We had a lot of great PR’s, especially in the hurdle area. I had some other expectations. I wanted to get the Fieldhouse record but to hit what I hit the first meet, I’m more than happy about that. For the 4x4 being the first time running it – super good. I hate that we have another month before the next meet, but everyone did amazing. I’m very grateful for what I was able to do today.”
Commented Fries on the record, “It means a lot. I couldn’t do it without the coaches and the environment we have here. It makes it really easy to accomplish stuff like that. I had never ran the 60 hurdles until today, so I was just trying to get a time down. I knew I could get down into the lower teens with a good start.”
Rodencal and Fries each polished off the meet by running legs of the 4x4. Rodencal ran the leadoff leg before the baton was transferred to Trinity Tuls, Isabelle Salters and Kayla Kirchner. Their time of 3:57.74 (converted to 3:54.63 for the national list) was a hair short of an ‘A’ standard. Rodencal also ran 25.64 in the 200 meters (second place) and Fries was the Early Bird winner in the men’s 400 meters (51.33) and as part of the 4x4 team (3:23.79). Fries ran the anchor after being preceded by Liam Fagan, Matthew Wing and Perry Chadwick. The group won a nailbiter of a race over Midland.
In the day’s first race, freshman Jonny Jurchen nearly hit an ‘A’ standard. In his first ever collegiate track meet, Jurchen clocked in at 14:33.78 in the 3,000-meter race walk for a ‘B’ standard just over 10 seconds shy of an automatic national qualifying time.
A returning All-American, Wohlgemuth led the way for the throws group by landing an auto mark of 57’ 2” in the weight throw, placing her as the Early Bird runner up. Concordia’s other top throwers included Connor Asche in the men’s weight throw (55’ 11 ¼”) and Nathan Baldwin in the men’s shot put (50’ 4 ¾”) and Harper Boche in the women’s shot put (43’ 7 ¼”). First Team All-GPAC defensive lineman Carson Fehlhafer trailed closely behind Asche in the weight throw and shot put. A two-time All-American, Abby Gerber placed third in the shot put on the women’s side.
In the pole vault, Ostermeyer steps into a larger spotlight after the program said goodbye to two-time national champion Zach Zohner. Ostermeyer cleared a personal best of 16’ 2 ¾” and was the Early Bird winner. He was followed in the men’s competition by Jax Jacobson (14’ 3 ¼”). On the women’s side of the vault, Kayla Svoboda, Erin Boggs and Lillee Richard were tightly packed in the Nos. 3 through 5 place finishes.
Additional Early Bird champions were Hannah Beintema in the 1,000 meters (3:15.02) and Tuls in the 400 meters (59.03). Concordia’s men’s distance medley relay of Trey Robertson, Fagan, Trevor Kuncl and Vaughn Hendrickson ran unopposed and clocked in at 10:27.16, less than five seconds off a ‘B’ standard. The GPAC cross country champion, Hendrickson later ran 9:02.64 in the 3,000 meters (fourth place).
In the jumps, the following Hayley Miles and Aaron Spivey both placed third in the triple jump while Jaxon Lipker (high jump) and Kiki Nyanok (long jump) were fourth-place finishers. Adept in the jumps, Josi Noble and Zoey Walker put together strong pentathlon efforts on Friday. Noble totaled 3,085 points and Walker racked up 2,936 points. Noble and Walker currently rank 12th and 14th, respectively, on the national pentathlon leaderboard.
There were plenty of other noteworthy performances. In the women’s 60 meters, Emily Loseke placed third in 7.89 seconds and the women’s hurdle group behind Rodencal performed solidly (Svoboda finished fourth at 9.10). Right behind Fries in the open men’s 400 meters was fellow freshman Perry Chadwick (51.67). In the women’s 3,000 meters, freshman Annaka Schlachter placed second (11:34.64).
Said Beisel in summing up the meet, “I’m really proud of all the athletes today and all our coaches. They’ve put in a lot of hard work and have built a great team culture. There was a lot of support for each other and a lot of positivity. All glory to God. It was a lot of fun. It’s so good to get track season started again.”
Early Bird Event Champions
· Men’s 4x400m Relay (3:23.79); Liam Fagan, Matthew Wing, Perry Chadwick, Easton Fries.
· Men’s DMR (10:27.16); Trey Robertson; Liam Fagan; Trevor Kuncl; Vaughn Hendrickson.
· Hannah Beintema – 1,000 Meters (3:15.02)
· Easton Fries – 400 Meters (51.33)
· Mayson Ostermeyer – Pole Vault (16’ 2 ¾”)
· Adrianna Rodencal – 60 Hurdles (8.53)
· Trinity Tuls – 400 Meters (59.03)
Automatic National Qualifiers
· Mayson Ostermeyer – Pole Vault (16’ 2 ¾”)
· Adrianna Rodencal – 60 Hurdles (8.53)
· Abi Wohlgemuth – Weight Throw (57’ 2”)
‘B’ Standards – Women’s 4x400m Relay; Easton Fries (60 hurdles); Jonny Jurchen (3,000m race walk).
The 2024-25 indoor season will resume on Jan. 11 with the Scott Nisely Memorial Classic hosted by Doane. Additional home meets coming up this indoor season will include the Concordia Polar Dog Invite (Jan. 17), Concordia Classic (Jan. 24-25) and Concordia Indoor Invite (Feb. 7).
Rodencal hurdles way to GPAC weekly award Dec. 18, 2024
GPAC Release
SEWARD, Neb. – The season opening Bulldog Early Bird Meet was a successful one for Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field junior Adrianna Rodencal. As a result of her efforts, Rodencal was honored on Wednesday (Dec. 18) as the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Women’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Week. Rodencal has earned the fourth GPAC weekly award of her career.
A Lincoln Lutheran High School alum, Rodencal competed in three separate events at the Early Bird Meet. Most notably, Rodencal broke her own school record in the 60-meter hurdles by clocking a first-place time of 8.53 in the finals of the event. She also ran the leadoff leg for the 4x400-meter relay that turned in an NAIA ‘B’ standard of 3:57.74 (converted to 3:54.63 on the national list) and placed second in the 200 meters (25.64). On the current national performance lists, Rodencal ranks No. 3 in both the 60 hurdles and as part of the 4x4.
A two-time GPAC Athlete of the Year, Rodencal has won four GPAC event titles in her career and is a four-time NAIA national qualifier. In addition to her 60 hurdles school record, Rodencal owns the program standard in the outdoor 100-meter hurdles (13.65) and contributed to current school records in the 4x1 and 4x2 relays.
Bulldogs take seven event titles while resuming season at Polar Dog Jan. 17, 2025
SEWARD, Neb. – It’s full steam ahead now that the second semester has resumed. Action picked back up on Friday (Jan. 17) for Concordia University Track & Field as it hosted the annual Polar Dog Invite and came away with seven event championships. Major highlights included new personal best automatic national qualifying standards from Mayson Ostermeyer in the pole vault and Abi Wohlgemuth in the weight throw. Ostermeyer competed at the Graduate Classic hosted by the University of Nebraska while all other Bulldog athletes were present on the home turf inside the Walz Fieldhouse.
The outing marked the first full-blown meet for Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squads since the Bulldog Early Bird Meet on Dec. 13-14. This was a chance to knock off the rust.
“When you get back from four weeks away and you haven’t had the reps, you’re going to get what you’re going to get,” Beisel said. “You will have people throw a PR or jump a season best, but for the majority of kids it’s a start. Now let’s build on that. At the same time, we did have some new national marks. We had a lot of good, solid things happen … We have now four weeks until conference, so we’re going to put quite a bit of intensity into what we do. We’re at our max volume right now. It’s going fast.”
The Polar Dog champions included the men’s 4x400-meter relay, Easton Fries (60 hurdles), Vaughn Hendrickson (5,000 meters), Jonny Jurchen (3,000-meter race walk), Adrianna Rodencal (200 meters), Annaka Schlachter (5,000 meters) and Wohlgemuth. In addition to the NAIA ‘A’ standards achieved by Ostermeyer and Wohlgemuth, Carson Fehlhafer (weight throw) and Hayley Miles (long jump) both hit ‘B’ standards that moved them up the national lists.
At the Graduate Classic held inside the Devaney Center in Lincoln, Ostermeyer took advantage of the opportunity to compete alongside former teammate Zach Zohner (now a Cornhusker). Ostermeyer cleared 16’ 4 ½” while rising above his previous best of 16’ 2 ¾,” which stood as the top mark in the NAIA entering the weekend. Zohner cleared 16’ 10 ¼.”
The work of Fehlhafer and Wohlgemuth headlined the performances from the throws crew. With her weight throw toss of 59’ 8 ½,” the Lincoln Lutheran alum Wohlgemuth moved into the top five on the program’s all-time list. Meanwhile, Fehlhafer popped a weight throw mark of 59’ 10 ½,” which would rank him top five nationally based on the NAIA leaderboard at the start of the day. It was also a solid day for Abigail Gerber, who placed third in the weight throw and fourth in the shot put (‘B’ standard of 44’ 4”) at the Polar Dog. In the men’s shot put, Connor Asche led the way while placing seventh.
An indoor national qualifier last year, Miles landed at 18’ 4 ¼” in the long jump and was the meet runner up. In the triple jump, Josi Noble came up just shy of the ‘B’ standard with her mark of 37’ 6.” A host of other Concordia jumpers placed in the top three of their respective events, including runners up Jaxon Lipker and Addie Reimer in the high jump and Aaron Spivey (third in the triple jump).
A Seward High School product, Jurchen has taken to race walking like a natural. While coached by Steve Hoger, Jurchen had already posted a time back at the Early Bird that placed him at No. 6 in the NAIA. He knocked a second off that first performance while crossing the finish line in 14:32.16.
Said Jurchen afterwards, “I was pretty happy with the result. I know I could have gone a little bit faster, especially in the middle laps, but I was really focused on form. I’m pretty happy with it overall – it’s faster than my time from the last meet … It was definitely a big learning curve starting out. I couldn’t go faster than a 12-minute mile pace and it really hurt my shins and my knees. When I realized if I put more effort into my form and doing drills, it would get easier over time.”
Already a national qualifier in the 60-meter hurdles, Rodencal focused solely on the 200 meters on Friday and beat out a field of 34 competitors with a time of 25.82. Meanwhile, the 5k sweep for the Bulldogs came courtesy of two freshmen as the GPAC cross country champion Hendrickson ran 15:35.28 on the men’s side and Schlachter ran 19:38.15 on the women’s side. Trey Robertson was the runner up to Hendrickson in a time of 15:45.71.
The action on the track concluded on Friday with the men’s 4x4. The Concordia grouping of Hayden Kluthe, Lucas Corwin, Teagan Meyer and Jackson Lindburg held off Doane for first place with a time of 3:31.26.
Earlier on the track, Fries ran 8.20 as part of his win in the 60 hurdles, an event in which he holds the school record. Additional noteworthy efforts came from Emily Loseke (third in the 60 and 200 meters), Liam Fagan (second in the 400 meters) and Thomas Gorline (third in the 5,000 meters).
National Qualifying Standards achieved on Jan. 17
· A – Mayson Ostermeyer: Pole Vault (16’ 4 ½”) – UNL Graduate Classic
· A – Abi Wohlgemuth: Weight Throw (59’ 8 ½”)
· B – Carson Fehlhafer: Weight Throw (59’ 10 ½”)
· B – Abigail Gerber: Shot Put (44’ 4”)
· B – Jonny Jurchen: 3,000m Race Walk (14:32.16)
· B – Hayley Miles: Long Jump (18’ 4 ¼”)
Polar Dog Event Champions
· Men’s 4x400m Relay (3:31.26); Kluthe, Corwin, Meyer and Lindburg
· Easton Fries: 60 Hurdles (8.20)
· Vaughn Hendrickson: 5,000 Meters (15:35.28)
· Jonny Jurchen: 3,000m Race Walk (14:32.16)
· Adrianna Rodencal: 200 Meters (25.82)
· Annaka Schlacter: 5,000 Meters (19:38.15)
· Abi Wohlgemuth: Weight Throw (59’ 8 ½”)
Select Bulldogs will be in action on Saturday for day two of the Graduate Classic in Lincoln. Following the weekend, the indoor season will resume on Jan. 24-25 with the Concordia Classic, the third of four 2024-25 indoor meets hosted by the Bulldogs.
Weekend complete at UNL's Graduate Classic Jan. 18, 2025
LINCOLN, Neb. – The Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field programs wrapped up the weekend on Saturday (Jan. 18) as 14 Bulldogs were in action at the Graduate Classic hosted by the University of Nebraska. The major highlight of the meet held at the Devaney Center was a new personal best performance in the pole vault by junior Mayson Ostermeyer. A rundown of times and marks from Concordia athletes at the Graduate Classic is included below.
The bulk of Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squads competed exclusively at the Polar Dog Invite held Friday inside the Walz Fieldhouse. A recap of that meet can be found HERE .
Bulldogs at UNL Graduate Classic (Jan. 17-18):
· Men’s 4x400-meter relay (3:21.50) – placed fifth.
o Liam Fagan, Matthew Wing, Perry Chadwick and Easton Fries
· Women’s 4x400-meter relay (4:00.93) – placed fourth.
o Adrianna Rodencal, Trinity Tuls, Isabelle Salters and Kayla Kirchner
· Aaron Everett – placed 33rd in the 200 meters (24.97).
· Liam Fagan – placed 22nd in the 200 meters (22.96).
· Easton Fries – placed fifth in the 60 hurdles (8.27 / 8.28).
· Gage Fries – placed 14th in the 60 hurdles (8.52) preliminaries.
· Hayden Kluthe – placed 13th in the 60 hurdles (8.49) preliminaries.
· Emily Loseke – placed 21st in the 200 meters (25.98).
· Josi Noble – placed 10th in the 600 meters (1:44.59).
· Mayson Ostermeyer – placed fifth in the pole vault (16’ 4 ½”).
· Adrianna Rodencal – placed ninth in the 60 hurdles (8.77) preliminaries.
· Isabelle Salters – placed 19th in the 60 hurdles (9.46) preliminaries.
· Matthew Wing – placed 27th in the 200 meters (23.73).
Next up will be the Concordia Classic on Jan. 24-25. It will mark the third of four home meets this indoor season.
Wohlgemuth PR yields GPAC weekly award Jan. 22, 2025
GPAC Release
SEWARD, Neb. – A personal best effort at the Concordia Polar Dog Invite allowed senior Abi Wohlgemuth to garner recognition from the GPAC. On Wednesday (Jan. 22), the league office named Wohlgemuth the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Women’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Week. Wohlgemuth joins junior Adrianna Rodencal as the second athlete from Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field to be honored with a GPAC weekly award this 2024-25 indoor season.
The Lincoln Lutheran High School product Wohlgemuth popped a personal best of 59’ 8 ½” at the Polar Dog Invite in a winning effort on Jan. 17. That mark moved her to No. 1 in the GPAC and to No. 3 in the NAIA. In addition, Wohlgemuth leapt to No. 5 on the program’s all-time women’s weight throw list. She is a returning NAIA All-American in the weight throw and owns five GPAC All-Conference awards over her Bulldog career.
Wohlgemuth and her teammates will remain at home this week for the Concordia Classic on Friday and Saturday. The tentative meet schedule can be found HERE .
Women’s 4x4 blazes, three fresh auto marks added at Concordia Classic Jan. 26, 2025
SEWARD, Neb. – In the third indoor home meet of the 2024-25 Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field season, three Bulldogs added automatic national qualifying standards at the Concordia Classic. The women’s 4x4 broke a Walz Fieldhouse record, freshman Jonny Jurchen clocked a new automatic national qualifying standard in the 3,000-meter race walk and Abigail Gerber popped an auto mark in the shot put. In addition, Concordia athletes combined to win seven events as part of a meet featuring competitors from 14 institutions on Friday and Saturday (Jan. 24-25).
Head Coach Matt Beisel’s programs have notched six automatic national qualifying standards on the indoor season to date. Additionally, Josi Noble stands in 12th place nationally in the pentathlon.
“I love my athletes and I love my staff,” Beisel said. “We had a great time and went after it today. I love all that we do here. I love to see all the fans and families show up. I know they are watching online. There is a great culture here and I'm proud of both the athletes and the coaches who work with them. We got a lot of good things done today. We still have some things left to do. We had some auto marks, some B marks and a lot of personal bests. I'm pretty happy with it for the second meet out for the (calendar) year.”
The meet concluded in sterling fashion when the women’s 4x4 blazed to a facility record time of 3:53.71. The 4x4 group included junior Adrianna Rodencal, senior Trinity Tuls, senior Isabelle Salters and junior Kayla Kirchner. The crew’s converted time of 3:50.65 moved it to No. 2 on the current NAIA national list. Kircher and Tuls were both part of a 4x4 in 2024 that clocked the second fastest indoor time in school history. In Saturday’s race, the Bulldogs beat our four competing 4x4s.
Said Kirchner afterwards, “It's really good. I wasn't expecting it coming into this. We didn't know a whole lot about the competition. We weren't sure we would have someone to run against. Getting the Fieldhouse record with not a lot of people to run against was good and way above what we were expecting. It's a good feeling.”
As just a freshman, Jurchen keeps raising the bar in the race walk. The Seward High School product hit the NAIA ‘A’ standard on Saturday while crossing the finish line in 14:12.41 at the Concordia Classic (second place). In first-place efforts on the track, Rodencal and freshman Easton Fries made for a sweep in the 60-meter hurdles. Rodencal equaled her school record time of 8.53 while Fries ran 8.16 in the finals of the event. Rodencal was also a winner in the 200 meters. In the men’s distance medley relay, the Bulldogs ran unopposed and finished in 10:33.73. The group was made up of Trey Robertson, Liam Fagan, Trevor Kuncl and Vaughn Hendrickson.
The fresh ‘A’ standard for Gerber in the shot put (46’ 4 ¾”) stood out amongst the throws performances at the Concordia Classic. Gerber ranks in the top 10 nationally in the event. Freshman Marissa Heins won the unseeded women’s weight throw competition with a just of just over 50 feet. The best Bulldogs, in addition to Gerber, by mark were Brittni Kinne in the women’s weight throw (‘B’ mark), Carson Fehlhafer in the men’s weight throw and Nathan Baldwin in the men’s shot put. Harper Boche fired a ‘B’ standard in the shot put in backing Gerber.
In the men’s pole vault, junior Mayson Ostermeyer achieved a personal best of 16’ 4 ¾” and remains the NAIA national leader. Ostermeyer beat out a field of 15 vaulters at the Concordia Classic. One week earlier, Ostermeyer went 16’ 4 ½” at the Devaney Center.
In the women’s 200 meters, Adysen McCarter and Emily Loseke followed Rodencal with second and third place finishes, respectively. Elsewhere on the track, Bulldogs with strong times included Lucas Corwin in the 600 meters (1:24.52), Robertson in the mile (4:21.52) and the men’s 4x400-meter relay (3:23.53) of Fagan, Matthew Wing, Perry Chadwick and Easton Fries. Hendrickson ran 8:56.71 in the 3k and Chadwick ran 52.76 in the 400 meters.
The top Bulldog jumpers were Myles Sadd in the men’s high jump and long jump, Aaron Spivey in the men’s triple jump, McCarter in the women’s triple jump, Amanda Steinke in the women’s high jump and Hayley Miles in the women’s long jump.
In a field of seven in the women’s pentathlon, Noble placed second with a total of 3,184 points (behind only a competitor from Concordia University Irvine). Noble (12th), Addie Reimer (18th) and Zoey Walker (20th) rank inside the top 20 of the NAIA in the pentathlon.
Said Beisel in summing up the day, “Overall a good day. Any other year this would have been our third full team meet of the season. We have a lot of work to do before conference. All the athletes and coaches see that clock ticking away. We are working towards it. God is good and I am very proud of all of them.”
NAIA National Qualifying Standards Achieved at Concordia Classic
· A – Women’s 4x400m Relay (3:53.71); Rodencal, Tuls, Salters & Kirchner
· A – Abigail Gerber: Shot Put (46’ 4 ¾”)
· A – Jonny Jurchen: 3,000m Race Walk (14:12.41)
· A – Mayson Ostermeyer: Pole Vault (16’ 4 ¾”)
· A – Adrianna Rodencal: 60m Hurdles (8.53 / 8.54)
· B – Harper Boche: Shot Put (44’ 2 ½”)
· B – Easton Fries: 60m Hurdles (8.16)
· B – Brittni Kinne: Weight Throw (54’ 5 ½”)
Concordia Classic Event Champions
· Women’s 4x400m Relay (3:53.71); Rodencal, Tuls, Salters & Kirchner
· Men’s Distance Medley Relay (10:33.73); Robertson, Fagan, Kuncl & Hendrickson
· Easton Fries: 60m Hurdles (8.24 / 8.16)
· Abigail Gerber: Seeded Shot Put (46’ 4 ¾”)
· Marissa Heins: Unseeded Weight Throw (50’ ½”)
· Adrianna Rodencal: 60m Hurdles (8.53 / 8.54); 200 Meters (25.61)
The 2024-25 indoor season will continue next Saturday when the Bulldogs will compete at the Fred Beile Invite hosted by Doane. This season’s final indoor home meet is slated to take place on Feb. 7, the date of the Concordia Indoor Invite. The 2025 GPAC Indoor Track & Field Championships will be held the following weekend (Feb. 14-15).
Gerber, Rodencal combine for Concordia sweep of GPAC weekly women's awards Jan. 29, 2025
GPAC Release
SEWARD, Neb. – Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field has swept conference weekly awards on the women’s side. On Wednesday (Jan. 29), the league office named senior Abigail Gerber the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Women’s Field Athlete of the Week and junior Adrianna Rodencal the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Women’s Track Athlete of the Week. Rodencal has earned a GPAC weekly honor for the second time this season.
The Concordia throws crew has been responsible for a GPAC athlete of the week award in back-to-back weeks. Gerber picks up recognition a week after teammate Abi Wohlgemuth was lauded by the GPAC. At this past week’s Concordia Classic, Gerber landed a personal best shot put mark of 46’ 4 ¾” and placed first. The performance pushed the Columbus, Neb., native to No. 7 on the current NAIA women’s shot put leaderboard. Gerber also came up just shy of the NAIA ‘B’ standard in the weight throw with her toss of 53’ 5” at the Concordia Classic. Gerber ranks No. 7 on the program’s all-time indoor shot put list.
A Lincoln Lutheran High School alum, Rodencal won each of the three events she competed in at the Concordia Classic. She equaled her own school record in the 60-meter hurdles by running 8.53 in the prelims (8.54 in the finals), a time that ranks third fastest in the NAIA this season. Additionally, Rodencal ran the leadoff leg for the women’s 4x400-meter relay that clocked a Fieldhouse record of 3:53.71, good for second best in the NAIA (converted to 3:50.65 on the national list). Lastly, Rodencal won the Concordia Classic 200 meters in a time of 25.61.
Next up for Concordia Track & Field will be Saturday’s Fred Beile Classic hosted by Doane. The Bulldogs will be back at home for the Concordia Indoor Invite on Feb. 7.
2024-25 GPAC Athletes of the Week
Reimer, high jumpers grab spotlight at Beile Classic Feb. 1, 2025
CRETE, Neb. – Sophomore Addie Reimer and the high jumpers from Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field enjoyed major breakthroughs on Saturday (Feb. 1) in competition at the Fred Beile Classic hosted by Doane. Reimer emerged as one of eight Concordia athletes to win events at Fuhrer Field House in Crete, Neb., where competitors from 10 institutions convened. Additionally, Abi Wohlgemuth landed a personal best in the weight throw and Mayson Ostermeyer and Adrianna Rodencal continued to compete at an elite level.
Head Coach Matt Beisel’s programs entered the meet with NAIA national ratings of 10th on the women’s side and 14th on the men’s side (according to the USTFCCCA). This was the fourth full weekend of indoor competition in a 2025 season that has reached crunch time.
“I was happy for the athletes that competed. We had a lot of good things that happened,” Beisel said. “As always, not everybody got what they wanted, but I would say a majority of performances across event areas went really well. First and foremost, the high jump had a lot of improvements for our men and women. It was a great performance from Addie Reimer, who just missed a school record. The high jump was really, really solid.”
Beisel went on to laud many other athletes up and down the roster. In addition to the eight first-place claims, Bulldog athletes churned out a trio of fresh NAIA ‘B’ standards, courtesy of Jaxon Lipker and Amanda Steinke in the high jump and Austen Rozelle in the weight throw.
A native of Lisbon, Wis., Reimer made a run at 5’ 7 ¼,” which would have broken the school record still held by Allie Brooks (5’ 7”). While Reimer came up short on her attempts at that height, she successfully cleared 5’ 6” and won the high jump competition at the Beile Classic. Hot on her heels were teammates in Steinke (5’ 5”) and Kimberly Schropfer (5’ 3”). All three placed within the top four in a battle featuring several Doane and Nebraska Wesleyan foes. On the men’s side of the high jump, Lipker went over a PR of 6’ 8” and placed sixth.
Not surprisingly, Ostermeyer, Rodencal and Wohlgemuth did their thing within their specific disciplines. In consistently rising above 16 feet, Ostermeyer (NAIA national leader) won the Beile Classic pole vault competition by getting over 16’ ¾.” As for Rodencal, she came up .03 seconds off her school record in the 60-meter hurdles and won in a time of 8.56. The Lincoln Lutheran High School alum also clocked a personal best in the 60 meters at 7.72 and was the runner up. In the throws, Wohlgemuth popped off a weight throw toss of 60’ 2 ½” for a first-place claim of her own.
Other Beile Classic champions included Hannah Beintema in the women’s 1,000 meters (3:11.89), Kayla Kirchner in the women’s 400 meters (59.14), Trey Roberston in the men’s 5,000 meters (15:24.01) and Annaka Schlachter in the women’s 5,000 meters (19:49.83). Kirchner led a strong group in the 400 meters, which saw Emily Loseke (59.90) place second, Isabelle Salters (1:00.22) fourth and Josi Noble (1:00.98) fifth. In the men’s 5,000 meters, Robertson was one of six Bulldogs to finish in under 16 minutes. He held off freshman Vaughn Hendrickson (15:25.03) for first place. Another freshman in Cole Yunker also ran under 16 minutes.
The following Bulldogs placed second at the Beile Classic in their respective events: Rodencal (60 meters), Loseke (400 meters), Trevor Kuncl (1,000 meters), Hendrickson (5,000 meters), Lydia Edmonds (5,000 meters) and Evan Hill (pole vault). Third-place finishers on the track also included Claire Beikmann (1,000 meters), Jack Ellis (5,000 meters) and Ellie Jander (5,000 meters).
While Wohlgemuth set the standard in the women’s weight throw, Rozelle came through with a ‘B’ standard on the men’s side with his PR of 57’ 6 ¼” (fifth place). Josiah Edwards and Carson Fehlhafer were close behind Rozelle with marks greater than 55 feet. The top Bulldog shot put athletes were Fehlhafer (50’ 6 ¼”) on the men’s side and Abby Gerber (44’ 8”) on the women’s side.
From a horizontal jumps perspective, Concordia’s top performers were Isaiah Gaunt (fifth) and Hayley Miles (fifth) in the long jump and Aaron Spivey (fifth) and Noble (fourth) in the triple jump. Miles ranks top 20 in the NAIA with the long jump she recorded at the Polar Dog Invite.
Said Beisel in summation, “I saw lots of Concordia athletes supporting each other and cheering for each other. I love that. The community we have is so cool. It was nice to have another school host us, but we’re excited to host again next week.”
National Qualifying Standards Achieved (Jan. 31-Feb. 1)
· A – Mayson Ostermeyer: Pole Vault (16’ ¾”)
· *A – Addie Reimer: High Jump (5’ 6”)
· A – Adrianna Rodencal: 60m Hurdles (8.56)
· *A – Abi Wohlgemuth: Weight Throw (60’ 2 ½”)
· B – Abby Gerber: Shot Put (44’ 8”)
· *B – Jaxon Lipker: High Jump (6’ 7 ¾”)
· *B – Austen Rozelle: Weight Throw (57’ 6 ¼”)
· *B – Amanda Steinke: High Jump (5’ 5”)
*Personal Best
Beile Classic Champions
· Hannah Beintema: 1,000 Meters (3:11.89)
· Kayla Kirchner: 400 Meters (59.14)
· Mayson Ostermeyer: Pole Vault (16’ ¾”)
· Addie Reimer: High Jump (5’ 6”)
· Trey Robertson: 5,000 Meters (15:24.01)
· Adrianna Rodencal: 60m Hurdles (8.56)
· Annaka Schlacter: 5,000 Meters (19:49.83)
· Abi Wohlgemuth: Weight Throw (60’ 2 ½”)
The Bulldogs will be back inside the Walz Fieldhouse this coming Friday (Feb. 7) to host the Concordia Indoor Invite. The meet will represent the program’s fourth and final home meet of the 2024-25 indoor season. The meet schedule for the Concordia Invite can be found HERE .
NAIA pole vault leader Ostermeyer tabbed NAIA National Athlete of the Week Feb. 5, 2025
NAIA Release | GPAC Release
SEWARD, Neb. – The next in a long line of elite Bulldog vaulters, junior Mayson Ostermeyer earned recognition on Wednesday (Feb. 5) from the GPAC and NAIA. The NAIA National Office chose Ostermeyer as the NAIA Men’s Indoor National Field Athlete of the Week while the league office named Ostermeyer the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Men’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Week. Ostermeyer has garnered national and conference weekly honors for the first time in his career. The Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field programs have combined for five GPAC athlete of the week awards during the 2024-25 indoor season.
A native of Crofton, Neb., Ostermeyer has cleared 16-plus feet in the pole vault in each of his four meets this season. At last week’s Fred Beile Classic hosted by Doane, Ostermeyer vaulted 16’ ¾” and won the competition by nearly two feet. Ostermeyer continues to pace the NAIA with his personal best (16’ 4 ¾”) achieved at the Concordia Classic on Jan. 25. As a sophomore in 2024, Ostermeyer claimed NAIA indoor All-America honors and was also recognized by College Sports Communicators as a Second Team Academic All-American. Ostermeyer ranks in the top 10 of Concordia’s all-time men’s indoor pole vault list.
Ostermeyer and the Bulldogs will host the Concordia Indoor Invite inside the Fieldhouse on Friday. It will be the final outing prior to the 2025 GPAC Indoor Track & Field Championships on Feb. 14-15.
2024-25 GPAC Athletes of the Week
*NAIA National Athlete of the Week
Wohlgemuth, Jurchen pop with big PR's, men’s DMR blazes at Concordia Invite Feb. 7, 2025
SEWARD, Neb. – In a last-chance opportunity prior to the conference meet, senior Abi Wohlgemuth, the men’s race walkers and the men’s distance medley relay were among those who took full advantage. In sum, Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field athletes combined to total eight performances that met at least the NAIA ‘B’ national qualifying standard while winning eight event championships at the Concordia Indoor Invite on Friday (Feb. 7). There were athletes from 10 institutions in competition at the final home meet of the 2024-25 season for the Bulldogs.
Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squads both entered the meet with NAIA top 20 national rankings.
“One of the things that made the day perfect was the distance medley relay, the first event in the running events,” Beisel said. “We had two shots to qualify (earlier this season) and had to do it by ourselves, which is really tough to do. I had pretty much given up on it. Our game plan was to stay right with Doane. Our hope was to hit a decent ‘B’ standard that would put us up in that top 12 … I saw a lot of PR’s.” Beisel went on to laud several other of the day’s standouts.
The Concordia men’s DMR became the latest to officially qualify for the NAIA national meet. A late decision to enter a DMR into the meet paid off. The group clocked in at 10:13.66 (converted to 10:05.44 on the national list) as Trey Robertson ran a 3:08.2 1,200 meters, Lucas Corwin ran a 50.8 400 meters, Justin Sherman ran a 1:57.8 800 meters and Vaughn Hendrickson ran a 4:16.7 1,600 meters. The Bulldog crew was narrowly beaten out by Doane (10:12.99) for first place. Robertson’s day also included a runner-up claim in the 3,000 meters (8:52.17).
Robertson and Hendrickson have been pushing each other to greater heights since they placed as the top two individuals at the GPAC Cross Country Championships. Said Robertson after Friday’s meet, “Early in the season we struggled (in the DMR). We didn’t run against anybody, which kind of hurt us. Our hopes dwindled a little bit, but we were confident if we got one more shot it could be the one. Coach came to us week and said, ‘Hey, I’m going to put the DMR in the race.’ We were absolutely thrilled. Our mentality going into it was – this is our last shot, so let’s give it everything we have.”
In the throws, the women continue to be paced by the star power of Wohlgemuth and fellow senior Abby Gerber. Wohlgemuth saved her best on Friday for her second toss of the finals in the weight throw. Cheers rang out when her mark was announced at 63’ 1 ½,” a personal best that pushes her to No. 2 on the NAIA national list. Gerber also shined with a PR of 46’ 7 ¼” in the shot put (No. 8 in the NAIA) and with a season best ‘B’ standard of 54’ 3 ¾” in the weight throw.
Wohlgemuth continues to be pushed in the weight throw by Doane’s Maddison Sutton. Said Wohlgemuth after her efforts at the Concordia Invite, “It kind of felt the same (on the PR throw), but it felt like I had more tension. I saw it land and I couldn’t believe it was a 19 (meters) because I’ve been looking for that all year. I didn’t really think it was going to happen, but it felt good after it.”
The top men’s race walk group in the NAIA (according to the USTFCCCA) stepped up its game on Friday. Johnny ‘The Jet’ Jurchen crushed his former personal best by finishing the 3,000-meter race walk in 13:27.23 (converted to 13:17.95 on the national list) in a winning effort at the Concordia Invite. Two of his teammates turned in fresh B standards – Luke Hammang (15:28.40) and Sam Olson (16:24.25). Hammang is looking to qualify for nationals for a second time in his career.
Outside of the aforementioned athletes, the following Bulldogs also earned first-place finishes at the Concordia Invite: the men’s 4x400-meter relay, Easton Fries (60-meter hurdles), Josi Noble (600 meters), Mayson Ostermeyer (pole vault), Aaron Spivey (triple jump) and Trinity Tuls (400 meters). The men’s 4x4 featured Liam Fagan, Matthew Wing, Perry Chadwick and Easton Fries.
Notably, the NAIA pole vault national leader Ostermeyer cleared 16 feet for the fifth-straight meet. In the same pole vault competition, Evan Hill went 14’ 1 ¼.” Elsewhere in field events, the jumps group came away with a runner-up finish from Myles Sadd (long jump) and third-place performances from Kiki Nyanok (long jump), Adysen McCarter (triple jump) and Amanda Steinke (high jump).
In the women’s 400 meters, Tuls’ winning time came in at 58.44. Teammate Isabelle Salters wasn’t far behind at 58.85 (third place). Salters also placed second in the 60 hurdles. In the men’s 600 meters, Corwin placed second in a time of 1:25.30.
On the men’s side of the throws, Carson Fehlhafer came up just shy of a B mark (51’ 5 ¾”) and placed fifth at the Concordia Invite. Josiah Edwards neared the B on the weight throw while hurling the implement a distance of 56’ 6” (fifth place). Additional top-five finishes for women’s throwers came from Harper Boche (fourth in shot put) and Brittni Kinne (fifth in weight throw).
While Robertson and Hendrickson were standout distance runners as part of the DMR, Cole Yunker and Aidan Limback ran under nine minutes in the 3,000 meters, Trevor Kuncl placed third in the mile and Hannah Beintema took fourth in the 1,000 meters. In the sprints, Kayla Kirchner placed third in the 200 meters and Cambria Saunders placed third in the 60 meters. In backing Fries in the hurdles, Hayden Kluthe ran a solid 8.35.
Meanwhile, junior Adrianna Rodencal took her talents to the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational on Friday and ran an 8.55 in the 60 hurdles. That time qualified her to run in the finals on Saturday at the Devaney Center, in Lincoln, Neb. Rodencal currently ranks fifth in the NAIA in the women’s 60 hurdles.
National Qualifying Standards Achieved on Feb. 7
· *A – Men’s Distance Medley Relay (10:13.66); Robertson, Corwin, Sherman and Hendrickson
· *A – Abby Gerber: Shot Put (46’ 7 ¼”)
· *A – Jonny Jurchen: 3,000m Race Walk (13:27.23)
· A – Mayson Ostermeyer: Pole Vault (16’ ¾”)
· *A – Abi Wohlgemuth: Weight Throw (63’ 1 ½”)
· B – Abby Gerber: Weight Throw (54’ 3 ¾”)
· *B – Luke Hammang: 3,000m Race Walk (15:28.40)
· *B – Sam Olson: 3,000m Race Walk (16:24.25)
*Personal Best
Concordia Invite Champions
· Men’s 4x400m Relay (3:23.33); Fagan, Wing, Chadwick and Fries
· Easton Fries: 60m Hurdles (8.23)
· Jonny Jurchen: 3,000m Race Walk (13:27.23)
· Josi Noble: 600 Meters (1:40.96)
· Mayson Ostermeyer: Pole Vault (16’ ¾”)
· Aaron Spivey: Triple Jump (45’ 1 ½”)
· Trinity Tuls: 400 Meters (58.44)
· Abi Wohlgemuth: Weight Throw (63’ 1 ½”)
Select Bulldog athletes (including men’s and women’s 4x4 relays) will be in action on Saturday at the Husker Invite. For most Concordia competitors, the focus now shifts to the 2025 GPAC Indoor Track & Field Championships to be held in Mitchell, S.D., Feb. 14-15. The conference meet schedule can be found HERE .
Said Beisel, “We are a team that steps up and exceeds whatever our projections are. We do it over and over again … We’ll just have to see what God’s plans are when we get to conference next week.”
Bulldogs wrap up weekend as nine athletes compete at Husker Invite Feb. 8, 2025
Concordia Invite Recap
LINCOLN, Neb. – In wrapping up an action-packed weekend, Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field showcased nine athletes at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational on Saturday (Feb. 8). The rundown for the Bulldogs included Adrianna Rodencal in the 60-meter hurdles, Emily Loseke in the 200 meters and two 4x400-meter relays. Results for those events are outlined below.
Concordia Results from the Husker Invite:
· Men’s 4x400m Relay – placed 7th (3:20.17); included Easton Fries, Liam Fagan, Matthew Wing and Perry Chadwick.
· Women’s 4x400m Relay – placed 6th (3:52.99); included Adrianna Rodencal, Trinity Tuls, Isabelle Salters and Kayla Kirchner.
· Emily Loseke – placed 23rd in the 200 meters (26.60).
· Adrianna Rodencal – placed 5th in the 60m hurdles; finals time of 8.53 equaled own school record and personal best.
Husker Invite Results
The focus now shifts to the 2025 GPAC Indoor Track & Field Championships to be held in Mitchell, S.D., Feb. 14-15. The conference meet schedule can be found HERE . Dakota Wesleyan most recently hosted the GPAC indoor meet in 2020.
Tuls, Wohlgemuth team up for sweep of GPAC women's weekly honors Feb. 12, 2025
GPAC Release
SEWARD, Neb. – For the second time in three weeks, Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field has swept women’s GPAC weekly awards. On Wednesday (Feb. 12), the conference office named senior Trinity Tuls the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Women’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Week and tabbed senior Abi Wohlgemuth the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Women’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Week. Bulldog track & field athletes have combined for seven GPAC weekly awards during the 2024-25 indoor season.
A Columbus, Neb., native, Tuls has picked up her first career GPAC Athlete of the Week award. As part of last week’s action, Tuls competed at both the Concordia Invite and Frank Sevigne Husker Invite. At the Concordia Invite, Tuls won the 400-meter dash in a season best time of 58.44 (19th fastest in the NAIA this season). The next day, Tuls ran the second leg for the 4x400-meter relay that finished in 3:52.99 (sixth place at the Husker Invite). Tuls ran the team’s fastest split of 57.63. Tuls and her 4x4 teammates currently rank No. 4 in the NAIA with a season best of 3:50.65. Tuls is a four-time NAIA All-American in the 4x4.
A Lincoln native, Wohlgemuth has won her second GPAC weekly award of the season. The Lincoln Lutheran High School alum uncorked a personal best weight throw mark of 63’ 1 ½” at the Concordia Invite. That mark pushed Wohlgemuth to No. 2 on the current NAIA national list and to No. 2 on the women’s program’s all-time weight throw list. Wohlgemuth earned NAIA All-America honors in the weight throw in 2024.
The 2025 GPAC Indoor Track & Field Championships are up next for the Bulldogs. For a meet preview, click HERE .
2024-25 GPAC Athletes of the Week
*NAIA National Athlete of the Week
Rodencal reclaims Athlete of Meet honors; Bulldog women place third, men fourth at GPAC meet Feb. 15, 2025
MITCHELL, S.D. – Junior Adrianna Rodencal dazzled while winning three events and placing second in another as part of the 2025 GPAC Indoor Track & Field Championships held Friday and Saturday (Feb. 14-15) in Mitchell, S.D. When the dust settled, Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field placed third on the women’s side with 141.5 points and fourth on the men’s side with 91 points. Bulldog athletes combined to win seven GPAC event championships. For her efforts, Rodencal was named the 2025 GPAC Women’s Indoor Championships Outstanding Athlete of the Meet.
Head Coach Matt Beisel’s women’s program had won the previous 11 GPAC team championships. While that streak ended on Saturday, Beisel walked away pleased with how his teams competed during the weekend stay at Dakota Wesleyan. In addition to Rodencal, Concordia’s individual GPAC champions included Carson Fehlhafer in the men’s shot put, Abby Gerber in the women’s shot put, Jonny Jurchen in the race walk and Mayson Ostermeyer in the men’s pole vault.
“I am so proud of everybody,” Beisel said. “It’s really easy to celebrate the individual conference champions as well as runners up, and we plenty of those. It’s really hard to do those things in the GPAC. In every event area, we had athletes putting up personal bests. Our teams came ready to compete. Everywhere I was watching, I saw teammates gathering to cheer and support each other. It’s what we as a program want to celebrate in our culture – the support and the love that these kids have for each other. They bring high expectations. There is something really special in our men’s and women’s teams. I am thankful to God for these opportunities we share together.”
The Lincoln Lutheran High School alum Rodencal pulled off a nearly impeccable conference meet. In a major mountaintop moment, Rodencal broke the GPAC women’s indoor meet record in the 60-meter hurdles with a finals time of 8.49 (also breaking her own school record). Rodencal later won the 200 meters in 25.32 after having placed second in the 60-meter dash (7.66). She capped the evening by running the leadoff leg for the 4x400-meter relay that carried on its winning tradition by triumphing in a time of 3:56.66. Rodencal was followed on the 4x4 by Trinity Tuls, Isabelle Salters and Kayla Kirchner.
Rodencal earned credit for 30.5 team points by the time the meet concluded. She surpassed Midland’s Kerrigan Myers (26 points) as the highest scoring female athlete of the meet. Rodencal also swept GPAC Women’s Athlete of the Meet honors as a freshman in 2023. Rodencal has won seven GPAC event titles in her distinguished career.
Said Beisel, “Adrianna accomplished this as a freshman and she came up short (of Outstanding Athlete honors) last year. I know this was on her mind a lot. This was something Coach (Mark) Samuels and her really wanted to do. I’m really happy for her. It’s a big accomplishment when you think of the level of talent every team in the GPAC has. What she did is historical. I’m very grateful for her.”
In the throws, Concordia made a strong push to sweep GPAC titles across the board. Gerber (now a two-time GPAC shot put champion) threw a personal best of 48’ 4” in the shot put and moved up to No. 3 nationally in the event. On the men’s side, Fehlhafer unleashed a season best of 52’ 7 ½” for his first career GPAC title. Meanwhile, Abi Wohlgemuth placed second in the women’s weight throw (58’ 11 ¼”) and Fehlhafer placed third in the men’s weight throw (60’ 2 ½”). Fehlhafer (second most points among men’s field athletes) and his fellow weight throwers on the men’s side combined to put up 15 points in the event. In fifth place, Connor Asche turned in a new weight throw ‘B’ standard.
After watching former teammate Zach Zohner rise to the top of the podium at the conference and national levels in 2024, Ostermeyer earned a GPAC title of his own in the pole vault. The Crofton, Neb., native ascended over 16’ 2 ¾” on Saturday and held off strong competition from Midland’s Robert Atwater. Bulldog Jax Jacobson also took fourth to give Concordia 15 team points in the men’s pole vault. Ostermeyer entered the weekend leading the NAIA in the event.
Early in the day on Saturday, Jonny ‘The Jet’ Jurchen sped around the track for a GPAC meet record 3,000-meter race walk time of 14:15.64. The Seward native won the competition by more than a minute and has locked up a spot at the national meet. Jurchen was joined in the race walk at the GPAC Championships by three men’s teammates. Luke Hammang placed third (15:39.63).
Considering the strength of the Bulldog women’s 4x4, it was expected that a collection of points would come out of the open 400 meters. Concordia stacked points there as Tuls, Kirchner, Salters and Emily Loseke placed third, fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively (15 team points). All four finished in under a minute. In the 4x4, splits were 59.36 for Rodencal, 58.64 for Tuls, 59.12 for Salters and 59.53 for Kirchner.
Outside of Rodencal in the 60 meters and Wohlgemuth in the weight throw, other Bulldogs who placed as GPAC runners up were Adysen McCarter in the triple jump (new B standard of 37’ 10 ½”) and Addie Reimer in the pentathlon (3,108 points). All five of the events in the pentathlon took place on Friday. Not previously mentioned third-place finishes were claimed by Trey Robertson in the men’s 5,000 meters (15:11.50) and by the men’s 4x400-meter relay. That relay featured Easton Fries, Liam Fagan, Matthew Wing and Perry Chadwick. It was also a hectic meet for Josi Noble, who placed fourth in the triple jump, sixth in the pentathlon and seventh in the 600 meters.
2025 GPAC Indoor Champions
· Carson Fehlhafer – shot put (52’ 7 ½”)
· Abby Gerber – shot put (48’ 4”)
· Jonny Jurchen – 3,000-meter race walk (14:15.64)
· Kayla Kirchner – 4x400-meter relay (3:56.66)
· Mayson Ostermeyer – pole vault (16’ 2 ¾”)
· Adrianna Rodencal – 60-meter hurdles (8.49); 200 meters (25.32); 4x400-meter relay (3:56.66)
· Isabelle Salters – 4x400-meter relay (3:56.66)
· Trinity Tuls – 4x400-meter relay (3:56.66)
NOTE: All-conference recognition is achieved by athletes who place inside the top eight of individual events and to relays with top three placements. A complete list of Concordia’s 2025 GPAC Indoor All-Conference honorees will be published on the website next week.
The indoor season will continue for those who qualify for the 2025 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships. The meet is slated to take place in Gainesville, Fla., Feb. 27 – March 1. Official qualifiers will be announced next week by the NAIA.
In adding final thoughts, Beisel remarked, “We had a lot of seniors here competing in their last indoor meet. There were a lot of hugs and lots of tears. Being part of this is special and yet it has to end at some point. It’s cool to see two of our former athletes, Sarah (Lewis) Ritz and Jamie (Nikodym) Marquardt, support us at the meet. I’m so thankful for the seniors and the time we’ve had them.
“We’ve had a good run on the women’s side. We worked our tails off and have everything to be proud of. We’ll work to get the banner back on the women’s side, and we’re overdue on the men’s side. Doane has had a string of victories – kudos to them. Even though we got a third and a fourth, they’re a third and a fourth to be proud of. Looking forward to nationals, we’ll have a good idea on Monday of who gets in. The rest of the team will start getting prepared for outdoor.”
Bulldogs announce 2025 indoor national qualifying roster Feb. 19, 2025
NAIA National Qualifiers: Men | Women
SEWARD, Neb. – The field of 2025 NAIA Indoor Track and Field National Championships qualifiers has been solidified. In conjunction with the NAIA’s release on Wednesday (Feb. 19), the Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field program has announced a nationals team of 24 individuals (including 12 women and 12 men). The championship meet will run Feb. 27 – March 1 at the Alachua County Sports & Events Center at Celebration Pointe in Gainesville, Fla. This will mark the first time the NAIA national indoor meet has taken place at this location.
Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squads are coming off conference place finishes of third for the women and fourth for the men at last week’s GPAC Championships hosted by Dakota Wesleyan. In the most recent NAIA ratings released by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, Concordia appeared at No. 14 on the women’s side and at No. 21 on the men’s side.
The women’s program turned in 2024 NAIA national placements of third for indoor and 20th for outdoor. The Concordia women will travel to Gainesville the following athletes with past All-America awards: Abby Gerber, Kayla Kirchner, Isabelle Salters, Trinity Tuls and Abi Wohlgemuth. The potential is there to score significant team points as the women’s 4x4, Gerber (shot put), Adrianna Rodencal (60 hurdles) and Wohlgemuth (weight throw) each rank within the top five of the NAIA.
Meanwhile, the men’s program placed in the top 10 nationally (eighth indoor / seventh outdoor) at both 2024 NAIA meets. Concordia parted ways with past national champions Chris Wren and Zach Zohner, but bring pole vault All-American Mayson Ostermeyer back into the field (currently No. 3 on the national list). Notably, the Bulldogs have qualified a pair of race walkers, Jonny Jurchen and Luke Hammang, for nationals.
The list of Bulldogs making their first-ever national championship appearance includes Harper Boche, Easton Fries, Vaughn Hendrickson, Jonny Jurchen, Brittni Kinne, Jaxon Lipker, Adysen McCarter, Addie Reimer, Justin Sherman and Amanda Steinke. Hendrickson did appear at the 2024 NAIA Cross Country National Championships and earned All-America status.
For additional details on the national meet, visit the NAIA website HERE .
2025 NAIA Indoor National Qualifiers
--National seed and season best in parentheses
MEN
· Connor Asche, senior
--Weight Throw (14th, 58’ 7 ½”)
· Liam Fagan, junior
--Distance Medley Relay (10th, 10:05.44)
· Carson Fehlhafer, junior
--Weight Throw (9th, 60’ 2 ½”)
--Shot Put (20th, 52’ 7 ½”)
· Easton Fries, freshman
--Distance Medley Relay (10th, 10:05.44)
--60 Meter Hurdles (17th, 8.13)
· Luke Hammang, sophomore
--3,000 Meter Race Walk (18th, 15:17.73)
· Vaughn Hendrickson, freshman
--Distance Medley Relay (10th, 10:05.44)
· Jonny Jurchen, freshman
--3,000 Meter Race Walk (8th, 13:17.95)
· Jaxon Lipker, freshman
--High Jump (16th, 6’ 7 ¾”)
· Mayson Ostermeyer, junior
--Pole Vault (3rd, 16’ 4 ¾”)
· Trey Robertson, sophomore
--Distance Medley Relay (10th, 10:05.44)
· Austen Rozelle, junior
--Weight Throw (20th, 57’ 6 ¼”)
· Justin Sherman, sophomore
--Distance Medley Relay (10th, 10:05.44)
WOMEN
· Harper Boche, freshman
--Shot Put (19th, 44’ 2 ½”)
· Abigail Gerber, senior
--Shot Put (3rd, 48’ 4”)
--Weight Throw (17th, 55’ 2 ¾”)
· Brittni Kinne, sophomore
--Weight Throw (22nd, 54’ 5 ½”)
· Kayla Kirchner, junior
--4x400 Meter Relay (4th, 3:50.65)
· Emily Loseke, senior
--4x400 Meter Relay (4th, 3:50.65)
--400 Meters (20th, 59.01)
· Adysen McCarter, freshman
--Triple Jump (19th, 37’ 10 ½”)
· Addie Reimer, sophomore
--High Jump (12th, 5’ 6”)
· Adrianna Rodencal, junior
--4x400 Meter Relay (4th, 3:50.65)
--60-Meter Hurdles (5th, 8.49)
· Isabelle Salters, senior
--4x400 Meter Relay (4th, 3:50.65)
· Amanda Steinke, junior
--High Jump (20th, 5’ 5”)
· Trinity Tuls, senior
--4x400 Meter Relay (4th, 3:50.65)
· Abi Wohlgemuth, senior
--Weight Throw (2nd, 63’ 1 ½”)
2025 Concordia Indoor National Qualifiers – a closer look Connor Asche, senior (second trip to nationals)Harper Boche, freshman (first trip to nationals)Liam Fagan, junior (second trip to nationals)Carson Fehlhafer, junior (third trip to nationals)Easton Fries, freshman (first trip to nationals)Abby Gerber, senior (eighth trip to nationals; two All-America awards)Luke Hammang, sophomore (second trip to nationals)Vaughn Hendrickson, freshman (first trip to nationals)Jonny Jurchen, freshman (first trip to nationals)Brittni Kinne, sophomore (first trip to nationals)Kayla Kirchner, junior (fourth trip to nationals; two All-America awards)Jaxon Lipker, freshman (first trip to nationals)Emily Loseke, senior (second trip to nationals)Adysen McCarter, freshman (first trip to nationals)Mayson Ostermeyer, junior (third trip to nationals; one All-America award)Addie Reimer, sophomore (first trip to nationals)Trey Robertson, sophomore (second trip to nationals)Adrianna Rodencal, junior (fifth trip to nationals)Austen Rozelle, senior (third trip to nationals; one All-America award)Isabelle Salters, senior (third trip to nationals; one All-America award)Justin Sherman, sophomore (first trip to nationals)Amanda Steinke, junior (first trip to nationals)Trinity Tuls, senior (sixth trip to nationals; four All-America awards)Abi Wohlgemuth, senior (fifth trip to nationals; one All-America award)
Rodencal tabbed GPAC Women’s Athlete of the Year; 45 Bulldogs honored as all-conference Feb. 20, 2025
GPAC Release
Special Awards:
· Adrianna Rodencal: 2025 GPAC Indoor Track & Field Female Athlete of the Year
· Abby Gerber: 2025 GPAC Indoor Women’s Field Outstanding Performance of the Meet
SEWARD, Neb. – A major honor came the way of junior Adrianna Rodencal on Thursday (Feb. 20) as the GPAC league office announced 2025 GPAC indoor track & field all-conference awards. Thanks to her totaling more points than any other female athlete at last week’s conference championship meet, Rodencal was named the 2025 GPAC Indoor Female Athlete of the Year. In addition, Abby Gerber’s personal best in the shot put resulted in her earning the Women’s Field Performance of the Meet. A total of 45 Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field athletes garnered 2025 GPAC All-Conference indoor honors based on their performances at the conference meet.
Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squads turned in 2025 GPAC indoor placements of third on the women’s side and fourth on the men’s side. Beisel’s staff includes full-time assistants Ed McLaughlin and Mark Samuels, pole vault coach Jason Berry, graduate assistants Lia Guigui and Darien Semedo and race walk coach Steve Hoger.
Concordia’s GPAC all-conference honor roll (listed below) features eight individuals who won GPAC event titles. Rodencal came away with GPAC golds in the 60 hurdles and 200 meters and as part of the 4x400-meter relay. Rodencal was joined on the championship relay by Trinity Tuls, Isabelle Salters and Kayla Kirchner. Other Concordia GPAC champions were Carson Fehlhafer (shot put), Abby Gerber (shot put), Jonny Jurchen (3,000-meter race walk) and Mayson Ostermeyer (pole vault). Gerber landed the shot put a mark of 48’ 4.”
The Lincoln Lutheran alum Rodencal also broke the GPAC meet record in the 60 hurdles (8.49) and placed second in the 60 meters while racking up 30.5 team points. She was named GPAC Athlete of the Year for the third time in her career. There were four Bulldog teammates who also earned All-GPAC honors in three or more events: Kayla Kirchner, Josi Noble, Trey Robertson and Isabelle Salters. Fehlhafer led all Concordia men’s athletes in points scored with 16 (first in shot put and third in weight throw). Jurchen also broke a GPAC meet record with his time of 14:15.64 in the race walk.
Next up will be the 2025 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships in Gainesville, Fla., Feb. 27 – March 1. More information on the national championship meet can be found HERE .
2025 GPAC Indoor All-Conference
MEN
· Connor Asche – weight throw (5th); shot put (6th)
· Nathan Baldwin – shot put (8th)
· Perry Chadwick – 4x400m relay (3rd)
· Lucas Corwin – 600 meters (5th)
· Josiah Edwards – weight throw (6th)
· Jack Ellis – 5,000 meters (8th)
· Liam Fagan – 4x400m relay (3rd); 400 meters (6th)
· Carson Fehlhafer – shot put (1st); weight throw (3rd)
· Easton Fries – 4x400m relay (3rd); 60 hurdles (6th)
· Luke Hammang – 3,000m race walk (3rd)
· Vaughn Hendrickson – 5,000 meters (6th)
· Mason Hodges – 3,000m race walk (4th)
· Jax Jacobson – pole vault (4th)
· Jonny Jurchen – 3,000m race walk (1st)
· Hayden Kluthe – 60 hurdles (5th)
· Trevor Kuncl – 1,000 meters (6th)
· Sam Olson – 3,000m race walk (5th)
· Mayson Ostermeyer – pole vault (1st)
· Trey Robertson – 5,000 meters (3rd); mile (7th); 3,000 meters (7th)
· Austen Rozelle – weight throw (7th)
· Justin Sherman – 800 meters (4th)
· Aaron Spivey – triple jump (7th)
· Matthew Wing – 4x400m relay (3rd)
WOMEN
· Hannah Beintema – 1,000 meters (6th)
· Harper Boche – shot put (8th)
· Kennedee Canales – pentathlon (8th)
· Greta Corneliusen – triple jump (8th)
· Eve Domres – 3,000m race walk (4th)
· Abigail Gerber – shot put (1st); weight throw (5th)
· Ellie Jander – 5,000 meters (8th)
· Kayla Kirchner – 4x400m relay (1st); 400 meters (5th); 200 meters (7th)
· Jaelynne Kosmos – triple jump (5th)
· Emily Loseke – 400 meters (7th)
· Adysen McCarter – triple jump (2nd)
· Hayley Miles – long jump (4th); triple jump (7th)
· Josi Noble – triple jump (4th); pentathlon (6th); 600 meters (7th)
· Addie Reimer – pentathlon (2nd); high jump (6th)
· Lillee Richard – pole vault (6th)
· Adrianna Rodencal – 60 hurdles (1st); 200 meters (1st); 4x400m relay (1st); 60 meters (2nd)
· Isabelle Salters – 4x400m relay (1st); 60 hurdles (6th); 400 meters (6th)
· Cambria Saunders – 60 meters (8th)
· Amanda Steinke – high jump (7th)
· Kayla Svoboda – pole vault (4th)
· Trinity Tuls – 4x400m relay (1st); 400 meters (3rd)
· Abi Wohlgemuth – weight throw (2nd)
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A day in the life: Saturday at the GPAC Championships Feb. 20, 2025
Adrianna Rodencal had waited all morning and afternoon for this. Perhaps she had put too much pressure on herself. Rodencal’s time of 8.76 in the prelims of the 60-meter hurdles, while quite good for most, did not meet her high standards. Said Rodencal, “I was shaking. I was a hot mess. I felt like I was a freshman all over again.” But she’s not a freshman – and she won’t let herself succumb to negative self-talk.
It's not the start Rodencal wanted, but every goal she had entering the meet remains out there for the taking. It’s Saturday at the 2025 GPAC Indoor Track & Field Championships in Mitchell, S.D., home to Dakota Wesleyan University. It’s approximately 3:30 p.m. Rodencal doesn’t know it yet, but she’s about to accomplish a mission that will yield three GPAC titles (one in a relay) and one conference runner-up placement as the best all-around performance for any women’s athlete present in Mitchell.
As Head Coach Matt Beisel would say afterwards, “I know this was on her mind a lot. This was something Coach (Mark) Samuels and her really wanted to do. I’m really happy for her. It’s a big accomplishment when you think of the level of talent every team in the GPAC has. What she did is historical. I’m very grateful for her.”
Hours earlier, Rodencal does her best to keep her normal meet day routine. On the morning of the GPAC Championships, Rodencal wakes up in her hotel room at 7:45 a.m., giving her plenty of time to prepare herself before departure at 9:45 a.m. Her first race is scheduled for 3:25 p.m., more than seven hours from now as she fires up the waffle machine in the continental breakfast dining room area of the hotel. Says Rodencal, “The waffle machines in hotels are my favorite place to go in the mornings – and I usually get some yogurt.”
Rodencal then escapes to a corner of the room with three specific items: her Bible, her journal and a book on mental training for athletes. On this day, she’s reading first and second Corinthians while Christian music emanates from her headphones. She continues by writing in her journal. Then she reads from “The Champion’s Mind” and she prays. As she reads, she marks up the book with red ink and highlights words and sentences that speak to her profoundly.
One concept that sticks in Rodencal’s mind is the idea of ‘sports-based amnesia.’ In other words, forget what happened in the past, good or bad. She can only control her actions right now, right this moment. Let’s file that one away for later in the day. As departure time approaches, Rodencal focuses her mind on letting the “Lord’s light shine through what I’m doing.”
The Meet
Rodencal arrived along with many of her teammates at the DWU/Avera Sports and Wellness Complex in Mitchell at about 10 a.m. The wait would continue for another several hours. The men’s high jump was just beginning while the men’s heptathlon carried on with hurdles and pole vault unfolding. The setting was a fieldhouse lined with concrete walls and a low ceiling that made the sound of the starter gun reverberate in ear-piercing fashion. Rodencal had never competed here before.
At a typical regular season meet, Rodencal has much less time to kill before beginning warmups. As Rodencal explains, “It’s not like that normally. It was a very interesting headspace to be in. I was able to go watch women’s long jump, watch pole vault, high jump and multi-events that were still happening – and cheer people on. As we got closer to 3:25, I read more of my book, ate lunch and recentered myself. With hurdles, we warm up about an hour before we start. I was able to warm up with Izzy (Isabelle Salters) and Josey Welch. We were laughing and talking together. That kind of gets the nerves out a little bit. With a new facility, I’m always worried about where to warm up and making sure I’m not in other people's way.”
Rodencal has learned a lot from her adolescent days about how to properly fuel her body with food and drink on meet days. Whatever she did as a prep at Lincoln Lutheran High School worked like a charm. She won five state gold medals as both a junior and senior while taking on as many events as she could handle. Part of the key to success is eating all three meals throughout the day while consuming carbs and electrolytes.
The selection of vittles on this Saturday included small bites such as deli meet sandwiches, string cheese sticks and pretzels – not everything has to be considered healthy. When she makes it back to camp, Rodencal tears into a pack of Trolli’s, a type of gummy candy laced with sugar. Go ahead and try to stand between track athletes and their sugar fix on meet days.
After the hours go by, it’s finally time for the prelims of the 60 hurdles. Rodencal patiently waits for the third and final heat, which includes Salters and Welch. As she makes her way to the blocks, Rodencal can feel herself pulsating with nervousness as the butterflies weigh down her stomach. With the pop of the gun, Rodencal takes off in a flash, but things quickly go wrong. She clips the first hurdle but manages to recover and then speed across the finish line in 8.76, third best in the prelims.
Amnesia. That’s what it’s going to take today. Thankfully, the 60-meter dash prelims are just minutes away. There won’t be much time to think. Just run. Says Rodencal, “Nerves had definitely gotten to me. I was not calm and composed. I went into the 60 dash prelims with the intention of getting those nerves out. That went really well. I was able to do that and recenter myself.”
Ten minutes after finishing the 60 hurdle prelims, Rodencal clocked a 60-dash preliminary time of 7.76, good for second in the field of 18 athletes. Now qualified for the finals in her first two events, Rodencal has nearly two hours of prep time before the finals. Looking further into the evening, she knows she wants to have something left for the 200 meters at 6:55 p.m. and the 4x400-meter relay at 7:55. At this point, Rodencal can feel herself relax as she enters a “comfortable headspace.”
A few Trolli crawlers will keep the sugar levels high as the 60 hurdle finals approach at 5:55 p.m. Three times this season Rodencal has hit exactly 8.53, a time no other Concordia women’s athlete has ever achieved. But she won’t be truly satisfied until she breaks 8.50. She just can’t clip a hurdle this time and expect to reach that barrier – or win the GPAC title. This event is supposed to be hers, and she wants it.
Said Rodencal, “The big thing Coach Samuels told me was that if we can get you a good start and not hit the hurdles, you’re going to go sub-8.50. I had been reaching for that. Hitting 8.53 three times this year, I knew it was there. All I need to do is get quicker on my start and not hit a hurdle. My big thing going into finals was get to the first hurdle first, get there before any of the other ladies got there. That’s how it went. I exploded out of the blocks. I was just confident in my start. From there it was about having a smooth trail leg and smooth lead leg. It finally clicked.”
Shortly after Rodencal rocked across the finish line, she heard Coach Beisel bark out the time, “Eight-Four-Nine!” It was a blistering performance for Rodencal, who nearly cried with joy. As she says, it was simply God working through her. Chalk up GPAC title No. 1 on the day, but there was little time to celebrate. That’s where her maturity kicked in. The 60 dash finals were 10 minutes away. Amnesia. Recenter.
Rodencal was growing stronger as the day wore on. She cruised to a 60 dash finals time of 7.66, knocking 0.1 seconds off from the prelims. Rodencal placed runner up to a competitor from Doane. Individually, Rodencal had collected 18 team points with the 200 meters and 4x4 yet to go. This was only the second time this indoor season that Rodencal had run the 60 meters. However, she and Coach Samuels knew she was capable of placing near the top of the conference, and the extra points would be a boost to the team and her own chances of earning athlete of the meet honors.
After finishing the 60 dash, Rodencal tells herself, “I need to eat.” It’s nearly 6 o’clock and the 200 meters is roughly an hour from taking place. Rodencal returns to camp and dives into the sandwich she hasn’t yet finished. She’ll need more than just the Trolli crawlers to get her through the remainder of the meet. Says Rodencal, “The big thing was remaining confident and not doubting what I can do. I had done the 200 and 4x4 in the same meet before. It wasn’t that hard. I knew I was going to have to mentally commit. There were good athletes in the 200. I couldn’t just coast to the finish line. A lot of it was making sure I was eating and having fun. If you’re not comfortable and enjoying your time, you’re not going to run as well as you want to.”
At DWU’s indoor facility, 200 meters means one full lap around the track. It takes Rodencal 25.32 seconds to circle her way back to the finish line, .15 seconds faster than the second-place finisher from Mount Marty. Add another gold to the collection for Rodencal, who pushes her point total to 28. She’s now completed her individual events at the GPAC Championships.
An hour will separate the 200 and 4x4 as Rodencal prepares to run the 4x4 relay at a conference meet for the first time. She will get it started as the leadoff leg before the baton gets passed to Trinity Tuls and then to Isabelle Salters and finally to Kayla Kirchner. Each Bulldog has competed in at least one individual event as the meet barrels towards its dramatic conclusion. Admits Rodencal, “I was starting to feel it. My legs were getting tired. At this point, it’s trusting Coach and the workouts he’s put us through. It was also trusting the girls.” For some extra oomph, Rodencal drinks from a decarbonated bottle of Coca Cola, seriously. As she notes, “There’s a lot of sugar in those. That was something new.”
Riding that high, Rodencal carried the baton for 59.36 seconds before handing off to Tuls. A few minutes later, Rodencal and her teammates celebrated a 4x4 GPAC title to cap the meet. Concordia finished in 3:56.66, holding off runner up Dordt, 3:58.26. The previous two years, Rodencal had been a spectator for the 4x4. This time she contributed to another gold medal. Said Rodencal, “To be the one running was a whole different feeling. It was loud. I had ringing in my ears just from our team cheering. It really helped having the entire team support.”
Rodencal earned credit for 2.5 points for her part in the 4x4. That brought her meet total to 30.5 points – all in one day’s work. For the third time in her career, Rodencal had claimed the title of GPAC Outstanding Athlete of the Meet. The closest competitors for the honor this time around were Midland’s Kerrigan Myers (26) and Doane’s Josie Garrett (21) and Danie Parriott (21).
As she talks about the achievement three days later, Rodencal begins to feel the weight of it sinking in. After missing out on Athlete of the Meet status as a sophomore in 2024, Rodencal hit on a goal she had for herself in 2025. Of course, there’s more to come, but her Saturday at the 2025 GPAC Indoor Championships was one worth celebrating.
“It’s an amazing feat to be able to go and do that,” Rodencal said. “I definitely sat down in the summer and during preseason meetings with Coach Samuels knowing I wanted that again. ‘I am going to fight for that. I will be on whatever I need to be to get those points.’ I was super excited. Kerrigan Myers from Midland is an amazing girl, super sweet. We talked quite a bit. She had an outstanding meet. At the end of the day, it’s super fun to be the one named the athlete of the meet.”
In the aftermath, Rodencal credits coaches, teammates, supporters and her faith. With a week off following the conference meet, Adrianna can set amnesia aside for just a bit. When the next meet day arrives in Gainesville, Florida, she’ll repeat the routine all over again – Bible study, prayer, journaling and leaping hurdles. Don’t forget the Trolli crawlers or the decarbonated Coke.
NAIA Day 2 Recap: Wohlgemuth earns runner-up honors, Jurchen nabs All-America award Feb. 28, 2025
Day 1 Recap | NAIA Championships Live Results | Concordia T&F YouTube
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – On day two of the 2025 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships, Lincoln Lutheran High School alums Abi Wohlgemuth and Adrianna Rodencal and Seward’s own Jonny ‘The Jet’ Jurchen emerged as the headlining performers from the perspective of Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field. Wohlgemuth made a push for a national title while claiming runner up status, Rodencal reached the finals of the 60-meter hurdles and Jurchen garnered an All-America plaque in the race walk. Twelve Bulldogs were in action on Friday (Feb. 28) at Alachua County Sports & Events Center in Gainesville, Fla.
Head Coach Matt Beisel’s programs combined for 24 total national qualifiers. Eleven Concordia athletes competed on day one and another six will take the national stage on day three. The Bulldogs picked up eight team points on the women’s side via Wohlgemuth and two on the men’s side thanks to Jurchen.
“Today was a very good day for the Bulldogs,” Beisel said. “It was great to see Jonny make All-American in the race walk and for Abi to place as national runner up in the weight throw. Adrianna advanced to the finals in the 60 hurdles, which she has been working towards for several years. We had outstanding efforts by all the throwers, by Easton Fries in the hurdles and Emily Loseke in the 400. We are very proud of them all and look forward to tomorrow.”
A senior from Lincoln, Wohlgemuth climbed the national ladder after placing sixth in the NAIA in the weight throw a year ago. In the 2025 competition, Wohlgemuth saved her best for her last throw as she unleashed a toss of 62’ 1 ¾,” cementing her spot as the NAIA national runner up. Wohlgemuth finished 7.5 inches shy of the national champion while claiming the second All-America award of her career. Two teammates joined her in the event: senior Abby Gerber (13th place; 52’ 6 ½”) and sophomore Brittni Kinne (21st place; 49’ 3 ½”). Gerber will be back in the ring on Saturday for the shot put.
It's been a special season for Jurchen, who has proven to be a natural in the race walk. The Seward High School product became the program’s first race walk All-American since Chris Tegtmeier in 2011 while clocking in at 13:44.23 in the finals on Friday. Jurchen placed seventh nationally in adding to his list of 2025 season achievements that includes a GPAC title.
A three-time GPAC Athlete of the Year, Rodencal is on a mission to collect the first All-America award of her career. The junior from Lincoln crossed the finish line in 8.55 in the prelims of the 60 hurdles. That time landed Rodencal in seventh place in a national field of 24 competitors. Rodencal’s personal best (also a school record) in the event is 8.49, a time that broke the GPAC meet record.
Between the men and women, Concordia qualified six athletes in the weight throw. On the men’s side, senior Connor Asche (13th place; 57’ 2 ¼”), senior Austen Rozelle (19th place; 55’ 3 ¾”) and junior Carson Fehlhafer (21st place; 54’ 1 ¾”) represented the Bulldogs. All three athletes had prior experience on the national stage. Fehlhafer will try his hand in the shot put on Saturday. He was the GPAC champion in the event.
In wrapping up the day for Concordia, sophomore Addie Reimer and senior Amanda Steinke both made their first appearances at the national championships while competing in the high jump. Reimer cleared the opening height of 5’ 3” and placed 13th. Steinke came up short on her three tries at that same bar. Both athletes earned all-conference medals in the high jump.
In other preliminaries on the track, freshman Easton Fries and senior Emily Loseke showcased their talents. The men’s school record holder in the 60 hurdles, Fries clocked a time of 8.25 and placed 22nd in the field of hurdlers. As for Loseke, ran a sub-minute personal best (59.17) and placed 17th in the prelims. Both athletes earned All-GPAC honors as part of their 2025 indoor seasons.
Concordia’s schedule for day three is listed below. It will be heavy on field events as Gerber and pole vaulter Mayson Ostermeyer look to repeat as NAIA All-Americans. Rodencal will run in the finals of the hurdles early in the afternoon.
2025 NAIA Indoor All-Americans:
· Jonny Jurchen – 3,000-Meter Race Walk (7th; 13:44.23)
· Abi Wohlgemuth – Weight Throw (2nd; 62’ 1 ¾”)
Concordia Saturday (March 1) Nationals Schedule:
Times are EST to reflect local time in Gainesville.
· 11:30 a.m. – Women’s Shot Put : Harper Boche and Abby Gerber
· 11:30 a.m. – Women’s Triple Jump : Adysen McCarter
· 12:45 p.m. – Women’s 60 Hurdles Finals : Adrianna Rodencal
· 1:15 p.m. – Men’s Pole Vault : Mayson Ostermeyer
· 2:30 p.m. – Men’s Shot Put : Carson Fehlhafer
NAIA Day 3 Recap: Gerber, Ostermeyer and Rodencal add names to All-America list Mar. 1, 2025
Recaps: Day 1 , Day 2 | NAIA Championships Live Results | Concordia T&F YouTube
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Three more Bulldogs added their names to the list of All-Americans as the 2025 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships concluded in Gainesville, Fla., on Saturday (March 1). Both senior Abby Gerber (shot put) and junior Mayson Ostermeyer (pole vault) repeated as All-Americans while GPAC Athlete of the Year Adrianna Rodencal claimed the first All-America medal of her career. Between the men and women, Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field combined for five total All-America awards over the three-day meet.
Freshman Jonny Jurchen (race walk) and senior Abi Wohlgemuth (weight throw) earned their All-America awards on Friday. Wohlgemuth emerged as the top Bulldog point scorer thanks to her runner-up claim in the weight throw. In the team scoring, Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squads placed 20th (13 points) on the women’s side and 56th (3.5 points) on the men’s side.
“I’m really thankful we had an opportunity to come down here and compete,” Beisel said. “We had some kids who were ranked pretty high that didn’t have the meet they wanted, and that’s tough. Our kids are still hungry and have high expectations for themselves. We love that about them. They gave it everything they have. Some came up big, and some came up a little short. I was really proud of all the freshmen we had competing. It’s a young group that went out and competed well. Overall, it was a lot of fun. The environment here is really loud.”
This was the moment Rodencal had been preparing for. After missing the national finals of hurdle events by an eyelash in both indoor and outdoor in 2024, the Lincoln Lutheran alum rose to the occasion in Gainesville. Rodencal ran the 60 hurdles in 8.55 in the prelims on Friday before saving a personal best for the finals. Rodencal again broke her own school record by blazing her way across the finish line in 8.44 – even better than her GPAC meet record of 8.49 two weeks earlier. As Rodencal posted on X, “A dream for the past 2.5 years and all I can do is thank God for what He has given me.”
In the pole vault, Ostermeyer returned to nationals after placing fifth at the meet in Brookings, S.D., one year ago. The Crofton, Neb., native cleared 15’ 9” in Saturday’s competition and tied for seventh place. Ostermeyer rose above 15’ 9” on his first try before later missing on his three attempts at 16’ ¾.” Impressively, the top two vaulters in the competition went over 17 feet. Ostermeyer topped the NAIA leaderboard for much of the season in the event and was the GPAC champion.
The Columbus, Neb., native Gerber collected the third All-America award of her career. She was a fifth-place shot put finisher at the 2024 indoor national meet. The 2025 GPAC champion in the event, Gerber landed in eighth place on Saturday with her top mark of 44’ 10 ¾.” Three of her tosses traveled more than 44 feet. Meanwhile, teammate Harper Boche placed 18th (39’ 6 ½”). On the men’s side, Carson Fehlhafer placed 23rd (50’ 1 ¼”) in the shot put one day after he also competed in the weight throw.
A runner up at the GPAC Championships, freshman Adysen McCarter experienced the national meet for the first time. In Saturday’s triple jump competition, McCarter was unable to register a mark. The Overton, Neb., native will be a key part of the horizontal jumps crew for years to come.
Afterwards, Beisel and the crew of staff members and 24 qualifying athletes felt grateful for the opportunity in Gainesville. The well-publicized flight experience to Florida added further perspective. Said Beisel, “I want to give all glory to God for the many blessings He’s given our teams this season. Nothing could have happened without His will. I think we’re all looking ahead to outdoor and fired up for what’s to come.” Beisel went on to commend each of the five All-Americans and made special note of the men’s distance medley relay that clocked one of the five fastest times in program history as part of Thursday’s action.
The Bulldogs will enjoy a break before beginning outdoor season with the Central Nebraska Challenge co-hosted by the University of Nebraska-Kearney and Hastings on March 29. Concordia is slated to make a home outdoor appearance the weekend of April 4-5 when it hosts the Concordia Invitational.
2025 NAIA Indoor All-Americans:
· Abby Gerber – Shot Put (8th; 44’ 10 ¾”)
· Jonny Jurchen – 3,000-Meter Race Walk (7th; 13:44.23)
· Mayson Ostermeyer – Pole Vault (7th; 15’ 9”)
· Adrianna Rodencal – 60-Meter Hurdles (5th; 8.44)
· Abi Wohlgemuth – Weight Throw (2nd; 62’ 1 ¾”)
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Season Preview: 2025 Concordia Outdoor Track & Field Mar. 21, 2025
MEN 2025 Indoor Finishes : 4th (GPAC); 56th (NAIA)2024 Indoor Finishes : 3rd (GPAC); 8th (NAIA)2024 Outdoor Finishes : 3rd (GPAC); 7th (NAIA)Past All-Americans returning (indoor/outdoor) : Jonny Jurchen (1); Mayson Ostermeyer (2); Austen Rozelle (1).2024 All-Americans lost (indoor/outdoor) : Calvin Rohde (1); Darien Semedo (2); Chris Wren (5; HT national champion); Zach Zohner (4; 2x national champion).2024 National Qualifiers returning (indoor/outdoor) : Connor Asche; Matthew Boyer; Liam Fagan; Carson Fehlhafer; Luke Hammang; Trevor Kuncl; Mayson Ostermeyer; Trey Robertson; Austen Rozelle; Colby Sugden.
WOMEN Head Coach : Matt Beisel (9th year); 12x GPAC Coach of the Year2025 Indoor Finishes : 3rd (GPAC); T-20th (NAIA)2024 Indoor Finishes : 1st (GPAC); 3rd (NAIA)2024 Outdoor Finishes : 1st (GPAC); 20th (NAIA)Past All-Americans returning (indoor/outdoor) : Abigail Gerber (3); Kayla Kirchner (2); Josi Noble (1); Adrianna Rodencal (1); Isabelle Salters (1); Gretchen Stottlemyre (1); Trinity Tuls (4); Zoey Walker (1); Abi Wohlgemuth (2).2024 All-Americans lost (indoor/outdoor) : Jenna Esch (8); Kylahn Freiberg (7); Rylee Haecker (10); Jordan Koepke (8); Julie McIntyre (1); Josie Puelz (8; 5x national champion).2024 National Qualifiers returning (indoor/outdoor) : Claire Beikmann; Erin Boggs; Abigail Gerber; Kayla Kirchner; Hayley Miles; Josi Noble; Adrianna Rodencal; Isabelle Salters; Cambria Saunders; Gretchen Stottlemyre; Kayla Svoboda; Trinity Tuls; Zoey Walker; Abi Wohlgemuth.
Outlook
With the beginning of spring comes a slate wiped clean when it comes to the world of track & field. Following an indoor season characterized by highs and lows, Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field aspires to finish the 2024-25 academic year strong in what will be a whirlwind of an outdoor season. The campaign kicks off in late March at the Central Nebraska Challenge before barreling into the conference championships the weekend of May 2-3. There will be one less weekend of competition than a typical outdoor season.
In other words, Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squads will be looking to hit the ground running. The Bulldog roster of more than 150 athletes took an opportunity to refresh over spring break. Coming out of the indoor season, some Concordia athletes are aiming to build upon major achievements and others are motivated after experiencing varying levels of disappointment.
Said Beisel following the indoor national championships, “There were highlights and mountaintop experiences and there were some huge disappointments where athletes went in feeling like they could do X, Y and Z and it just didn’t happen. That’s the nature of the game. You learn to be resilient and deal with that. Anyone who makes All-America honors – that’s a big deal. To be able to stand up there with that plaque and that medal and to know you scored points for your team at the national meet is an important thing.”
Five Bulldogs made their way to the All-America podium in Gainesville, Fla., site of the 2025 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships: Abby Gerber (shot put), Jonny Jurchen (3,000-meter race walk), Mayson Ostermeyer (pole vault), Adrianna Rodencal (60-meter hurdles) and Abi Wohlgemuth (weight throw runner up). The indoor season proved it will take time to replace the slew of All-Americans and national champions (Chris Wren and Zach Zohner) that graduated following the 2024 outdoor season. The 2025 indoor season culminated with GPAC team place finishes of third for the women and fourth for the men.
The string of 11-straight GPAC women’s team championships was halted by Doane, but Beisel and his staff are optimistic about the future for men’s and women’s programs featuring a wealth of standout freshmen. In addition, the dynamics of outdoor track & field (additional throwing events) have typically favored the Bulldogs, who figure to rank near the top of the NAIA group rankings in events like the hammer, discus and javelin. A past discus All-American, senior Austen Rozelle has his sights set on going out on a high note.
“This an outdoor season I have been looking forward to for a long time,” Rozelle said. “There a lot of competitors that have stepped up to fill roles that we needed, and they have just done that. As a senior, I feel blessed to have grown into a leadership role for the younger throwers. A successful season in my mind would be a team conference top two placement and an individual conference title as well. I think we’ve shown that when it comes to outdoor, we have a lot of events that can help with points that we don’t get to see indoor.”
Some of the extra points could be tabulated in the javelin, an event highlighted by junior Matthew Boyer, the school record holder (219’ 1”), on the men’s side and returning All-American Gretchen Stottlemyre on the women’s side. Other returning All-Americans from the 2024 outdoor season are 4x400-meter relay teammates in Kayla Kirchner, Isabelle Salters and Trinity Tuls. That trio, along with Rodencal, will feel a burning desire to get back on the podium after missing out this past indoor season.
Beisel and his staff, including full-time assistants Ed McLaughlin and Mark Samuels, see plenty of growth potential. Consider that nine freshmen or sophomores got their first taste of the national championship experience during indoor season. That freshman class included Harper Boche, Easton Fries, Vaughn Hendrickson, Jonny Jurchen, Jaxon Lipker and Adysen McCarter. As Beisel described it, ‘Jonny The Jet’ was like a “kid in a candy store” after earning his first All-America award. Meanwhile, Fries is already the school record holder in the men’s 60-meter hurdles and Hendrickson (cross country All-American) was part of a young national qualifying DMR that included two sophomores (Trey Robertson and Justin Sherman) and a junior (Liam Fagan).
“We had a bunch of freshmen at indoor nationals,” Beisel said. “Some of them didn’t have their best day, but by gosh, they got there and they have another three years to get back there. Sometimes you have to get on the big stage and experience it. It’s not just about competing against tough athletes, it’s about the entire thing. Your whole personal life cycle gets thrown off by the travel and living in a hotel room. Then you have to sit around a lot. You have a different diet. You have to do what works for you and you have to think ahead several steps. Once you’ve been there, it makes a huge difference.”
The Lincoln Lutheran alum Rodencal isn’t one who will rest on her laurels. She earned GPAC Women’s Athlete of the Year honors for indoor following a performance that included a new GPAC meet record in the 60 hurdles (8.49). Rodencal went a step further by running 8.44 in the 60 hurdle finals at national for her first career All-America medal. As Rodencal posted on X afterwards, “A dream for the past 2.5 years and all I can do is thank God for what He has given me.” This outdoor season, Rodencal will be gunning for her 100-meter hurdle school record of 13.65.
In other field events, the Bulldogs will roll out elite athletes with big-time aspirations. A junior from Crofton, Neb., Ostermeyer is the next in a long line of star pole vaulters. He picked up his second career All-America award and now gets back to work, hopeful of competing for an NAIA national title. In the shot put, reigning GPAC champions Carson Fehlhafer and Abby Gerber possess the potential to score major points at the conference and national levels.
Other not previously mentioned returners who made their way to the 2024 NAIA outdoor national meet include Connor Asche, Claire Beikmann, Luke Hammang, Josi Noble, Cambria Saunders, Kayla Svoboda and Zoey Walker. Noble (four-time national qualifier) and Walker own one All-America award apiece in their careers. Among current Bulldogs, Tuls’ four career All-America honors rank No. 1.
As Beisel said following the indoor season, “I want to give all glory to God for the many blessings He’s given our teams this season. Nothing could have happened without His will. I think we’re all looking ahead to outdoor and fired up for what’s to come.”
In reflecting on his time as a Bulldog, Rozelle said the following, “I have made many wonderful memories that will impact my life moving forward whether that be battling adversity through injuries, fostering and mentoring new relationships with friends, or even just the endless time perfecting a craft such as throwing. I don’t think I could pick a few even if I tried. However, some big takeaways that I’ve learned through CUNE are you’re not defined by your numbers or your rankings. You show up, you work hard, get things done even when they don’t go how you want to, and at the end of the day, you give the glory to God because none of these things would be possible without Him.”
The 2025 Concordia Track & Field schedule can be found HERE . Concordia will begin the season at the Central Nebraska Challenge on Saturday, March 29. Two home meets are slated to take place this spring: the Concordia Invitational (April 4-5) and the Concordia Twilight (May 9). This will mark the third-straight year that Indiana Wesleyan University will host the NAIA Outdoor National Championships. Hastings will host the GPAC Championships.
McCarter, Rodencal break school records; Baldwin, Ostermeyer post A marks Mar. 28, 2025
Central Nebraska Challenge Results
KEARNEY, Neb. – Roughly four weeks after the indoor national championships, the Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field squads opened the 2025 outdoor season at the Central Nebraska Challenge co-hosted by the University of Nebraska-Kearney and Hastings. The yields on Friday (March 28) included two school records, two automatic national qualifying standards and five event titles. The loaded meet included athletes from all levels of the NCAA and NAIA and was staged at Kearney High School.
Head Coach Matt Beisel viewed the outing as a strong start. Fresh off an indoor All-America award, Adrianna Rodencal broke her own school record in the 100-meter hurdles and freshman Adysen McCarter set a new program standard in the triple jump.
“It was great to get back to outdoor track and be in warm weather and compete in events that we don’t get to do indoor,” Beisel said. “We had two school records broken with Adysen McCarter in the triple jump and Adrianna Rodencal in the 100 hurdles. I’m really happy for those girls … It was very hot compared to what we’ve been used to and the wind was pretty steady. Anything 400 meters and up was not favorable. In other events, it helped us out a lot.”
Beyond the school records, sophomore Nathan Baldwin (discus) and junior Mayson Ostermeyer (pole vault) achieved personal bests that have automatically qualified them for the national meet. Additionally, ‘B’ standards were produced by the likes of Connor Asche (hammer throw), Abigail Gerber (shot put) and Abi Wohlgemuth (hammer throw). Baldwin also churned out a PR in the hammer throw as part of his breakthrough performance.
Because it was wind-aided, Rodencal’s time of 13.45 in the 100 hurdles will not appear on the national leaderboard. However, Rodencal and her event coach Mark Samuels know that time is within the reach of the Lincoln Lutheran alum regardless of weather. She placed first in the event at the Central Nebraska Challenge while toppling her previous PR of 13.65. In the triple jump, McCarter went 38’ 11 ¾,” putting her in second place in the event. That mark moved her past Charista Zehnder (38’ 9 ½”) for the new program standard.
Coach Ed McLaughlin’s crew of throwers shined. Baldwin’s automatic national qualifying mark in the discus landed at 172’ 10” (meet runner up) while his hammer came in at 172’ 8.” Asche placed fourth in the men’s hammer with his ‘B’ mark of 180’ 10.” On the women’s side, Gerber threw 46’ 2 ¾” in the shot put and Wohlgemuth posted a hammer mark of 169’ 5.” Also noteworthy, Matthew Boyer competed on Friday at the Texas Relays in Austin and threw 195’ 9” in the javelin while up against heavy hitters from the NCAA Division I level. Boyer is the school record holder in the event. On the women’s side of the javelin, 2024 All-American Gretchen Stottlemyre threw 123’ 7” in Kearney.
A two-time NAIA All-American in the pole vault, Ostermeyer is now the early NAIA national leader after he cleared 16’ 6 ¾” on Friday. He placed second in the competition based on his series of jumps. Ostermeyer is the reigning GPAC champion from indoor season. A total of 10 Bulldogs competed in the pole vault at the Central Nebraska Challenge.
In other highly contested first-place finishes, Kayla Kirchner emerged as the winner of the women’s 400 meters (57.96) and Kiki Nyanok shattered a personal best in the long jump (19’ 3 ½”). In events made up mostly of Concordia competitors, Hannah Beintema won the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase (13:06.44) and Luke Hammang won the 5,000-meter race walk (28:36.33).
While McCarter placed second in the triple jump, teammate Josi Noble was right behind her in third place (36’ 8 ¼”). On the track, the top women’s 4x100-meter relay grouping for Concordia ran 48.01 and included Cambria Saunders, Kirchner, Emily Loseke and Rodencal. In backing Rodencal in the 100 hurdles, Isabelle Salters ran 15.00 for a personal best. In the men’s 400 hurdles, freshman Easton Fries clocked in at a solid 54.89.
Other notable efforts were turned in by Jaxon Lipker in the high jump (6’ 5”), Harper Boche in the discus (135’ 4”), Josiah Edwards in the hammer (168’ 1”) and Marissa Heins in the hammer (151’ 11”).
Said Beisel in summing the meet up, “I was really proud of them (steeplechasers). We weren’t worried about times. For the distance and middle distance, we were finishing off a hard week of work. I knew they would be tired, but I just asked them to compete as hard as they could, and they did that. I know they’ll be ready to go next week.” Beisel went on to laud the throwers for a series of impressive marks while also noting Ostermeyer’s personal best, among other highlights.
National Qualifying Standards
· A – Nathan Baldwin: Discus (172’ 10”)
· A – Mayson Ostermeyer: Pole Vault (16’ 6 ¾”)
· B – Connor Asche: Hammer Throw (180’ 10”)
· B – Matthew Boyer: Javelin (195’ 9”)
· B – Abigail Gerber: Shot Put (46’ 2 ¾”)
· B – Abi Wohlgemuth: Hammer Throw (169’ 5”)
Central Nebraska Challenge Event Champions
· Hannah Beintema: 3,000m Steeplechase (13:06.64)
· Luke Hammang: 5,000m Race Walk (28:36.33)
· Kayla Kirchner: 400 Meters (57.96)
· Kiki Nyanok: Long Jump (19’ 3 ½”)
· Adrianna Rodencal: 100m Hurdles (13.45)
The Bulldogs are scheduled to host the Concordia Invitational next weekend (April 4-5), marking the first of two home meets this outdoor season. The tentative meet schedule can be found HERE .
Rodencal school record performance leads to GPAC honors Apr. 2, 2025
GPAC Release
SEWARD, Neb. – On the strength of a school record performance in the opening meet of the 2025 outdoor season, junior Adrianna Rodencal earned recognition on Wednesday (April 2) as the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Women’s Track Athlete of the Week. Rodencal has earned a GPAC weekly award for the third time during the 2024-25 academic year. Her honor represents the first for Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field this outdoor season and eighth of the year (including indoor season).
Rodencal competed in four events at the Central Nebraska Challenge on March 28. Most notably, she blazed to a 100-meter hurdle time of 13.45, breaking her previous program standard of 13.65. Rodencal placed first in a field of 25 hurdlers. In other events, Rodencal clocked personal bests in the 100 meters (11.95; fifth place) and 200 meters (24.35; third place) and ran the anchor leg for the 4x100-meter relay that crossed the finish line in 48.01. On the program’s all-time lists, Rodencal moved up to No. 3 in the 100 meters and to No. 2 in the 200 meters.
The Lincoln Lutheran High School alum enjoyed a memorable 2025 indoor season that saw her earn GPAC Athlete of the Year accolades and the first NAIA All-America award of her career. Rodencal is the indoor school record holder in the 60 hurdles (8.44).
Due to the reconfiguration of this weekend’s Concordia Invite, only select Bulldog athletes will be in action. The revised meet schedule can be found HERE .
2024-25 GPAC Athletes of the Week
*NAIA National Athlete of the Week
Gerber, throws take center stage as Concordia Invite braves chilly spring weather Apr. 5, 2025
Photo Gallery (@cunebulldogs Instagram) >>
SEWARD, Neb. – Unseasonably cold temperatures resulted in a condensed Concordia Outdoor Invite that included athletes from 11 institutions. The field of competitors braved consistent wind gusts as part of a meet that spanned roughly eight hours long with the throws alone on Saturday (April 5). As darkness set upon Bulldog Stadium and the throwing fields on the northeast corner of campus, members of the Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field team had combined for 12 event championships.
While the Concordia Invite wasn’t what Head Coach Matt Beisel and his staff had originally envisioned, the meet allowed for progress to be made across a number of event areas.
“We have had to make significant changes to this meet several times the last few years because of weather,” Beisel said. “It ended up better than the projections were, but we all agreed it was wise not to run the sprints or hurdles. We don’t like the fact that they missed another opportunity to compete. On the other hand, we were able to have a mini distance carnival with some good competition and had some really good results in spite of the wind.”
Beisel also broke down a slew of strong performances in the field events, which made up the bulk of the meet. It was a fine day for senior Abby Gerber, who emerged with wins in the discus (138’ 2”), hammer throw (163’ 7”) and shot put (47’ 3”) (fields for throws were split between NCAA/NJCAA and NAIA). Gerber’s toss in the shot put represented a season best and an NAIA automatic national qualifying mark. Other Concordia Invite champions in the throws were Connor Asche in the men’s hammer (175’ 10”) and Nathan Baldwin in the men’s discus (156’ 4”).
In other event areas, Concordia first-place claims were made by Lucas Corwin in the men’s 800 meters (2:00.55), Luke Hammang in the 5,000-meter race walk (25:50.36), Ellie Jander in the women’s 5,000 meters (19:41.89), Adysen McCarter in the triple jump (38’ 1 ½”), Mayson Ostermeyer in the pole vault (15’ 9 ¼”), Trey Robertson in the men’s 5,000 meters (15:12.82) and Trinity Tuls in the 800 meters (2:17.83). Due to the conditions, there were only four different running events that took place on Saturday afternoon.
Robertson’s win was particularly exciting in that he held off Bellevue’s Xavier Mallow (15:12.82) in a photo finish. Normally a 400-meter runner, Tuls gave the 800 a try and put forth a time that got Beisel’s attention. As for Hammang, his efforts in the race walk resulted in a new NAIA ‘B’ standard. In the 1,500 meters, Concordia’s top competitors were Trevor Kuncl (4:09.09; second place) on the men’s side and Hannah Beintema (5:19.60; fourth place) on the women’s side.
Said Beisel, “Trinity running 2:17 and winning the 800 was a big highlight. Another highlight that I saw was Trey Robertson and a Bellevue guy raced the last 150-to-200 meters, neck-and-neck to the finish. Trey ran one of the best races of his life. That was fun … I tried to be out with the throws a lot today until the running events got going. They are a lot of fun to talk to. Abby Gerber had a big day.” Beisel also made mention of strong efforts in the jumps from standouts such as McCarter, Josi Noble, Kiki Nyanok and Aaron Spivey.
McCarter earned a meet title while following up her school record in the triple jump a week earlier. She was backed in the triple jump by Noble, who landed at 37’ ½” on Saturday. Spivey jumped 44’ 11” (second place) in the men’s triple. Meanwhile, Nyanok went 18’ 3 ¾” in the long jump. In that same event, star hurdler Adrianna Rodencal placed third at 17’ 9.” The team’s top high jumpers were Addie Reimer (5’ 3 ¼”) on the women’s side and Jaxon Lipker (6’ 1 ¼”) on the men’s side. All the jumps took place inside the Fieldhouse in avoidance of the wind.
The pole vault also took place indoors. The current NAIA leader, Ostermeyer won the competition by two-and-a-half feet. On the women’s side of the vault, Lillee Richard topped the Bulldogs by clearing 10’ 6 ¼.”
All four throws events played out to their completion on Saturday. The extravaganza began right at noon with Baldwin winning in the discus. The throws competitions were filled with Bulldogs as exemplified by the men’s hammer, which included Concordia athletes in each of the top six places (in the NAIA competition). Josiah Edwards placed as the runner up to Asche in the event. In the javelin, the Bulldogs were paced by the likes of Matthew Boyer (191’ 3”) for men and Gretchen Stottlemyre (118’) for women. Baldwin wrapped up the men’s throws by finishing second in the shot put.
Concordia Invite Event Champions
· Connor Asche – NAIA Hammer Throw (175’ 10”)
· Nathan Baldwin – NAIA Discus (156’ 4”)
· Lucas Corwin – 800 Meters (2:00.55)
· Abby Gerber – NAIA Hammer Throw (163’ 7”); NAIA Discus (138’ 2”); NAIA Shot Put (47’ 3”)
· Luke Hammang – 5,000-Meter Race Walk (25:50.36)
· Ellie Jander – 5,000 Meters (19:41.89)
· Adysen McCarter – Triple Jump (38’ 1 ½”)
· Mayson Ostermeyer – Pole Vault (15’ 9 ¼”)
· Trey Robertson – 5,000 Meters (15:12.82)
· Trinity Tuls – 800 Meters (2:17.83)
Said Beisel in summary, “Our kids were ready for competition. They went out and did what they normally do. They had fun with each other and when it came time to get serious, they got serious and did the best they could. I’m proud of them and thankful for our coaches, parents and alumni. I’m excited about what the rest of the season holds.”
The season will resume next Saturday (April 12) with the Hastings College Bronco Invite. The first action is scheduled to get underway at 11 a.m. CT from the Jack Osborne Track Complex in Hastings.
Gerber seizes GPAC weekly award Apr. 9, 2025
GPAC Release
SEWARD, Neb. – A season best toss in the shot put yielded recognition for Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field senior Abigail Gerber. On Wednesday (April 9), the league office named Gerber GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Women’s Field Athlete of the Week. Gerber also earned one conference weekly award during this past indoor season. Throughout 2024-25, Bulldog track & field athletes have combined for nine total GPAC Athlete of the Week honors.
A native of Columbus, Neb., Gerber won all three of her events at the Concordia Invite on April 5. In doing so, she recorded marks of 163’ 7” in the hammer throw, 138’ 2” in the discus and 47’ 3” in the shot put. The toss in the shot put ranks No. 3 in the NAIA in 2025. On this season’s GPAC performance lists, Gerber ranks first in the shot put, fourth in the hammer and sixth in the discus. Gerber is a three-time NAIA All-American.
Gerber and her teammates are preparing to return to action on Saturday at the Hastings Invite. It will be the third meet of the outdoor season for the Bulldogs.
2024-25 GPAC Athletes of the Week
*NAIA National Athlete of the Week
Baldwin, Gerber, Rodencal star at Hastings Invite Apr. 12, 2025
HASTINGS, Neb. – The winds were gusty, but the temperatures were warm throughout Saturday (April 12) at the Hastings Invite for Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field. In major highlights, Nathan Baldwin crushed his personal best in the discus, Abby Gerber posted a season best in the shot put and Adrianna Rodencal ran stellar 100- and 400-meter hurdle races that counted this time. In a relatively small meet in terms of quantity of competitors, the Bulldogs were joined at Jack Osborne Track Complex by Hastings, Northwestern Oklahoma State University and York University.
Head Coach Matt Beisel and company were happy to see the mercury rise one week after chilly weather caused a reconfiguration of the Concordia Invite. The Hastings Invite marked week three of Concordia’s outdoor season.
“We were pleased with the temperature and the wind, especially in the shorter distances, was beneficial,” Beisel said. “We were able to get some legal national qualifying marks because of that. Overall, even though it was hot and dusty, we got some really good results in the sprints and the hurdles. We had some really nice jumps in the long and triple jump for men and women. We’re seeing some consistent performances from athletes like Kiki Nyanok and Hayley Miles, and Aaron Spivey keeps improving. In the throws, we had a lot of personal bests. We got some really good stuff done today.”
The fruits yielded from the Hastings Invite came in the form of 25 event championships and a total of eight performances that met at least the NAIA ‘B’ national qualifying standard. In addition to auto marks turned in by Baldwin, Gerber and Rodencal, the following Bulldogs posted B standards on Saturday: Connor Asche (hammer), Matthew Boyer (javelin), Kiki Nyanok (long jump) and Abi Wohlgemuth (hammer). Achieving such marks became more difficult in 2025 with the raising of the national standards.
The Lincoln Lutheran alum Rodencal ran a 13.45 100-meter hurdles two weeks earlier at the Central Nebraska Challenge, but the time did not make it on the conference or national lists due to the wind factor. This time around, Rodencal put a time of 13.46 on the board in a performance that ranks No. 2 in the NAIA this season (based on times entering the weekend). Rodencal later returned to the track and clocked another auto time while speeding to a win in the 400 hurdles in 1:01.36 (also second best nationally).
Baldwin (Sutton, Neb.) already locked up a spot at nationals when he threw the discus 172’ 10” at the Central Nebraska Challenge. He tacked on six feet (178’ 10”) on Saturday in a winning performance. The throws crew racked up first-place claims at the Hastings Invite thanks to the likes of Baldwin, Gerber (women’s shot put), Matthew Boyer (javelin) and Carson Fehlhafer (men’s shot put). Gerber’s improved A standard came in at 47’ 11 ¼.” Meanwhile, Boyer tossed the javelin a season best 198’ 8.” In the men’s hammer, senior Connor Asche hit the B standard once again.
Grand Island native Kiki Nyanok put together a fine meet as she took first place in the long jump with a B mark of 18’ 11 ¾.” She also ran 25.59 in the 200 meters and placed second. In winning performances across the jumps crew, Jaxon Lipker (men’s high jump), Adysen McCarter (women’s triple jump), Myles Sadd (men’s long jump) and Aaron Spivey (men’s triple jump) each took first place. Miles placed second in the long jump to Nyanok while also flying past 18 ½ feet.
In addition to Rodencal, other event champions on the track were Claire Beikmann (800 meters), Hannah Beintema (3,000-meter steeplechase), Liam Fagan (400 meters), Ellie Jander (10,000 meters), Hayden Kluthe (110 / 400 hurdles), Aidan Limback (5,000 meters), McCarter (100 meters), Jarrett Miles (3,000-meter steeplechase) and Trinity Tuls (400 meters). Both Tuls (58.82) and Kayla Kirchner (58.83) ran under a minute in the 400 meters. Kluthe clocked in at 55.33 in the 400 hurdles, a hair off the B standard.
Concordia had entries in nearly all of the relays at the Hastings Invite. The top Bulldog crews recorded times of 47.59 in the women’s 4x1 (first place), 3:39.08 in the men’s 4x4 (third place) and 4:03.96 in the women’s 4x4 (first place). The women’s 4x1 of Cambria Saunders, Kirchner, Emily Loseke and Rodencal just missed the NAIA B standard of 47.52. Rodencal, Loseke and Kirchner also joined Tuls in the 4x4.
Said Beisel, “From the 400 on up, it was tough conditions. The air quality index was pretty bad, but we still got good work done. A lot of those longer distance events, it was a Concordia only crew. We had two guys and two girls do the 10k and get some marks for conference … I’m thankful to God that it wasn’t rained out and it wasn’t freezing cold. One of the things I love is how our kids care about each other. They were lining the track cheering for each other. It was a good team day.”
Beisel went on to laud the steeplechase efforts of Miles and Cole Yunker on the men’s side and Beintema, Lydia Edmonds and Rachel Ada on the women’s side. Limback ran solo in the 5,000 meters and finished in 16:34.52. In the men’s 800 meters, three Bulldogs clocked in under two minutes: Trevor Kuncl, Justin Sherman and Lucas Corwin. In the 1,500 meters, Ransom Watts and Annika Staab led the way. In running along with Rodencal in the 100 hurdles, Kayla Svoboda ran 14.96 and placed second.
In the pole vault, Evan Hill (14’ 3 ¼”) and Aliana McNair (10’) were winners. All-American Mayson Ostermeyer took a break from the vault and ran an 11.05 100 meters on Saturday.
NAIA National Qualifying Standards Achieved at Hastings Invite:
· A – Nathan Baldwin: discus (178’ 10”)
· A – Abby Gerber: shot put (47’ 11 ¼”)
· A – Adrianna Rodencal: 110-meter hurdles (13.46); 400-meter hurdles (1:01.36)
· B – Connor Asche: hammer throw (180’ 3”)
· B – Matthew Boyer: javelin (198’ 8”)
· B – Kiki Nyanok: long jump (18’ 11 ¾”)*
· B – Abi Wohlgemuth: hammer throw (170’ 6”)
*Did not count towards national leaderboard due to wind.
The outdoor season will continue next week with Bulldogs in competition at two different meets: the Jim Dutcher Invite (April 16-18) hosted by Doane and the University of Kansas Relays (April 17-19). Only two weeks of action remain prior to the fast approaching 2025 GPAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships (May 2-3).
Gerber, Rodencal combine for sweep of GPAC weekly women's awards Apr. 16, 2025
GPAC Release
SEWARD, Neb. – Among the national leaders within their event groups, Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field standouts Abby Gerber and Adrianna Rodencal earned GPAC recognition on Wednesday (April 16). As announced by the league office, Gerber was named GPAC Women’s Field Athlete of the Week and Rodencal was tabbed GPAC Women’s Track Athlete of the Week. They were honored for their efforts at last week’s Hastings Invite.
A senior from Columbus, Neb., Gerber has earned GPAC accolades for the second-straight week. The latest award for the three-time NAIA All-American comes after she turned in a season best and first-place shot put throw of 47’ 11 ¼” at the Hastings Invite. That mark places Gerber at No. 1 in the GPAC and No. 2 in the NAIA this season. Also at the Hastings Invite, Gerber placed second in the hammer throw (163’) and fourth in the discus (134’ 8”). Gerber has earned three GPAC Athlete of the Week awards during the 2024-25 academic year.
A junior from Lincoln, Neb., Rodencal continues to dazzle on the track. At the Hastings Invite, she clocked automatic national qualifying standards in both hurdles races, finishing in 13.46 in the 100 hurdles and 1:01.36 in the 400 hurdles. On the NAIA national lists, Rodencal ranks No. 2 in the 100 hurdles and No. 3 in the 400 hurdles. In other action last week in Hastings, Rodencal ran the anchor leg for the 4x100-meter relay (first place time of 47.59) and the leadoff leg for the 4x400-meter relay (first place time of 4:03.96). The Lincoln Lutheran alum has pulled in four GPAC Athlete of the Week awards as a junior.
The outdoor season continues this week with the Dutcher Memorial Classic (Wednesday through Friday) and the University of Kansas Relays (Thursday through Saturday). For details on those meets can be found HERE .
2024-25 GPAC Athletes of the Week
*NAIA National Athlete of the Week
Women's 4x1 breaks school record; Bulldogs tally 13 event titles at Dutcher Classic Apr. 18, 2025
Saturday (4/19) update: A group of throwers represented the Bulldogs at the Kansas Relays on Saturday. The biggest highlight was a fourth-place finish by Matthew Boyer in the javelin. He hit the NAIA B standard with a toss of 197' 1" and outperformed many NCAA Division I competitors at the event.
Dutcher Classic Results | Kansas Relays Results
CRETE, Neb. – The action spanned over three days (April 16-18) at the Dutcher Memorial Classic hosted by Doane. On a chilly spring Friday in Crete, the women’s 4x100-meter relay emerged as major highlight for Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field. The 4x1 blazed to a new school record and claimed one of the Bulldogs’ 13 event championships in Crete, Neb. Additionally, the women’s 4x4 clocked an NAIA B national qualifying standard.
The cool weather was welcomed by distance runners at the Dutcher Classic. Meanwhile, the jumps were moved inside Fuhrer Fieldhouse due to the windy conditions. All-in-all, Head Coach Matt Beisel was pleased with the yields from the fourth major meet of the 2025 outdoor season.
“The biggest highlight was our women’s 4x1 school record,” Beisel said. “We surpassed our time significantly from last year that got us to nationals. There are some things that we can clean up, so I think we can get the A standard. I was really happy with our women’s 4x4 in our first real attempt at it with some of our top runners. I was real impressed that three of our guys hit 51 feet in the shot put. For most of them, it was right around their season best. We still have some work to do.”
Anyone who follows Concordia Track & Field is well aware of the exploits of Adrianna Rodencal, one of the NAIA’s top hurdlers. On Friday, Rodencal ran the anchor leg for the 4x1 and the leadoff leg for the 4x4. Rodencal and company cruised to a 4x1 time of 47.14 (13th fastest in the NAIA this season), eclipsing the previous school record of 47.40 set in 2023 (relays both coached by Mark Samuels). Rodencal was preceded in the relay by freshman Adysen McCarter, junior Kayla Kirchner and senior Emily Loseke (59.27 in the open 400 on Friday). Rodencal and Kirchner also contributed to the B standard of 3:51.24 in the 4x4. They were joined in the crew by Trinity Tuls and Isabelle Salters.
In the throws, senior Abby Gerber continues to surpass the A standard in the shot put. She threw 47’ 9 ¼” on Friday while placing second. Dutcher Classic champions out of the throws group included Nathan Baldwin in the discus (171’ 3”), Matthew Boyer in the javelin (179’ 4”) and Abi Wohlgemuth in the hammer (169’ 6”). In the men’s shot put, Bulldogs went 2-3-4 as Carson Fehlhafer (51’ 4 ½”), Baldwin (51’ 4 ½”) and Connor Asche (51’ 1 ¾”) held down those spots. On the women’s side of the javelin, Gretchen Stottlemyre placed second (127’ 8”). In addition, Asche placed second in the men’s hammer (180’ 2”) and Harper Boche placed third in the women’s discus (133’ 2”).
Elsewhere in the field events, Evan Hill (pole vault), McCarter (triple jump) and Amanda Steinke (high jump) were also first-place finishers. Hill achieved a personal best clearance of 14’ 9.” Meanwhile at the Kansas Relays, All-American vaulter Mayson Ostermeyer went over 16’ 3 ½” in Lawrence, Kan., on Thursday and placed second in the men’s unseeded pole vault competition. On the women’s side of the vault, Aliana McNair and Kayla Svoboda tied for second place at the Dutcher Classic.
Beyond the relays, Bulldog winners on the track at the Dutcher Classic were Hannah Beintema and Jarrett Miles in the steeplechase, Trevor Kuncl in the 1,500 meters and Ransom Watts in the 5,000 meters. The Concordia men showed solidly in the 1,500 as Kuncl (4:10.05), Vaughn Hendrickson (4:12.57) and Justin Sherman (4:12.93) went 1-2-3. Beisel liked what he saw in the 5k races as Watts and Jack Ellis were the top finishers on the men’s side and Annika Staab returned from injury on the women’s side.
Said Beisel, “I was pretty thrilled with our steeplechase results. All of our kids had big improvements. That’s important going into this next week. We also got some 5k times down where we wanted them. Annika Staab ran her first collegiate 5k after a long injury recovery. We also got some really marks in the 1,500. Trevor ran that into the wind with no one even close to him. I think he’s got more in him. It’s a matter of him getting more competition … We had a very high percentage of good performances. I’m very proud of all our athletes.”
In the hurdles, sophomore Hayden Kluthe continues to make ground. At the Dutcher Classic, he placed second in both the 110 hurdles (14.90) and 400 hurdles (55.51). On the women’s side, Svoboda ran 14.67 in the 100 hurdles and placed second. On the men’s side of the relays, the Bulldogs ran a 4x1 that clocked in at 44.79. The group was made up of Aaron Everett, Myles Sadd, Isaiah Gaunt and Dalton Amen.
The Dutcher Classic began on Wednesday with multi events. In the women’s heptathlon, Josi Noble led Concordia by racking up 4,193 points (fourth place). She was followed by Emma Kucera (3,872), who placed fifth. In the men’s decathlon, Hank Moore placed seventh (5,720).
Dutcher Classic Event Champions
· Men’s 4x100-meter relay (44.79); Aaron Everett, Myles Sadd, Isaiah Gaunt, Dalton Amen
· Women’s 4x100-meter relay (47.14); Adysen McCarter, Kayla Kirchner, Emily Loseke, Adrianna Rodencal
· Women’s 4x400-meter relay (3:51.24); Adrianna Rodencal, Trinity Tuls, Isabelle Salters, Kayla Kirchner
· Nathan Baldwin: discus (171’ 3”)
· Hannah Beintema: 3,000-meter steeplechase (11:58.26)
· Matthew Boyer: javelin (179’ 4”)
· Evan Hill: pole vault (14’ 9”)
· Trevor Kuncl: 1,500 meters (4:10.05)
· Adysen McCarter: triple jump (37’ 11 ¼”)
· Jarrett Miles: 3,000-meter steeplechase (10:13.49)
· Amanda Steinke: high jump (5’ 3 ¼”)
· Ransom Watts: 5,000 meters (15:43.72)
· Abi Wohlgemuth: hammer (169’ 6”)
Select Bulldogs will continue weekend action at the University of Kansas Relays on Saturday. Coach Ed McLaughlin will put a group of throwers to the test against strong competition in Lawrence. Live results and further information on the Kansas Relays can be found HERE .
Fifty-four Bulldogs represent track & field program with Scholar-Athlete awards Apr. 23, 2025
2024-25 NAIA Spring Sport Scholar-Athlete List
SEWARD, Neb. – Fifty-four Bulldogs from the Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field programs raked in 2024-25 Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athlete awards, as announced by the NAIA on Wednesday (April 23). Twenty-seven of the honorees are repeat award winners from 2023-24. The Bulldog track program annually ranks among the national leaders for NAIA Scholar-Athletes. The 54 Scholar-Athlete number is right in line with the program’s total of 53 from 2024.
In order to be nominated by an institution’s head coach or sports information director, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, must appear on the eligibility certificate for the sport and have attended one full year at said institution.
Three of the 2024-25 NAIA Scholar-Athletes were named 2023-24 Academic All-District award winners by College Sports Communicators: Carson Fehlhafer, Mayson Ostermeyer and Adrianna Rodencal. Ostermeyer was also tabbed an Academic All-American by CSC.
Concordia University, Nebraska ranks as the NAIA’s all-time leader in number of Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes with 2,526 entering the 2024-25 academic year. The school record for number of Scholar-Athletes in one academic year is 226 achieved in 2019-20. Concordia has been a regular national leader for both Scholar-Athletes and Scholar-Teams.
2024-25 Concordia Track & Field Scholar-Athletes
Men
· Nathan Baldwin (Sutton, Neb.)
· Jack Ellis (Bend, Ore.)
· Carson Fehlhafer (Utica, Neb.)
· Thomas Gorline (St. Louis, Mo.)
· Sven Gredelj (Zagreb, Croatia)
· Emry Gutz (Salisbury, Mo.)
· Luke Hammang (Arlington, Neb.)
· Charles Hayden (Elkhorn, Neb.)
· Hayden Kluthe (Ord, Neb.)
· Brooks Kreisel (Blue Springs, Mo.)
· Trevor Kuncl (Mullen, Neb.)
· Aidan Limback (West Des Moines, Iowa)
· Jackson Lindburg (Stromsburg, Neb.)
· Teagan Meyer (Alta, Iowa)
· Hudson Opp (Lincoln, Neb.)
· Mayson Ostermeyer (Crofton, Neb.)
· Nathan Pennekamp (Fort Wayne, Ind.)
· Ryan Pheak (Osceola, Neb.)
· Noah Ramirez (Anaheim, Calif.)
· Thad Rathjen (Osceola, Neb.)
· Ethan Theilen (Cantrall, Ill.)
· Ransom Watts (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Women
· Rachel Ada (DeSoto, Kan.)
· Caitlyn Adams (Beaver Crossing, Neb.)
· Ava Bartels (Lincoln, Neb.)
· Elena Batenhorst (Columbus, Neb.)
· Claire Beikmann (Palmer, Kan.)
· Hannah Beintema (Bettendorf, Iowa)
· Keegan Beisel (Seward, Neb.)
· Erin Boggs (Bertrand, Neb.)
· Greta Corneliusen (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
· Alyssa Ferguson (Harvard, Neb.)
· Molly Frenzen (Columbus, Neb.)
· Abby Gerber (Columbus, Neb.)
· Kelsie Heins (Longmont, Colo.)
· Marissa Heins (Concordia, Mo.)
· Ellie Jander (St. Louis, Mo.)
· Rhaya Kaschinske (Fort Wayne, Ind.)
· Kayla Kirchner (Ogallala, Neb.)
· Emma Kucera (Gibbon, Neb.)
· Emily Loseke (Leigh, Neb.)
· Alyssa Marotz (Norfolk, Neb.)
· Christina Martinson (Wausa, Neb.)
· Ardin Mignea (Las Vegas, Nev.)
· Hayley Miles (North Platte, Neb.)
· Katelyn Nix (Fort Wayne, Ind.)
· Addison Reimer (Lisbon, Wis.)
· Adrianna Rodencal (Lincoln, Neb.)
· Aliyah Sinn (Hanover, Kan.)
· Amanda Steinke (Milwaukee, Wis.)
· Gretchen Stottlemyre (Olympia, Wash.)
· Kayla Svoboda (Wisner, Neb.)
· Trinity Tuls (Columbus, Neb.)
· Landrey Walter (Fort Morgan, Colo.)
Rodencal shines in hurdles, women's 4x4 qualifies for finals at Drake Relays Apr. 25, 2025
DRAKE RELAYS LIVE RESULTS
DES MOINES, Iowa – A group of 12 Bulldogs represented Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field across nine events at the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa, on Friday (April 25). Most notably, junior Adrianna Rodencal outdid herself once again as she reset her own school record in the 100-meter hurdles. She also ran in three separate relays while gliding around the Blue Oval at the event that annually welcomes top athletes from around the country and internationally.
The Drake Relays kicked off a weekend that will see Concordia athletes spread out at three different meets on Saturday. This will be the final weekend of action prior to the 2025 GPAC outdoor championships.
Early in the day on Friday, Rodencal took to the track for the prelims of the 100-meter hurdles. The Lincoln Lutheran product placed third with a time of 13.37 (shattering her previous best of 13.45). Rodencal outran athletes from NCAA Division I schools such as Kentucky, South Dakota, Iowa State, Ohio State, Nebraska and Northern Iowa. The finals of the 100 hurdles are scheduled to take place at 1:19 p.m. CT on Saturday.
Rodencal also ran legs for the 4x1, 4x2 and 4x4 relays on Friday. The 4x4 of Rodencal, Trinity Tuls, Isabelle Salters and Kayla Kirchner clocked a season best of 3:51.06, good for fifth place in the prelims of the college division and a spot in Saturday’s finals. The day ended with the 4x2 that ran 1:41.16 (ninth place) and was made up of Adysen McCarter, Kirchner, Emily Loseke and Rodencal. The 4x1 did not have the day it hoped after breaking the school record a week earlier.
On the men’s side, the Bulldogs entered the Drake Relays in the 4x4 and sprint medley. The 4x4 included Hayden Kluthe, Lucas Corwin, Perry Chadwick and Liam Fagan. That crew crossed the finish line in 3:22.68. The same four Bulldogs (in a different order) later completed the sprint medley in 3:43.53. The sprint medley features a 200, 400, 800 and 1,600 meters in succession.
In field events at the Drake Relays, Nathan Baldwin (discus), Abby Gerber (shot put) and McCarter (triple jump) each put themselves to the test. McCarter flirted with a personal best as she landed at a distance of greater than 38 feet. Baldwin (166’ 8”) and Gerber (44’ 4”) posted strong marks within their respective disciplines.
Drake Relays Friday (April 25) Results
· Women’s 4x100-meter relay: DQ.
· Women’s 4x200-meter relay: placed ninth (1:41.16).
· Women's 4x400-meter relay: placed fifth (3:51.06) in the prelims and qualified for Saturday’s finals.
· Men’s 4x400-meter relay: placed 29th (3:22.68).
· Men’s sprint medley: placed 19th (3:43.53).
· Nathan Baldwin: placed 11th in the discus (166’ 8”).
· Abby Gerber: placed 10th in the shot put (44’ 4”).
· Adysen McCarter: placed 11th in the triple jump (38’ ¼”).
· Adrianna Rodencal: placed third in the prelims of the 100-meter hurdles (13.37) and qualified for Saturday’s finals.
Action will continue on Saturday for Concordia Track & Field, which will have the bulk of its athletes in Lincoln, Neb., for the Prairie Wolf Invite hosted by Nebraska Wesleyan University. In addition, Abi Wohlgemuth (hammer) and Matthew Boyer (javelin) will compete at the Drake Relays while three javelin competitors will be in action in Lawrence, Kan., at the Rock Chalk Classic: Emry Gutz, Stephen Meisel and Gretchen Stottlemyre. For specific details on these Saturday meets, click HERE .
Women's 4x4 qualifies for nationals; Miles claims two jumps titles at Prairie Wolf Invite Apr. 26, 2025
Friday Drake Relays Recap
RESULTS: Prairie Wolf Invite | Drake Relays | Rock Chalk Classic
LINCOLN, Neb. – Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field athletes took advantage of one final day of competition prior to the GPAC Championships. Bulldog athletes were spread across three meets: the Prairie Wolf Invite hosted by Nebraska Wesleyan University, the Drake Relays and the Rock Chalk Classic hosted by the University of Kansas. Among the highlights, Concordia’s women’s 4x400-meter relay clocked an automatic national qualifying time on the Blue Oval and Hayley Miles seized first place in two jumps events at the Prairie Wolf Invite.
The bulk of Head Coach Matt Beisel’s nationally ranked squads (women 13th, men 22nd) appeared at Nebraska Wesleyan on Saturday. For some athletes, it marked the end of the 2025 outdoor season.
In the prelims of the college women’s 4x400-meter relay at the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa, the Bulldog quartet just missed the NAIA auto time while qualifying for finals. A day later, Concordia came up just short of the school record while running 3:47.33 (compared to the 2022 program standard of 3:47.26). Concordia’s national qualifying 4x4 was made up of Adrianna Rodencal (56.19), Trinity Tuls (56.95), Isabelle Salters (57.75) and Kayla Kirchner (56.46). The Lincoln Lutheran alum Rodencal also ran the finals of the 100-meter hurdles on Saturday and placed sixth (13.71). Rodencal’s prelims time of 13.37 broke her own school record.
Meanwhile in Lincoln, Miles won both of her events as she landed marks of 35’ 10 ¾” in the triple jump and 17’ 8” in the long jump. She defeated fields of athletes heavy on GPAC competition. The one other winner for the Bulldogs at the Prairie Wolf Invite was All-American pole vaulter Mayson Ostermeyer, who cleared 15’ 5.” The list of Concordia runners up included Evan Hill in the pole vault (14’ 11”), Tayden Kirchner in the 400 meters (59.99), Trey Robertson in the 1,500 meters (4:01.79), Kayla Svoboda in the 100-meter hurdles (14.76) and the women’s 4x100-meter relay (48.13). The relay featured Cambria Saunders, Kennedy Canales, Coral Collins and Kiki Nyanok.
Other noteworthy efforts on Woody Greeno Track in Lincoln were produced by Easton Fries in the 110-meter hurdles (14.89), Trevor Kuncl in the 1,500 meters (4:03.77) and Saunders in the 100 meters (12.60). The men’s 4x1 of Aaron Everett, Myles Sadd, Isaiah Gaunt and Matthew Wing ran 43.69.
In addition to the titles won by Miles, the jumps crew churned out a third-place triple jumps from Aaron Spivey (44’ 4 ¼”) and Jaelynne Kosmos (34’ 1 ½”) and a fourth-place long jump from Nyanok (17’ 5 ½”).
Three Bulldogs made their way to Lawrence, Kan., on Saturday for the javelin competition at the Rock Chalk Classic. On the men’s side, Emry Gutz placed fourth (178’ 6”) while Stephen Meisel placed ninth (154’ 6”) in a field of 11 athletes. On the women’s side, Gretchen Stottlemyre took sixth place (120’ 10”) out of 24 throwers. In the throws at the Drake Relays, Abi Wohlgemuth placed 15th in the hammer (170’ 4”) while Matthew Boyer scratched in the javelin.
Back in Lincoln, Connor Asche broke 50 feet (50’ 10”) in the shot put and placed third. Austen Rozelle was also a third-place finisher in the discus with a mark of 152’ 10.” In the men’s hammer, Josiah Edwards took fifth (168’ 2”). The women’s hammer competition stretched late into the evening on Saturday and was capped with Marissa Heins placing seventh (150’ 5”) in a large field of 34 athletes.
Prairie Wolf Invite Event Champions
· Hayley Miles: long jump (17’ 8”); triple jump (35’ 10 ¾”)
· Mayson Ostermeyer: pole vault (15’ 5”)
The 2025 GPAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships will unfold next Friday-Saturday (May 2-3) from the Jack Osborne Track Complex on the Hastings College campus. The meet schedule can be found HERE . This past indoor season, the Bulldogs finished with GPAC placements of third on the women’s side and fourth on the men’s side.
Gutz, Ostermeyer, Wohlgemuth win titles, Rodencal re-breaks meet record on day one of GPAC May 2, 2025
GPAC Championships Live Results
HASTINGS, Neb. – In kicking off the 2025 GPAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Hastings, Neb., on Friday (May 2), Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field turned in a strong first day. Sophomore Emery Gutz, junior Mayson Ostermeyer and senior Abi Wohlgemuth put individual GPAC titles on the board while junior Adrianna Rodencal broke another one of her own records. Outside of the heptathlon and decathlon, a total of 16 events unfolded on day one at Jack Osborne Track Complex on the Hastings College campus.
Head Coach Matt Beisel’s men’s and women’s squads combined for 17 total GPAC all-conference placements on Friday. In the team scoring, the Bulldogs have compiled 49 points on the men’s side and 40 points on the women’s side (currently second place for both).
The men’s javelin competition was a battle between Emery and teammate Matthew Boyer, the reigning GPAC champion. Both Gutz and Boyer popped off their best marks on throw No. 1 of the day. Gutz flew past his personal best by more than 10 feet while firing the javelin a distance of 188’ 8.” Meanwhile, Boyer’s throw came in at 187’ 6.” Gutz and Boyer held down the top two spots in the event while earning a combined 18 team points. Stephen Meisel (158’ 8”) also placed eighth in the javelin for one additional team point. As for the Sailsbury, Mo., native Gutz, the performance marked his first career GPAC title.
In the men’s pole vault competition, Ostermeyer (Crofton, Neb.) went toe-to-toe with Midland star athlete Robert Atwater. Both Ostermeyer and Atwater waited until 15’ 3” to enter the fray – and both cleared that height on the first attempt. Both also jumped 15’ 9,” but Ostermeyer prevailed thanks to reaching that mark on his second attempt compared to Atwater pulling it off on attempt No. 3. The win for Ostermeyer, a two-time NAIA All-American, gives him a clean sweep of 2025 GPAC indoor/outdoor pole vault titles. In the same event, teammate Evan Hill placed fifth (14’ 3 ¼”).
The NAIA indoor national runner up in the weight throw, Wohlgemuth (Lincoln Lutheran alum) produced her first career individual GPAC title thanks to a personal best on Friday. Wohlgemuth unleashed the championship winning throw of 180’ on her third attempt. She also turned in three other throws of more than 177 feet. In addition, teammate Abby Gerber placed eighth for one team point. On the men’s side of the hammer, Concordia collected 15 team points as Nathan Baldwin, Connor Asche and Austen Rozelle went 4-5-6.
Already the GPAC meet record holder in the 100-meter hurdles, Rodencal ran 13.63 in the prelims on Friday as she eclipsed her previous GPAC meet standard of 13.90 from 2024. The Lincoln Lutheran alum will take aim at another GPAC Athlete of the Meet award as action heats up on Saturday. She has qualified for the finals in the 100 hurdles and in the 100-meter dash thanks to her time of 12.11 (second place in the prelims). Meanwhile, Kayla Svoboda and Isabelle Salters qualified for the finals of the 100 hurdles and Adysen McCarter did the same in the 100 meters. On the men’s side, Easton Fries has qualified for the finals in the 110-meter hurdles. In the 10,000 meters, Ellie Jander placed sixth for an all-conference medal.
In the women’s long jump, two Bulldogs made strong pushes for conference titles. Kiki Nyanok (18’ 7 ¼”) and Hayley Miles (18’ 1 ½”) both surpassed 18 feet and placed second and third, respectively. Nyanok actually posted the exact same jump as the conference champion, but College of Saint Mary’s Mikaiya Rodgers took the title based on her series of jumps. In continuing a hectic weekend, Rodencal took part in the long jump and placed sixth. Finally, Amanda Steinke placed seventh. In total, Concordia women’s long jumpers accumulated 19 team points.
The meet got started on Friday afternoon with four Bulldogs in action in the women’s heptathlon. After day one, three Concordia athletes are situated within the top eight: Addie Reimer (third), Emma Kucera (sixth) and Kennedee Canales (seventh). The reigning GPAC champ, Josi Noble sits in ninth. Noble came through with the top shot put mark among the heptathletes. The heptathlon will continue on Saturday with the long jump, javelin and 800 meters.
In the only relays contested on Friday, the Bulldogs placed seventh on the women’s side and eighth on the men’s side in the 4x8. The women’s group included Sammi Vojlavek, Katelyn Nix, Caitlyn Adams and Kelsie Heins. The men’s quartet featured Charlie Hayden, Ethan Theilen, Hayden Opp and Nate Nelson.
2025 GPAC Outdoor Champions
· Emery Gutz – Javelin (188’ 8”)
· Mayson Ostermeyer – Pole Vault (15’ 9”)
· Abi Wohlgemuth – Hammer Throw (180’)
The GPAC Championships will resume at 9 a.m. CT on Saturday when the heptathlon and decathlon pick back up. The race walk is slated for 10 a.m. with field events and track events to follow in the afternoon. The awards ceremony is scheduled to take place at approximately 6 p.m.
Rodencal repeats as outstanding athlete; Concordia earns GPAC place finishes of second and fourth May 3, 2025
GPAC Day 1 Recap
HASTINGS, Neb. – Day two of the 2025 GPAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships, characterized by perfect weather conditions, saw junior Adrianna Rodencal put on a show and help lead Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field to a conference runner-up claim on the women’s side. Rodencal took home GPAC Female Outstanding Athlete of the Meet accolades for the fourth time in her career while posting three of the Bulldogs’ combined eight GPAC event titles on the weekend. On the men’s side, Concordia placed fourth as Nathan Baldwin won the conference discus title on Saturday.
Head Coach Matt Beisel’s nationally ranked squads emerged from the championship meet in Hastings with point totals of 163 for the women and 103 for the men.
“We knew we had more potential to put points on the board (at outdoor conference),” Beisel said. “Getting conference runner up is a big deal to all of us. We did it with God’s grace and a lot of hard work on the part of the women. We were able to hold off Dordt after the 5k went in our favor. With the men, we gave it everything we had to try to get third and beat Midland. We ended up in fourth, but not for a lack of outstanding effort on the part of our guys. We had all these conference champions – and to be a conference champion is such a difficult thing.”
For the second time in her career, Rodencal has swept GPAC indoor/outdoor athlete of the meet awards. Her 2025 conference outdoor titles came in the 100- and 400-meter hurdles and in the 200 meters. The other Bulldogs to rise to the top of the podium this weekend included Baldwin, Emery Gutz (javelin), Jonny Jurchen (5,000-meter race walk), Mayson Ostermeyer (pole vault) and Abi Wohlgemuth (hammer). Concordia athletes also combined for eight conference runner-up finishes.
The weekend for Rodencal demands further examination. On Friday, she ran the prelims of the 100 hurdles and 100 meters with the hurdles yielding a GPAC meet record of 13.63. Rodencal came back on Saturday and broke another conference meet record by clocking in at 58.90 in the 400 hurdles (also a school record). The Lincoln Lutheran alum took first in the two hurdles events and in the 200 meters (24.69) and placed second as part of the 4x100-meter relay (46.80), third in the 100 meters (12.12) and sixth in the long jump (17’ 10 ¼”). It all added up to a whopping 41 team points from the remarkable Rodencal, a 10-time GPAC champion in her career.
Day two GPAC titles on the men’s side came courtesy of Baldwin in the discus and Jurchen in the race walk. Baldwin gave the Concordia throws crew a third championship on the weekend as he spun the discus a distance of 169’ 2,” resulting in his first career GPAC title. Austen Rozelle placed fourth in that same event. Also in Saturday’s throwing events, the Bulldogs emerged with two second-place claims in the shot put: Connor Asche (PR of 53’ 6 ¼”) on the men’s side and Abby Gerber (45’ 9 ¾”) on the women’s side. The men’s shot came away with 15 team points after adding the efforts of Baldwin (fourth) and Carson Fehlhafer (seventh).
In the 5,000-meter race walk, Jonny “The Jet” Jurchen automatically qualified for nationals with his personal best of 23:47.39. A special freshman season already included a GPAC indoor race walk title and All-America medal for the Seward native Jurchen. He was backed in the event on Saturday by teammate Luke Hammang, who posted a NAIA B standard of 24:03.73 and placed second.
The list of Bulldog runners up at the GPAC Championships included the women’s 4x1 and 4x4 relays, Asche and Gerber in the shot put, Hammang in the race walk, Matthew Boyer in the javelin, Kiki Nyanok in the long jump and Adysen McCarter in the triple jump. Both Nyanok and McCarter made significant pushes to win GPAC titles. A freshman from Overton, Neb., McCarter eclipsed her own school record in the triple jump by landing at 39’ 1 ¾,” a mark that pushes her to No. 14 on the NAIA national list. The triple jump was a fruitful event on Saturday as Concordia went 2-5-7 courtesy of McCarter, Josi Noble and Hayley Miles.
The 4x1 school record came in at 46.80 (now No. 13 on the national list) and included McCarter, Kayla Kirchner, Emily Loseke and Rodencal. In closing out the meet on the women’s side, the 4x4 ran 3:56.97 as Rodencal sat it out – a well-earned break. The 4x4 was made up of Trinity Tuls, Tayden Kirchner, Isabelle Salters and Kayla Kirchner. In the open 400 meters, Kayla Kirchner (third), Tuls (fourth), Loseke (seventh) and Isabelle Salters (eighth) each scored team points.
Breaking things down further, not previously mentioned Bulldogs who placed third in an event were Baldwin (hammer), Easton Fries (400 hurdles), Miles (long jump) and Addie Reimer (heptathlon). Four Concordia athletes scored in the heptathlon as Reimer was joined with medals by teammates Emma Kucera (fifth), Noble (seventh) and Kennedee Canales (eighth). Reimer’s 4,204 points put her No. 18 on the national list.
The GPAC Championships of 2025 saw the Bulldogs place in the top three in both indoor and outdoor for women and fourth in both indoor and outdoor for men. From an overall perspective, the weekend in Hastings went about as well as Beisel and his staff could have hoped it would.
Said Beisel, “In every conference meet, anything can happen. You’re always going to have some really good things happen, and you’re going to have some disappointments. You never know who it’s going to be. When you have a letdown, you have to clear your mind and focus back on the team. Our athletes absolutely did that the whole day. They were lining the fences, cheering and screaming. I’m excited to see what the Twilight meet brings and then on to nationals. I’m very grateful for our coaches and how they work and work and put everything into these athletes.”
2025 GPAC Outdoor Champions
· Nathan Baldwin – Discus (169’ 2”)
· Emery Gutz – Javelin (188’ 8”)
· Jonny Jurchen – 5,000m Race Walk (23:47.39)
· Mayson Ostermeyer – Pole Vault (15’ 9”)
· Adrianna Rodencal – 100m Hurdles (13.66 in finals); 400m Hurdles (58.90); 200 Meters (24.69)
· Abi Wohlgemuth – Hammer Throw (180’)
NOTE: All athletes who earn top eight individual finishes – and all athletes who contribute to top three relays – are recognized as GPAC All-Conference award winners. A full list of Concordia’s all-conference honorees will be posted in a later release.
Another two meets remain prior to the national championships. Coming up on Friday, May 9, the Bulldogs will host the annual Concordia Twilight. Select Concordia athletes will also compete at the Loper Twilight Meet on May 10 as a final chance opportunity for national qualifying marks.
Rodencal earns high honors; 39 Bulldogs collect 2025 outdoor all-conference awards May 8, 2025
2025 GPAC Outdoor Track & Field All-Conference Release
Special Awards:
· Adrianna Rodencal: 2025 GPAC Outdoor Track & Field Female Athlete of the Year; Women’s Track Performance of the Meet (GPAC record 58.90 in 400 hurdles)
· Abi Wohlgemuth: 2025 GPAC Women’s Field Performance of the Meet (180’ 1” in hammer throw)
SEWARD, Neb. – She did it again. On the heels of an astounding series of performances at the 2025 GPAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Adrianna Rodencal has been named the 2025 GPAC Outdoor Female Athlete of the Year. The announcement came from the league office on Thursday (May 8) in conjunction with other major outdoor awards named by the GPAC. Rodencal is one of 39 athletes from Concordia University, Track & Field to garner outdoor all-conference recognition, based on their efforts at the conference meet in Hastings. Additionally, Rodencal earned the Women’s Track Performance of the Meet award (400 hurdles) and Abi Wohlgemuth pulled in the Women’s Field Performance of the Meet award (hammer throw).
Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squads turned in 2025 GPAC outdoor placements of second on the women’s side and fourth on the men’s side. Beisel’s staff includes full-time assistants Ed McLaughlin and Mark Samuels, pole vault coach Jason Berry, graduate assistants Lia Guigui and Darien Semedo and race walk coach Steve Hoger.
Rodencal took home three of the Bulldogs’ eight GPAC gold medals earned at the conference championships. Rodencal broke GPAC meet records in the 100 hurdles (13.63) and 400 hurdles (58.90) as part of GPAC title-winning races. She also won the 200 meters in the process of scoring 41 team points. Other Concordia GPAC champions were Nathan Baldwin (discus), Emery Gutz (javelin), Jonny Jurchen (5,000-meter race walk), Mayson Ostermeyer (pole vault) and Abi Wohlgemuth (hammer). Both Jurchen and Wohlgemuth posted fresh automatic national qualifying marks at the conference meet. Wohlgemuth’s award winning toss in the hammer came in at 180’ 1.”
Including Rodencal, there are five Bulldogs who earned All-GPAC honors in three or more events. The others are Baldwin, Kayla Kirchner, Adysen McCarter and Isabelle Salters. Baldwin topped the men’s team with 21 points scored at the conference meet. A Seward native, Jurchen now holds GPAC meet records in the race walk for both indoor and outdoor.
The outdoor campaign will continue this Friday-Saturday with the Concordia Twilight and Loper Twilight meets. For more details on those meets, click HERE .
2025 GPAC Outdoor All-Conference
MEN
· Connor Asche – shot put (2nd); hammer throw (4th)
· Nathan Baldwin – discus (1st); hammer throw (3rd); shot put (4th)
· Matthew Boyer – javelin (2nd)
· Carson Fehlhafer – shot put (7th)
· Easton Fries – 400m hurdles (3rd); 110m hurdles (4th)
· Emry Gutz – javelin (1st)
· Luke Hammang – 5,000m race walk (2nd)
· Evan Hill – pole vault (5th)
· Jonny Jurchen – 5,000m race walk (1st)
· Stephen Meisel – javelin (8th)
· Jarrett Miles – 3,000m steeplechase (4th)
· Sam Olson – 5,000m race walk (4th)
· Mayson Ostermeyer – pole vault (1st)
· Trey Robertson – 1,500 meters (7th); 5,000 meters (7th)
· Austen Rozelle – discus (4th); hammer throw (5th)
· Aaron Spivey – triple jump (8th)
· Cole Yunker – 3,000m steeplechase (7th)
WOMEN
· Kennedee Canales – heptathlon (8th)
· Lydia Edmonds – 3,000m steeplechase (6th)
· Abby Gerber – shot put (2nd); hammer throw (8th)
· Ellie Jander – 10,000 meters (6th); 5,000 meters (7th)
· Kayla Kirchner – 4x100m relay (2nd); 4x400m relay (2nd); 400 meters (3rd); 200 meters (7th)
· Tayden Kirchner – 4x400m relay (2nd)
· Carissa Kolle – discus (7th)
· Emma Kucera – heptathlon (5th)
· Emily Loseke – 4x100m relay (2nd); 400 meters (7th)
· Adysen McCarter – triple jump (2nd); 4x100m relay (2nd); 100 meters (8th)
· Hayley Miles – long jump (3rd); triple jump (7th)
· Josi Noble – triple jump (5th); heptathlon (7th)
· Kiki Nyanok – long jump (2nd)
· Addie Reimer – heptathlon (3rd)
· Lillee Richard – pole vault (7th)
· Adrianna Rodencal – 200 meters (1st); 100 hurdles (1st); 400 hurdles (1st); 4x100m relay (2nd); 100 meters (3rd); long jump (6th)
· Isabelle Salters – 4x400m relay (2nd); 100 hurdles (6th); 400 meters (8th)
· Amanda Steinke – high jump (4th); long jump (7th)
· Kayla Svoboda – 100 hurdles (5th); pole vault (6th)
· Trinity Tuls – 4x400m relay (2nd); 400 meters (5th)
· Landrey Walter – 400 hurdles (8th)
· Abi Wohlgemuth – hammer throw (1st)
Asche, Wohlgemuth hammer out PR's, Reimer improves nationals positioning at Twilight May 9, 2025
Twilight Meet Results | Concordia T&F YouTube
Photo Gallery (@cunebulldogs Instagram) >>>
SEWARD, Neb. – On the eve of the 2025 graduation ceremony on the Concordia University, Nebraska campus, Bulldog Track & Field took advantage of a warm and near wind-less Friday (May 9) to host one final meet. As part of the annual Concordia Twilight, five Bulldogs won event championships and standouts such as throwers Connor Asche and Abi Wohlgemuth and multi-event athlete Addie Reimer improved their positioning for the national championships. For some, the Twilight marked the final meet of their collegiate careers.
Head Coach Matt Beisel’s nationally ranked programs welcomed to Bulldog Stadium athletes from more than 30 institutions. Competition from strong NAIA and NCAA Division II athletes provided the Bulldogs the push they needed on an action-packed evening.
“It was beautiful weather – about the best you could ask for,” Beisel said. “We had great performances and we had some seniors who had their last track meet ever. We got a couple athletes moving into the top 16 nationally and a lot of personal bests. We also had a lot of people working together to run off a great meet.”
In her only event of the meet, Wohlgemuth shined one week after capturing her first career GPAC title. The Lincoln Lutheran alum took her conference championship throw a step farther by whirling the hammer a personal best distance of 182’ 5” on Friday. Based on the national leaderboard entering the weekend, that mark ranks second best in the NAIA this season. Wohlgemuth was the NAIA indoor national runner up in the weight throw.
Said Wohlgemuth of her Twilight performance, “I was just hoping not to get rusty before nationals in two weeks. I wanted to see if I could get a good mark on the first throw and hopefully set myself up for the next two throws and make finals. That was our goal. Ed and I talked about it – to go out there and try to rip one and see how far it could go.”
Later in the day, Asche was seen shouting with joy and pumping his fists after his career best toss of 185 feet in the hammer. Based on the current NAIA leaderboard, Asche vaulted himself into the top 16 as he seeks national qualification in both the hammer and the shot put. While the efforts of Asche and Wohlgemuth were the highlights of the Twilight for the throws crew, 2024 All-American Gretchen Stottlemyre recorded a season best in the javelin with a B standard of 133’ 6.” Additionally, Abby Gerber won the “unseeded” women’s hammer competition with a season best B mark of 167’ 5.” On the men’s side, Austen Rozelle hit B standards with season bests in the discus (164’ 2”) and hammer (181’) while making a push of his own to get to nationals.
The heptathlon was a late addition to the Concordia Twilight and may have helped Reimer earn her way to the national meet. The sophomore from Lisbon, Wis., piled up 4,351 points in the Twilight heptathlon competition and has leapt into the top 16 on the national list. Meanwhile, teammate Josi Noble wound up with 4,169 heptathlon points in her pursuit of a trip to nationals. A past All-American, Noble currently sits just outside the NAIA top 16.
In the race walk, freshman Jonny Jurchen again eclipsed the NAIA automatic qualifying time while crossing the finish line in 23:51.83 as the top competitor at the Twilight. Jurchen has locked up his spot at the national meet and could be joined in Marion, Ind., by teammate Luke Hammang. The pair have helped revive the race walk at Concordia in a significant way. On Friday, Sam Olson (PR of 26:35.75) placed second to Jurchen.
There were plenty of other notable performances at the Twilight. In the long jump, Kiki Nyanok again flirted with an NAIA B standard while landing at 18’ 9 ¾ (0.02 meters from the B). In that same event, Hayley Miles jumped 17 feet. In the high jump, Amanda Steinke placed third by clearing 5’ 1 ¾.”
Per usual, junior Mayson Ostermeyer rose to the top of the podium in the pole vault. The Crofton, Neb., native rose above 15’ 7 ¼” at the Twilight. In that competition, loud roars rang out when junior Evan Hill went over 15 feet (15’ 1 ½”) for a personal best. On the women’s side of the vault, Erin Boggs jumped 10’ 7” to lead the way.
Elsewhere on the track, junior Kayla Svoboda ran a solid time of 14.47 in the prelims (14.63 in the finals) in the 100-meter hurdles. In a strong event for the Bulldogs, four women’s athletes ran under a minute in the 400 meters: Kayla Kirchner (57.27), Emily Loseke (58.86), Tayden Kirchner (59.75) and Isabelle Salters (59.97). In races that were loaded with Concordia athletes, Justin Sherman paced the squad in the 800 meters (1:56.63) and Aidan Limback led the pack in the 5,000 meters (15:56.36). Trinity Tuls ran the women’s 800 meters in 2:17.79.
Less than a week after competing in six events in a sterling outing at the GPAC Championships, Adrianna Rodencal took in the Twilight Meet and pitched in as a meet worker. Rodencal’s body earned the rest after she broke two GPAC meet records a week ago.
Said Rodencal as the Twilight unfolded, “A lot of it was the coaches. We went into this year knowing that I had a lot of events I could do. As it got closer to conference, it was like, how many do you want to do? I wanted to do as many as I could. The goal was to get athlete of the meet again and repeat what I did freshman year. A lot of it was the coaches believing in me and giving me workouts that would help. … it all kind of worked out.”
Concordia Twilight Champions
· Connor Asche: unseeded hammer throw (185’)
· Abby Gerber: unseeded hammer throw (167’ 5”)
· Mayson Ostermeyer: pole vault (15’ 7 ¼”)
· Jonny Jurchen: 5,000-meter race walk (23:51.83)
· Addie Reimer: heptathlon (4,351)
Select athletes (mostly field events) will also be in action on Saturday at the Loper Twilight hosted by the University of Nebraska-Kearney. The first events are slated to go off at 2 p.m. CT from Kearney High School. More details about the meet can be found HERE .
Stottlemyre pops PR as 23 Bulldogs compete at Loper Twilight May 10, 2025
Loper Twilight Results
KEARNEY, Neb. – A group of 23 Bulldogs entered into competition on Saturday (May 10) at the Loper Twilight hosted by the University of Nebraska-Kearney at Kearney High School. In headlining the efforts of 19 throwers that represented Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field in Kearney, senior Gretchen Stottlemyre seized the moment by unleashing a personal best in the javelin. The Bulldogs also had three entries in the women’s pole vault and Kiki Nyanok in the women’s long jump in the final outing prior to the national championships.
Head Coach Matt Beisel’s programs hosted the Concordia Twilight on Friday when both Connor Asche and Abi Wohlgemuth turned in hammer throw PR’s and Addie Reimer put herself in prime position for a spot in the heptathlon national field.
A 2024 NAIA All-American in the javelin, Stottlemyre entered Saturday’s action on the bubble in terms of her national qualifying prospects. Her chances have skyrocketed after she popped off a PR on her third attempt at the Loper Twilight. The toss landed at 138’ 8” and put Stottlemyre in third place out of a field of six athletes in Kearney. That mark represents an NAIA B standard and moves the Olympia, Wash., native to 12th on the current NAIA national list.
Stottlemyre’s throw in the javelin was the one big breakthrough on Saturday. Across the throwing events at the Loper Twilight, Concordia’s top marks were delivered on the men’s side by Nathan Baldwin in the hammer (172’ 10”) and discus (167’ 2”), Stephen Meisel in the javelin (159’ 3”) and Asche in the shot put (50’ 11”). On the women’s side, the best efforts came courtesy of Stottlemyre in the javelin, Brittni Kinne in the hammer (150’ 2”), Carissa Kolle in the discus (125’ 11”) and Harper Boche in the shot put (39’ 5 ¾”).
The GPAC runner up in the long jump, Nyanok has consistently eclipsed 18 feet in the event. She did so again on Saturday with a jump of 18’ 2 ½” (the NAIA B standard is 18’ 10 ½”). Meanwhile, in the women’s pole vault, Kayla Svoboda paced a trio of Bulldogs by clearing a season best of 11’ ¾.”
All that remains this season are the 2025 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships. For the third-straight year, the outdoor national meet will be staged in Marion, Ind., home to Indiana Wesleyan University. The meet will run May 21-23. Official national qualifiers will be announced next week by the NAIA.
Bulldogs reveal 2025 outdoor national qualifying roster May 14, 2025
NAIA National Qualifiers: Men | Women
SEWARD, Neb. – The field of 2025 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships qualifiers has been solidified. In conjunction with the NAIA’s release on Wednesday (May 14), the Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field program has announced its nationals roster of 20 individuals (including 12 women and eight men). The championship meet will run May 21-23 at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Ind. This will mark the third-straight year that Indiana Wesleyan has hosted the outdoor national championships.
Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squads are coming off conference places finishes of second for the women and fourth for the men at the 2025 GPAC Outdoor Championships hosted by Hastings. In the most recent NAIA ratings (May 13) released by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, Concordia appeared at No. 7 on the women’s side and at No. 20 on the men’s side.
The women placed 20th at this past NAIA indoor national championship meet. GPAC Athlete of the Year Adrianna Rodencal will have the most hectic week in Marion as she competes in four separate events. Rodencal earned her first career All-America award back in March and appears poised to add to her medal count. Concordia’s women’s field also features previous All-Americans in Abby Gerber, Kayla Kirchner, Isabelle Salters, Gretchen Stottlemyre, Trinity Tuls and Abi Wohlgemuth. The Bulldog women earned national qualifications in two relays (4x1 and 4x4).
On the men’s side, Concordia is especially loaded with throwers and race walkers. In addition, pole vaulter Mayson Ostermeyer will take aim at a third career All-America award. Freshman Jonny Jurchen leads the way for a crew of three race walkers. In his rookie year, Jurchen has already collected two GPAC titles and an All-America medal. In the throws, senior Austen Rozelle has previously ascended to the podium in the discus. He’ll be joined in Marion by three throws teammates on the men’s side.
Two Bulldogs will make their first-ever appearance at a national championship meet: Nathan Baldwin and Sam Olson. Including Olson, there are four freshmen heading to Marion. The others are Harper Boche, Jonny Jurchen and Adysen McCarter. Meanwhile, eight Concordia seniors are slated to compete at the collegiate level for the final time.
For additional details on the national meet, visit the NAIA website HERE .
2025 NAIA Outdoor National Qualifiers
--National seed and season best in parentheses
MEN
· Connor Asche, senior
· Nathan Baldwin, sophomore
· Matthew Boyer, junior
· Luke Hammang, sophomore
· Jonny Jurchen, freshman
· Sam Olson, freshman
· Mayson Ostermeyer, junior
· Austen Rozelle, senior
WOMEN
· Harper Boche, freshman
· Abby Gerber, senior
· Kayla Kirchner, junior
· Emily Loseke, senior
· Adysen McCarter, freshman
· Addie Reimer, sophomore
· Adrianna Rodencal, junior
--400 Meter Hurdles (2nd, 58.90)
· Isabelle Salters, senior
· Cambria Saunders, sophomore
· Gretchen Stottlemyre, senior
· Trinity Tuls, senior
· Abi Wohlgemuth, senior
2025 Concordia Indoor National Qualifiers – a closer look Connor Asche, senior (third trip to nationals)Nathan Baldwin, sophomore (first trip to nationals)Harper Boche, freshman (second trip to nationals)Matthew Boyer, junior (second trip to nationals)Abby Gerber, senior (ninth trip to nationals; three All-America awards)Luke Hammang, sophomore (third trip to nationals)Jonny Jurchen, freshman (second trip to nationals; one All-America award)Kayla Kirchner, junior (fifth trip to nationals; two All-America awards)Emily Loseke, senior (third trip to nationals)Adysen McCarter, freshman (second trip to nationals)Sam Olson, freshman (first trip to nationals)Mayson Ostermeyer, junior (fourth trip to nationals; two All-America awards)Addie Reimer, sophomore (second trip to nationals)Adrianna Rodencal, junior (sixth trip to nationals; one All-America award)Austen Rozelle, senior (fourth trip to nationals; one All-America award)Isabelle Salters, senior (fourth trip to nationals; one All-America award)Cambria Saunders, sophomore (second trip to nationals)Gretchen Stottlemyre, senior (third trip to nationals; one All-America award)Trinity Tuls, senior (seventh trip to nationals; four All-America awards)Abi Wohlgemuth, senior (sixth trip to nationals; two All-America awards)
Rodencal named Midwest Region Women's Track Athlete of the Year by USTFCCCA May 16, 2025
USTFCCCA Release
SEWARD, Neb. – In acknowledgement of a tremendous outdoor season, junior Adrianna Rodencal has been named the NAIA Midwest Region Women’s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The organization announced its full list of NAIA regional award winners on Friday (May 16). Rodencal has claimed this distinction for the first time in her standout career as a member of the Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field program.
The accolade adds to a growing list of awards earned by Rodencal, who blazed to a sweep of 2025 GPAC Indoor/Outdoor Women’s Athlete of the Year honors. As part of this outdoor season, Rodencal won conference titles in the 100-meter and 400-meter hurdles and the 200-meter dash as she compiled 41 points at the GPAC Championships. Rodencal also broke conference meet records in the 100 hurdles (13.63) and 400 hurdles (58.90). The Lincoln Lutheran High School alum is slated to compete in four different events at the 2025 NAIA Track & Field National Championships. Heading into the national meet, Rodencal is seeded second in the 400 hurdles, third in the 100 hurdles, fourth in the 4x400-meter relay and 14th in the 4x100-meter relay.
This past indoor season, Rodencal placed fifth in the 60-meter hurdles at the NAIA indoor national meet and earned an All-America medal. In her career, Rodencal has claimed 10 GPAC individual titles, four GPAC Athlete of the Year awards and has helped the Bulldogs win four GPAC team championships.
Adrianna Rodencal 2024-25 Awards:
· 2025 GPAC Outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year
· 2025 GPAC Outdoor Track & Field Outstanding Athlete of the Meet
· 2025 GPAC Indoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year
· 2025 GPAC Indoor Track & Field Outstanding Athlete of the Meet
· 2025 USTFCCCA NAIA Midwest Region Track Athlete of the Year
· Four GPAC Athlete of the Week awards
· NAIA Scholar-Athlete
On Thursday, May 15, Rodencal joined the Bulldog Coaches Show. The show can be replayed via Max Country’s website: https://ruralradio.com/maxcountry/podcast-sports/ .
Day 1 Recap: Rodencal reaches finals of 400 hurdles, 12 Bulldogs compete on chilly day May 21, 2025
NAIA National Championships Live Results
Concordia T&F YouTube
MARION, Ind. – Temperatures in the 50s combined with spotty rain showers and breezy conditions characterized the opening day of the 2025 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships in Marion, Ind. Junior star Adrianna Rodencal won her preliminary heat in the 400-meter hurdles as she got going on what she hopes to make a memorable few days on the campus of Indiana Wesleyan University. Rodencal was one of 12 Bulldogs to showcase their abilities on Wednesday (May 21).
Head Coach Matt Beisel’s nationally ranked squads traveled a total of 20 athletes to Marion, which is home to the outdoor national meet for the third-straight year.
In following up her astounding GPAC Championship meet performance, the GPAC Athlete of the Year Rodencal is in pursuit of big things this week in Marion. Early in the evening on Wednesday, Rodencal hummed around the track for a 400-meter hurdle prelims time of 1:00.61. Rodencal won her heat and came in at No. 2 overall in the prelims. Rodencal hopes to also qualify for the finals in the 100 hurdles when the prelims for that event take place on Thursday afternoon. She is set to compete in four events at the national meet.
On the men’s side of the hammer throw, the Bulldogs were represented by seniors Connor Asche and Austen Rozelle and sophomore Nathan Baldwin. The trio placed in succession in the event as Rozelle (182’ 3”), Asche (181’) and Baldwin (180’ 7”) finished 13th, 14th and 15th, respectively. The mark for the Wauneta, Neb., native Rozelle landed at a personal best distance and pushed him beyond his seeding (22nd) entering the national meet. Baldwin and Rozelle will be back in action in the discus on Thursday.
The women’s competition followed the men in the hammer cage. Unfortunately, disappointment was felt for GPAC champion Abi Wohlgemuth, who scratched her three throws. It marked the end of the college career of Wohlgemuth, who was the 2025 NAIA indoor national runner up in the weight throw. Meanwhile, teammate Abi Gerber placed 16th in the hammer with a mark of 160’ 11.” Gerber will return to the ring for the shot put on Thursday.
Reimer kicked off the meet from a Bulldog perspective as she cut through a light rain while running the heptathlon 100-meter hurdles on Wednesday morning. With four events complete, Reimer sits in 15th place. In Wednesday’s action, she posted marks of 15.98 in the 100 hurdles, 5’ ¼” in the high jump, 31’ 8” in the shot put and 27.72 in the 200 meters.
In her first appearance on the track of the championship meet, Rodencal ran the anchor leg for the 4x100-meter relay. Rodencal and her teammates finished in 47.32, placing Concordia in 15th place. The first three legs were carried by Adysen McCarter, Kayla Kirchner and Emily Loseke. That crew ran a school record time (46.80) at the GPAC Championships.
Coach Ed McLaughlin’s throws crew also entered one qualifier in both the men’s and women’s javelin competitions. On the men’s side, junior Matthew Boyer unleashed his best throw of the day on his third attempt. The mark of 189’ 7” placed Boyer in 12th. To cap the day for Bulldog athletes, senior Gretchen Stottlemyre (2024 All-American) wrapped up her collegiate career by throwing 127’ 6” in the javelin. Stottlemyre sat in sixth place after the second flight before being bumped outside of the top 10.
A total of 13 Concordia athletes are slated to compete on Thursday (see schedule below). The action can be watched live via the NAIA Network .
Concordia Thursday (May 22) Schedule:
Times are EDT to reflect local time in Marion.
· 11:00 a.m. – Women’s Heptathlon : Addie Reimer
· 1:00 p.m. – Women’s Shot Put : Harper Boche and Abby Gerber
· 2:00 p.m. – Women’s 100m Hurdle Prelims : Adrianna Rodencal
· 5:15 p.m. – Men’s 5,000m Race Walk : Luke Hammang, Jonny Jurchen and Sam Olson
· 5:30 p.m. – Women’s Triple Jump : Adysen McCarter
· 6:00 p.m. – Men’s Discus : Nathan Baldwin and Austen Rozelle
· 8:15 p.m. – Women’s 4x400m Relay Prelims : Adrianna Rodencal, Trinity Tuls, Isabelle Salters and Kayla Kirchner
Day 2 Recap: Gerber claims national runner-up status; Baldwin earns first All-America award May 22, 2025
NAIA National Championships Live Results
Day 1 Recap | Concordia T&F YouTube
MARION, Ind. – The first two All-America awards of the week for Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field were delivered on Thursday (May 22) in the throws. Senior Abby Gerber wrapped up her college career with a national runner-up claim in the shot put while redshirt freshman Nathan Baldwin ascended onto the podium in his first appearance on the national stage. Their efforts were major highlights on day two of the 2025 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships in Marion, Ind., where the weather has been unseasonably cold and windy. To cap the evening, the Bulldog women’s 4x400-meter relay qualified for the finals while led by the extraordinary Adrianna Rodencal.
There were 13 total Bulldogs who represented Head Coach Matt Beisel’s programs on day two of the championship meet. Concordia traveled 20 athletes to Marion.
A Columbus, Neb., native, Gerber went out in style as she seized the fourth NAIA All-America medal of her career. After placing eighth in the shot put at indoor nationals, Gerber briefly held the national lead in Thursday’s competition when she popped off a throw of 48’ 5” on her second attempt. An impressive series continued as Gerber whirled marks of 49’ 7 ¾” (personal best) and 49’ 6” in the finals. In the program’s history, only Samantha Liermann (50’ 8 ¼”) and Tierra Hubbard (50’ 2”) have out-distanced Gerber in the women’s outdoor shot put.
Said Gerber, “It’s what you’ve been working for all year, all season and all five years in my case. It was nice to have it actually happen for once at a meet, especially the big one. It was amazing … I scared Sam, our record holder, a little bit. I take a little pride in that, that I was that close.”
The GPAC champion in the discus, Baldwin added to an already stellar outdoor season while grabbing All-America honors. The Sutton, Neb., native got the job done with his very first throw, which sailed a distance of 160’ 10.” This is a starting point for Baldwin, who has a bright collegiate career ahead of him. He entered the national meet seeded fifth and carried high expectations into the week.
Said Baldwin, “I’m very grateful that I was able to come out and throw, but I really thought I was going to do a little better. I had a throw that could have done a little better (but was a scratch), but it’s pretty good, so I’ll take it … The nerves weren’t really that bad in the moment. In the days leading up to it, I was really nervous. Once I stepped in the ring, I was pretty calm. I just tried to do what I was working on.”
The GPAC Athlete of the Year Rodencal will have three finals races to run on Friday. One day after qualifying in the 400-meter hurdles (1:00.61), the Lincoln Lutheran alum did the same in the 100-meter hurdles. Her time of 13.73 put her in first in her heat and in third overall in the prelims. Late in the evening as the temperatures dropped, Rodencal returned to the track to run the anchor leg for the 4x4. She was followed in the relay by Trinity Tuls, Isabelle Salters and Kayla Kirchner. Collectively, they finished in 3:52.61. The entire group is made up of past All-America award winners. The finals of the 4x4 will polish off the meet for Concordia on Friday.
In the men’s 5,000-meter race walk, three Bulldogs tested themselves against the national field. An indoor All-American and two-time GPAC champion, freshman Jonny ‘The Jet’ Jurchen led the Concordia trio by placing 11th with a time of 24:09.06. In his first experience at a national meet, freshman Sam Olson placed 18th (27:37.82). Meanwhile, sophomore Luke Hammang pulled out of the race in what marked his third trip to nationals.
Sophomore Addie Reimer of Lisbon, Wis., moved up a spot (to 14th place) on the second and final day of action in the heptathlon. On day two, Reimer landed at 15’ 2 ¼” in the long jump, fired the javelin a distance of 107’ 5” and ran 2:42.82 in the 800 meters. Reimers finished with 4,063 points in her first time qualifying in the heptathlon.
A national qualifier for both indoor and outdoor as a freshman, Adysen McCarter capped her rookie season by placing 19th in the triple jump (38’). The native of Overton, Neb., set a new school standard in the event with her personal best of 39’ 1 ¾” achieved at the GPAC Championships.
The shot put competition on Thursday also featured freshman Harper Boche. The two-time national qualifier Boche wound up in 16th place with her toss of 42’ 5 ½” that came on her final attempt. On the men’s side of the discus, 2023 All-American Austen Rozelle, a senior from Wauneta, Neb., placed 20th with a mark of 151’ 8.” Rozelle also joined Baldwin and Connor Asche in the hammer throw on day one of nationals.
Rodencal will take center stage all afternoon for the Bulldogs on Friday. The final day of the meet will also feature Mayson Ostermeyer in the pole vault and Connor Asche in the shot put. All the action can be watched live via the NAIA Network .
2025 NAIA Outdoor All-Americans
· Nathan Baldwin – Discus (8th | 160’ 10”)
· Abby Gerber – Shot Put (2nd | 49’ 7 ¾”)
Concordia Friday (May 23) Schedule:
Times are EDT to reflect local time in Marion.
· 1:00 p.m. – Men’s Pole Vault : Mayson Ostermeyer
· 1:00 p.m. – Men’s Shot Put : Connor Asche
· 2:20 p.m. – Women’s 100m Hurdle Final : Adrianna Rodencal
· 3:10 p.m. – Women’s 400m Hurdle Final : Adrianna Rodencal
· 5:15 p.m. – Women’s 4x400m Relay Final : Adrianna Rodencal, Trinity Tuls, Isabelle Salters and Kayla Kirchner
Day 3 Recap: Remarkable Rodencal reels in three All-America awards, leads women to ninth-place team finish May 23, 2025
MARION, Ind. – One year ago, junior Adrianna Rodencal walked away from Marion, Ind., without any medals. This time around, the Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field star was in it to win it. She completed a remarkable junior outdoor season on Friday (May 23) with two hurdles place finishes in the top three while claiming a third All-America award as part of the 4x4 relay on the final day of the 2025 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships. There were six Bulldogs who competed on day three of nationals.
The exploits of Rodencal combined with a national runner-up medal in the shot put for senior Abby Gerber yielded an NAIA outdoor nationals finish of ninth place (24 team points) for Head Coach Matt Beisel’s women’s program. Meanwhile, the men’s one team point came courtesy of redshirt freshman Nathan Baldwin in the discus. Six individuals earned NAIA outdoor All-America status while representing Concordia.
“(It’s an) Incredible family,” Beisel said. “These athletes, coaches and staff bring so much joy to my heart. God brought all of us here at this time and blesses these relationships. I just get goosebumps so many times when watching them or talking to them. That’s really what this is all about. Like any meet, we had some disappointments, and we also had some huge highlights. I’m really proud of everybody. That’s my biggest takeaway – the connections. We also have an incredible family support base. So many parents, family members and friends came to support and watch.”
On the national stage, Rodencal ran two hurdles times faster than anyone else has ever run those events in the history of Concordia Women’s Track & Field. A very real contender to take a national title in the 400-meter hurdles, Rodencal gave three-time national champion Hannah Antkoviak of Olivet Nazarene University (Ill.) a close battle to the finish. Rodencal crossed the line in 59.28, making her the national runner up to Antkoviak (58.94). Roughly an hour earlier, Rodencal ran 13.54 in the 100 hurdles and placed third. Comparatively, Rodencal’s school records in the hurdles events stand at 13.37 in the 100 and 58.90 in the 400.
Two hours later, Rodencal returned to the track to run the leadoff leg for the Bulldog 4x4. Rodencal teamed up with seniors Trinity Tuls and Isabelle Salters and junior Kayla Kirchner for a time of 3:51.02, good for seventh place. The combination of Rodencal and Tuls was timed at 1:55.45 while Salters (58.72) and Kirchner (56.84) followed with strong splits. The race represented the end of the careers for Salters and Tuls. A native of Columbus, Neb., Tuls has been part of five All-America 4x4s in her collegiate career.
One of the greatest outdoor track seasons ever put forth by a Bulldog is a credit to the determination and focused pursuits of Rodencal and her event coach, Mark Samuels. Throughout the course of the day, Samuels placed three medals over Rodencal. And she’s not done yet.
As her medals clinked together during a post-meet interview Rodencal stated, “I’m so happy. This is something I’ve been dreaming about and talking to Coach about since indoor season. I’m so glad it finally worked. We did everything we needed to do to go from not making finals last year to four-time All-American now. It kind of sounds pretty nice … A lot of it was praying and allowing God to work through me. I’m just glad it turned out to similar ways I was thinking and hoping for. I put a lot of trust in my teammates and coaches.”
As the final thrower in action wearing the baby blues this week, senior Connor Asche came within a foot of a personal best with his second attempt in the shot put on Friday. His toss landed at 52’ 7” for the fifth best mark in the first flight. Ultimately, Asche finished in 19th place. The Geneva, Neb., native also qualified in the hammer and made his third career appearance at a national meet.
A cranky back made life challenging this outdoor season for two-time All-American and two-time GPAC champion Mayson Ostermeyer. The junior from Crofton, Neb., missed on three attempts at 15’ 7” in Friday’s pole vault competition. Seeded No. 2 nationally, a healthy Ostermeyer was capable of making a run at a lofty perch on the podium. He’ll look to get back to full strength heading into his senior campaign.
The Concordia women’s program has placed inside the top 10 nationally for the eighth time in the past 11 NAIA outdoor meets. Both the men’s and women’s squads figure to regroup with high expectations for 2026.
Said Beisel in summing up the season, “We’re going to lose some great seniors. We’ve had some touching goodbyes. That’s how it always is. It brought tears to my eyes talking to Trinity about her experience. It’s this level of emotion that tells you something good happened here. You’re going to miss this. That’s a good thing. We’re going to lose some great kids, but we’re returning some outstanding kids who made a lot of progress this year. We have a class of over 50 coming in with a ton of talent. God keeps blessing us with great people. I’m just very thankful for it all.”
2025 NAIA Outdoor All-Americans
· Nathan Baldwin – Discus (8th | 160’ 10”)
· Abby Gerber – Shot Put (2nd | 49’ 7 ¾”)
· Kayla Kirchner – 4x400-Meter Relay (7th | 3:51.02)
· Adrianna Rodencal – 400-Meter Hurdles (2nd | 59.28); 100-Meter Hurdles (3rd | 13.54); 4x400-Meter Relay (7th | 3:51.02)
· Isabelle Salters – 4x400-Meter Relay (7th | 3:51.02)
· Trinity Tuls – 4x400-Meter Relay (7th | 3:51.02)
Nine Bulldogs earn 2025 NAIA All-America awards SEWARD, Neb. – Between the 2025 NAIA Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field National Championships, Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field combined for 10 All-America performances with nine different athletes contributing to those efforts. In highlighting the group, junior Adrianna Rodencal claimed four All-America medals in 2025. Rodencal was one of three Bulldogs to place as NAIA national runners up as she was joined by Abby Gerber and Abi Wohlgemuth in that company.
Rodencal capped her junior season by earning three All-America awards at the outdoor national meet in Marion, Ind. Rodencal placed second in the 400 hurdles (59.28), third in the 100 hurdles (13.54) and seventh as part of the 4x400-meter relay (3:51.02). Other Concordia All-Americans this past outdoor season included Nathan Baldwin (discus), Gerber (shot put) and Rodencal’s 4x4 teammates: Kayla Kirchner, Isabelle Salters and Trinity Tuls.
Five Bulldogs emerged from the indoor national meet in Gainesville, Fla., with All-America accolades: Gerber (shot put), Jonny Jurchen (3,000-meter race walk), Mayson Ostermeyer (pole vault), Rodencal (60 hurdles) and Wohlgemuth (weight throw). Gerber and Rodencal were the lone two Bulldogs to nab podium finishes for both indoor and outdoor.
2025 All-Americans
Nathan Baldwin
· 2025 Outdoor Placement: 8th in discus (160’ 10”)
· Career All-America Awards: 1
· National Meet Appearances: 1
Abby Gerber
· 2025 Indoor Placement: 8th in shot put (44’ 10 ¾”)
· 2025 Outdoor Placement: 2nd in shot put (49’ 7 ¾”)
· Career All-America Awards: 4
· National Meet Appearances: 9
Jonny Jurchen
· 2025 Indoor Placement: 7th in 3,000-meter race walk (13:44.23)
· Career All-America Awards: 1
· National Meet Appearances: 2
Kayla Kirchner
· 2025 Outdoor Placement: 7th in 4x400-meter relay (3:51.02)
· Career All-America Awards: 3
· National Meet Appearances: 5
Mayson Ostermeyer
· 2025 Indoor Placement: 7th in pole vault (15’ 9”)
· Career All-America Awards: 2
· National Meet Appearances: 4
Adrianna Rodencal
· 2025 Indoor Placement: 5th in 60-meter hurdles (8.44)
· 2025 Outdoor Placements: 2nd in 400-meter hurdles (59.28); 3rd in 100-meter hurdles (13.54); 7th in 4x400-meter relay (3:51.02)
· Career All-America Awards: 4
· National Meet Appearances: 6
Isabelle Salters
· 2025 Outdoor Placement: 7th in 4x400-meter relay (3:51.02)
· Career All-America Awards: 2
· National Meet Appearances: 4
Trinity Tuls
· 2025 Outdoor Placement: 7th in 4x400-meter relay (3:51.02)
· Career All-America Awards: 5
· National Meet Appearances: 7
Abi Wohlgemuth
· 2025 Indoor Placement: 2nd in weight throw (62’ 1 ¾”)
· Career All-America Awards: 2
· National Meet Appearances: 6
Jurchen wins USATF U20 racewalk national title Jun. 20, 2025
USATF U20 Championships – Racewalk Results
EUGENE, Ore. – On the heels of a strong freshman season with Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field, Jonny Jurchen took his talents to the 2025 Nike Outdoor Nationals & USA Track & Field U20 Championships. Jurchen emerged as the national champion in the U20 men’s 10,000-meter racewalk, which was contested on Friday (June 20) at the University of Oregon in Eugene, Ore. Jurchen beat out four other competitors on his way to the title.
The distance Jurchen covered on Friday differed in that it was lengthier than the 3,000- and 5,000-meter races he competed in this past collegiate season. In his first chance at the 10,000-meter racewalk, Jurchen completed the race in 48:43.04, more than a minute faster than the U20 national runner up. The race got started at 7:30 a.m. local time in Oregon.
The Seward High School product Jurchen earned NAIA All-America honors at the 2025 indoor national meet as placed seventh in the 3,000-meter race walk. Jurchen qualified for both indoor and outdoor nationals and swept 2025 GPAC indoor/outdoor championships. Jurchen qualified for the U20 Championships thanks to his 5k time at the NAIA outdoor national meet.
Jurchen has worked closely with Concordia race walk coach Steve Hoger. Still new to the event, Jurchen has quickly picked up the racewalk. Said Hoger, “Jonny has done a nice job of learning form, generating speed and now increasing endurance. Winning the under 20 national championship would be impressive even if it was done after more years of race walking.”
As a result of his title on June 20, Jurchen anticipates opportunities to compete at other prestigious events in the future.
Five Bulldogs from men's track & field program honored with All-District awards Jun. 24, 2025
2024-25 CSC Academic All-District Cross Country/Track & Field Teams
SEWARD, Neb. – Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field placed the maximum number of honorees on the 2024-25 Academic All-District Teams released on June 24 by College Sports Communicators (CSC). The five Bulldog all-district selections are All-Americans Nathan Baldwin and Mayson Ostermeyer, as well as Carson Fehlhafer, Emry Gutz and Luke Hammang. Both Fehlhafer and Ostermeyer are repeat award winners. The GPAC pole vault champion Ostermeyer was chosen as an Academic All-American by CSC in 2024.
The 2024-25 Academic All-District® Cross Country/Track & Field Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom. Student-athletes must achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher in order to be nominated for this award. Nominees also had to meet specific requirements in terms of the number of competitions participated in during the 2024-25 season. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
2024-25 CSC Academic All-District Honorees – Concordia Men’s XC/TF
Nathan Baldwin | Sutton, Neb.
2025 NAIA Outdoor All-American (discus) … 2025 GPAC discus champion … four GPAC All-Conference awards in 2025 … 2025 NAIA Scholar-Athlete.
Carson Fehlhafer | Utica, Neb.
3x NAIA national qualifier in throws … 2025 GPAC indoor shot put champion … 7x GPAC All-Conference … 4x NAIA Scholar-Athlete (football twice and track & field twice) … 4x CSC Academic All-District (football twice and track & field twice) … 2025 First Team All-GPAC DL in football.
Emry Gutz | Salisbury, Mo.
2025 GPAC javelin champion … 2025 NAIA Scholar-Athlete.
Luke Hammang | Arlington, Neb.
3x NAIA national qualifier in race walk … 4x GPAC All-Conference in race walk … 2025 NAIA Scholar-Athlete.
Mayson Ostermeyer | Crofton, Neb.
2x NAIA pole vault All-American … 4x NAIA national qualifier in pole vault … 2x GPAC pole vault champion … 5x GPAC All-Conference … 2024 CSC Second Team Academic All-American / 2024 CSC Academic All-District … pole vault PR of 16’ 6 ¾” … helped 2024 indoor/outdoor teams place top 10 in the NAIA.
Academic All-District® honorees were considered for advancement to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot. Student-athletes selected as CSC Academic All-America® finalists are denoted with an asterisk (in the CSC release) and will advance to the national ballot to be voted on by CSC members. Academic All-America® honorees for cross country/track & field will be announced July 15 (women) and July 16 (men).
Concordia women's track & field lands five athletes on All-District honor roll Jun. 24, 2025
2024-25 CSC Academic All-District Cross Country/Track & Field Teams
SEWARD, Neb. – Five Bulldogs who excel both athletically and academically were recognized on June 24 by College Sports Communicators (CSC). Academic All-District honors for 2024-25 went to All-Americans in Abby Gerber, Kayla Kirchner, Adrianna Rodencal, Gretchen Stottlemyre and Trinity Tuls. On the heels of a sparkling junior track season, Rodencal has earned Academic All-District honors for the second-straight year. The others are first time all-district award winners.
The 2024-25 Academic All-District® Cross Country/Track & Field Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom. Student-athletes must achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher in order to be nominated for this award. Nominees also had to meet specific requirements in terms of the number of competitions participated in during the 2024-25 season. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
2024-25 CSC Academic All-District Honorees – Concordia Men’s XC/TF
Abby Gerber | Columbus, Neb.
4x NAIA All-American … 2025 NAIA outdoor shot put national runner up … 2x GPAC shot put champion … 9x NAIA national qualifier … 13x GPAC All-Conference … 4x NAIA Scholar-Athlete … ranks No. 3 on program’s all-time indoor (48’ 4”) and outdoor (49’ 7 ¾”) shot put lists … member of eight GPAC championship winning teams.
Kayla Kirchner | Ogallala, Neb.
3x NAIA All-American (4x400m relay) … 5x NAIA national qualifier … member of five GPAC championship relays … 18x GPAC All-Conference … 2x NAIA Scholar-Athlete … contributed to school record 4x1 relay (46.80) and 4x2 relay (1:40.76) and to indoor/outdoor 4x4 relays that rank No. 2 in program history … member of four GPAC championship winning teams.
Adrianna Rodencal | Lincoln, Neb.
4x NAIA All-American (all in 2025) … 2025 NAIA 400m hurdle national runner up … 4x GPAC Athlete of the Year (swept indoor/outdoor awards in 2023 and 2025) … 4x GPAC Most Outstanding Athlete of the Meet … 10x GPAC Champion … broke GPAC meet records in 2025 in the 60 hurdles (8.49), 100 hurdles (13.63) and 400 hurdles (58.90) … owns school records in the 60 hurdles (8.44), 100 hurdles (13.37), 400 hurdles (58.90), 4x1 relay (46.80) and 4x2 relay (1:40.76) … 24x GPAC All-Conference … 2025 NAIA Midwest Region Women’s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year (USTFCCCA) … 2x NAIA Scholar-Athlete … 2024 CSC Academic All-District … 6x GPAC Athlete of the Week … member of four GPAC championship winning teams.
Gretchen Stottlemyre | Olympia, Wash.
2024 NAIA All-American (javelin) … 3x NAIA national qualifier … 3x GPAC All-Conference … 2x NAIA Scholar-Athlete … member of four GPAC championship winning teams.
Trinity Tuls | Columbus, Neb.
5x NAIA All-American (4x400m relay) … 7x NAIA national qualifier … member of five GPAC championship relays … 14x GPAC All-Conference … ranks in the top eight in program history for both indoor/outdoor 400 meters … contributed to 4x4 relays (indoor and outdoor) that rank No. 2 in school history … 3x NAIA Scholar-Athlete … GPAC Athlete of the Week award in 2025 … member of six GPAC championship winning teams.
Academic All-District® honorees were considered for advancement to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot. Student-athletes selected as CSC Academic All-America® finalists are denoted with an asterisk (in the CSC release) and will advance to the national ballot to be voted on by CSC members. Academic All-America® honorees for cross country/track & field will be announced July 15 (women) and July 16 (men).
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Perfectionist Gerber completes five-year Concordia run with storybook finish Jun. 26, 2025
As she reflects upon her journey with the latest chapter now complete, Abby Gerber is thankful that a four-year plan became a five-year excursion. Once the baby giraffe that struggled to walk, as she put it, Gerber ascended near the top of the podium in the final act of her Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field career. It was a career that brought out the best in her as a competitor, artist and growing young adult.
Not far from her hometown of Columbus, Gerber found what she was looking for from a college destination. The combination of the throws program and the art department helped sway her decision.
“I liked how small the campus was,” Gerber said. “Everyone seemed really nice. (Coach) Ed (McLaughlin) really pushed the idea that this could be a good place for me. He seemed like a good fit for a coach, and I liked the art department and Professor (Don) Robson. Everyone was really nice and welcoming. The other school I went to, the entire time I went there, the only thing they could do was bash other schools. It’s really kind of off-putting when the only thing they can say is bad things about other schools. Concordia just felt right.”
With five years complete, the tangible accomplishments for Gerber have included four career All-America awards, nine appearances at national championship meets, two individual GPAC titles and 13 total GPAC All-Conference awards. As a student, Gerber capitalized on the additional year and earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts while further preparing herself for a career in teaching. Along the journey, Gerber was characterized by her competitiveness, big smile and outgoing personality.
That smile grew wider on the final day of her college career. On her second attempt in the finals of the shot put at the 2025 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships, Gerber unleased a toss of more than 15 meters (49’ 7 ¾”), prompting high fives and hugs from her throws coach. The personal best came on the heels of frustration caused by a month-long struggle. Those who watched the national competition had no idea what was taking place behind the scenes.
As Gerber explained, “It’s bittersweet in a way. Obviously, I’m super proud of myself and really happy with where I ended up, especially considering the month before nationals. I totally forgot how to throw shot put. At the same time, I’m greedy and the goal I had coming into college was I really wanted to try and break that record (in the shot put). Knowing I was as close as I was and not quite there yet is kind of the sad part. At the same time, I’m super proud of where I came from and how I was able to zone in and focus at nationals and perform the way I did.”
In putting behind the mental anxiety that had been hampering her, Gerber showed her mettle as a competitor. Back-to-back throws of 15-plus meters locked up an NAIA national runner up claim. As the competition unfolded in Marion, Ind., NAIA Championship Sport Manager and Bulldog alum Samantha (Liermann) Walker paid close attention. Afterwards, Gerber laughed in saying that she made Walker nervous. However, her shot put record of 50’ 8 ¼” still stands.
“I always have bigger goals than I probably should,” Gerber said. “I like to bite off more than I can chew. My goal was always to try to break the school (shot put) record at some point. I got close, but I wasn’t quite there.”
For the record, Gerber finished her career ranked No. 3 on the program’s all-time indoor and outdoor shot put lists. That’s quite a feat considering the history of conference and national champions coached by McLaughlin. These were the heights – rather, distances – that McLaughlin believed Gerber capable of coming out of Columbus High School, where Gerber worked closely with Coach Jeni Bozarth. It was actually Bozarth’s father that first introduced Gerber to throwing.
“In elementary school during track & field days, he made a point to have shot put as one of the events that kids did,” Gerber said. “I have always been a competitive kid and I would beat most of the boys in everything. I wanted to beat everyone. It kind of stuck with me. I signed up for it in sixth grade and I had a great time. Then in seventh and eight grade, I had to do it. I was having fun with it. It wasn’t until high school that it became a possibility for me (to compete in college). It wasn’t a thought in my head.”
Gerber and McLaughlin first met at a throws camp. Gerber’s potential was obvious from the start. Her strength was evident in her ability as a powerlifter. Gerber won a Nebraska state powerlifting title and also played softball in high school. As Gerber progressed in her high school career, McLaughlin saw her as someone who could walk in the door and qualify for nationals.
As a high school junior, Gerber used the glide technique to place second at the state meet. (Her senior year was wiped out by COVID-19, robbing her of a potential state championship). As Gerber began her time at Concordia, the question became when/if Gerber would switch to a rotational technique, involving a spinning motion around the circle. That type of technique can generate greater power and distance but also takes time to master.
Recalls McLaughlin, “After her third national meet (sophomore year), on the way home, I remember looking at her and saying, I want to take a chance. It didn’t go well. She didn’t have a good meet, so I wanted to just see that outdoor season what would happen if we went to rotate. We could go with it and not qualify for nationals, but we want to shoot for her higher end. We were happy to throw 44 feet, but I knew she had more in her. She was willing to do it. We tried not to mess with her finish too much. We tweaked her left arm and right-hand and foot placement. We tried everything. It would go good and then it would fall apart. It led to probably the worst season of her life.”
Daughter of Mike and Wendy Gerber, Abby admitted that it felt like a “rollercoaster.” Sometimes she would take two steps forward, and then three steps back before eventually overcoming her failures. Her first All-America award came at the 2023 indoor national meet. It was McLaughlin’s goal that Gerber would become so good that even when she had a bad meet, she was still pretty good. That was the case at 2025 indoor nationals when she placed eighth in the shot put, enough for an All-America award, the third of her career at the time. Gerber also developed into a national qualifier in the weight and hammer throws.
Having shared the highs and lows and knowing what it takes to compete with the best in the country, Gerber and McLaughlin felt particularly satisfied on that late May day at Indiana Wesleyan University. Not everyone gets to go out in that fashion.
Says Gerber of what it’s been like to be coached by McLaughlin, “We joke as teammates about how he’s kind of changed over the years. He’s gotten nicer. It’s nice to know that working with a coach that long, they know all of your quirks and your bad habits. Eventually, you’ll see us talking to Ed without actually talking. He’ll make a motion across the field, and we’ll just be like, ‘Okay.’ It’s nice to get to know a coach and have that kind of trust for that many years. You get to know each other really well.”
Says McLaughlin, “Abby was never hard to work with. It was mostly trying to figure out what was the best way for her to throw. Anyone we work with, we try to see if they can switch to rotational. We knew we could get her to 44 feet. I was thinking, how do we get her to 50 feet? I didn’t know if she could throw that far gliding. A year into it, we knew we were doing well, but we weren’t doing special. I always thought she was going to be special. I thought she was someone who could win conference titles, be a multiple-time All-American and compete for a national title. I thought that when I first met her.”
‘Special’ is a good way to describe the experience enjoyed by Gerber over the past five years. Originally, she expected her college career to last the typical four years. As a junior, Gerber decided she would give it one extra year in order to obtain her BFA, a prestigious degree awarded by Concordia. Due to COVID-19, Gerber’s freshman indoor season did not count against her eligibility. She later took an outdoor redshirt in order to be able to compete both indoor and outdoor as a fifth-year student in 2025.
The awards and accolades are nice, but Gerber has knows what she’s going to miss most about life at Concordia. She can already feel it. As Gerber enters her first year of teaching at Scott Middle School in Lincoln, she explains, “Definitely the team (is what I’ll miss most). Throwing’s a big part, but knowing that I have the memories that I have with my teammates and knowing we were working together to reach our own goals is a special thing. Now that I’m out of college and I’m trying to work out and do stuff on my own, it’s not the same.”
In turn, McLaughlin and Concordia will miss Gerber. McLaughlin will always be proud of how she persevered on her final day as a college athlete. “That was amazing. What she did that day was great,” McLaughlin said.
Gerber, Rodencal chosen as 2024-25 Academic All-Americans Jul. 15, 2025
2024-25 CSC Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field Academic All-Americans
SEWARD, Neb. – Following All-America performances at the 2025 indoor and outdoor national meets, two standouts from the women’s Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field program were honored on July 15 by College Sports Communicators. The organization selected senior Abby Gerber and junior Adrianna Rodencal as 2024-25 NAIA Second Team Academic All-Americans. Both have earned CSC Academic All-America distinction for the first time.
The 2024-25 Academic All-District® Cross Country/Track & Field Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom. Student-athletes must achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher in order to be nominated for this award. Nominees also had to meet specific requirements in terms of the number of competitions participated in during the 2024-25 season. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
Abby Gerber | Columbus, Neb.
4x NAIA All-American … 2025 NAIA outdoor shot put national runner up … 2x GPAC shot put champion … 9x NAIA national qualifier … 13x GPAC All-Conference … 4x NAIA Scholar-Athlete … ranks No. 3 on program’s all-time indoor (48’ 4”) and outdoor (49’ 7 ¾”) shot put lists … 2025 CSC Academic All-District and Second Team Academic All-American … member of eight GPAC championship winning teams … graduated from Concordia with a degree in Art Education and earned Bachelor of Fine Arts.
Adrianna Rodencal | Lincoln, Neb.
4x NAIA All-American (all in 2025) … 2025 NAIA 400m hurdle national runner up … 4x GPAC Athlete of the Year (swept indoor/outdoor awards in 2023 and 2025) … 4x GPAC Most Outstanding Athlete of the Meet … 10x GPAC Champion … broke GPAC meet records in 2025 in the 60 hurdles (8.49), 100 hurdles (13.63) and 400 hurdles (58.90) … owns school records in the 60 hurdles (8.44), 100 hurdles (13.37), 400 hurdles (58.90), 4x1 relay (46.80) and 4x2 relay (1:40.76) … 24x GPAC All-Conference … 2025 NAIA Midwest Region Women’s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year (USTFCCCA) … 2x NAIA Scholar-Athlete … 2025 CSC Second Team Academic All-American … 2024 and 2025 CSC Academic All-District … 6x GPAC Athlete of the Week … member of four GPAC championship winning teams … majoring in Biochemistry.
Back on June 24, Gerber and Rodencal were named to the CSC list of Academic All-District honorees. The honor roll also included teammates Kayla Kirchner, Gretchen Stottlemyre and Trinity Tuls.
Ostermeyer repeats as CSC Academic All-American Jul. 16, 2025
2024-25 CSC Men’s Cross Country/Track & Field Academic All-Americans
SEWARD, Neb. – For the second year in a row, All-American pole vaulter Mayson Ostermeyer has landed on the list of Academic All-Americans, as selected by College Sports Communicators (CSC). On the 2024-25 list released on July 16, Ostermeyer moved up to the NAIA Academic All-America First Team after being tabbed a Second Team Academic All-American in 2023-24. Ostermeyer has carried a spotless grade-point average during his three years with Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field.
The 2024-25 Academic All-District® Cross Country/Track & Field Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom. Student-athletes must achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher in order to be nominated for this award. Nominees also had to meet specific requirements in terms of the number of competitions participated in during the 2024-25 season. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
Mayson Ostermeyer | Crofton, Neb.
2x NAIA pole vault All-American … 4x NAIA national qualifier in pole vault … 2x GPAC pole vault champion … 5x GPAC All-Conference … 2025 CSC First Team Academic All-American / 2025 CSC Academic All-District … 2024 CSC Second Team Academic All-American / 2024 CSC Academic All-District … pole vault PR of 16’ 6 ¾” … helped 2024 indoor/outdoor teams place top 10 in the NAIA … studying Pre-Engineering.
Back on June 24, Ostermeyer was named to the 2024-25 CSC Academic All-District team along with teammates Nathan Baldwin, Carson Fehlhafer, Emry Gutz and Luke Hammang.
Bulldogs honored with 25 individual awards, All-Academic Team status by USTFCCCA Jul. 21, 2025
2025 USTFCCCA All-Academic Teams: Men | Women
2025 USTFCCCA All-Academic Athletes: Men | Women
SEWARD, Neb. – Known for high achievement athletically and academically, Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field was well-represented on the list of 2024-25 All-Academic Teams and Athletes released on July 21 by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Head Coach Matt Beisel’s program’s placed the men and women on the All-Academic Teams honor roll while a group of 25 student-athletes garnered All-Academic Athlete distinction.
As part of the USTFCCCA criteria, teams are required to achieve a collective 3.0 grade-point average or better and individuals must achieve at least a 3.25 GPA while also recording an automatic or provisional national qualifying mark in either indoor or outdoor. Concordia’s complete list of honorees is included below.
As a program, Concordia Track & Field also boasted 10 Academic All-District and three Academic All-Americans (via College Sports Communicators) in 2024-25. In addition, a combined 54 Bulldogs earned 2024-25 NAIA Scholar-Athlete distinction. CSC Academic All-America honors went to Abby Gerber, Mayson Ostermeyer and Adrianna Rodencal.
Concordia All-Academic Athletes (Men)
· Nathan Baldwin (Sutton, Neb.)
· Lucas Corwin (York, Neb.)
· Liam Fagan (Carson, Iowa)
· Carson Fehlhafer (Utica, Neb.)
· Easton Fries (Imperial, Neb.)
· Luke Hammang (Arlington, Neb.)
· Vaughn Hendrickson (Fort Wayne, Ind.)
· Jaxon Lipker (Albion, Neb.)
· Sam Olson (Olathe, Kan.)
· Mayson Ostermeyer (Crofton, Neb.)
· Trey Robertson (Elsie, Neb.)
· Justin Sherman (Bellevue, Neb.)
Concordia All-Academic Athletes (Women)
· Harper Boche (Torrington, Wyo.)
· Abigail Gerber (Columbus, Neb.)
· Brittni Kinne (McCook, Neb.)
· Kayla Kirchner (Ogallala, Neb.)
· Emily Loseke (Leigh, Neb.)
· Adysen McCarter (Overton, Neb.)
· Hayley Miles (North Platte, Neb.)
· Addison Reimer (Lisbon, Wis.)
· Adrianna Rodencal (Lincoln, Neb.)
· Isabelle Salters (Valentine, Neb.)
· Amanda Steinke (Milwaukee, Wis.)
· Gretchen Stottlemyre (Olympia, Wash.)
· Trinity Tuls (Columbus, Neb.)