ROSTER | PDF - GPAC Finishes: Women 5th; Men 4th

2021 Meet Results

2021 Roster

Men	Year	Hometown	Previous School
Brayden Adams	Jr.	Omaha, Neb.	Elkhorn HS
Luke Bentz	Fr.	Fort Wayne, Ind.	Concordia Lutheran HS
Antonio Blaine	So.	Golden, Colo.	Faith Christian HS
Zach Cloud	Fr.	Grand Island, Neb.	Grand Island Central Catholic
Owen Dawson	So.	Cedar Falls, Iowa	Valley Lutheran HS
Brett Determan	Fr.	Cedar Falls, Iowa	Valley Lutheran HS
Jack Ellis	Fr.	Bend, Ore.	Trinity Lutheran HS
Cameron Gray	Jr.	Riverside, Calif.	Woodcrest Christian HS
Thomas Gorline	Fr.	St. Louis, Mo.	Westminster Christian HS
Charlie Hayden	Fr.	Elkhorn, Neb.	Elkhorn South HS
Ethan Hensley	Fr.	Golden, Colo.	Golden HS
Ricky Herman	Jr.	Springfield	Central HS
Deivydas Hermanas	Fr.	Dardenne Prairie, Mo.	Francis Howell HS
Ethan Ideus	Fr.	Seward, Neb.	Seward HS
Zachary Johnson	So.	Aberdeen, S.D.	Central HS
Wyatt Lehr	Jr.	Lamar, Colo.	Lamar HS
Joe McFarland	Fr.	Columbus, Neb.	Columbus HS
Ethan Pankow	Jr.	Milwaukee, Wis.	Milwaukee Lutheran HS
Nathan Pennekamp	Fr.	Fort Wayne, Ind.	Concordia Lutheran HS
Sam Plante	Fr.	Elkhorn, Neb.	Elkhorn South HS
Zach Potratz	Sr.	Seward, Neb.	Seward HS
Nick Price	Jr.	Wamego, Kan.	Wamego HS / Highland CC
Thad Rathjen	Fr.	Osceola, Neb.	Osceola HS
JP Reynolds	Sr.	Nuevo, Calif.	Woodcrest Christian HS
Calvin Rohde	Fr.	Reed City, Mich.	Reed City HS
Evan Schmidt	Fr.	Firth, Neb.	Norris HS
Camden Sesna	So.	Kearney, Neb.	Kearney Catholic HS
Jackson Smith	Fr.	Waukee, Iowa	Waukee HS / Grand Canyon University
Brennan Taylor	Fr.	Seward, Neb.	Seward HS
Micah Willweber	Fr.	Kailua, Hawaii	Kalaheo HS

Women	Year	Hometown	Previous School
Lauren Ada	Fr.	De Soto, Kan.	The Lutheran HS of Kansas City
Keri Bauer	Jr.	Pleasanton, Neb.	Pleasanton HS
Abigail Dawson	So.	Grand Island, Neb.	Heartland Lutheran HS
Lauren Dawson	Fr.	Cedar Falls, Iowa	Valley Lutheran HS
Abi DeLoach	Jr.	Kearney, Neb.	Kearney HS
Peyton Gissler	Fr.	Malcolm, Neb.	Malcolm HS
Rylee Haecker	Fr.	Davenport, Neb.	Raymond Central HS
Kylahn Heritage	So.	Nampa, Idaho	Melba HS
Ellie Jander	Fr.	St. Louis, Mo.	Lutheran HS North
Rhaya Kaschinske	Fr.	Fort Wayne, Ind.	Concordia Lutheran HS
Amie Martin	So.	Arnold, Mo.	Fox C-6 HS
Abigail Meier	Jr.	Lawrence, Kan.	Lawrence Free State HS
Hannah Mundt	So.	Blue Springs, Mo.	The Lutheran HS of Kansas City
Katelyn Nix	Fr.	Fort Wayne, Ind.	Concordia Lutheran HS
Grace Oberg	Fr.	Kearney, Neb.	Kearney Catholic HS
Grace Pennekamp	Fr.	Fort Wayne, Ind.	Concordia Lutheran HS
Mary Pennekamp	Fr.	Fort Wayne, Ind.	Concordia Lutheran HS
Aubrey Rathke	Fr.	Fremont, Neb.	Homeschooled
Grace Reiman	Fr.	Hastings, Neb.	Adams Central HS
Kaia Richmond	Fr.	Langley, Wash.	South Whidbey HS
Malia Rolf	Fr.	Seward, Neb.	Seward HS
Jaiden Tweton	Fr.	Ashland, Neb.	Ashland-Greenwood HS
Lainey Werts	Fr.	St. Edward, Neb.	St. Edward HS
Faith Williamson	Fr.	O'Neill, Neb.	St. Mary HS
Courtney Wright	Fr.	Perryville, Mo.	Perryville HS

STAFF

Matt Beisel, Head Coach

Mark Samuels, Assistant Coach

2021 Schedule Release: Concordia Cross Country

Jun. 4, 2021

2021 Cross Country Schedule

SEWARD, Neb. – As announced on Friday (June 4), the Concordia University Cross Country program has unveiled its 2021 schedule. The slate features four regular season dates prior to the GPAC Championships in November. The ’21 campaign will kick off with the Augustana University Twilight on Sept. 3.

Head Coach Matt Beisel’s men’s and women’s squads competed in six races during the 2020 season. At last year’s conference championships in Yankton, S.D., the Bulldogs placed fourth on the women’s side and sixth on the men’s side. The women climbed as high as No. 22 in the NAIA coaches’ poll while the men received votes late in the campaign. Both teams captured one meet title – the men won the Hastings Bronco Stampede and the women took first at the Dean White Invitational.

In a unique event, the Augustana Twilight begins at 8:30 p.m. CT. Following the opening meet of the season, Concordia will venture to Adams Nature Preserve in North Sioux City, S.D., for back-to-back meets: the Morningside Invite (Sept. 17) and the Briar Cliff Invite (Oct. 1). The season will continue at the Mount Marty Invite on Oct. 23 prior to the conference meet. Northwestern will serve as the host of the GPAC Championships on Nov. 6. The Bulldogs hope their season will extend to Nov. 19 when the NAIA National Championships are held in Fort Vancouver, Wash.

Season Preview: 2021 Concordia Cross Country

Aug. 26, 2021

MEN
Head Coach: Matt Beisel (6th year)
2020 Finish: 6th in GPAC
Key Returners: Owen Dawson; Wyatt Lehr; Ethan Pankow; Calvin Rohde; Camden Sesna; Micah Willweber.
Key Losses: Antonio Blaine; Jordan Lorenz; Nick Zadar.

Outlook
Head Coach Matt Beisel and members of the Concordia Men’s Cross Country program have been quite honest with themselves: the close to the 2020 season fell below expectations. A number of factors contributed to a sixth-place finish at the GPAC Championships last November. The team returned to campus on Aug. 16 determined to do something about that disappointment. Now’s the time to look forward, not backward.

Beisel has been encouraged by the early time trials and a full week of preseason training and team-building activities that preceded the start of classes. Spirits are again high and energy has been restored for a proud program with a history of success.

“None of us were happy with how GPAC ended,” Beisel said. “We had gentlemen running the best of their lives. Then a series of events happened … We walked away from the GPAC and were like, ‘Let’s just forget that it ever happened.’ It’s not what we wanted. I think it’s been on the minds of our returning athletes ever since, and they want something different this year.”

Through athlete-led discussion, the Bulldog men’s team collaborated on a new motto for this season: “step up.” Those two words will focus the squad’s mentality as it proceeds towards the starting line of the 2021 campaign. The good news is that budding star Camden Sesna is healthy again after an injury slowed him down at the 2020 conference meet. Sesna is one of seven returning Bulldogs who competed at last year's conference championships.

Sesna rebounded during track season and was a GPAC runner-up placer in the steeplechase. As one of the highlights of last season, Sesna led Concordia to a team title at the Hastings College Invite. This preseason has been about rebuilding confidence and growing in all aspects of life.

“Last year definitely left a sour taste in a lot of our mouths from that sixth-place finish,” Sesna said. “We knew were a better team than what happened that day. We’re working to build on that. Our team motto this year is ‘step up.’ That goes for not just on the cross country course, but in the classroom and in your faith life. Applying it to cross country, it’s about making sure we’re holding each other accountable for everything we do.”

Among the returners, Sesna will be supported by the likes of Owen Dawson, Wyatt Lehr, Ethan Pankow, Calvin Rohde, Micah Willweber and others. Each has the ability to push for all-conference recognition. Lehr is a two-time All-GPAC cross country performer while Rohde (31st in the GPAC in 2020) is the team’s highest returning conference place finisher.

Beisel is also high on the freshman class, which he regards as perhaps the deepest group he’s brought in during his tenure as head coach. The early returns are showing that freshman Samuel Plante of Elkhorn, Neb., has the potential to compete right at the top of the lineup. Plante helped Elkhorn South High School to a 2021 state track championship.

If they can feed off the energy of Sesna, the Bulldogs can make the type of improvement they expect of themselves. He has an infectious enthusiasm that can lift a team up if ever the trail begins to feel like a slog.

Said Beisel, “He’s really fired up. He had an injury that we really dug into with physical therapists and figured out how to manage it. At the beginning of the season he was right up there with the top five or six in the conference. During the track season he made the distance medley relay team that made it to nationals and he made all-conference in an event or two. He has a wide range of speed and endurance, and he had a phenomenal summer of training. He’s ready to go.”

Collectively, this particular team feels like it’s built camaraderie and chemistry that will help push the program past last season’s disappointment. Whatever happens, they have each other’s backs. Said Sesna, “That week (of preseason) was incredibly important. We got to know everybody super well. It doesn’t feel like we’re a team that’s only been together for a week. It feels like we’ve been together for a whole year. We can walk up to anybody and be like, ‘Hey man, how’s it going?’ You know everybody’s committed to running and wanting to be here. It’s a great feeling to have that whole team commitment and know that it’s not just a team – it’s a family.”

As usual, a lot will ride on a single day. That day this year will be Nov. 6 when Northwestern hosts the GPAC Championships. Concordia would be thrilled to jump into the top three of the GPAC, especially when considering that the top three each advanced to the national meet last season. Heading into the preseason, Dordt, Doane and Northwestern are positioned at 1, 2 and 3, respectively, in the GPAC preseason poll.

Time to step up. Said Beisel, “If we’re going to step up as a team in the GPAC, that means that each individual has to step up in managing their life academically, athletically and spiritually. They spent a long time talking about what each of them is going to do through accountability from each other. It was really cool to hear them talk about it.”

WOMEN
Head Coach: Matt Beisel (6th year)
2020 Finish: 4th in GPAC
Key Returners: Keri Bauer; Abi DeLoach; Rylee Haecker; Kylahn Heritage; Amie Martin; Grace Reiman.
Key Losses: Alyssa Bierwagen; Sydney Clark; Lydia Cook; Alyssa Fye.

Outlook
The upperclassmen within the Concordia Women’s Cross Country program have gotten used to winning conference championships. The Bulldogs celebrated a GPAC cross country title in 2019 while the women’s track and field program has put together an impressive string of five-straight GPAC crowns. Head Coach Matt Beisel and members of the team point to a strong connection between teammates as an influential reason for all of the success.

As for women’s cross country in particular, there’s hope of bouncing back from last season’s fourth place GPAC finish that left Concordia on the outside of the national championship qualifying field. Back in 2019, the Bulldogs placed 12th in the NAIA. With “run as one” as a rallying cry, the Bulldogs aspire to return to the national scene.

“The women came up with ‘run as one,’” Beisel said. “They want to be a family and be a community. They want to strive for excellence within the context of a very close team. It’s not that we haven’t had that, but it’s definitely a big emphasis for them. The three subtitles under that are: strive for excellence, serve each other and community over competition. Placing high at GPAC – top two – is where they want to be. They have that capability. All of my athletes have really high expectations for themselves, but they also recognize that the community is the biggest reason why they do this.”

Six of the team’s 10 competitors who ran at the 2020 conference meet are back and expected to play a large role in how this season ultimately ends up. A recent star, Kylahn Heritage (33rd place individual NAIA finish in 2019) will be brought along slowly at the start of the fall with a chance at making a big impact down the stretch. That leaves fellow returners Keri Bauer, Abi DeLoach, Rylee Haecker, Amie Martin and Grace Reiman at the top of the pack, among veteran performers. Each of them have already made an impact in collegiate running.

At the 2021 NAIA indoor track national meet, Bauer (4x400m relay), Haecker (DMR; 1,000m), Heritage (DMR) and Reiman (DMR) all earned All-America honors while helping the Bulldogs to a third place national team finish. In addition, DeLoach earned All-GPAC cross country accolades in 2018. Bauer has come on strong after running cross country for the first time ever in 2020. Bauer began her Concordia career as a basketball/outdoor track athlete before making a shift.

The preseason has provided an indication to Bauer that this fall could be a lot of fun. Said Bauer, “The week (of preseason) has been a really good week. We did our workouts early in the morning so that way it’s nice and cool and we get them done. After that we’re spending time with each other and getting to know each other – doing activities and getting to bond. I think it’s been a huge and crucial part of our season, building those connections. The freshmen have done a really good job. They’re so easy to talk with and they’re excited to work. I can already tell that it’s going to be a good year because of the friendships and the connections we’re building right now.”

Concordia checked in at No. 3 in the official GPAC rating released earlier this week (Dordt and Morningside held down the top two spots). A conference finish in the top three would give the Bulldogs a serious shot at reaching the national meet again. Current Bulldogs DeLoach, Heritage and Martin each experienced the 2019 NAIA National Championships in Vancouver, Wash. Based on the preseason results, everyone associated with the team is saving the date – Nov. 19, when the 2021 national meet is staged.

Said Beisel, “They are feeling great and have a lot of confidence coming in. They had a great time trial (this preseason). Right now Grace and Rylee are probably the top two. Kylahn Heritage is part of the mix. We’re working on some fundamental things to get her completely healthy down the road. Keri has developed phenomenally. She helped us get to nationals in the 4x4 and can also run a great 5k. Their attitudes are great. Amie Martin and Aby DeLoach add to the mix. They’ve had great training. They’re running like I haven’t seen them run in a long time. I’m just stoked for them. These kids have put in the work and it’s paying off for them.”

The margins can sometimes be quite slim when it comes to a national championship bid. Last season, the Bulldogs spent most of the fall either ranked or receiving votes nationally. They rose to No. 22 in the NAIA national poll in late October. Another of the highlights of the campaign was a first-place claim at Doane’s Dean White Invitational.

If Concordia can truly “run as one,” the results will take care of themselves this fall. Said Bauer, “The big, overarching goal is to run as one. We want to run as a team. No matter what, we want to be there to support each other and help each other in school or everyday life. We want to strive for excellence, serve one another and put community over competition. Those are our overarching ideas. We know if we live those out then the little things will happen because it takes the little things to make sure we accomplish those big ideas.”

The season will officially get started on Sept. 3 with the Augustana Twilight meet in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Cross country squads open season with strong showings at Augustana Twilight

Sep. 3, 2021

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Consider the finish to the 2020 season forgotten. While opening their 2021 seasons, the Concordia University Cross Country teams put forth strong showings at the Augustana Twilight meet that unfolded Friday (Sept. 3) evening at Yankton Trail Park in Sioux Falls, S.D. The Bulldog women placed eighth out of 27 teams while the men finished 12th out of 31 squads. The unique event featured runners from all levels of college cross country.

Head Coach Matt Beisel has a lot to smile about as he begins his sixth year at his alma mater. Both Concordia teams managed to knock off a nationally ranked GPAC rival. As for the women, they edged sixth-ranked Dordt in a close battle. There were 329 runners in the women’s 5k race and 344 competitors in the men’s four-mile race.

Women

Just a couple of years removed from winning the GPAC title, the Bulldogs are showing they have the makings of a championship contender in 2021. The seven place finishers in front of Concordia are each affiliated with either NCAA Division I or II. With a team total of 256, the Bulldogs just barely held off reigning GPAC champion Dordt (264). Concordia defeated six other conference opponents: Hastings (10th), Morningside (13th), Doane (14th), Northwestern (16th), Midland (21st) and Mount Marty (25th).

Said Beisel, “It’s just a great feeling. It’s confirmation that the work we put in over the summer is paying off. I really believe our team dynamic is giving us energy. We went into this knowing this is something we really wanted to do. We went out aggressively and put ourselves up towards the front. It was more about competing and not about times. Everyone’s pretty ecstatic. We’re tired but happy.”

Top five individual Bulldogs:
44. Grace Reiman – 19:26.89
63. Rylee Haecker – 19:46.71
70. Kaia Richmond – 19:52.43
72. Amie Martin – 19:52.69
89. Rhaya Kaschinske – 20:08.37

Grace Reiman has made a jump in her second season in the program. She paced the pack of 18 Bulldogs in the race by finishing the 5k in 19:26.89. Fellow track and field relay All-American Rylee Haecker came in next in line by clocking a time of 19:46.71. In addition, the freshmen made an immediate impact with Kaia Richmond and Rhaya Kaschinske landing inside the team’s top five runners. Meanwhile, Amie Martin placed 72nd overall while running a good portion of the race with just one shoe on.

Freshmen Courtney Wright (20:43.98; 130th) and Katelyn Nix (20:47.34; 132nd) represented the team’s sixth and seventh competitors. Rounding out the top 10 were Keri Bauer (20:56.13; 141st), Jaiden Tweton (21:00.38; 146th) and Grace Oberg (21:02.24; 148th).

The Bulldogs entered the meet ranked third in the GPAC behind Dordt and Morningside. Concordia put itself in position to move up when the new conference rating is released on Sept. 13 (new NAIA ranking on Sept. 16).

Men

This was also a confidence booster for the men’s team, which placed behind only Dordt (third) and Northwestern (10th) among GPAC foes. There was a gap of 20 points that separated Concordia (366) from the Red Raiders (346). The Bulldogs outran the following GPAC rivals: Doane (16th), Morningside (17th), Midland (20th), Mount Marty (23rd), Hastings (25th), Dakota Wesleyan (28th) and Briar Cliff (30th). Doane carried a national ranking of 21st into the meet.

Said Beisel, “Camden (Sesna) led the way. He went out super strong and was sitting about 18th with a mile-and-a-half to go. It was a great race … There’s something really special about what the guys did in a really big event that proved we’re way ahead of where we were two years ago. That’s something we needed confidence-wise. Everyone’s really pumped about it.”

Top five individual Bulldogs:
35. Camden Sesna – 20:44.53
75. Calvin Rohde – 21:19.90
83. Charlie Hayden – 21:33.45
105. Sam Plante – 21:56.52
149. Thomas Gorline – 22:29.88

The program’s top runner for most of 2020, Camden Sesna is again the Concordia frontrunner. He galloped four miles in a time of 20:44.53 and placed 35th. He was a GPAC runner-up finisher in the steeplechase this past outdoor track season. Sesna was followed by Calvin Rohde, who crossed the finish line in 21:19.90. The next five Bulldogs in line were all freshmen: Charlie Hayden (83rd), Sam Plante (105th), Thomas Gorline (149th), Nathan Pennekamp (22:45.86; 166th) and Jack Ellis (23:01.71; 192nd).

Past All-GPAC runner Wyatt Lehr placed eighth among Bulldogs (197th overall) in a time of 23:05.65. The ninth and 10th spots in Concordia’s lineup were held down by Ethan Pankow (23:06.68; 199th) and Owen Dawson (23:08.15; 204th).

The Bulldogs are determined to outperform their current standing of sixth in the GPAC rankings. In the preseason, the top five in the conference rating were Dordt, Doane, Northwestern, Midland and Morningside.

Up next: The next meet will wait until Friday, Sept. 17 when the Bulldogs will be at the Morningside Invite. The race is slated to get started at 5:30 p.m. CT from Adams Nature Preserve in North Sioux City, S.D. Concordia will also be at that same course for the Briar Cliff Invite on Oct. 1.

Bulldogs win Morningside titles; Reiman captures individual championship

Sep. 17, 2021

NORTH SIOUX CITY, S.D. – The Concordia University Cross Country program emerged from the Morningside Invitational with team meet championships for both the men and women. The Bulldogs outran a field of seven squads on the men’s side and five on the women’s side in races that took place at Adams Nature Preserve in North Sioux City, S.D., on Friday (Sept. 17). The field included 53 women’s runners and 70 men’s competitors.

Individually, Concordia standout Grace Reiman won the individual women’s 5k title while Camden Sesna was the runner up in the men’s 8k race. Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squads have started 2021 in a big way. Both Bulldog squads also upended nationally ranked foes in the season opening Augustana Twilight two weeks earlier.

“We knew we had the potential to do what we did today,” Beisel said. “It was confirmation that what we’re doing with our training plan is working and we have the ability to be one of the top teams in the conference. It’s exciting to think about what the future can hold, but we’re also thinking about one day and one week at a time and enjoying the moment. That was our big thing today – let’s not stress about this. Let’s have fun and find joy in being able to compete with these awesome teammates that God has given you. That’s what happened. Everyone was in a great mood and got the job done.”

MEN

The Bulldogs placed 12th out of 31 teams in a loaded field at the Augustana Twilight back on Sept. 3. This time around, Concordia beat out a smaller field that included Wayne State College (2nd), Morningside (3rd), Southeast Community College (4th), Mount Marty (5th), Dakota Wesleyan (6th) and Iowa Wesleyan University (7th). The Bulldogs finished with a total of 43 points, 10 better than runner up Wayne State at the Morningside Invite.

This marks the second season in a row that the Concordia men have won a meet. They also took first at the 2020 Hastings Bronco Invite.

“Cam ran a great race and was with the lead guy until about a mile left and couldn’t hold onto him,” Beisel said. “Many of our guys ran the fastest race of their lives. All the freshmen ran their first 8k race ever, and I though they handled it really well. Calvin Rohde, Charlie Hayden, Thomas Gorline and Wyatt Lehr also finished in the top 15. Those were all really good performances. It was a really solid race.”

Sesna (Kearney, Neb.) had also led the way for the Bulldogs at the Augustana Twilight by placing 35th out of 344 runners. So far this season, the Bulldogs have outperformed their GPAC preseason ranking of sixth. Over the two meets this fall, Concordia has knocked off higher rated conference teams such as Doane, Midland and Morningside.

A total of 18 Bulldog men galloped the Adams Nature Preserve trail. The Augustana Twilight meet had been a shorter race of four miles. As noted by Beisel, this was the team’s first 8k race of the season. Not only did Concordia place five runners in the top 25, it also had nine of the top 25 at the Morningside Invite.

Concordia men’s top 10 place finishers (8k):
2. Camden Sesna – 25:39.16
4. Calvin Rohde – 26:12.11
10. Charlie Hayden – 27:10.83
14. Thomas Gorline – 27:36.91
15. Wyatt Lehr – 27:41.06
16. Jack Ellis – 27:43.11
18. Nathan Pennekamp – 27:46.60
21. Ethan Pankow – 27:49.25
25. Joe McFarland – 27:56.07
27. Owen Dawson – 28:17.95

WOMEN

It’s only a matter of time now before the Concordia women return to the NAIA top 25 national rankings (new poll will be released on Sept. 23). Following Reiman’s lead as the individual Morningside Invite titlist, the Bulldogs defeated Morningside (2nd), Wayne State (3rd), Mount Marty (4th) and Iowa Wesleyan (5th). The Bulldogs made waves two weeks ago when they placed eighth at the Augustana Twilight and held off NAIA No. 6 Dordt, the defending GPAC champion.

The Concordia women had won a meet as recently as the Dean White Invitational in 2020. They also were the 2019 GPAC champions.

“Grace dominated and basically tied her all-time personal best,” Beisel said. “Kaia Richmond had a very strong performance for a freshman and was our No. 2. We had nine girls in the top 15 so that was really cool. They all got these nice stocking caps with the words ‘cross country’ embroidered on them (for placing top 15).”

Reiman (Hastings, Neb.) has made an impressive leap forward in her second collegiate season. She was also the top Bulldog runner at the Augustana Twilight (44th place out of 329). As compared to first meet, Reiman shaved more than 40 seconds off her 5k time. The freshmen also continue to raise the level of the team. The rookies held down the Nos. 2, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 10 spots in the lineup at the Morningside Invite.

Nineteen runners represented the Concordia women at Adams Nature Preserve. Reiman distanced herself from the second-place finisher by a margin of 16 seconds. Five Bulldogs placed inside the top nine at the Morningside Invite.

Concordia women’s top 10 place finishers (5k):
1. Grace Reiman – 18:44.73
4. Kaia Richmond – 19:10.90
7. Rylee Haecker – 19:29.15
8. Rhaya Kaschinske – 19:42.25
9. Keri Bauer – 19:49.73
11. Jaiden Tweton – 20:16.07
12. Courtney Wright – 20:16.51
13. Katelyn Nix – 20:18.31
14. Amie Martin – 20:24.47
17. Grace Oberg – 20:37.40

The Bulldogs will return to the same location in two weeks for the Briar Cliff Invite on Friday, Oct. 1. The race is set to get underway at 3 p.m. CT on that date. At that same meet last season, Concordia placed second out of 13 teams on the women’s side and sixth out of 14 squads on the men’s side.

Sesna races to GPAC Runner of the Week award

Sep. 22, 2021

GPAC Release

SEWARD, Neb. – A starring performance at the Morningside Invitational has led to Concordia University’s Camden Sesna being named the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Runner of the Week, as announced on Wednesday (Sept. 22). Sesna is the first Bulldog Cross Country competitor to garner a weekly award this season and the first since Kylahn Heritage was named GPAC Runner of the Week in September 2020.

A native of Kearney, Neb., Sesna clocked a personal best 8k time of 25:39.16 at the Morningside Invite, which was held at Adams Nature Preserve in North Sioux City, S.D. Sesna placed second overall at the meet while helping Concordia to a team title. His time is currently the best of any GPAC runner this season. Sesna also ran a four-mile time of 20:44.53 (35th place out of 344 runners) at the season opening Augustana Twilight. This past outdoor track season, Sesna was the GPAC runner up in the steeplechase.

With Sesna’s help, the Bulldogs have moved up to No. 3 in this week’s GPAC ratings (ranked sixth in the preseason). Concordia will return to Adams Nature Preserve again on Friday, Oct. 1 for the Briar Cliff Invite.

Bulldogs make return to national rankings at No. 15

Sep. 23, 2021

NAIA Women’s Cross Country Poll (Sept. 23)

SEWARD, Neb. – After being left off the national radar in the preseason, the Concordia University Women’s Cross Country program can again boast an NAIA national ranking. A strong start to the 2021 season has pushed the Bulldogs all the way up to No. 15 in the NAIA Coaches’ Poll released on Thursday (Sept. 23). Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squad is also currently ranked atop the official GPAC poll.

Concordia has earned some national attention thanks to its early season achievements. At the season opening Augustana Twilight, the Bulldogs placed eighth out of 27 teams while edging GPAC preseason favorite and then NAIA sixth-ranked Dordt. This past week, Concordia captured a meet title at the Morningside Invitational while Grace Reiman took home the individual championship.

Said Beisel after the Morningside Invite, “We knew we had the potential to do what we did. It was confirmation that what we’re doing with our training plan is working and we have the ability to be one of the top teams in the conference. It’s exciting to think about what the future can hold, but we’re also thinking about one day and one week at a time and enjoying the moment.”

The Bulldog women’s program is now nationally ranked for the first time since landing at No. 22 on Oct. 29, 2020. At No. 15 currently, Concordia has its highest NAIA ranking since placing 12th at the 2019 NAIA national championship meet. The Bulldogs have returned to a high level with a nucleus of key runners much different than what they traveled to the ’19 national meet. The top runner from that squad, Kylahn Heritage, is continuing to work her way back to form. Among current Bulldogs, Amie Martin and Abi DeLoach joined Heritage at the 2019 national championships.

The Adams Central High School product Reiman (a 2021 distance medley relay All-American) has taken the lead this fall. Her personal best 5k of 18:44.73 at the Morningside Invite ranks as the third best time this season among GPAC runners. Next in line in Concordia’s top five last week was Kaia Richmond (19:10.90), Rylee Haecker (19:29.15), Rhaya Kaschinske (19:42.25) and Keri Bauer (19:49.73). The group near the top features both veterans and freshmen like the talented Richmond (Langley, Wash.), who won the 2,000 meter steeplechase title at the USATF National Junior Olympic Championships.

After returning to campus following the Morningside Invite on Sept. 17, both the Concordia men’s and women’s teams celebrated first-place finishes by ringing the Bulldog Stadium bell. There’s something special developing within Concordia Cross Country.

Said Reiman, “I think this initial ranking is a positive reflection of the hard work that we have put in as a team. It’s encouraging and I hope we use this as a surge of energy to continue racing towards a higher ranking because I believe we are capable of it. Overall, I am pleased – it’s a great start to a very exciting season! There are many things that make this team so special, but the engine of this team is driven by our love and passion of striving together to complete our collective goals in a way that glorifies God. Our team sees running as a blessing and gift from God and it is so amazing to work hard and then give the glory of the results back to Him. Our theme mottos are ‘Run as One’ and ‘Run for the One’ and our team is truly in pursuit of embodying those principles.”

The Bulldog men did not receive national votes, but they did move up this week to No. 3 in the GPAC poll. In addition, Camden Sesna (runner up at the Morningside Invite) was named the GPAC Men’s Runner of the Week on Wednesday. Sesna owns the top 8k time of any GPAC runner this season.

Concordia will have this week off from competition. Next up on the schedule is the Briar Cliff Invite on Friday, Oct. 1. The meet will begin at 3 p.m. CT from Adams Nature Preserve in North Sioux City, S.D.

Concordia men, women defeat GPAC/NAIA competition at Briar Cliff Invite

Oct. 1, 2021

NORTH SIOUX CITY, S.D. – In a return to the same location of their most recent meet, the Concordia University Cross Country programs built upon a strong month of September. Both the Bulldog men and women beat out all GPAC and NAIA competition at the Briar Cliff Invitational held at Adams Nature Preserve in North Sioux City, S.D., on a muddy Friday (Oct. 1). Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squads turned in place finishes of second (out of 12) on the men’s side and fourth (out of 11) on the women’s side.

With strong showings at the Augustana Twilight (Sept. 3) and the Morningside Invitational (Sept. 17), Beisel’s teams had already vaulted up the official GPAC ratings. The women’s team is currently ranked 15th in the NAIA coaches’ poll. Friday’s results provided further validation of the improvement of Concordia Cross Country in 2021.

“We have been working intensely and a lot of our kids have been feeling the fatigue from high volume training,” Beisel said. “We are transitioning into a different phase of training. Three weeks from now when we run at Mount Marty, I think everyone’s going to be feeling a lot better. At the same time, we still accomplished our goals and still have quite few individual personal bests. The humidity today was surprising when it was supposed to be around 70 and cloudy. It definitely affected the five-mile race for the guys.

“We ran really competitively and had guys running close to their PR’s from two weeks ago. The most important performance goal for us was to be the top NAIA team for both men and women, and we did that. The big picture is not for us to peak right now. We have three weeks until our next meet. We’re going to be primed and ready to go.”

MEN

Camden Sesna and the men’s team placed as the Briar Cliff Invite runner up behind only NCAA Division I University of South Dakota. Notably, the Bulldogs (93 points) placed above NCAA Division II University of Nebraska-Kearney (fifth) as well as GPAC foes Morningside (seventh), Mount Marty (ninth) and host Briar Cliff (11th). In previous outings this season, the Concordia men finished 12th (out of 31) at the Augustana Twilight and first (out of seven) at the Morningside Invite.

The Briar Cliff Invite featured a total of 133 runners in the men’s 8k race. This marked the third-straight meet to open this season that Sesna has emerged as the top Dawg. His time of 26:03.30 on Friday was just a bit behind his personal best from two weeks ago. Sesna outpaced all GPAC and NAIA foes while also outkicking many NCAA Division I competitors. Once again, Calvin Rohde (26:12.11) was next in line behind Sesna. The team’s top five was rounded out by three rookies in Sam Plante (27:39.29), Charlie Hayden (27:40.75) and Jack Ellis (27:53.38). See the team’s complete top 10 below.

Sesna continues to establish himself as one of the GPAC’s top runners. He was named the GPAC Runner of the Week on Sept. 22. The following runners have placed inside the team’s top 10 in both trips to North Sioux City: Owen Dawson, Jack Ellis, Charlie Hayden, Ethan Pankow, Nathan Pennekamp, Rhode and Sesna.

Concordia men’s top 10 place finishers (8k):
9. Camden Sesna – 26:03.30
14. Calvin Rohde – 26:31.43
35. Sam Plante – 27:39.29
37. Charlie Hayden – 27:40.75
41. Jack Ellis – 27:53.38
46. Nathan Pennekamp – 27:58.18
48. Thomas Gorline – 27:58.81
55. Wyatt Lehr – 28:41.80
59. Ethan Pankow – 28:54.47
63. Owen Dawson – 28:59.16

WOMEN

Lead runner Rylee Haecker and the nationally ranked women (128 points) finished behind only the likes of two NCAA Division I teams, University of South Dakota (first) and South Dakota State University (third), and one NCAA Division II foe, University of Nebraska-Kearney (second). Once again, the Bulldogs handled their GPAC competition, outrunning Morningside (fifth), Northwestern (sixth) and Mount Marty (10th). In the first two meets prior to Friday, Concordia placed eighth (out of 27) at the Augustana Twilight and first (out of five) at the Morningside Invite.

The Briar Cliff Invite featured a total of 130 runners in the women’s 5k race (one turn adjustment was made to the course compared to two weeks ago). Haecker rose to the head of the pack for the Bulldog by clocking in at 18:54.31, more than 30 seconds faster than her mark two weeks earlier. The team’s top runner at the first two meets, Reiman checked in next in line by running 19:06.22. A freshman from Perryville, Mo., Courtney Wright made a big jump forward in placing third on the team while shaving nearly a minute off her previous appearance at Adams Nature Preserve. Wright was one of five rookies in Concordia’s top 10 on Friday (see full top 10 below).

Haecker placed third among GPAC runners at the meet. She led a group of 20 Bulldogs in North Sioux City. The following Concordia competitors ran within the team’s top 10 in both trips to Adams Nature Preserve: Keri Bauer, Haecker, Rhaya Kaschinske, Amie Martin, Reiman, Kaia Richmond and Wright.

Concordia women’s top 10 place finishers (5k):
20. Rylee Haecker – 18:54.31
26. Grace Reiman – 19:06.22
33. Courtney Wright – 19:22.12
35. Amie Martin – 19:30.94
37. Keri Bauer – 19:36.08
39. Rhaya Kaschinske – 19:37.89
45. Kaia Richmond – 19:59.54
74. Abi DeLoach – 21:12.50
80. Faith Williamson – 21:28.43
86. Lauren Dawson – 21:43.08

NEXT UP: The Bulldogs will wait until Saturday, Oct. 23 to return to action at the Mount Marty Invite at Fox Run Golf Course in Yankton, S.D. The meet will serve as the final outing prior to the GPAC Championships (Nov. 6). In the most recent GPAC ratings, the women were No. 1 while the men landed at No. 3.

Said Beisel, “We ran exactly where I wanted them to be at this time of the season. Overall, they can be super proud of how they did. We have better things to come.”

Sesna collects second GPAC weekly award of 2021

Oct. 6, 2021

GPAC Release

SEWARD, Neb. – For the second time in three weeks, Concordia University’s Camden Sesna has been chosen as the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Week. Sesna was recognized with the award on Wednesday (Oct. 6) for his performance at last week’s Briar Cliff Invitational. He garnered the same honor on Sept. 22.

At the Briar Cliff Invite that took place on Oct. 1, Sesna placed ninth overall (out of 133 runners) while outrunning all other GPAC and NAIA competitors at the meet. Sesna’s 8k time of 26:03.30 was the fastest of any GPAC runner this past weekend. Two weeks earlier on the same course, Adams Nature Preserve in North Sioux City, S.D., Sesna clocked in at 25:39.16 and placed as the runner up at the Morningside Invitational. In the other outing this season, Sesna ran a four-mile time of 20:44.53 at the Augustana Twilight on Sept. 3.

Sesna is the first Bulldog male cross country runner to garner GPAC Runner of the Week honors twice in a span of three weeks since Ben Sievert accomplished that feat in 2013. Sievert was a five-time GPAC Runner of the Week during his successful career.

Sesna and his teammates will return to action at the Mount Marty Invite in Yankton, S.D., on Oct. 23. The GPAC Championships are coming up on Nov. 6.

Women place second, men fifth at Mount Marty Invite

Oct. 24, 2021

YANKTON, S.D. – In the final outing prior to the conference championship meet, the Concordia University Cross Country teams were led by the likes of Rylee Haecker and Camden Sesna at the Mount Marty Invite on Saturday (Oct. 23). The 11th-ranked Bulldog women placed second out of 10 teams while the men finished fifth out of 10 squads in an event that featured 129 female and 141 male competitors. The meet was staged at Fox Run Golf Course in Yankton, S.D., where the women’s 5k preceded the men’s 8k.

This marked the fourth meet of the 2021 season for Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squads, which had been idle since the Briar Cliff Invite on Oct. 1.

Said Beisel, “Both of our teams had hoped for better. We hoped we would continue to be first in the GPAC on the women’s side and have a strong showing on the men’s side to solidify where we were. It didn’t work out that way. The projections don’t mean anything. We still have to step up and do what we need to do. I’m still confident in the training we’re doing and I feel like we’re on track to compete in the GPAC the way we want to. I think we’re still feeling the effects of some rigorous training. I think in the next two weeks our athletes are going to be able to run their very best. Dordt had a great day, and we knew that they could.”

WOMEN

For the first time this fall, the Concordia women were defeated by an NAIA opponent. The Bulldogs had edged out defending GPAC champion Dordt at the season opening Augustana Twilight, but the Defenders reigned supreme on Saturday. Concordia finished with 76 points to Dordt’s 33. On the plus side, Beisel’s squad did beat out GPAC rivals in Northwestern (third), Morningside (fourth), College of Saint Mary (sixth) and Mount Marty (ninth).

Haecker emerged as the team’s top runner for the second meet in a row. She crossed the finish line in 19:03.49, placing her fifth overall. The native of Davenport, Neb., ran just a bit faster three weeks earlier at the Briar Cliff Invite. The Bulldogs put seven runners inside the top 30, including Grace Reiman (19:30.21) who paced Concordia at this season’s first two meets. The team’s top five at the Mount Marty Invite was rounded out by Keri Bauer (19:37.78), Amie Martin (19:40.00) and Rhaya Kaschinske (19:53.70).

Saturday marked the return of Kylahn Heritage, who did not compete in this season’s first three meets. The native of Nampa, Idaho, clocked a 5k time of 20:09.12 and placed 30th overall (seventh on the team). Heritage’s continued progress could be a key in tightening the gap with Dordt. Heritage placed as the GPAC runner up in 2019 when the Bulldogs also captured the conference team championship. Said Beisel of Heritage, “She had a successful venture. Her legs feel great. I made her run conservatively today. She needed to get one under her belt before we start thinking about anything else.”

Twenty women represented the Bulldogs at the meet. That number will be cut down to 10 for the GPAC championships.

Concordia women’s top 10 place finishers (5k):
5. Rylee Haecker – 19:03.49
15. Grace Reiman – 19:30.21
18. Keri Bauer – 19:37.78
20. Amie Martin – 19:40.00
24. Rhaya Kaschinske – 19:53.70
26. Kaia Richmond – 19:59.74
30. Kylahn Heritage – 20:09.12
39. Abi DeLoach – 20:26.07
43. Katelyn Nix – 20:33.19
45. Courtney Wright – 20:39.54

MEN

Unfortunately, the Concordia men placed behind two GPAC foes that it had been ranked in front of in the official GPAC poll: Northwestern (second at the Mount Marty Invite) and Morningside (fourth). The Bulldogs point total settled at 132, two behind Morningside (130). Concordia held off conference opposition in Midland (seventh), Mount Marty (eighth), Jamestown (ninth) and Briar Cliff (10th).

A terrific season for Sesna (Kearney, Neb.) carries on. He’s been the Bulldogs’ top runner at every meet this season. Sesna clocked an 8k time of 25:55.28 on Saturday while placing eighth overall. Said Beisel of Sesna, “Camden ran the second fastest race of his life and was right in the mix with the fastest guys in the conference. The course we ran definitely had plenty of long, gradually sloping hills, which is different from what we’ve run on. It was not an easy course by any means.”

The rest of the team’s top 10 (see below) in Yankton was decidedly youthful. It featured 10 first-year members of the program with Sam Plante (27:33.01) leading the way amongst that group. Calvin Rhode was next on the team after Sesna with a time of 27:09.82. The top five was rounded out by Nathan Pennekamp (28:09.79) and Jackson Smith (28:23.43). Concordia had a large cluster in the 60s with five runners placing in the 63rd through 69th range.

The Bulldogs were represented by 17 men’s competitors. Just like with the women, the roster will be trimmed to 10 for the GPAC meet.

Concordia men’s top 10 place finishers (8k):
8. Camden Sesna – 25:55.28
32. Calvin Rohde – 27:09.82
42. Sam Plante – 27:33.01
57. Nathan Pennekamp – 28:09.79
63. Jackson Smith – 28:23.43
64. Charlie Hayden – 28:25.65
65. Jack Ellis – 28:26.63
66. Micah Willweber – 28:27.18
68. Ethan Pankow – 28:29.77
69. Thomas Gorline – 28:32.50

UP NEXT: The Bulldogs now have two weeks to prepare for the GPAC Cross Country Championships, which are coming up on Saturday, Nov. 6. The meet will be held in Orange City, Iowa, home to Northwestern. Concordia will be looking to improve upon last year’s GPAC finishes of fourth on the women’s side and sixth on the men’s side.

Sesna rediscovers joy of running in special 2021 season

Oct. 27, 2021

When he arrived on campus, Camden Sesna immediately established himself as one of the top runners in the Concordia Cross Country program. That doesn’t mean everything has been easy for the native of Kearney, Neb. In his second season as a Bulldog – the fall of 2020 – Sesna burnt out late in the campaign while struggling through an injury. Perhaps most frustrating, Sesna had seemingly lost track of why it is he puts himself through grueling training sessions and 60-mile weeks.

With Sesna nowhere near 100 percent for the 2020 GPAC Championship meet, the season came to a disappointing conclusion. Sesna was being tested both physically and mentally.

“When I got injured during cross last year it was a really tough time for me,” Sesna said. “I was really happy with where things were at and where things were going and then all of a sudden it got to the point where I couldn’t run anymore. We took it super light. During that time, I realized I turned running into something I wasn’t doing for enjoyment. I was doing it for success. When I got hurt, I realized later it was like a slap in the face from God. ‘Wake up. You need to get back on track where I need you to be.’ I just really committed myself to enjoying running and enjoying my everyday life and doing it for God.”

A year later, Sesna finds himself in a much better position. He’s enjoying a special 2021 season that has resulted in two GPAC Cross Country Runner of the Week awards and placement as the team’s top runner at all four meets. This fall, he’s sped to the fastest 8k races of his life, clocking times of 25:39 at the Morningside Invite and 25:55 at the Mount Marty Invite. In that most recent outing at the Mount Marty Invite, Sesna again proved he’s right there with the top runners in the conference.

Sesna referred to his performance last week in Yankton, S.D., as his top moment personally this season. It’s no small task to hang tight with the many standouts for rival Dordt. Sesna’s confidence has soared with him claiming top 10 individual finishes in each of the past three meets. His runner-up finish at the Morningside Invite spurred Concordia to a team championship and a late-night bell ringing session inside Bulldog Stadium.

Says Sesna, “This year, every day I’m showing up to practice and instead of looking at a workout like ‘oh, man, this is going to be tough,’ I’m looking at it as a chance to get better. This team makes it so easy to have fun too. They’re just a great group of guys. It’s a real loose atmosphere. It’s so great to show up to practice every day when you can be yourself and have a good time. No one’s going to judge you.”

Head Coach Matt Beisel is certainly thankful the high school version of Sesna filled out a recruiting questionnaire after learning about Concordia through a friend. Beisel and Sesna began regular contact and Sesna pledged his committed to the Bulldogs while a high school senior at Kearney Catholic. Recalls Sesna, “My senior year when I stepped foot on campus I just knew. I had this feeling that this was where God wants me.”

God also put Sesna in position to take on a leadership role. It’s natural that the top runner on a team would be someone others would look up to. Sesna is grown comfortable being in that role. He possesses an engaging personality and a willingness to help lift up his teammates.

Says Beisel, “He has that ideal combination as someone who has credibility from his accomplishments athletically but is also someone who is relational and who cares about the other people on the team more than himself. He makes an effort to help, assist and serve other people. That’s Camden in a nutshell. He’s a tremendous, natural leader, and he loves this team. He’s not afraid to come and talk to me about issues that come up. He was also a big part of planning preseason camp. He was just nominated overwhelmingly as the team captain for the distance and middle-distance crew this week.”

Sesna got his legs back underneath him this past indoor and outdoor track season. That’s really when he got over the hump and shook off the injury that prevented him from a strong cross country finish last fall. Some track highlights included Sesna qualifying for the 2021 NAIA indoor national meet as part of the distance medley relay and then achieving a GPAC outdoor runner-up finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. This really is just a start for Sesna, who is training with hopes of earning a bid to the cross country national meet.

Off the trails, Sesna also shows a sense of humor, as evidenced by when he wore a “chicken legs” t-shirt to a preseason photoshoot. In addition, he smiles when thinking about how he used to aspire to be a football star. Slightly built, Sesna wasn’t exactly made out for taking hits from linebackers. Cross country provides a different type of mental and physical challenge.

Said Sesna, “I had it set in my mind, ‘Man, I want to play football.’ Of course being a small, skinny guy, it changes your mind pretty quickly when you get hit hard a couple times … It is a lot of hard work (training for distance), but it’s definitely a testament to the sport we do. It’s really difficult whether people realize it or not.”

Sesna’s accomplishments, his work ethic and the way he carries himself have earned him plenty of respect within the team. Sesna’s caring personality has made it easy for his teammates to embrace him as he continues to be the lead Dawg.

“My teammates give me great support,” Sesna said. “Last week we didn’t have the best day because of the training we’ve been doing. My teammates came up to me and asked my time and wondered how I did it. They’re always there to support me and I’m always there to support them. The whole team atmosphere we’ve built is not about individual success but when there is individual success, it’s celebrated across the board.”

Sesna will put his trust in his training as he preps for next week’s conference championship meet. His process for keeping his mind at ease is to not giving upcoming races a whole lot of thought. Sesna will get dialed in mentally when Saturday, Nov. 6 arrives. On that day, he’ll stride those ably developed and strengthened chicken legs around the GPAC championship course in Orange City, Iowa.

Said Beisel, “I think he’s gained a lot of confidence about what his capabilities are and he feels good. He hasn’t reached a point this fall where he’s been burnt out or beat up. He has a great desire to make it to nationals. That’s something that’s been burning in him, and he knows what he has to do to get there. We want the whole team to get there, but he also wants to take care of business on his own end.”

As Sesna has learned, as long as he continues to enjoy the journey, the results will take care of themselves.

Three Bulldogs claim top 10 individual finishes at GPAC Championships

Nov. 6, 2021

ORANGE CITY, Iowa – The Concordia Cross Country programs entered the 2021 GPAC Championships with hopes of sewing up at least one team bid to the national meet. When the dust settled, the final placements fell below expectations with the Bulldogs finishing fourth on the men’s side and fifth on the women’s side. Northwestern served as the host for action at Landsmeer Golf Course in Orange City, Iowa, on Saturday (Nov. 6). On the plus side, Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squads have unofficially qualified three individuals for nationals.

The women’s program carried an NAIA national ranking of 21st into the meet and had won the GPAC title as recently as 2019. Meanwhile, the fourth-place claim ranks as high as any GPAC finish for the men since coming in at No. 3 in 2013.

Thanks to top-15 conference individual finishes, Rylee Haecker, Calvin Rohde and Camden Sesna each earned all-conference honors on Saturday.

MEN

The Concordia men finished with 122 points and placed fourth behind Dordt (15), Doane (71) and Northwestern (85). For the fifth meet in a row this season, the Bulldogs were paced by the Kearney, Neb., native Sesna. He placed seventh in the conference with an 8k time of 26:34.08.

Said Beisel, “The guys had an overall very good team race. We were really hoping for top three, but I also knew it was going to take everything we had. We ended up coming up a little short. Fourth place is way better than last year. We wanted top three, but it wasn’t because of a lack of effort. We really ran well.”

Sesna and Rohde both placed inside the top 10 out of 90 conference runners. Rohde clocked in at 26:58.46 and finished 10th. Both standouts are All-GPAC runners for the first time in their careers and will be headed to nationals. Not since Ben Sievert in 2014 had the men’s program sent competitors to the NAIA meet.

“That was extremely satisfying and I’m so happy for Camden and Calvin,” Beisel said. “That was huge and it’s exciting to think about traveling to a great meet with them out in Washington.”

The next three Bulldogs to factor into the team’s point total were Sam Plante (28:44.57; 34th), Jack Ellis (29:05.22; 40th) and Thomas Gorline (29:07.42; 42nd). The team’s final four across the finish line were Ethan Pankow (29:23.50; 50th), Nathan Pennekamp (29:32.31; 52nd), Charlie Hayden (29:33.04; 54th) and Micah Willweber (29:51.29; 57th).

Highlights from this season included a first-place finish at the Morningside Invite and a second-place claim at the Briar Cliff Invite.

WOMEN

Considering the women’s team was ranked first or second in the GPAC all fall, the result on Saturday was hard to swallow. The Bulldogs accumulated 110 points at the conference meet, putting them behind Dordt (54), Hastings (77), Morningside (79) and Doane (105). It wasn’t the ending Concordia had trained for, but there were many thrilling moments. The Bulldogs rose as high as No. 11 in the NAIA coaches’ poll.

Said Beisel, “They ran their hearts out. They gave it everything they had, and they were tough mentally. We felt mentally and physically ready. I know they’ve done everything they’re supposed to so I absolutely have to look at the way we progressed our training. Their best races were in late September and early October, which tells me we probably peaked too early. I’ve had some really good talks with the ladies already. We’re going to figure this out and get it right next time. We have the ability to be a top-two team right now. I was very impressed with the other conference schools and what they did today.”

Haecker has been the team’s top runner for three-straight meets. An All-American in track, the native of Davenport, Neb., placed seventh in the GPAC with a 5k time of 19:19.69 while earning All-GPAC cross country accolades for the first time in her career. She was roughly 34 seconds off the first-place finisher.

“Rylee Haecker ran her heart out for her team,” Besiel said. “She’s a great leader on the team. Watching her compete at nationals is going to be a blast.”

Next in line, Keri Bauer was 10 spots out of all-conference territory with her 25th-place finish in a time of 20:18.19. The next four Bulldogs were tightly grouped with each one placing in the range of 27th through 31st: Grace Reiman (20:24.25), Rhaya Kaschinske (20:28.15), Kylahn Heritage (20:28.23) and Amie Martin (20:30.77). The team’s efforts were rounded out by Kaia Richmond (20:52.46; 38th), Abi DeLoach (21:01.36; 40th), Courtney Wright (21:18.47; 44th) and Katelyn Nix (22:11.16; 60th). Reiman was the team’s top runner at this season’s first two meets.

Concordia soared in the rankings early in the season when it got the best of Dordt at the Augustana Twilight. The Bulldogs were champions of the Morningside Invite and placed second at the Mount Marty Invite.

NAIA Meet: The 2021 NAIA Cross Country National Championships will be held in Vancouver, Wash., on Nov. 19. Official national qualifiers will be announced by the NAIA next week. No matter what happened at the conference meet, Beisel remains prideful in the student-athletes he coaches.

Said Beisel, “I truly believe God has blessed our team in so many ways. The biggest thing I find value in is the depth of the relationships between our athletes. I think it’s going to pay off in the long run. We didn’t get what we wanted today, but I believe God has a plan bigger than us.”

Haecker, Rohde and Sesna officially named national qualifiers

Nov. 9, 2021

2021 NAIA Cross Country National Qualifiers: Men | Women

SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University Cross Country program will have representation in both the men’s and women’s races at the 2021 NAIA Cross Country National Championship. As announced on Tuesday (Nov. 9), Bulldogs Rylee Haecker, Calvin Rohde and Camden Sesna have officially earned invitations to the national meet. Each of them garnered national bids based upon their finishes at last week’s GPAC championship meet.

This will mark the first time during Head Coach Matt Beisel’s six-year tenure that Concordia has qualified men’s runners for the national championships. The program’s most recent individual men’s national qualifier was Ben Sievert in 2014. On the women’s side, the Bulldogs qualified as a team in 2019 after capturing the GPAC title. Concordia then placed 12th in the NAIA, signaling the best national finish for the women’s program since 2005.

This will be the first experience at the national cross country meet for each of the three Bulldog qualifiers. However, Haecker, Rohde and Sesna all competed at the 2021 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships. Haecker took home All-America awards for her efforts in the 1,000 meters (eighth place) and as part of the distance medley relay team (fourth place). The aforementioned trio picked up All-GPAC cross country honors thanks to placing in the top 10 at the conference meet on Nov. 6.

2021 GPAC Cross Country Finishes
Rylee Haecker – 7th (19:19.69 5k time)
Calvin Rohde – 10th (26:58.46 8k time)
Camden Sesna – 7th (26:34.08 8k time)

The 2021 NAIA qualifying field includes 36 team berths for both men and women. Individual national berths were handed out to 88 women and 82 men. The national meet is set to run on Friday, Nov. 19 in Vancouver, Wash. The men’s 8k race will begin at 10:30 a.m. local time in Washington with the women’s 5k race to follow an hour later.

Three runners represent Bulldogs at national championships

Nov. 19, 2021

VANCOUVER, Wash. – Three runners represented Concordia University Cross Country on Friday (Nov. 19) at the 2021 NAIA Cross Country National Championships while making their first career appearances on this particular stage. Both Rylee Haecker and Camden Sesna placed inside the top 120 nationally while Calvin Rohde finished just outside the top 200 in action that took place at the Fort Vancouver National Historic Championship Course in Vancouver, Wash. The national field included more than 300 runners in both the men’s and women's races.

The journey to Vancouver marked the third time Head Coach Matt Beisel has traveled athletes to the historic location. The women’s program advanced to the national meet in 2019 and placed 12th in the NAIA. Meanwhile, the men’s program had representation at the national championships for the first time since 2014.

“The race today came with great conditions as far the weather goes,” Beisel said. “It’s a challenging course, which I love. The guys have to run four loops and a lot of hills. It got pretty muddy after the guys tore it up, so we ended up duct-taping Rylee’s shoes to her feet and put in half-inch spikes.

“The guys went out and followed the race plan and got out really strong. Camden and Calvin crossed the finish line and both felt like they could have done better, but they went out and gave it their best. There was definitely a depression of the times (based on the difficulty of the course). I was really proud of them, and I love the fact that they have high expectations.”

Friday’s race put the cap on a terrific season from start to finish for Sesna, a native of Kearney, Neb. He placed 116th out of 333 runners on the men’s side of the national meet. Sesna crossed the finish line in 26:54.7, not far off his 8k time of 26:34.08 turned in at the GPAC Championships. Rohde (Reed City, Mich.) finished roughly 45 seconds later in a time of 27:40.4, putting him in 209th place.

Haecker wound up as the lone women’s qualifier on a team that rose as high as No. 11 in the NAIA coaches’ poll earlier this season. Haecker paced the 5k Fort Vancouver historical course in 19:45.8 and placed 120th out of 340 competitors on the women’s side. Haecker had run 19:19.69 at the conference championships, where she placed seventh.

Said Beisel, “Rylee ran a great race and finished ahead of a lot of the conference competition. I asked her afterwards, ‘What was the highlight of your race today?’ She said, ‘All of it,’ with a big smile on her face. She gave it the best she could all the way through.”

Concordia results
Rylee Haecker – 120th (19:45.8 5k time)
Calvin Rohde – 209th (27:40.4 8k time)
Camden Sesna – 116th (26:54.7 8k time)

Added Beisel, “I think it was valuable experience. It was the largest race we’ve ran this season. It’s a whole different experience at nationals. Our athletes were already talking about what they need to do get strong enough, fast enough and mentally tough enough to compete for All-America awards (top 40 finishers), and hopefully with the rest of the team behind us. Camden, Calvin and Rylee are all strong leaders on our team.”

The distance runners will have a short break before revving back up for track. As of Friday, the first meet of the indoor track and field season was just three weeks away.