SEWARD, Neb. – Nationals week has arrived for the 983 student-athletes across the country who were announced as qualifiers by the NAIA. The 2019 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships will unfold this Thursday through Saturday (Feb. 28 – March 2) inside the Sanford Jackrabbit Athletic Complex in Brookings, S.D. Dakota State University will serve as the meet host. The event schedule can be viewed HERE.
Head coach Matt Beisel’s men’s and women’s programs will travel 30 athletes to the indoor national championships (complete list below). The qualifying group of Concordia athletes combines for 45 previous national championships appearances, 21 All-America awards and three individual national titles. In addition, Allie Brooks, McKenzie Gravo and Sam Liermann were all national qualifiers on the 2016 Bulldog NAIA outdoor national championship women’s team. Concordia’s 30 qualifiers includes 17 women and 13 men.
The prospects for improved team national finishes as compared to a year ago appear bright. The Bulldogs enter the meet ranked No. 3 in the NAIA for both men and women, according to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. Concordia again appears to possess the heavy hitters at the top of event groups that it takes to put up big points on a national level. On the women’s side, it boasts NAIA No. 1 rated event squads in the pole vault, shot put and weight throw. The following Bulldogs currently rank No. 1 nationally in an event: the men’s 4x800 meter relay, Josiah McAllister (1,000 meters), Adrianna Shaw (weight throw) and Cody Williams (heptathlon).
The most experienced Bulldog in a national championship setting is Liermann, who is getting ready to compete at a national meet for the seventh time in her career. The Wisner, Neb., native is a two-time NAIA shot put national titlist and was the 2018 outdoor shot put national runner up. Liermann and teammate Addie Shaw form an elite one-two punch in the women’s throws. In her last appearance on the national stage, Shaw won the outdoor discus title. She was also the 2017 NAIA indoor shot put national runner up behind Liermann.
Both GPAC champions, Williams (heptathlon) and Jacob Cornelio (weight throw) are two of the biggest headliners on the men’s side. Williams placed seventh nationally and was an All-American in the heptathlon a year ago. Meanwhile, Cornelio has his sights set on moving up the podium. In 2018, he recorded a weight throw finish of seventh in indoor and a hammer throw finish of eighth in outdoor at national championships. Cornelio is currently ranked No. 4 in the NAIA in the weight throw.
Thirteen of the 30 Bulldogs headed to Brookings will be making their first appearances at a national championship meet. That group features seven freshmen, including Jacee Pfeifer, who will be competing in three separate events this weekend. Pfeifer teams up with two other freshmen (Rachel Battershell and Sarah Lewis) and senior Jamie Nikodym on a 4x400 meter relay that owns the school’s indoor record. Pfeifer is also one of five Concordia women who will compete in the pole vault on Friday.
The Bulldogs have a recent history of exceeding seed marks at the national championships. Both programs have captured a team national title since 2015 and the men put together a run of six national meets in a row (2015 through 2017) with top five finishes. On the women’s side, Concordia has gone five years running without a single national team finish lower than 12th.
Stretch Internet, the NAIA’s official video streaming company, will be broadcasting all sessions of the national championships. Packages can be purchased for $14.95. For more information, click here.
2019 Concordia indoor national qualifiers
Rachel Battershell, Freshman (first trip to nationals)
Allie Brooks, Junior (fifth trip to nationals; one All-America award)
Jacob Cornelio, Junior (fourth trip to nationals; two All-America awards)
Gavin Davis, Freshman (first trip to nationals)
Morgan De Jong, Sophomore (first trip to nationals)
Gavin DeHaai, Junior (first trip to nationals)
Jessica Deterding, Junior (second trip to nationals)
Jodi Fry, Sophomore (second trip to nationals)
McKenzie Gravo, Junior (fifth trip to nationals; three All-America awards)
Liam Hennessy, Junior (first trip to nationals)
Leah Larson, Senior (third trip to nationals)
Sarah Lewis, Freshman (first trip to nationals)
Sam Liermann, Senior (seventh trip to nationals; seven All-America awards; two-time shot put national champ)
Erin Mapson, Freshman (first trip to nationals)
Nathan Matters, Senior (fifth trip to nationals; one All-America award)
Josiah McAllister, Senior (fourth trip to nationals)
Tristen Mosier, Junior (second trip to nationals)
Jamie Nikodym, Senior (second trip to nationals)
Kenny Paetow, Sophomore (first trip to nationals)
Jacee Pfeifer, Freshman (first trip to nationals)
Ben Pratt, Sophomore (first trip to nationals)
Johanna Ragland, Senior (fifth trip to nationals; two All-America awards)
Henry Reimer, Sophomore (first trip to nationals)
Xavier Ross, Freshman (first trip to nationals)
Addie Shaw, Junior (fifth trip to nationals; three All-America awards; 2018 discus national champ)
Adrianna Sims, Freshman (first trip to nationals)
Thomas Taylor, Senior (third trip to nationals)
Christian Van Cleave, Sophomore (second trip to nationals)
Carley Weisser, Senior (third trip to nationals; one All-America award)
Cody Williams, Sophomore (third trip to nationals; one All-America award)
Concordia indoor national finishes since 2000
2018: M – 42nd | W – 9th
2017: M – 2nd | W – 7th
2016: M – 3rd | W – 5th
2015: M – 5th | W – 11th
2014: M – 17th | W – 11th
2013: M – 27th | W – 13th
2012: M – 38th | W – 29th
2011: M – 7th | W – 26th
2010: M – 15th | W – 12th
2009: M – 12th | W – 11th
2008: M – 7th | W – 14th
2007: M – 19th | W – 36th
2006: M – 5th | W – 29th
2005: M – 26th | W – 15th
2004: M – 7th | W – 27th
2003: M – 5th | W – 9th
2002: M – 20th | W – 8th
2001: M – 12th | W – 21st
2000: M – 2nd | W – 12th
Concordia outdoor national finishes since 2005
2018: M – 69th | W – 12th
2017: M – 5th | W – 6th
2016: M – 2nd | W – 1st
2015: M – 1st | W – 5th
2014: M – 11th | W – 9th
2013: M – 42nd | W – 20th
2012: M – 57th | W – 15th
2011: M – 11th | W – 57th
2010: M – 24th | W – 14th
2009: M – 7th | W – 19th
2008: M – 11th | W – 29th
2007: M – 15th | W – 24th
2006: M – 7th | W – 28th
2005: M – 13th | W – 17th