2011 Cross Country schedule/results
SEPTEMBER | |||
| Sept. 10 | Nike Heartland Invite | Yankton Trail Park - Sioux Falls S.D. | |
| Sept. 17 | Woody Greeno Invite | Lincoln, Neb. | |
| Sept. 24 | Griak Invitational | St. Paul, Minn. | |
OCTOBER | |||
| Oct. 8 | Alumni/Intrasquad Run & Picnic | Seward, Neb. | |
| Oct. 15 | Bronco Invite | Hastings, Neb. | |
| Oct. 22 | Mt. Marty Invite | Yankton, S.D. | |
NOVEMBER | |||
| Nov. 5 | GPAC Championships | Lincoln, Neb. | |
| Nov. 19 | NAIA National Championships | Vancouver, Wash. | |
2011 Cross Country roster
Men:
| Name | Yr. | Hometown |
| Josh Allwardt | Fr. | Frederick, Md. |
| Travis Besel | Sr. | Denver, Colo. |
| Beau Billings | So. | Valentine, Neb. |
| Charlie Bloomfield | Fr. | Blair, Neb. |
| Marcus Brees | Fr. | Lincoln, Neb. |
| David Eads | Sr. | Omaha, Neb. |
| Daniel Gibson | Jr. | Grand Island, Neb |
| Joel Heckmann | Jr. | Sioux Falls, S.D. |
| Jared Hoffman | Jr. | Griswold, Iowa |
| Hayden Hohnholt | So. | Saratoga, Wyo. |
| Andrew Malan | So. | Lincoln, Neb. |
| Aaron Kortze | Sr. | Rockford, Ill. |
| Colin Morrissey | Jr. | Omaha, Neb. |
| Creighton Pearse | Fr. | Kearney, Neb. |
| Bryan Pick | So. | Plattsmouth, Neb. |
| Adam Prahlow | So. | St. Louis, Mo. |
| Luke Riley | Fr. | Lincoln, Neb. |
| Casey Roberts | Fr. | Wamego, Kan. |
| Ben Sievert | Fr. | Frankenmuth, Mich. |
| Dane Stahr | Fr. | Lincoln, Neb. |
| Matt Trampe | Sr. | Kearney, Neb. |
| Matthias Wollberg | Fr. | Kearney, Neb. |
| Spencer Zysset | So. | Hastings, Neb. |
Women:
| Name | Yr. | Hometown |
| Tanel Baehr | Fr. | Mesa, Ariz. |
| Michaela Else | Fr. | Holstein, Iowa |
| Stephanie Geschke | So. | Boise, Idaho |
| Christina Hanson | Jr. | Storm Lake, Iowa |
| Shelby Hohnholt | Fr. | Saratoga, Wyo. |
| Toni Hulinsky | Sr. | Bayard, Neb. |
| Sarah Kortze | Jr. | Rockford, Ill. |
| Winonah Krug | So. | Monroe, Mich. |
| Samantha Lathrop | So. | Arlington, Neb. |
| Martha Meineke | Sr. | Denver, Colo. |
| Anna Meyer | Sr. | Seward, Neb. |
| Jena Schwalenberg | Jr. | Columbus, Neb. |
| Theresa Staley | So. | Lincoln, Neb. |
| Bethany Sutton | Sr. | Lincoln, Neb. |
| Jenean Williams | So. | Mankato, Minn. |
| Renee Williams | Fr. | Lincoln, Neb. |
Coaching staff
Head coach: Dr. Kregg Einspahr
Assistant coach: Suzanne Weeder-Einspahr
Bulldog cross country squads look for continued success in 2011
12 AUG 2011
The Concordia University cross country teams will rely heavily on youth in the upcoming 2011 season. Coach Kregg Einspahr sees the potential on this year’s squads.
“Both teams lost a lot to graduation this past year,” noted Einspahr. “Our men’s team is very young this year. If our women’s team can stay healthy, they should be a good team. The women’s team has some very good and experienced runners, but we may not have the depth of years past.”
Last year, the Concordia men, led by Dana Schmidt, qualified for the NAIA National Meet. Schmidt was the GPAC Champion and conference Runner-of-the-Year. He also earned All-American honors for the second straight year. Tyson Billings also had a strong year in 2010 for the Bulldogs. He was a top-10 finisher at the GPAC Championships and a top-50 finisher at Nationals. Both Schmidt and Billings graduated, however, and that leaves big holes to fill in the top running spots.
The Bulldogs will rely on the experience of Colin Morrissey and Matt Trampe. Morrissey, a junior from Omaha, finished as the GPAC Runner-up in 2010. He finished third on the team at Nationals and earned GPAC Runner-of-the-Week honors during the 2010 season. Trampe, a senior from Kearney, finished fourth on the team at Nationals last year.
The Concordia men will also look to Adam Prahlow (Florrisant, Mo.), Beau Billings (Valentine, Neb.), Jon Powell (Columbus, Neb.) and Joel Heckmann (Sioux Falls, S.D.) for added depth in 2011.
“Both Adam and Beau had excellent track seasons and should be better prepared for the college 8k distance this fall,” remarked Einspahr. “Jon had a promising start to his cross country season last year and is coming off an injury. He is an outstanding competitor. Joel just continues to improve. He had a good track season this past year specializing in the 10k run.”
On the women’s side, Concordia failed to qualify for the National Championships in 2010. The Bulldog women had finished in the top 20 at Nationals for 16 straight years before not qualifying in 2010.
Senior Martha Meineke (Denver, Colo.) and juniors Jena Schwalenberg (Columbus, Neb.) and Sarah Kortze (Rockford, Ill.) return to lead the way for the Bulldogs in 2011. Kortze was one of the two individual National qualifiers a year ago for Concordia after finishing fourth in the GPAC Championships.
Theresa Staley (Lincoln, Neb.) and Jenean Williams (North Mankato, Minn.) will also add depth to the women’s roster after redshirting last year. “Both Theresa and Jenean were recovering from injury last year and did not compete,” noted Einspahr. “Jenean had an outstanding freshman season in track this past year.”
The Bulldogs open the 2011 season on September 10 in the Nike Heartland Invite. The GPAC Championships are scheduled for November 5 with the NAIA National Meet set for November 19. As usual, the expectations are very high for both Concordia squads.
“We would like to try to be one of the top teams in the conference and compete for the GPAC conference championship,” said Einspahr. “Our men would like to finish in the top 25 at the NAIA Championships for the 14th time in 16 seasons. Our women would like to finish in the top 20 at the National Championships for the 17th time in 18 seasons.”
Cross country preseason conference and national ratings announced
24 AUG 2011
Both Concordia University cross country squads are listed at the top of the GPAC preseason ratings which were released earlier this week. Both squads are also ranked in the 2011 NAIA Preseason Top 25 Coaches’ Poll.
On the women’s side, Concordia is first in the GPAC ratings followed by Morningside College and Dordt College. The Bulldogs are ranked 11th in the NAIA Top 25 Poll. Morningside (15th) and Dordt (24th) join Concordia in the NAIA Top 25, while Northwestern College is receiving votes in the preseason poll.
The Bulldog men are also first in the GPAC ratings with Morningside College and Dordt College second and third, respectively. Concordia finished 8th in the final NAIA Top 25 Poll in 2010. The Bulldogs are tied for 16th (Oklahoma Baptist) in the first installment of the 2011 NAIA Top 25. Morningside is 25th in the preseason poll, while Dordt and Doane College are receiving votes.
The Concordia men have now appeared in the NAIA Top 25 for 96 straight weeks dating back to September 14, 2001. Aquinas (Mich.), who is 12th in the preseason poll, is the only school ahead of Concordia with 106 straight weeks in the NAIA Top 25.
Concordia opens the season at the Nike Heartland Invite in Sioux Falls on September 10.
Bulldog squads open year with impressive performance at Nike Heartland Invite
10 SEP 2011
Men's and Women's Results
The Concordia University cross country squads opened the 2011 season in style at the Nike Heartland Invite on Saturday in Sioux Falls. Both Bulldog teams took first place in the event, and several individuals opened the year with strong performances for Concordia.
The Bulldog men finished first out of six teams. Mount Marty, Doane College, The University of Sioux Falls, Northwestern College and Iowa Lakes Community College joined Concordia at the Invite. The Bulldogs finished with a score of 24, well ahead of second place Mount Marty (69).
Concordia placed five runners in the top 11 overall. Colin Morrissey (Omaha, Neb.) finished first with a time of 25:33.89 and was over 30 seconds ahead of Derek Schnell of Doane, who finished second in the race. Hayden Hohnholt (Saratoga, Wyo.) was fourth at 26:11.29. Beau Billings (Valentine, Neb.) and Adam Prahlow (St. Louis, Mo.) finished eighth and ninth, respectively, while Creighton Pearse (Kearney, Neb.) came in 11th.
“It was a great start for our men’s team today,” remarked head coach Kregg Einspahr. “I think Creighton Pearse may have been the story of the day for our team. It was his first-ever cross country race, and he performed very well. To have five guys finish in the top 11 is a great way to open the season.”
On the women’s side, Concordia finished with a score of 41. Doane College was second at 59. The Bulldogs placed four runners in the top 15 overall, and Sarah Kortze (Rockford, Ill.) came in second overall with a time of 18:18.30. Jena Schwalenberg (Columbus, Neb.) and Martha Meineke (Denver, Colo.) finished fifth and sixth with times of 19:18.23 and 19:26.61, respectively. Anna Meyer (Seward, Neb.) came in 15th at 20:21.56.
“Our women performed well today, but there was a significant drop off between our third and fourth runners,” noted Einspahr. “We have a lot of young kids, but I think our athletes on both teams will continue to improve and get used to the distances as the season goes on.”
Concordia travels to the Woody Greeno Invite in Lincoln on September 17
Bulldog runners earn GPAC honors
14 SEPT 2011
A pair of Concordia University cross country athletes received conference honors on Wednesday. Colin Morrissey and Sarah Kortze were recognized as GPAC Runners of the Week following their performances at the Nike Heartland Invite this past weekend.
Morrissey (Omaha, Neb.) won the Nike Heartland Invite with a time of 25:33.89, more than 30 seconds faster than any other runner in the meet. A total of six teams and 60 runners competed on the men’s side. Concordia won the team title. Morrissey led the way, as the Bulldog men placed five runners in the top 11 overall. The Concordia men are currently ranked 16th in the NAIA Top 25 Poll.
Kortze (Rockford, Ill.) finished second overall on the women’s side. A total of seven teams and 78 runners took part in the women’s race, and Concordia took first in the event. Kortze ran a time of 18:18.30 and finished behind only Ashley Unruh, who ran unattached in the event. The Bulldog women are 11th in the NAIA’s Top 25 Poll.
The Bulldogs will be back in action this Saturday at the Woody Greeno Invite. Races are set to begin at 10 a.m. in Lincoln.
Bulldog cross country teams compete in Woody Greeno Invite
17 SEP 2011
Woody Greeno Invite Women's Results
Woody Greeno Invite Men's Results
The Concordia University cross country teams traveled to Lincoln on Saturday to take part in the 2011 Woody Greeno Invitational. The Concordia women finished 10th overall, while the Bulldog men finished fourth in the college division.
A total of 17 teams competed in the women’s race. Concordia’s women were shorthanded, as top runner Sarah Kortze (Rockford, Ill.) was unable to compete. Jena Schwalenberg (Columbus, Neb.) suffered an injury during the race and was unable to finish. Martha Meineke (Denver, Colo.) finished in 14th overall with a time of 23:19.53 as the top finisher for the Bulldogs.
A total of 21 teams took part in the men’s race. Colin Morrissey (Omaha, Neb.), last week’s GPAC Runner-of-the-Week, finished third overall with a time of 25:38.27. Freshman Ben Sievert (Frankenmuth, Mich.) came in 19th overall at 26:36.47. Hayden Hohnholt (Saratoga, Wyo.) and Beau Billings (Valentine, Neb.) finished 25th and 26th overall, respectively, for the Bulldogs.
Concordia travels to the Griak Invitational in Minnesota on September 24.
Morrissey picks up second straight GPAC honor
21 SEPT 2011
For the second straight week, Concordia’s Colin Morrissey is the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Men’s Cross Country Runner-of-the-Week.
Morrissey, a junior from Omaha, finished third in the Woody Greeno Invite this past weekend in Lincoln. Morrissey ran a time of 25:38 and led the Bulldog men to a fourth place finish in the College Division that had 21 teams in the field.
Morrissey’s time was good for 16th overall in the University/College combined division. The University Division featured schools such as Nebraska, Wichita State, Air Force and Wyoming.
Both Concordia University cross country squads will take part in the Roy Griak Invite this weekend in St. Paul, Minn.
Concordia men move up to 13th in latest NAIA Top 25 Poll
22 SEPT 2011
The Concordia University men’s cross country team moved up a spot in the latest NAIA Top 25 Poll that was released Wednesday. The Bulldogs moved from 14th to 13th following their performance in last weekend’s Woody Greeno Invite in Lincoln.
Concordia finished fourth in the highly competitive college division of the Woody Greeno Invite. A total of 21 teams competed in the college division. Colin Morrissey (Omaha, Neb.) led the way with a third place finish. Morrissey ran a time of 25:38.27 and earned his second straight GPAC Runner-of-the-Week award for his efforts. Ben Sievert (Frankenmuth, Mich.), Hayden Hohnholt (Saratoga, Wyo.) and Beau Billings (Valentine, Neb.) also finished in the top 30 overall for the Bulldogs.
Morningside College, Dordt College and Mount Marty College are all receiving votes in this week’s Top 25.
The Bulldogs travel to Minnesota this weekend to compete in the Roy Griak Invite.
Morrissey and Sievert lead the way at the Roy Griak Invite
24 SEP 2011
Roy Griak Invite Men's Results
Roy Griak Invite Women's Results
The Concordia University cross country teams traveled to Minnesota for the Roy Griak Invite on Saturday. The Bulldog men finished ninth, while the women were 16th. Both teams competed in the maroon division. A total of 27 teams took part in the men’s race, and 22 teams competed on the women’s side.
A pair of Bulldogs finished in the top 25 on the men’s side. Colin Morrissey (Omaha, Neb.) led the way in 12th place with a time of 25:51. Freshman Ben Sievert (Frankenmuth, Mich.) came in 23rd with a time of 26:19.
Two runners finished in the top 50 overall for the Concordia women. Jena Schwalenberg (Columbus, Neb.) was 41st at 23:49.1, while Martha Meineke (Denver, Colo.) was right behind in 42nd with a time of 23:50.3.
Bulldog men remain 13th in latest NAIA Top 25 Poll
28 SEPT 2011
The Bulldog men’s cross country team remained 13th in the latest NAIA Top 25 Poll released on Wednesday. Concordia finished ninth at the highly competitive Roy Griak Invite this past weekend in Minnesota.
Colin Morrissey (Omaha, Neb.) finished 12th at the Griak Invite with a time of 25:51. Ben Sievert (Frankenmuth, Mich.) also finished in the top 25 overall for the Bulldogs. Morningside College, Doane College and Dordt College are all receiving votes in this week’s poll.
Concordia will take the next few weeks off to prepare for the second half of the season. The Alumni Run is scheduled for October 8 in Seward, and both Bulldog squads will travel to Hastings for the Bronco Invite on October 15.
Cross country teams earn wins at Bronco Invitational
15 OCT 2011
Bronco Invitational Results
The Concordia University cross country squads traveled to Hastings on Saturday for the Bronco Invitational. A total of three women’s teams and four men’s teams took part in the event. Both Concordia teams finished first.
Doane College and Hastings College joined Concordia in the women’s race. Concordia finished with a score of 24 to win the event. Sarah Kortze (Rockford, Ill.) finished first overall with a time of 18:35.60 on the 5k course. Jena Schwalenberg (Columbus, Neb.) was close behind in second place with a time of 18:39.97. Martha Meineke (Denver, Colo.) and Toni Hulinsky (Bayard, Neb.) finished fifth and sixth, respectively. Meineke had a time of 19:14.94, and Hulinsky finished at 19:30.71. Renee Williams (Lincoln, Neb.) finished fifth on the team and 10th overall with a time of 19:59.52.
"Our women had a very good race today," remarked Kregg Einspahr, head coach of the Bulldogs. "They are finally healthy and running well."
Doane College, Hastings College and York College competed with Concordia in the men’s 8k race. Concordia finished with a team score of 26, while Doane was second with a score of 36. Freshman Ben Sievert (Frankenmuth, Mich.) finished second overall with a time of 25:54.38. Sievert finished only behind Doane’s Edwin Ronoh, who won the event with a time of 25:52.17. Hayden Hohnholt (Saratoga, Wyo.), Beau Billings (Valentine, Neb.) and Adam Prahlow (St. Louis, Mo.) finished third through sixth, respectively, for the Bulldogs. Hohnholt finished at 26:28.64. Billings finished with a time of 26:34.57, while Prahlow came in at 26:54.62. Creighton Pearse (Kearney, Neb.) finished fifth on the team and 12th overall with a time of 27:39.07.
"Our top four guys had very good races today," added Einspahr. "We held out Coli Morrissey (Omaha, Neb.) today. He was sore, but he should be back next weekend. We look forward to the Mount Marty Invite. It is always a great classic race with many very good teams from the upper midwest."
Concordia will travel to the Mount Marty Invite on October 22.
Schwalenberg picks up conference honor
21 OCT 2011
Concordia’s Jena Schwalenberg picked up GPAC honors earlier this week for her efforts in the Hastings Invite. She was named GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Women’s Runner-of-the-Week on Wednesday.
Schwalenberg, a junior from Columbus, placed second in the Bronco Invite last weekend with a 5k time of 18:39. A total of 39 runners competed in the event, and the Bulldogs won the team competition with 24 points. The Concordia women are now tied for 19th in the latest NAIA Top 25 Poll.
Concordia is scheduled to take part in the Mount Marty Invite in Yankton, S.D., on Saturday.
Concordia men first, women second at Mount Marty Invite
22 OCT 2011
Mount Marty Invite Men's Results
Mount Marty Invite Women's Results
Concordia University traveled to Yankton for the Mount Marty Invite on Saturday. The Bulldog men finished first, while the women finished second overall in the team competition. A total of 13 men’s teams and 12 women’s teams competed in the event.
A total of three Bulldogs finished in the top 10 overall in the men’s 8k race. Ben Sievert (Franenmuth, Mich.) continued his strong freshman season with a first place finish on Saturday. Sievert finished with a time of 25:40.22 and was just in front of Andy Coy of Dakota State, who ran a time of 25:41.31. Adam Prahlow (St. Louis, Mo.) came in eighth overall with a time of 26:09.62, and Hayden Hohnholt (Saratoga, Wyo.) was ninth at 26:15.61. Beau Billings (Valentine, Neb.) finished 11th overall with a time of 26:25.16. Creighton Pearse (Kearney, Neb.) finished 23rd at 26:57.83. The Bulldogs ran without top runner Colin Morrissey (Omaha, Neb.) but won the team competition with a team score of 51. Morningside College came in second at 67, and Dordt College was third at 71. A total of 148 runners competed in the event.
The women’s race featured 138 total competitors. Sarah Kortze (Rockford, Ill.) was the top overall finisher for the Bulldogs. Kortze finished second overall with a time of 18:21.72. Only Courtney Schall, who ran unattached in the event, finished ahead of Kortze. Jena Schwalenberg (Columbus, Neb.), who was last week’s GPAC Runner-of-the-Week, finished fourth overall with a time of 18:22.91. Martha Meineke (Denver, Colo.) also finished in the top 10, coming in ninth overall with a time of 18:53.70. Anna Meyer (Seward, Neb.) and Renee Williams (Lincoln, Neb.) came in 24th and 25th, respectively, for Concordia on the day. Morningside College, who is 11th in the most recent NAIA Top 25 Poll, won the team competition on Saturday with a team score of 54. Concordia, who was 18th in the NAIA Top 25 Poll, finished close behind in second with a team score of 59. Dordt College finished third with a score of 87.
The Bulldogs are now off until the GPAC Championships. This year’s GPAC Championship will be held in Lincoln on November 5.
Kortze and Sievert pick up conference honors
26 OCT 2011
Concordia swept the weekly conference awards, as Sarah Kortze and Ben Sievert picked up GPAC honors on Wednesday. Each was named GPAC Runner-of-the-Week for their efforts in last weekend’s Mount Marty Invite.
Kortze (Rockford, Ill.) placed second in the Mount Marty Invite with a time of 18:21 on the 5k course. Only Courtney Schall, who ran unattached in the meet, finished ahead of Kortze. A total of 138 runners competed, and Kortze led the Bulldogs to a second place finish in the team competition. The Bulldog women are 15th in the latest NAIA Top 25 Poll. Only Morningside College, who was 11th in the latest poll, finished ahead of Concordia at the Mount Marty Invite. Morningside finished with a score of 54, while Concordia was close behind with a team score of 59.
Sievert (Frankenmuth, Mich.) took first place at the Mount Marty Invite with a time of 25:40 on the 8k course. The freshman led the Bulldogs to a first place finish. A total of 148 runners competed in the event. Concordia finished with a team score of 51. Morningside came in second with a team score of 67. Concordia is 19th in the latest NAIA Top 25 Poll.
Concordia will take part in the GPAC Championships on November 5 in Lincoln.
Bulldog women second, men third at GPAC Championships
Concordia women qualify for NAIA Nationals for 17th time in last 18 years
5 NOV 2011
2011 GPAC Championships - Women's Results
2011 GPAC Championships - Men's Results
The Concordia University cross country teams competed in the 2011 GPAC Championships on Saturday in Lincoln. Nebraska Wesleyan won the men’s and women’s team titles. The Concordia women came in second and will represent the GPAC at the NAIA National Championships, while the Bulldog men finished third overall. The Concordia women’s cross country team has now advanced to the NAIA National Championship meet in 17 of the last 18 years.
On the women’s side, Wesleyan finished with a team score of 28 to win the meet. Concordia was second with a score of 84, just in front of Morningside College at 86. Dordt College finished fourth with a score of 95. A total of 89 runners competed in the women’s 5k race at Pioneers Park in Lincoln.
Sarah Kortze (Rockford, Ill.) finished fourth overall with a time of 18:45.17. Jena Schwalenberg (Columbus, Neb.) was close behind in sixth with a time of 18:49.75. Both Kortze and Schwalenberg earned GPAC All-Conference honors for their efforts on Saturday. Senior Martha Meineke (Denver, Colo.) came in 18th overall at 19:43.63, and Christina Hanson (Storm Lake, Iowa) was 27th at 20:06.26. Anna Meyer (Seward, Neb.) finished in 30th at 20:09.67.
“Our girls ran very well today to beat Morningside, who was ranked 11th in the NAIA coming in,” remarked head coach Kregg Einspahr. “Sarah and Jena had solid races today to lead the way. Overall, I think our older runners knew what was on the line today, and they put together a good race.”
The Nebraska Wesleyan men took first with a team score of 24. Dordt College came in second overall with a score of 80, and Concordia was third with a score of 91. A total of 93 runners took part in the race.
Ben Sievert (Frankenmuth, Mich.) finished fourth overall with a time of 26:17.04. Sievert, who has enjoyed a very impressive freshman season for the Bulldogs, earned GPAC All-Conference honors for his efforts. Beau Billings (Valentine, Neb.) finished in 21st overall at 27:15.46, while Hayden Hohnholt (Saratoga, Wyo.) and Adam Prahlow (St. Louis, Mo.) came in 23rd and 24th, respectively, for the Bulldogs. Matt Trampe (Kearney, Neb.) came in 27th with a time of 27:31.80. Injuries continued to plague top runner Colin Morrissey. The junior from Omaha, who was last year’s GPAC Runner-up, finished 44th overall on Saturday.
“Obviously, Ben Sievert had an outstanding race today for our men,” noted Einspahr. “He’s had a tremendous freshman season for us. Colin’s injury really limited him late in the season. Dordt College ran a great team race today, and not having Colin up there as our top runner was tough to overcome.”
Concordia’s men will await a possible at-large berth into the NAIA National Championships.
The 2011 NAIA National Championships will be held on November 19 in Vancouver, Washington.
Sievert selected to NAIA Nationals along with Bulldog women's squad
7 NOV 2011
The 2011 NAIA National Championship individual and team qualifiers were announced on Monday. The Concordia women will represent the GPAC at Nationals following a second place finish at the GPAC Championships over the weekend. The Bulldog men did not receive an at-large berth into Nationals, but freshman Ben Sievert was selected to Nationals following his fourth place finish at the GPAC Championships.
Sarah Kortze (Rockford, Ill.) and Jena Schwalenberg (Columbus, Neb.) finished fourth and sixth overall, respectively, to lead Concordia to their second place finish at the GPAC Championships. Both Kortze and Schwalenberg earned All-GPAC honors for their efforts. All five of Concordia’s top runners finished in the top 30 overall at the GPAC Championships, and the Concordia women have now advanced to Nationals 17 times in the last 18 years.
Sievert (Frankenmuth, Mich.) has enjoyed a very impressive freshman campaign for the Bulldog men’s squad. He finished fourth at the GPAC Championships to earn All-GPAC recognition. Sievert had a top 20 finish in the Woody Greeno Invite earlier this season. He also finished in the top 25 at the highly competitive Roy Griak Invite in Minnesota. Sievert ended the regular season strong, finishing second at the Hastings Invite and first at the Mount Marty Invite. He earned GPAC Runner-of-the-Week honors after the Mount Marty Invite. Sievert was one of five individual competitors selected to Nationals from the Great Plains Athletic Conference.
The 2011 NAIA National Meet will be held on November 19 in Vancouver, Washington.
Kortze, Schwalenberg and Sievert earn All-GPAC honors
10 NOV 2011
Concordia University placed three runners on the 2011 GPAC All-Conference Teams which were released on Thursday. Sarah Kortze and Jena Schwalenberg were recognized for the Bulldog women, and Ben Sievert was the lone honoree from the Bulldog men’s squad.
Kortze and Schwalenberg led the way at the GPAC Championships, as Concordia finished second to earn the GPAC’s automatic bid to the NAIA National Meet. Kortze (Rockford, Ill.) finished fourth overall with a time of 18:45.17. Schwalenberg (Columbus, Neb.) was sixth with a time of 18:49.75. Besides earning All-Conference honors, Kortze and Schwalenberg also received GPAC Runner-of-the-Week recognition this season. The duo will lead the Bulldogs to the NAIA National Meet for the 17th time in the past 18 years.
On the men’s side, Sievert (Frankenmuth, Mich.) has enjoyed an impressive and consistent freshman season for the Bulldogs. He came on strong late in the season, finishing first at the Mount Marty Invite and fourth at the GPAC Championships last weekend. The Bulldogs finished third in the team competition at the GPAC Championships and were unable to qualify for this year’s National Meet. However, Sievert was one of five individual runners from the GPAC to be selected for Nationals.
The 2011 NAIA National Championships will be held on November 19 in Vancouver, Washington.
Bulldog women finish 17th, Kortze earns All-American honors
19 NOV 2011
2011 NAIA National Championship Women's Team Results
2011 NAIA National Championship Women's Individual Results
2011 NAIA National Championship Men's Individual Results
The Concordia University women finished 17th at the 2011 NAIA National Championships held on Saturday in Vancouver, Wash. The Bulldog women have now finished in the top 20 at Nationals in 17 of the last 18 years.
Individually, Sarah Kortze (Rockford, Ill.) led the way for Concordia on Saturday. The junior finished in 13th place overall with a time of 18:03. Kortze picked up All-American honors for her efforts.
“Sarah Kortze had a tremendous race today,” said Kregg Einspahr, head coach at Concordia. “She had her best race of the season with a very good time on a soft and muddy course.”
Jena Schwalenberg (Columbus, Neb.), another junior on this year’s squad, finished 102nd overall with a time of 19:29. Christina Hanson (Storm Lake, Iowa) was 150th at 19:48, and Martha Meineke (Denver, Colo.) was 190th with a time of 20:02. Anna Meyer (Seward, Neb.) was 210th with a time of 20:12.
The Bulldogs finished with a team score of 454 to finish 17th overall. A total of 32 teams and 323 runners competed in the women’s race. With their top three finishers on Saturday returning next year for their senior seasons, the Concordia women will look to make another trip to Nationals in 2012.
On the men’s side, Ben Sievert finished 207th overall. A total of 32 teams and 312 runners took part in the race. Sievert, a freshman from Frankenmuth, Mich., ran a time of 26:36 on Saturday. The Bulldog men’s team failed to qualify for Nationals this year, but Concordia does return a solid group for next season. Five of Concordia’s top six runners in 2011 will return in 2012, so the Bulldogs will hope to push for a GPAC Championship and a trip to Nationals next year.
Final NAIA coaches' top 25 poll announced
25 NOV 2011
The Concordia University women’s cross country team finished 17th in the final NAIA Coaches’ Poll that was released on Wednesday. The Bulldog men’s squad received votes in this year’s final poll.
The Concordia women finished 17th at the NAIA National Championship Meet last week. The Bulldogs have now finished in the top 20 at Nationals 17 times in the last 18 years. Additionally, Sarah Kortze (Rockford, Ill.) finished 13th overall to earn All-American honors.
Bulldog cross country named among NAIA's most successful programs
2 DEC 2011
t was business as usual for Coach Kregg Einspahr and the Bulldog cross country teams in 2011. The Concordia women made a trip to Nationals for the 17th time in the past 18 years. The Bulldog women have now finished in the top 20 at the NAIA National Championships in 17 of the last 18 seasons following their 17th-place finish at the 2011 Championships. Sarah Kortze earned All-American honors for Concordia. Kortze, Jena Schwalenberg and Ben Sievert also earned All-Conference recognition this season for the Bulldogs.
Consistency has been a trademark of Coach Einspahr’s teams over the years. In the past 12 years alone, Einspahr’s teams have been NAIA National Champion Runner-up a total of six times in track or cross country, and Coach Einspahr has been named conference or regional Coach-of-the-Year more than 25 times during his Concordia career. The Concordia men’s team has also finished in the NAIA top 25 in 12 of the last 15 years. Coach Einspahr discussed the consistency of his teams and the continued efforts of his entire coaching staff.
“Our coaching staff has consistently had high expectations of themselves and our student athletes – both in the classroom and on the cross country course and track,” noted Einspahr, who is in his 20th year at Concordia. “Our student athletes have attempted to realize these high expectations, and they should be commended for striving to use the talents the good Lord has given them. Our staff continues to learn and develop each year so that we can try to help each student and each team to develop their talents. We are also fortunate to have our own cross country trail on campus with easy access to miles and miles of country roads to train on.”
The consistent success of the Bulldog cross country program has certainly been recognized. Following the 2011 season, lists of the most successful NAIA cross country programs were released. At the request of the NAIA Cross Country Coaches Association, lists of the programs with the combined best finishes at the NAIA National Championships were developed. Scoring was based on a system in which a team championship received 40 points, second place 39 points, etc. Lists were created for all-time top programs and top current programs.
On the women’s side, Concordia is ranked eighth in all-time top programs (1980-2010). The Bulldogs are second in the list of top current programs, trailing only Azusa Pacific (Calif.). The Concordia men’s cross country program is eighth in the list of top current men’s programs.
Other NAIA coaches have also recognized the successes of Coach Einspahr and his teams over the years. Jonathan Zimmerman, head coach at traditional cross country power Biola University, had several good things to say about Coach Einspahr and the Bulldog program.
“Kregg does an outstanding job of recruiting outstanding students that are truly representative of Concordia as a whole,” remarked Zimmerman. “He does a superior job of taking these individuals and transforming them into quality men’s and women’s cross country and track teams year in and year out. Expectations are very high for his student athletes to be both competitive and scholastic. He really has done an extraordinary job.”
“It always means a lot when people outside of our school recognize the work our teams have done,” added Einspahr. “Certainly, we are pleased to be recognized as one of the most consistently successful cross country programs in the country. “Over the years, we have been fortunate to attract talented individuals who have been a good fit with the Concordia community. In addition, many of our runners have been over-achievers who have done well because of their outstanding personal work habits. They have been very coachable – trusting their training, and they have been very hard workers.”