SEWARD, Neb. – A modified Concordia Outdoor Invite will now take place on Thursday (April 5) inside and around Bulldog Stadium. An unfavorable weekend weather forecast caused the Concordia University track and field staff to alter the meet to a one-day gathering in the middle of the week. Thursday’s Concordia Invite is set to start at 2 p.m. CT with throwing events. Other events will begin at 4 p.m. The meet schedule can be viewed HERE.
Due to the change in plans, the meet will be smaller in scope. The Bulldogs will be joined on Thursday by GPAC rivals Doane, Hastings and Midland, by former GPAC member Nebraska Wesleyan, by nearby York College and by NCAA Division II Wayne State College. This is the second time already this spring that head coach Matt Beisel’s programs have dealt with a scaled down meet. Wayne State’s Wildcat Classic (March 22) also had to be shortened and placed in the middle of the week.
The majority of Concordia athletes did not open the outdoor season until last week’s Alex Francis Classic hosted by Fort Hays State University. The highlights were a win in the triple jump for sophomore Jessica Deterding and seven combined automatic national qualifying marks turned in by a throws group led by Samantha Liermann, now a two-time national titlist in the shot put.
In addition to Liermann, the list of Bulldog national qualifiers currently includes Jacob Cornelio (hammer throw), Madison Holt (hammer throw), Johanna Ragland (shot put), Adrianna Shaw (shot put, discus), Bethany Shaw (discus). ‘B’ standard marks are also possessed by Evan Asche (half marathon), Cornelio (discus), Morgan De Jong (discus), Deterding (triple jump) and Scott Johnson (long jump, triple jump). With 13 marks on the national board, both Concordia programs stand a strong chance of appearing in the national top 25 ratings set to be released by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association on Wednesday.
Competing teams at Concordia Invite
*2018 indoor national finish in parentheses
Concordia (NAIA: M – 42nd; W – 9th)
Doane (NAIA: M – 15th; W – 28th)
Hastings (NAIA: M – 4th; W – 7th)
Midland (NAIA: M – 32nd; W – no qualifiers)
Nebraska Wesleyan (NCAA D-III: M – 51st; W – 4th)
Wayne State (NCAA DII: M – no points; W – 16th)
York (NAIA: M – 15th; W – no qualifiers)
The next scheduled meet following this week is the Grand View University Quad in Des Moines, Iowa, on Saturday, April 14. Bulldog athletes will be scattered throughout many events over the upcoming April weeks. The Drake Relays loom April 26-28.