Recaps: Day 1, Day 2 | NAIA Championships Live Results | Concordia T&F YouTube
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Three more Bulldogs added their names to the list of All-Americans as the 2025 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships concluded in Gainesville, Fla., on Saturday (March 1). Both senior Abby Gerber (shot put) and junior Mayson Ostermeyer (pole vault) repeated as All-Americans while GPAC Athlete of the Year Adrianna Rodencal claimed the first All-America medal of her career. Between the men and women, Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field combined for five total All-America awards over the three-day meet.
Freshman Jonny Jurchen (race walk) and senior Abi Wohlgemuth (weight throw) earned their All-America awards on Friday. Wohlgemuth emerged as the top Bulldog point scorer thanks to her runner-up claim in the weight throw. In the team scoring, Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squads placed 20th (13 points) on the women’s side and 56th (3.5 points) on the men’s side.
“I’m really thankful we had an opportunity to come down here and compete,” Beisel said. “We had some kids who were ranked pretty high that didn’t have the meet they wanted, and that’s tough. Our kids are still hungry and have high expectations for themselves. We love that about them. They gave it everything they have. Some came up big, and some came up a little short. I was really proud of all the freshmen we had competing. It’s a young group that went out and competed well. Overall, it was a lot of fun. The environment here is really loud.”
This was the moment Rodencal had been preparing for. After missing the national finals of hurdle events by an eyelash in both indoor and outdoor in 2024, the Lincoln Lutheran alum rose to the occasion in Gainesville. Rodencal ran the 60 hurdles in 8.55 in the prelims on Friday before saving a personal best for the finals. Rodencal again broke her own school record by blazing her way across the finish line in 8.44 – even better than her GPAC meet record of 8.49 two weeks earlier. As Rodencal posted on X, “A dream for the past 2.5 years and all I can do is thank God for what He has given me.”
In the pole vault, Ostermeyer returned to nationals after placing fifth at the meet in Brookings, S.D., one year ago. The Crofton, Neb., native cleared 15’ 9” in Saturday’s competition and tied for seventh place. Ostermeyer rose above 15’ 9” on his first try before later missing on his three attempts at 16’ ¾.” Impressively, the top two vaulters in the competition went over 17 feet. Ostermeyer topped the NAIA leaderboard for much of the season in the event and was the GPAC champion.
The Columbus, Neb., native Gerber collected the third All-America award of her career. She was a fifth-place shot put finisher at the 2024 indoor national meet. The 2025 GPAC champion in the event, Gerber landed in eighth place on Saturday with her top mark of 44’ 10 ¾.” Three of her tosses traveled more than 44 feet. Meanwhile, teammate Harper Boche placed 18th (39’ 6 ½”). On the men’s side, Carson Fehlhafer placed 23rd (50’ 1 ¼”) in the shot put one day after he also competed in the weight throw.
A runner up at the GPAC Championships, freshman Adysen McCarter experienced the national meet for the first time. In Saturday’s triple jump competition, McCarter was unable to register a mark. The Overton, Neb., native will be a key part of the horizontal jumps crew for years to come.
Afterwards, Beisel and the crew of staff members and 24 qualifying athletes felt grateful for the opportunity in Gainesville. The well-publicized flight experience to Florida added further perspective. Said Beisel, “I want to give all glory to God for the many blessings He’s given our teams this season. Nothing could have happened without His will. I think we’re all looking ahead to outdoor and fired up for what’s to come.” Beisel went on to commend each of the five All-Americans and made special note of the men’s distance medley relay that clocked one of the five fastest times in program history as part of Thursday’s action.
The Bulldogs will enjoy a break before beginning outdoor season with the Central Nebraska Challenge co-hosted by the University of Nebraska-Kearney and Hastings on March 29. Concordia is slated to make a home outdoor appearance the weekend of April 4-5 when it hosts the Concordia Invitational.
2025 NAIA Indoor All-Americans:
· Abby Gerber – Shot Put (8th; 44’ 10 ¾”)
· Jonny Jurchen – 3,000-Meter Race Walk (7th; 13:44.23)
· Mayson Ostermeyer – Pole Vault (7th; 15’ 9”)
· Adrianna Rodencal – 60-Meter Hurdles (5th; 8.44)
· Abi Wohlgemuth – Weight Throw (2nd; 62’ 1 ¾”)