SEWARD, Neb. – The first of two home meets of the 2025 outdoor season is on this week’s docket for Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field. The outdoor season officially kicked off this past weekend at the Central Nebraska Challenge co-hosted by Hastings and the University of Nebraska-Kearney. In week two of the campaign, the Bulldogs will welcome athletes from 11 institutions to Bulldog Stadium. Originally scheduled as a two-day meet, the Concordia Invite has been reconfigured and will take place on Saturday only with select events. The change was made due to the unfavorable weather forecast.
Concordia Outdoor Invite
Saturday (April 5) | Bulldog Stadium
--Meet Schedule / Heat Sheets (PDF) | Live Results
--Live Streams: Concordia Sports Network
Competing Institutions (subject to change due to weather)
Bellevue University
College of Saint Mary
Concordia University, Nebraska
Doane University
Iowa Western Community College
Midland University
Mount Marty University
University of Nebraska-Kearney
Nebraska Wesleyan University
Wayne State College
York University
In the season’s first full meet, Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squads combined to put six marks on the board that met at least the ‘B’ national qualifying standard (see list below). Both Nathan Baldwin (discus) and Mayson Ostermeyer (pole vault) have automatically qualified for the national meet. Ostermeyer has taken the early national lead in the pole vault thanks to his personal best clearance of 16’ 6 ¾” at the Central Nebraska Challenge. Meanwhile, four B standards were posted in throwing events courtesy of Connor Asche (hammer), Matthew Boyer (javelin), Abby Gerber (shot put) and Abi Wohlgemuth (hammer). Boyer’s mark of 195’ 9” in the javelin came at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays in Austin, Texas.
National Qualifying Standards
· A – Nathan Baldwin: Discus (172’ 10”)
· A – Mayson Ostermeyer: Pole Vault (16’ 6 ¾”)
· B – Connor Asche: Hammer Throw (180’ 10”)
· B – Matthew Boyer: Javelin (195’ 9”)
· B – Abigail Gerber: Shot Put (46’ 2 ¾”)
· B – Abi Wohlgemuth: Hammer Throw (169’ 5”)
Two school records were also broken at the Central Nebraska Challenge as junior Adrianna Rodencal reset her own standard in the 100-meter hurdles (13.45) and freshman Adysen McCarter eclipsed the triple jump record by landing at 38’ 11 ¾.” The previous program standard was 38’ 9 ½” by Charista Zehnder in 2010. In another big effort last week, Kiki Nyanok achieved a long jump PR of 19’ 3 ½” (less than three inches shy of Carol Bailey’s school record). It should be noted that the times/marks achieved by the likes of McCarter, Nyanok and Rodencal do not appear on the conference and national performance lists due to the wind factor. In addition, Kayla Kirchner is the current GPAC leader in the 400 meters (57.96).
For a detailed look at the Bulldogs from an outdoor perspective, check out the Concordia outdoor season preview linked HERE. The 2024 outdoor season saw the Bulldogs record GPAC place finishes of first for women and third for men and NAIA national placements of seventh for the men and 20th for the women. Returning All-Americans from the 2024 outdoor season include Kayla Kirchner (4x400m relay), Isabelle Salters (4x400m relay), Gretchen Stottlemyre (javelin) and Trinity Tuls (4x400m relay).
The first sets of regional, national and event squad rankings were released by the USTFCCCA on Tuesday. The organization’s rankings can be tracked throughout the season by visiting the following link: https://www.ustfccca.org/team-rankings-polls-central. In the initial NAIA outdoor ratings, Concordia appeared at No. 15 on the men’s side and at No. 25 on the women’s side.
Following the Concordia Invite, the Bulldogs will look forward to the Hastings College Bronco Invite on Saturday, April 12. The second and final home meet of the season will be the Concordia Twilight on May 9.