SEWARD, Neb. – Based on their performances at last week’s GPAC championships, four Bulldogs were officially bestowed with all-conference recognition on Wednesday. Concordia’s 2015 group of honorees includes repeat all-GPAC performers in seniors Jordan Potrzeba and Kim Wood and first-time award winners in sophomore Emily Sievert and Jordyn Sturms.
Potrzeba, also a 2013 all-conference runner, finished sixth at the GPAC championships in a time of 26:18.36. The native of Hastings, Neb., had previously turned in conference finishes of 22nd (2014), ninth (2013) and 26th (2012). Potrzeba was a member of the 2012 GPAC championship team that finished 21st at the national championships. Potrzeba will make his third career appearance at nationals, having recorded finishes of 272nd (2012) and 212th (2013) in previous outings on the grand stage.
Like Potrzeba, Wood put together her best career GPAC championship performance, finishing last week’s 5K race in 19:00.55 (10th place) on the way to earning all-conference accolades for the second-straight year. Wood’s previous GPAC finishes were 12th (2014), 40th (2013) and 29th (2012). Wood is now set to make her first appearance at the cross country national championships. She is a four-time All-American in track and field.
Following behind Wood was Sievert in 19:00.72 (11th) and Sturms in 19:09.39 (14th). The 2015 GPAC race marked the first time Concordia has had three all-conference women’s runners since 2009 when Emilie Bourret, Alicia Marteney and Jena Schwalenberg each finished inside the top 15. In 2012, Sarah Kortze and Schwalenberg checked in at Nos. 1 and 2 at the conference race.
Potrzeba, Sievert and Wood all earned berths in the 2015 NAIA Cross Country National Championships, which will be held Saturday, Nov. 21 at McAlpine Creek Park in Charlotte, N.C. The men’s race is set to begin at 10:30 a.m. with the women to follow at 11:30 a.m. For more information on the championships, click HERE.