SEWARD, Neb. – For the fifth time in six years, Concordia University Cross Country will open a season at the Augustana Twilight. The 2023 meet will get started with the women’s 5k race at 8:40 p.m. CT on Friday (Sept. 1). The men’s four-mile run is scheduled to get underway at 9:10 p.m. Both races will take place at Yankton Trail Park in Sioux Falls, S.D., home to Augustana University. This will be the start of year eight of Matt Beisel’s tenure as head coach of the Bulldogs.
Augustana Twilight – Friday, Sept. 1
Yankton Trail Park | Sioux Falls, S.D.
-8:40 p.m. – women’s 5k
-9:10 p.m. – men’s 4 mile
-Live Results
-Meet info page (includes course map)
Both Concordia squads landed at No. 2 in the 2023 GPAC preseason coaches’ polls. In the NAIA preseason coaches’ polls released on Aug. 24, the Bulldog women checked in at No. 23 while the men did not receive votes. The 2022 season saw Concordia turn in GPAC place finishes of second on the men’s side and third on the women’s side. The women’s team earned an at-large bid to the NAIA national championship meet while Camden Sesna (2023 graduate) qualified individually.
At the 2022 Augustana Twilight, the Bulldogs recorded place finishes of ninth out of 28 teams on the women’s side and 12th out of 32 teams on the men’s side. The top individual finishers for Concordia were Kylahn Freiberg (18:50.33 5k time) in 28th and Sesna (20:19.33 four-mile time) in 36th. The meet featured a total of 313 women’s runners and 323 men’s competitors.
A detailed preview of the 2023 season can be found HERE. Following the Augustana Twilight, the Bulldogs will look forward to the Greeno/Dirksen Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 16. The complete schedule can be viewed HERE.