2017 Meet Results

Dordt Classic (Sept. 9) | Sioux Center, Iowa | Results

Dean White Invitational (Sept. 23) | Crete, Neb. | Results

Briar Cliff Invitational (Oct. 7) | North Sioux City, Iowa | Adams Nature Preserve | Results

Mount Marty Invite (Oct. 21) | Yankton, S.D. | Results

GPAC Championships (Nov. 4) | Sioux Center, Iowa | Results

NAIA National Championships (Nov. 18) | Vancouver, Wash. | Fort Vancouver National Historic Site | Results

Season preview: 2017 Concordia cross country

Aug 31, 2017

MEN
Head Coach: Matt Beisel (2nd year)
2016 Finish: 6th in GPAC
Key Returners: Evan Asche (Jr.); Kohlton Gabehart (Sr.); Cameron Moes (Jr.); Pat Wortmann (Sr.); Thomas Taylor (Jr.).
Key Loss: Chris Shelton.

WOMEN
Head Coach: Matt Beisel (2nd year)
2016 Finish: 6th in GPAC
Key Returners: Emily (Sievert) Deschaine (Sr.); Taylor Grove (Jr.); Rebekah Hinrichs (So.); Jacy Johnston (Jr.); Erin Lindeman (So.); Abby Protzman (Jr.); Miranda Rathjen (So.).
Key Loss: Marti Vlasin.
2016 GPAC All-Conference/NAIA National Qualifier: Emily (Sievert) Deschaine.

Outlook
New philosophies and styles have been established for a cross country program looking to return to its past glory. The Bulldogs progressed through a transitional phase last fall as alum Matt Beisel assumed the head coaching role that had been held down by the highly accomplished Kregg Einspahr. Concordia recorded GPAC team finishes of sixth for both men and women in 2016.

There is reason to believe the Bulldogs are headed back up the conference ladder. Beisel returns some key figures like national qualifier Emily Deschaine (formerly Emily Sievert) and Pat Wortmann. In addition, Concordia welcomes 22 freshmen. The rookies make up more than half the roster for a program with higher expectations in 2017.

“All of my distance kids ended up running PR’s throughout the year,” Beisel said. “There was a lot of improvement. I think the year was awesome because of that. We come into this year with me knowing these kids and me knowing what summer workouts were appropriate based on their history. They’ve come into this season in the best shape they’ve ever been in. With the new kids, it’s the beginning of that building process of them getting to know me and vice versa.”

Deschaine emerged as Concordia’s lone national qualifier in 2016. She battled through significant pain in her knee to place ninth in the GPAC, locking up the second all-conference cross country award of her career. The native of Frankenmuth, Mich., has fully recovered from the injury that limited her during the track seasons. This offseason she was named a team captain and appears primed for a stellar senior year.

Says Biesel, “As an athlete, she provides a great role model for the young girls to be able to say, ‘I want to do what she did some day.’ She’s been able to make it to nationals multiple times and be all-conference multiple times in cross country and track. She’s an extraordinary young lady and we’re blessed to have her.”

Team success for the women will depend on the development behind Deschaine. Junior Taylor Grove placed 31st in the GPAC last season and went on to qualify for the outdoor track and field national championships in the marathon. Beisel also noted the improvement of junior Jacy Johnston who spent four weeks in China over the summer but still managed to put in the necessary mileage. Based on preseason training, sophomore Miranda Rathjen of Osceola, Neb., may be on the verge of a breakout season. Other returning runners to watch include sophomores Rebekah Hinrichs and Erin Lindeman and junior Abby Protzman.

Then there are the freshmen. Many of them excelled on a statewide scale at their respective high schools. Some, like Mullen High School product Emily Boyer, are lesser experienced in cross country, while others, like Sydney Clark of Des Moines Christian School, qualified for state all four years. Several additional newcomers carry impressive credentials.

“Everyone fits in so well,” Deschaine said. “It’s just neat to see a common mentality and common goals. It’s a lot of men and women who are here because they love running, they want to continue in competition and they work hard. We’re seeing girls already stepping up and doing a great job. I think they’re going to be a fantastic addition to helping our team do well this year. It also sets the groundwork for years to come and a continually successful team.”

On the men’s side, Concordia returns its four highest placing competitors from the 2016 GPAC championships. That group is made up of Wortmann (28th), junior Thomas Taylor (29th), senior Kohlton Gabehart (36th) and junior Evan Asche (42nd). Not far off, junior Cameron Moes (50th) is also back in the stable.

A team berth in the national championships may seem to be a stretch based upon last season’s conference finish, but the Bulldogs believe they’re making steady progress towards that aim. They’ll need to in order to catch up with league rivals like Northwestern, which had six of the top 11 place finishers at the conference championships.

“Every day we’ve been talking about making it to nationals,” Wortmann said. “All of us are hungry to go to nationals. I’ve never been to nationals for cross. All of us have that goal. We’re all working towards it. Every day at practice you can really see it in everyone that they’re working towards that goal.”

That goal probably won’t be reached without some help with the large class of newcomers. Similar to the women’s side, many of the new Bulldogs bring winning pedigrees. Rookie Christian Van Cleave (Arvada, Colo.), along with other freshmen, has caught Beisel’s attention this preseason.

“Those guys ran at a very high level last year and are going to bring immediate relevancy to our team,” Beisel said. “Then we have another tier of guys who ran well and have state experience. They could very well develop. With more work in the weight room and all that, they could develop. I’m excited to see what all of these kids can do.”

Beisel added a new wrinkle this season by bringing his teams to campus prior to the start of the school year. The Bulldogs reported on Aug. 10, giving them ample time to train and bond before they officially open up the season on Sept. 9 (Dordt College Invitational). The team has not had to hurry through its preseason due to the early arrival. The extra time has given the team opportunity to receive more instruction from Beisel and from strength and conditioning coach Todd Berner.

“We’re working as a team and seeing where we fall,” Deschaine said. “This is going to be a good group to train with and a good group to be with. We were also able to improve the team cohesiveness with not having the focus of school and being able to focus on running. I think it helps us head into the season with a good mindset.”

Part of that mindset means being dissatisfied with sixth-place conference finishes. Both programs used to regularly place within the top two spots at the conference championships. The men’s program last claimed a GPAC title in 2012 while the women’s most recent conference title came in 2005.

Says Beisel, “The big goal everybody is fired up about is moving back to where we’ve been, which is top three of the conference or higher. Winning conference is always the goal. Getting out there and competing with the best teams in the GPAC is our No. 1 priority. If that happens, nationals is automatic.”

Deschaine, Taylor lead Bulldogs in opening meet

Sept 9, 2017

SIOUX CENTER, Iowa – Second-year head coach Matt Beisel is encouraged by the way his cross country teams began the 2017 season at the Dordt Classic in Sioux Center, Iowa, on Saturday. While up against many of their conference rivals, the Bulldog men placed second out of eight teams and the women took sixth among the seven squads that were officially scored. Additional teams brought individuals to the race.

Beisel’s squads are coming off sixth-place GPAC finishes in 2016. There are already signs that Concordia is likely to move up the ladder on both sides.

“They performed incredibly well,” Beisel said. “Our men realized at the beginning of the season that they have the potential to place top two or three in our conference. They worked all summer and our freshmen are really strong. They went out and got second out of eight conference teams. Our guys are really pumped up about it.

“On the girls’ side it looks deceptive. The Dordt alumni team was also scored. The girls ran great. They came off their time trial last week with the same goal: to run the first mile more conservatively. All of us are focusing on pack running. Emily (Deschaine) ran 19:33, which is a great place to be at this point in the season.”

The men placed right in front of Morningside, which had been placed second in the GPAC’s preseason rating. The lone nationally-ranked squad in the conference is Northwestern, which won the Dordt Classic on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Bulldog women outran seventh place Mount Marty.

The men did not have a top 10 finisher, but five Bulldogs placed between 11th and 21st. Leading the way were juniors Thomas Taylor (27:05) and Evan Asche (27:08), placing 11th and 12th, respectively. Next came freshman Jordan Lorenz (27:23; 16th) and seniors Pat Wortmann (27:44, 18th) and Kohlton Gabehart (27:47; 21st). The team’s four best performers following Gabehart were all freshmen: JP Reynolds, Christian Van Cleave, Cody Williams and Patrick Schneeberger.

Not surprisingly, Deschaine, a returning national qualifier, paced Concordia on the women’s side with a 10th-place claim (eighth when excluding the alumni). Among Bulldogs, she was followed by sophomore Rebekah Hinrichs (20:25; 27th), freshmen Alyssa Fye (20:29; 29th) and Everett Elder (20:40, 32nd) and sophomore Miranda Rathjen (20:52; 34th) to round out the top five. Concordia was without junior Taylor Grove, a 2017 outdoor track and field national qualifier in the marathon.

“Our women ran outstandingly well,” Beisel said. “The big question is whether they will improve more than the individuals from the other teams between now and the conference meet. I have a lot of confidence in what my kids are showing. I think in the next couple of weeks we’re really going to start to see that.”

The 2017 season will continue on Sept. 23 when the Bulldogs compete at the Dean White Invite hosted by Doane. The meet is set to get underway at 10 a.m. CT.

Deschaine, Taylor earn top-10 finishes at Dean White Invite

Sept 23, 2017

CRETE, Neb. – Making their second official appearances of the 2017 season, the Concordia University cross country teams turned in place finishes of third on the women’s side and fifth on the men’s side at Saturday morning’s Deane White Invitational hosted by Doane. The Bulldogs were paced by senior Emily Deschaine and Thomas Taylor at a meet made up of mostly GPAC squads that galloped through sultry conditions.

Second-year head coach Matt Beisel guides teams that were ranked third (men) and sixth (women), respectively, in the latest official GPAC rankings. Though pleased with Saturday’s efforts, Beisel still believes the best is yet to come.

“I felt like the women exceeded expectations,” Beisel said. “I was hoping for a top five finish and they got third. Considering the only two teams to finish ahead of us are nationally ranked, it’s a huge boost for us. We’re very happy about it. The course at Doane is the slowest course we’ll run on all season. I told my kids not to worry about times. It’s about how you compete.

“On the guys’ side, we were hoping for something better. We wanted to be closer to the top three. The way teams were spaced out, we just got edged out on points. I thought the guys might be a little down about it but they just looked at me and said, ‘We’ve got this.’”

Concordia will count on Deschaine to play a starring role all season. She finished sixth out of 131 runners by clocking in at 19:56.22 on the 5k course. There’s plenty of potential in the group that followed Deschaine. Two freshmen came in next: Alyssa Fye (20:51:03) and Everett Elder (21:10.26), both top 25 overall finishers. Sophomore Rebekah Hinrichs (21:11.00) was close behind while improving her time by more than a minute, as compared to what she ran on the same course as a freshman. Lydia Cook (21:36.39) and Miranda Rathjen (21:36.69) ran neck-and-neck for the fifth and sixth positions on the team.

Taylor, a junior from Papillion, Neb., turned in a 10th place finish, reaching the end of his 8k race in a time of 28:16.40. Experience won out at the top for the Bulldogs. Junior Evan Asche placed 15th and clocked in at 28:38.06 and senior Pat Wortmann claimed 20th by finishing in 28:46.31. The team’s top five was rounded out by senior Kohlton Gabehart (29:28.82) and freshman Jordan Lorenz (29:31.52). Lorenz was one of nine freshmen to represent Concordia on the men’s side.

The Bulldogs will have another layoff before hitting the course at Adams Nature Preserve in North Sioux City, Iowa, on Oct. 7 for the Briar Cliff Invite. The meet will be one of two more before the GPAC championships take place on Nov. 4. Beisel is positioning his runners to be at their best when it matters the most.

“One of the things I explained to my team the other day is we just finished the most physically and mentally challenging phase of our training season,” Beisel said. “We put a lot of hard work in that will result in us being much better as we move into the next weeks. We’re going to work the system of our bodies and different ways and they’re going to suddenly find that they’ve got legs and ability to push.”

Bulldogs turn in fifth, seventh-place finishes at Briar Cliff Invite

Oct. 7th, 2017

NORTH SIOUX CITY, S.D. – Senior Emily Deschaine and junior Thomas Taylor continue to establish themselves as frontrunners with three meets now in the books for the 2017 Concordia University cross country squads. In Saturday’s muddy outing at the Briar Cliff Invitational, the Bulldog women placed fifth out of 13 teams and the men finished seventh amongst a field of 14 squads. More than 300 runners paced the soggy trail at Adams Nature Preserve in North Sioux City, S.D.

Concordia also took part in the Dordt College Classic (Sept. 9) and the Dean White Invite (Sept. 23) prior to Saturday. Head coach Matt Beisel’s squads entered the meet ranked fifth in the GPAC on both sides, according to the official NAIA rankings. The water logged grounds made this a much different experience.

“We got good performances,” Beisel said. “We ended up placing pretty well. The women had a phenomenal day. Almost every girl ran a personal best or a season best in spite of the mud. The girls as a whole did really well.

“On the guys’ side we also had some great performances. I think the mud and the length of the race wore some guys down at a certain point. Thomas Taylor was our No. 1 guy. If we had just been running against GPAC runners he would have been 10th. It was one of the top races of his life. Overall we’re pretty satisfied with the results.”

Deschaine, a 2016 individual national qualifier, has placed inside the top 15 of each of the first three meets this season. On the course that measured in at approximately 200 meters longer than a 5k at Adams Nature Preserve, Deschaine clocked in at 20:07.83, placing her 14th out of 162 female runners. Her 5k time was measured at 19:24. She also crossed the finish line in sixth place at the Dean White Invite and eighth at the Dordt Classic.

Next in line behind Deschaine on the women’s side were freshman Alyssa Fye (20:19.05; 21st), sophomore Rebekah Hinrichs (20:34.67; 34th), freshman Everett Elder (21:16.23; 46th) and junior Jacy Johnston (21:19.15; 50th). Eighteen females represented the Bulldogs at the meet. Concordia is still awaiting the return of junior Taylor Grove, a 2017 NAIA outdoor track and field national qualifier in the marathon. Fye and Hinrichs posted 5k times under 20 minutes while sophomore Miranda Rathjen (21:32.79; 55th) continues to make big gains.

Beisel also made special mention of Emily Boyer, a freshman from Mullen, Neb. Boyer did not run cross country during high school and dealt with surgery during her senior year of high school. Saturday marked her first ever 5k race. She registered a 5k time of 23:01 in North Sioux City. Said Beisel, “She was just so ecstatic. That was a great story.”

On the heels of 10th-place finishes at the first two meets, Taylor checked in at 19th on Saturday. He navigated the 8k distance in a time of 26:55.69 for a season best by roughly 10 seconds. The rest of the team’s top five included senior Kohlton Gabehart (27:21.10; 30th), junior Evan Asche (27:55.93; 48th) and freshmen JP Reynolds (28:00.16; 50th) and Jordan Lorenz (28:11.18; 53rd). The men’s field featured 153 runners.

Ten GPAC female and nine GPAC male institutions sent teams to the meet. On the women’s side, the Bulldogs beat out Midland, Doane, College of Saint Mary, Mount Marty and Briar Cliff. On the men’s side, Concordia outran Midland, Hastings, Briar Cliff and Mount Marty.

The Mount Marty College Invite (Oct. 21) is the only meet standing between the Bulldogs and the GPAC championships on Nov. 4. The meet hosted by Mount Marty is set to get underway at 10 a.m. CT in Yankton, S.D.

“We’re shifting our training now to more of a championship cycle,” Beisel said. “They’re feeling a lot better in practice. I think it’s really going to culminate when we want it to at the GPAC championships.”

Bulldogs tune up for GPAC championships with Mount Marty Invite

Oct 21, 2017

YANKTON, S.D. – It’s crunch time for both Concordia University cross country squads. Just two weeks out from the conference championships, the Bulldogs turned in place finishes of third on the women’s side and fifth on the men’s side at Saturday’s (Oct. 21) Mount Marty Invite held at Fox Run Golf Course in Yankton, S.D. A total of nine women’s teams and 10 men’s teams competed at the meet.

Second-year head coach Matt Beisel’s women’s team finished above two of the other three GPAC teams that were present. Meanwhile, the men beat out three of the other four GPAC squads that journeyed to the hilly course in Yankton. Said Beisel, “I told the kids it’s not about the times. It’s about competitive effort. They did a great job with it. I had a few freshmen on the girls side step up and run real well.”

Not surprisingly, senior Emily Deschaine led the efforts of the women’s team with her time of 19:33.30 on the 5k course. She placed fifth overall. The native of Frankenmuth, Mich., has recorded a top 15 finish at each of the team’s four meets this fall. The rest of the team’s top five included freshman Alyssa Fye (19:59.95; 9th), sophomore Rebekah Hinrichs (20:02.00; 10th), freshman Alyssa Bierwagen (20:58.64; 25th) and sophomore Sydney Clark (21:09.23; 27th). Both Deschaine and Fye appear to be strong contenders for individual bids to the national championships.

On the men’s side, junior Thomas Taylor clocked in at 27:34.52 on the 8k course, good for a 22nd place overall finish. It was freshman Christian Van Cleave who really made a big leap. He ran a personal best of 28:12.42 and finished 31st and second only to Taylor among Bulldogs. The team’s Nos. 3 through 5 spots were held down by seniors Pat Wortmann (28:18.34; 36th) and Kohlton Gabehart (28:19.82) and junior Evan Asche (28:46.65; 53rd). Just behind Asche, freshman Cody Williams turned in a personal best of 28:48.41.

A total of 104 male runners and 94 female runners navigated the course at Fox Run. Beisel brought 32 runners (18 female, 14 male) to the meet. Both squads will have to be trimmed to 10 runners for the conference meet.

Now it’s all about prepping for the upcoming GPAC championships, which will take place in Sioux Center, Iowa, on Saturday, Nov. 4. Both Bulldog squads have hopes of improving upon their sixth-place conference finishes in 2016. National championship bids will be on the line at the conference meet. Last season Deschaines qualified individually for nationals thanks to a ninth-place claim at the GPAC championships.

“Our women our sitting fifth in the conference right now. That’s where we’re at,” Beisel said. “On the guys’ side it’s a little tricky. The question is whether our guys can put it together and be better than fifth. Can we upset a Dordt or Morningside at the conference meet in two weeks? It would feel good if we can dig in and do that. Right now we’re sitting in fifth and that’s better than last year. As a coach, you hope the training is all going to pay off and they’re going to have a great race at the GPAC meet.”

Bulldogs looking to make GPAC jump

Nov. 1, 2017

SEWARD, Neb. – The preparation of cross country teams across the nation all leads up to this weekend when the stakes will be as high as they have been all fall. Now in his second year leading the Bulldogs, head coach Matt Beisel believes that his squads led by Emily Deschaine on the women’s side and Thomas Taylor on the men’s side are hitting their stride just as the GPAC championships have arrived.

Saturday’s conference championship meet is set to get underway at 10:45 a.m. CT with the women’s 5K race to precede the men’s 8K competition. Both races will be held on the Dordt College campus.

“I have absolute confidence that we are ready to go this weekend. Our kids have been working hard for over 20 weeks. After a successful meet at Mount Marty, our kids are ready to go. These last few weeks we’ve moved into different type of workouts. We’re focusing in on making sure our athletes are rested while still keeping the intensity of our workouts up. Our athletes just want this weekend to be here, and I feel the same way.”

Based upon the most recent conference ratings released on Oct. 23, Concordia is expected to place fifth for both men and women. Those ratings are based upon results that have played out over four meets this fall for the Bulldogs. They last competed at the Mount Marty College Invite on Oct. 21 when the women placed third out of nine teams and the men claimed fifth out of 10 squads. A team national championships berth would likely require at least a top-three finish on Saturday.

That won’t be an easy task in a competitive conference, but the presence of Deschaine provides hope. The senior from Frankenmuth, Mich., is winding down what’s been a career worth celebrating. She’s already been two the cross country national championships, has been a track and field national qualifier and is a scholar-athlete. If anyone on this roster can make it to the 2017 national championships, it’s Deschaine.

Said Beisel, “Emily Deschaine has the best chance on the women’s side. She is running extremely well right now. She’s in great shape and has no injuries. It’s a matter of taking the last few weeks of sharpening work and making it happen, putting the mental piece and the physical piece together. I think she is ready and able for that.”

A year ago, Deschaine (maiden name Sievert) battled through a painful knee injury that forced her to walk with crutches. She still managed to place ninth in the conference and earn a bid to nationals.

“It’s definitely nice not to be on crutches right now,” Deschaine joked. “Hobbling through the halls isn’t exactly a confidence booster. I’ve had three months of training, plus summer and the races we’ve had this season. Our whole conference has had kind of an up-and-down season that don’t necessarily show the shape you’re in. Fitness-wise, I think we’re in really good shape and I feel really excited about this weekend.”

While Deschaine has been their leader all year, the Concordia women have also seen freshman Alyssa Fye emerge as their No. 2 runner. She’s part of a solid freshman group that also includes Alyssa Bierwagen and Sydney Clark. Said Biesel, “Alyssa Fye has done some great things already. She’s made huge progress. There’s a shot she could get to nationals. I wouldn’t be surprised if she did.”

Along with Deschaine, five other returners ran at the 2016 conference championships: Jacy Johnston, Rebekah Hinrichs, Erin Lindeman, Miranda Rathjen and Abby Protzman. The Bulldogs have been without the services of junior Taylor Grove this season. Grove was the team’s No. 3 runner at last year’s GPAC championships.

On the men’s side, Taylor, a junior from Papillion, Neb., paces a group of experienced runners at the top of the heap. Taylor, seniors Kohlton Gabehart and Pat Wortmann and junior Evan Asche could all make strong pushes for top-30 individual finishes. If Taylor is at his best, he could even wind up in the top 10 and punch his ticket to nationals.

“It’s very cool to be able to say that, that I could be in the top 10,” Taylor said. “It’s an accomplishment I’ve been working towards. I would have liked to have been there last year, but I wasn’t ready for it. Honestly, it’s not possible without the guys running alongside me. It’s all because of them.”

Beisel likes what he sees from Taylor, who appears primed to improve significantly upon his 29th-place GPAC finish in 2016.

“Thomas Taylor has been running with the top 10 in the conference all season,” Beisel said. “He needs to be there on that day. His intensity level and his focus have been extraordinary and I love the look in his eyes when I talk with him about his chances. There are no guarantees, but I wouldn’t rule out some of the other guys on the team. I’m going to go into it with hope and confidence and see what comes out.”

The hope is for several of the team’s freshmen to aid in the push for a climb up the GPAC ladder. Rookie Christian Van Cleave enjoyed a breakthrough at the Mount Marty Invite where he turned in a personal best of 28:12.42. There are a host of other freshmen ready to make an impact on the conference meet.

Nothing about Saturday’s conditions should come as any surprise to the Bulldogs, who ran on Dordt’s course on Sept. 9. They know the layout of the land. Said Taylor, “Knowing that we’ve run that course is really nice. You know where you need to push and where you need to maintain. We’re going to have to play it more safe than we did (at Mount Marty). I think this course gives us a little bit of an advantage.”

Chilly conditions this time of year are just something all GPAC runners have to get used to. Said Deschaine, “Everyone’s running in the same conditions. To me it doesn’t really matter what the weather is like. If anything, some inclement weather makes you a little bit more focused sometimes. Everyone’s running in those conditions so it’s time to see who’s tougher.”

Toughness is one trait Beisel would love to see in his runners on Saturday. He has also talked about the importance for each of them to put their trust in Christ as the GPAC championships beckon. In turn, Concordia should see its fortunes improve as compared to one year ago.

“My returning kids are stronger and faster than they’ve ever been,” Beisel said. “We saw that happening last fall. They all ran personal bests at the conference meet. They have put in a huge amount of work. Their intensity level has been really high. Now we see what happens. The depth on our team is much greater. In our top seven or eight, we have four returning guys and three returning girls. Depth-wise and as far as competitiveness, we are way ahead of last year. I wouldn't be surprised to see a top three finish for either of my teams on Saturday.”

2016 GPAC championships results

MEN – 6th
(out of 89 runners)
28. Patrick Wortmann – 26:42.80
29. Thomas Taylor – 26:43.09
36. Kohlton Gabehart – 27:04.93
42. Evan Asche – 27:19.56
44. Chris Shelton – 27:20.89
50. Cameron Moes – 27:37.45
51. Josiah McAllister – 27:39.08
84. Sam Ferguson – 31:10.90
85. Robbie Peterson – 32:10.36

WOMEN – 6th
(out of 95 runners)
9. Emily Deschaine – 18:20.96
29. Shelbi Hackbart – 19:05.58
31. Taylor Grove – 19:07.69
44. Marti Vlasin – 19:50.07
49. Jacy Johnston – 20:01.87
50. Rebekah Hinrichs – 20:06.44
62. Erin Lindeman – 20:46.19
74. Miranda Rathjen – 21:18.16
76. Abby Protzman – 21:19.98
81. Emily Writebol – 21:36.10

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Deschaine makes push for nationals; Bulldogs turn in finishes of fifth and sixth

Nov. 4, 2017

SIOUX CENTER, Iowa – Senior Emily Deschaine has positioned herself for a possible spot in the NAIA national championships for the third year in a row. A second-straight top-10 GPAC finish for the Frankenmuth, Mich., native highlighted the performances of the Concordia University cross country squads at Saturday’s (Nov. 4) GPAC championship meet held in Sioux Center, Iowa. From a team perspective, Concordia placed fifth on the women’s side and sixth on the men’s side.

Head coach Matt Beisel’s squads entered the conference meet ranked fifth on both sides. Beisel was pleased with how his programs made positive steps during his second season guiding Bulldog cross country. Twelve runners clocked personal bests on Saturday.

“It was an all-around phenomenal day,” Beisel said. “I’m never going to be satisfied unless we’re winning conference. That’s the bottom line, but it doesn’t happen overnight. You look at the effort of each individual – the kids ran their hearts out. I’m so proud of everyone one of our kids. I think they know they did a great job.”

This was the breakthrough Deschaine had been striving for since placing ninth at the GPAC championships as a junior. She saved her best 2017 performance for the most important race of the season, navigating the 5k course on the Dordt College campus in a season best time of 18:32.60. Her sixth-place conference finish was a career best. Deschaine made a late push to surpass a group of runners before the finish line. The hope is that will be good enough for a bid to nationals.

“She’s running very, very well, which we knew she could do all along,” Beisel said. “She told me the last couple races that she has been running her heart out. It just hadn’t come together. Today was the day it had to come together – and it did.”

Deschaine wasn’t the only Bulldog female to leg out a season best. Freshman Alyssa Fye set a new personal standard with a time of 19:14.74, placing her 18th overall. The rest of the women’s top five included sophomore Rebekah Hinrichs (19:39.13; 29th) and freshmen Alyssa Bierwagen (20:16.57; 40th) and Everett Elder (20:24.39; 47th).

The men’s team was led by junior Thomas Taylor, who also hoped to give himself a shot at reaching the national championships. He ended up in 18th place after crossing the finish line in 26:19.04 on the 8k course. He moved up from a 29th-place conference finish last year as a sophomore.

“Thomas ran the race of his life,” Beisel said. “He came very close to breaking his season goal of 26 minutes. On the day we needed it the most, he led our way. It wasn’t good enough to get in (to nationals), but I really want to commend him. It was a phenomenal race on his part.”

Next in line was senior Kohlton Gabehart, who finished his collegiate cross country career with his second best ever time of 27:00.65 (32nd place). The team’s top five was rounded out by junior Evan Asche (27:06.78; 34th), freshman Christian Van Cleave (27:14.27; 38th) and senior Pat Wortmann (27:39.58; 49th). Van Cleave's time represented a personal best by more than a minute.

All teams enter 10 runners into the conference championship meet. Of the 20 combined men’s and women’s Bulldog runners at the meet, only three were seniors. Beisel has lofty aspirations for what the coming years will bring for the program.

Deschaine hopes to be headed to Fort Vancouver National Historic Site in Vancouver, Wash., for the 2017 NAIA Cross Country National Championships. The women’s race will take place at 1:30 p.m. CST on Saturday, Nov. 18. At last year’s championship meet in Elsah, Ill., Deschaine clocked a time of 19:28.88 and finished 195th out of 334 runners.

Deschaine looks to finish strong at national championships

Nov 15, 2017

SEWARD, Neb. – An all-conference runner for the third year in a row, senior Emily Deschaine has also earned her third-consecutive trip to the national championships. The 2017 NAIA Cross Country National Championships will be held on Saturday at the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site in Vancouver, Wash. The women’s 5k race is set to get underway at 11:30 a.m. local time in Washington (1:30 p.m. in Nebraska).

The national championships have taken Deschaine all over the country. She qualified for the 2015 championship meet in Charlotte, N.C., and then went to Elsah, Ill., (St. Louis area) for last season’s nationals journey. For the second year in a row, Deschaine is the lone national qualifier to represent head coach Matt Beisel’s programs, which turned in team finishes of fifth (women) and sixth (men), respectively, at the conference championships on Nov. 4.

Deschaine entered this year’s national field as one of four at-large individual qualifiers from the GPAC. Deschaine earned her spot with a sixth-place finish at the conference championships, clocking in with a time of 18:32.60. The native of Frankenmuth, Mich., has improved her positioning within the conference each season of her career, going from 23rd in 2014 to 11th in 2015 to ninth in 2016 before placing sixth earlier this month.

Deschaine made her way to the 2015 national championships along with teammates Jordan Potrzeba and Kim Wood, both seniors at the time. Deschaine placed 159th (19:27.3) in her first experience at cross country nationals. While nursing a knee injury last fall, Deschaine finished 195th (19:28.88). Beisel believes she can improve significantly on that placement.

Prior to the GPAC championships, Deschaine discussed the significance of getting one last chance on the national stage. Said Deschaine, “It’s hard for me right now to face the fact that my cross country career is coming to an end. Part of why I want nationals so bad is just having one more race to put the cherry on top of the season. Just making it to nationals is such an honor and such an achievement in itself. It makes you walk away feeling like you really give it all you had.”

Results for Saturday’s championship meet will be posted HERE.

Deschaine career GPAC finishes
2017 – 6th | 18:32.60 (Sioux Center, Iowa)
2016 – 9th | 18:20.96 (Hastings, Neb.)
2015 – 11th | 19:00.72 (Crete, Neb.)
2014 – 23rd | 19:05.97 (Mitchell, S.D.)

Deschaine career NAIA national finishes
2017 - ?? (Vancouver, Wash.)
2016 – 195th | 19:28.88 (Elsah, Ill.)
2015 – 159th | 19:27.3 (Charlotte, N.C.)

Six runners pull in NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors

Nov. 19, 2017

NAIA Scholar-Athletes: Men | Women

SEWARD, Neb. – Six runners from second-year head coach Matt Beisel’s cross country squads were named 2017 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes by the NAIA on Friday (Nov. 17). The lone repeat selection is senior Emily Deschaine, who also qualified for the cross country national championships. First time NAIA Scholar-Athlete award winners include juniors Evan Asche, Taylor Grove, Jacy Johnston and Abby Protzman and senior Shelbi Hackbart.

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 and must have achieved a junior academic status. A total of 351 women’s cross country and 254 men’s cross country student-athletes across the nation were named 2017 Scholar-Athletes by the NAIA.

Concordia University ranks as the NAIA’s all-time leader in number of Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes with 1,290 and counting. The Bulldogs have been a regular national leader for both scholar-athletes and scholar-teams and are coming off a 2016-17 academic year that resulted in 78 more scholar-athletes and 19 scholar-teams. The 2015-16 season produced a GPAC best 92 Bulldog scholar-athletes and a national best 20 NAIA Scholar-Teams. The 2014-15 season culminated with GPAC-leading totals of 94 Bulldog scholar-athletes and 17 NAIA Scholar-Teams. During the 2013-14 academic year, Concordia garnered 101 Scholar-Athlete honorees (most in the NAIA) and 17 NAIA Scholar-Teams (tied for fourth nationally).

2017 Cross Country Scholar-Athletes

VANCOUVER, Wash. – A sixth-place GPAC finisher, senior Emily Deschaine capped her cross country career at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site in Vancouver, Wash., on Saturday (Nov. 18). One of 338 runners in the NAIA women’s national championship race, Deschaine placed 131st, finishing in a time of 19:18 after navigating the 5k course.

Saturday marked Deschaine’s third appearance on the cross country national stage. She also placed 159th in Charlotte, N.C., in 2015 and then 195th last year in Elsah, Ill. Deschaine’s time in Vancouver was the best of her career in a national championships meet. The native of Frankenmuth, Mich., improved her GPAC positioning each year, turning in finishes of 23rd, 11th, ninth and sixth. Each of Deschaine’s national berths were earned individually.

The season ended on Nov. 4 at the GPAC championships for the rest of head coach Matt Beisel’s squads. Concordia placed fifth on the women’s side and sixth on the men’s side at the conference meet. Now it’s on to track and field season for the distance crew.