SEWARD, Neb. – For the 11th and 12th times in 2016, Concordia University track and field athletes garnered weekly recognition from the GPAC. On Wednesday the conference named senior Stephanie Coley the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Women’s Field Athlete of the Week and junior Lucas Wiechman the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Men’s Track Athlete of the Week. It’s the second time in 2016 that Coley has received the award.
Coley may have enjoyed the best single-day performance of her career at the Bronco Invite (April 2). The eight-time All-American won event titles in the discus, hammer and shot put while qualifying for the national championships in all three competitions. Two of her marks – hammer (181’ 11”) and shot put (45’ 11 ¼”) – rank No. 1 on the NAIA national leaderboard. She also ranks second in the discus (149’ 6”). The native of Gering, Neb., is coming off of All-America efforts in the shot put and weight throw at the 2016 indoor national championships.
Meanwhile, Wiechman provided the biggest highlights on the track at the Bronco Invite. The native of Pilger, Neb., paced the field in both the 110 (15.36) and 400 meter hurdles (56.55). He also qualified for nationals in the pole vault by clearing 15’ 5.” Among GPAC athletes, Wiechman ranks No. 1 in the 110 meter hurdles, No. 3 in the pole vault and No. 3 in the 400 meter hurdles. Wiechman is a five-time All-American. He earned All-America awards at the 2016 indoor national championships in the heptathlon and the pole vault.
2016 Concordia GPAC athletes of the week
April 6 – Stephanie Coley, Lucas Wiechman
Feb. 17 – Cody Boellstorf
Feb. 10 – Kim Wood
Feb. 3 -- *Cody Boellstorff, Stephanie Coley, CJ Muller
Jan. 27 -- *Zach Lurz
Jan. 20 – CJ Muller, Kali Robb, Jose Rojas, *Kim Wood
*National Athlete of the Week