Meet Schedule | PDF
SEWARD, Neb. – The final week prior to the conference championships has already arrived for the Concordia University track and field program. The Bulldogs are readying to host their third meet in five weeks of 2019 indoor action. The annual Concordia University Indoor Invitational is slated to get started inside the Fieldhouse at 2 p.m. CST on Friday. Concordia will welcome athletes representing 13 institutions to Seward (see list below).
Competing institutions at Concordia Invite
Bethel College (Kan.)
Concordia University
Doane University
Fort Hays State University
Hastings College
University of Jamestown
McPherson College
Midland University
Morningside College
College of Saint Mary
Sterling College
Tabor College
York College
Wayne State College
Head coach Matt Beisel’s program has also hosted the Polar Dog Invite (Jan. 19) and the Concordia Classic (Jan. 24-25). The meet on Friday can be viewed live via the Concordia Sports Network (select events will be shown). Live results can be followed HERE.
A week out from the GPAC Championships, Bulldog athletes have combined for 22 automatic national qualifying marks and 13 ‘B’ standard qualifying marks through the opening four weeks of the indoor season. Samantha Liermann, Johanna Ragland and Addie Shaw have each qualified for nationals in both the shot put and weight throw. According to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) ratings, the Concordia women possess top event groups in the pole vault, triple jump, shot put and weight throw. Morgan De Jong became the latest throwing national qualifier by tossing the weight throw 53’ 5” at the Beile Classic.
The USTFCCCA team ratings are a reflection of the impressive start to the semester for Concordia track and field. Last week both the Bulldog men and women appeared at No. 2 nationally, sandwiched between No. 1 Indiana Tech and rival Doane at No. 3. Those ratings are boosted by a pole vault crew that has combined for seven ‘A’ and four ‘B’ standards between men and women. McKenzie Gravo is up to No. 3 nationally in the pole vault. The men did not possess a top-rated event group, but senior Josiah McAllister continues to pace the NAIA in the 1,000 meters.
If you take into account only the top 10 in each event among GPAC competitors, the Bulldogs appear a total of 77 times between the men’s and women’s teams. Concordia athletes with top conference marks include the men’s 4x400 meter relay, the women’s 4x400 meter relay, Gravo (pole vault), Taylor Grove (3,000 meters; 5,000 meters), Rebekah Hinrichs (1,000 meters; one mile), McAllister (1,000 meters; one mile), Shaw (weight throw) and Cody Williams (heptathlon). The women’s 4x4 would have broken the school record last week, but was disqualified from the race.
In front of the home fans, Concordia will be pushed by solid competition on Friday. Six GPAC rivals will be on hand, including highly rated Doane, Hastings (No. 8 women | No. 22 men), Midland (No. 32 men) and Morningside (No. 26 men). Doane has the national leader in the women’s high jump (Alexis Dale).
The GPAC Championships will take place Feb. 15-16 inside the Fieldhouse. It will mark the first time the Bulldogs have hosted the indoor conference championships since 2015. Concordia finished second in the conference for both men and women at that particular GPAC meet.