SEWARD, Neb. – Courtesy of their efforts at the 2024 GPAC Indoor Track & Field Championships, 46 athletes from Concordia University Track & Field have raked in all-conference awards (full list below). On the heels of leading the Bulldog women’s program to a 10th-straight GPAC title, Head Coach Matt Beisel has been tabbed the 2024 Jim McMahon GPAC Women’s Indoor Coach of the Year. All-conference recognition goes to athletes who place inside the top eight of individual events and to relays with top three placements. While the women celebrated another title, the men placed third at the 2024 conference meet hosted by Mount Marty.
The string of GPAC titles for the women’s program dates back to the 2019 conference indoor meet hosted by the Bulldogs. Beisel has presided over each of those championships as part of his eight-year tenure at his alma mater. Beisel has earned his 11th career GPAC Coach of the Year award (ten in track & field and one in cross country). Beisel is assisted on the coaching staff by Ed McLaughlin, Mark Samuels, Benjamin Hinckfoot, Jason Berry, Maddie Wachowski, Lia Guigui and Steve Hoger.
The list of 2024 indoor All-GPAC honorees includes conference champions Jenna Esch (600 and 800 meters), Rylee Haecker (1,000 meters), Jordan Koepke (400 meters), Calvin Rohde (1,000 meters), Zoey Walker (high jump), Chris Wren (weight throw) and Zach Zohner (pole vault), as well as the women’s 4x400 meter relay. The championship relay team was made up of Esch, Kayla Kirchner, Trinity Tuls and Koepke. Haecker won the women’s 1,000 meters for the third-straight year.
There were 14 Bulldogs who collected all-conference awards in multiple events. Included in that group was Kylahn Freiberg, who broke the women’s program record in the 3,000 meters with a time of 10:05.72 at the GPAC Championships (the previous record of 10:11.42 was set by Rachael Geidel in 2000). Freiberg placed second in both the mile and 3,000 meters. On the men’s side, Rohde scored the most Bulldog points via his place finishes of first in the 1,000 meters, second in the mile and fourth in the 3,000 meters. Meanwhile, Adrianna Rodencal placed in the top three of three events.
Next up will be the 2024 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships in Brookings, S.D., Feb. 29 – March 2. More information on the national championship meet can be found HERE.
2024 GPAC Indoor All-Conference Award Winners
MEN
· Liam Fagan – 400 meters (7th)
· Carson Fehlhafer – shot put (4th)
· Luke Hammang – 3,000m race walk (3rd)
· Evan Hill – pole vault (8th)
· Mason Hodges – 3,000m race walk (4th)
· Jax Jacobson – pole vault (8th)
· Brady Klute – weight throw (8th)
· Hayden Kluthe – 60 hurdles (4th)
· Trevor Kuncl – mile (8th)
· Mayson Ostermeyer – pole vault (2nd)
· Jonah Paulsen – triple jump (5th)
· Joel Rathe – long jump (4th)
· Trey Robertson – 5,000 meters (8th)
· Calvin Rohde – 1,000 meters (1st); mile (2nd); 3,000 meters (4th)
· Caleb Schlichting – 3,000m race walk (2nd)
· Darien Semedo – shot put (3rd); weight throw (6th)
· Colby Sugden – 400 meters (5th)
· Chris Wren – weight throw (1st)
· Zach Zohner – pole vault (1st)
WOMEN
· Elena Batenhorst – pentathlon (5th)
· Erin Boggs – pole vault (4th)
· Amira Cummings – pole vault (3rd)
· Jenna Esch – 600 meters (1st); 800 meters (1st); 4x400m relay (1st)
· Kylahn Freiberg – mile (2nd); 3,000 meters (2nd)
· Abby Gerber – shot put (3rd); weight throw (7th)
· Faith Espinosa – pentathlon (3rd)
· Rylee Haecker – 1,000 meters (1st); mile (3rd)
· Rhaya Kaschinske – 1,000 meters (4th)
· Kayla Kirchner – 4x400m relay (1st); 200 meters (5th); 400 meters (6th)
· Jordan Koepke – 400 meters (1st); 4x400m relay (1st)
· JaeLynne Kosmos – triple jump (8th)
· Julie McIntyre – mile (5th)
· Hayley Miles – triple jump (4th); long jump (6th)
· Kiki Nyanok – long jump (5th)
· Kamryn Pokorney – weight throw (5th); shot put (8th)
· Josie Puelz – pole vault (6th)
· Kellie Rhodes – long jump (8th)
· Amy Richert – pentathlon (8th)
· Adrianna Rodencal – 60 hurdles (2nd); 60 meters (3rd); 200 meters (3rd)
· Isabelle Salters – 400 meters (7th)
· Amanda Steinke – pentathlon (6th); long jump (7th)
· Gretchen Stottlemyre – 3,000m race walk (4th)
· Kayla Svoboda – 60 hurdles (5th)
· Trinity Tuls – 4x400m relay (1st); 400 meters (3rd)
· Zoey Walker – high jump (1st); pentathlon (2nd)
· Abi Wohlgemuth – weight throw (3rd)