RESULTS: Drake Relays | Prairie Wolf Invite
DES MOINES, Iowa / LINCOLN, Neb. – Day two of the Drake Relays unfolded in Des Moines, Iowa, on Friday (April 24) while simultaneously, the majority of Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field athletes competed in Lincoln, Neb., site of the Prairie Wolf Invite hosted by Nebraska Wesleyan University. In major highlights from Drake Stadium, the Bulldog women’s 4x400-meter relay turned in a season best while superstar Adrianna Rodencal showed once again that she can compete on any level of collegiate athletics. Meanwhile in Lincoln, Nathan Baldwin and Harper Boche unleashed hammer throw personal bests that secured spots at the national meet.
Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squads entered this weekend hoping to improve positioning for the upcoming GPAC Championships. The weather cooperated on Friday afternoon and evening.
“I couldn’t have been happier for the kids that I coach,” Beisel said. “All of them ran the 1,500 or the 800 with the exception of a couple of guys. Almost all of them had PR’s or season bests. Keith Siek was a huge highlight. He went out and pushed himself to the limit and ran an amazing time. I was also really impressed with Ashley Robertson in the 1,500. There were a lot of good things in the hurdles – Josi Noble was a star.”
A Torrington, Wyo., native, Boche saved her best for her final attempts in the hammer. Boche threw 175’ 8” on her second try of the finals before popping off an NAIA automatic national qualifying mark of 178’ 9.” She’ll be headed to nationals for the fourth time in her career. Boche was also part of a strong effort by Concordia in the women’s shot put as Marissa Heins, Brittni Kinne and Boche placed fifth through seventh (in a field of 22) at the Prairie Wolf Invite. Alson in the hammer, Mya Gawrych posted a significant PR (165’ 4”).
The men’s hammer competition stretched beyond sunset outside of Wesleyan’s stadium. On his second attempt, Baldwin whirled the hammer a distance of 196’ 7” for a PR by more than 10 feet. Baldwin placed second in the competition in an ambitious field of 33 (winning throw was 199’ 2”). Baldwin sits top 12 nationally in both the hammer and discus. Teammate Josiah Edwards just missed his hammer personal best, popping off a mark of 179’ 4" (narrowly missing the B mark), putting him in fifth place.
It was a full day at the Drake Relays for the reigning NAIA National Women’s Track Athlete of the Week. Rodencal competed in three relays and both hurdles events. In the hurdles, Rodencal ran 13.24 in the 100 meters before blazing to a 400-meter time of 59.09 on the Blue Oval. She qualified for Saturday’s finals in the 100 hurdles and placed fifth in the 400 hurdles, beating out numerous competitors from the NCAA Division I level.
Among Concordia’s relays, the women’s 4x400-meter relay made the biggest splash. A season best of 3:49.19, good for an NAIA B standard and for 11th place out of 30 4x4’s in the College Division of the Drake Relays. The Bulldog quartet was made up of Adysen McCarter, Rodencal, Tayden Kirchner and Kayla Kirchner. That same crew ended the evening in Des Moines by collaborating on a sprint medley relay time of 4:19.62. In the triple jump competition, McCarter placed 14th (37’ 1 ¼”).
Thursday at the Drake Relays was a frantic experience. Due to looming inclement weather, officials moved up the meet schedule as Concordia was traveling to Des Moines. The travel party arrived at Drake Stadium just in time for the women’s 4x8 relay to spring to action. The 4x8 of Landri Loos, Ashley Robertson, Izzi Brumbaugh and Claire Beikmann finished in 9:46.36 (14th place). The men’s 4x8 of Cooper Schelkopf, Trenton Kumm, Justin Sherman and Lucas Corwin proceeded to run 8:01.16 (13th). Trey Robertson later clocked in at 9:38.45 (16th) in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
One other Bulldog emerged as an event champion at the Prairie Wolf Invite. Freshman Keith Siek ran 1:55.93 in the 800 meters while taking gold. Meet runner-up claims were made by Hayden Kluthe in the men’s 400-meter hurdles (55.43) and Josi Noble in the women’s 400-meter hurdles (1:03.43 – sixth best in school history). Third-place finishes were earned by Kayla Svoboda in the 100-meter hurdles (14.71), Abram Chance in the men’s 1,500 meters (4:06.49) and Ashley Robertson in the women’s 1,500 meters (4:46.64). Svoboda also went over 11 feet (11’ 2 ¼”) in the pole vault and placed fourth.
Beisel also made mention of Rachel Harris for a strong time in the 800 meters (2:26.87) and the men’s 400-meter runners: Lucas Corwin (49.72), Garret Durkop (50.19) and Grant Kehren (50.54). Durkop also ran 22.95 in the 200 meters. In the jumps, Hayley Miles led the way with top five placements in the long and triple jumps.
Said Beisel in providing some final thoughts, “I’m grateful to God for a good day. This meet produced really big for us, especially in the throws and on the track. We probably got some kids into conference who hadn’t made those marks yet. What we didn’t get this weekend, we’ll get at conference. I’m really looking forward to seeing what our kids can do. I think we’re going to do really well.”
National Qualifying standards achieved on April 24
· A – Nathan Baldwin: hammer (196’ 7”)
· A – Harper Boche: hammer (178’ 9”)
· A – Adrianna Rodencal: 100-meter hurdles (13.24); 400-meter hurdles (59.09)
· B – Women’s 4x400-meter relay (3:49.19)
Prairie Wolf Invite Champions
· Harper Boche: hammer (178’ 9”)
· Keith Siek: 800 meters (1:55.93)
Weekend action will continue on Saturday at the Drake Relays. Concordia’s schedule of events is included below. It will be the final day of competition prior to the 2026 GPAC Outdoor Championships (May 1-2). Rodencal is slated to return to the track at 1:22 p.m. CT on Saturday for the finals of the 100-meter hurdles.
Bulldogs at the Drake Relays on Saturday (April 25):
· 12:00 p.m. – Women’s high jump: Makenna Starkey.
· 1:22 p.m. – Women’s 100-meter hurdle finals: Adrianna Rodencal
· 3:15 p.m. – Men’s javelin: Matthew Boyer; Emry Gutz.