RESULTS | GPAC Day 1 Recap | Day 2 Photo Gallery
FREMONT, Neb. – The happenings on conference championship weekend featured a pair of GPAC meet records for the legendary Adrianna Rodencal, a total of six Bulldog GPAC event championships, the remarkable resilience of hurdler Hayden Kluthe and a thrilling 4x4 finish on the women’s side. As the shadows loomed larger at Heedum Field in Fremont, Neb., on Saturday (May 2) evening, Concordia University, Nebraska Track & Field emerged with team places finishes of third on the women’s side and fifth on the men’s side. Midland hosted the GPAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships for the first time since 2017.
Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squads accumulated conference point totals of 139 for women and 103.5 for men. The Concordia men sat in third place until the second-to-last event (5,000 meters). Rodencal won GPAC titles in both hurdles events and was joined at the top of the podium by her 4x400-meter relay teammates, as well as fellow Bulldogs Emry Gutz (javelin), Jonny Jurchen (race walk) and Trey Robertson (steeplechase).
“We had some really amazing things happen, obviously some champions and school records, new national qualifiers and a lot of personal bests,” Beisel said. “There were also some disappointments. That’s going to happen at a high pressure meet like this, but we’re so proud of the efforts everybody gave. I couldn’t be more grateful. Our coaches couldn’t be more grateful for the privilege to work with these young men and women.
“We’re always happy with top three (in the conference). Our guys would have liked that fifth to be a third, at least. We’re not satisfied or content with that … I feel God’s presence as we work with this team. This has been a pretty tough season for us with some tragedy, but also some really big positives. I love how this team has come together and supported each other through it all.”
The Lincoln Lutheran alum Rodencal continues to add more layers to her storied career. Her four-year GPAC championship count has reached 14 after she took first place on Saturday in the 100-meter hurdles, 400-meter hurdles and as part of the 4x400-meter relay. Her new GPAC meet records came in at 13.14 in the 100 hurdles and at 58.36 in the 400 hurdles. Rodencal also ran the second leg for the 4x100-meter relay that equaled a school record (46.80) and placed second. She then topped the day off by contributing to a new program standard in the 4x4. It added up to 24.5 team points for Rodencal and a fifth career GPAC Athlete of the Meet award.
There were plenty of hugs to finish the day. The 4x4 quartet of Adysen McCarter, Rodencal, Tayden Kirchner and Kayla Kirchner blazed to a school record of 3:47.14. Kayla Kirchner held off Doane’s 4x4, the 2026 NAIA indoor national championship relay, for the win. The time represents a new NAIA automatic standard. The 4x1 (B standard) included McCarter, Rodencal, Cambria Saunders and Kayla Kirchner.
Afterwards, Rodencal reacted to her latest achievements and to a Saturday that ended with more memories. Said Rodencal, “It means a lot. It shows how tight-knit this group is to be able to turn around and see everyone cheering. A lot of it – I do have to credit them. Without them pushing me and believing in me the entire season, it doesn’t mean a lot. The athlete of the meet award is backed by the entire team, and I’m so grateful for it.”
Considering all that’s happened since March, Kluthe’s achievements at the GPAC Championships were especially impressive. If not for clipping the final hurdle in the 400-meter hurdles, Kluthe may have seized a GPAC title of his own. He wound up with place finishes of second in the 110 hurdles (14.88) and third in the 400 hurdles (55.33) for a total of 14 team points. Teammate Braxton Borer placed third in the 110 hurdles. The Ord, Neb., native Kluthe was a passenger in the tragic car accident over spring break that resulted in the death of teammate Matthew Wing and serious injuries to another teammate in Noah Ramirez. This spring, Kluthe has dealt with the emotional trauma of the accident, in addition to nagging injuries.
Said Kluthe, “It’s been a rough season to start off – having a little bit of a late start – but I’ve had a lot of success this season. I’ve been dedicating this success to God, to Noah and to Matthew. That’s who I’m running for this season – not for me. I’m thinking about them all the time. I wouldn’t be anywhere without those guys. They mean so much to me. They’ve been with me every step of the way.”
The Seward High School product Jurchen continues to lead the way for the nation’s top crew of men’s race walkers. In the 5,000-meter walk, Jurchen (21:34.19), Jack Habegger (22:25.20) and Luke Hammang (23:25.07) all posted personal bests with times that met the NAIA A standard. Jurchen won his fourth career GPAC race walk title and now owns conference meet records for both the indoor and outdoor race walk. Jurchen continues to rank No. 2 on the program’s all-time outdoor race walk list. All three Bulldogs will be headed to North Carolina later this month.
The Elsie, Neb., native Robertson got on the board with the first GPAC title of his career. He finished the 3,000-meter steeplechase in a personal best time of 9:38.21 (roughly 15 seconds off a B standard). Robertson will give the national standard one more shot next week, but for now, he’ll soak up the conference title.
Said Robertson, “It’s pretty special. The goal was to strive to be a champion and do as well as I can. I went into today with two different goals – get conference champ and maybe hit a (national) standard. I didn’t get the time I wanted, but I’m still extremely happy that I got to be a champion in the steeple.”
The GPAC championship won by Gutz in the men’s javelin was detailed in Friday’s recap (linked above). Gutz locked up a spot at the national meet with his personal best (205’ 8”). On Saturday, the throwing events included the discus and shot put for both men and women. Sophomore Harper Boche capped a strong meet by placing third in the shot put (42’ 6”), in addition to her fourth-place nod in the hammer. Brittni Kinne joined her on the podium with a sixth-place finish. The team’s top discus throwers were Carissa Kolle (fifth) and Cooper Stokebrand (seventh). Notably from Friday, Nathan Baldwin was the conference hammer runner up.
Part of the 4x1 and 4x4 school record relays, McCarter (Overton, Neb.) had a hectic weekend of her own. McCarter also placed second in the 400 meters (56.88) and third in the triple jump (37’ 10”). The triple jump was taking place as the 4x1 got started. Also in the 400, Kayla Kirchner placed fourth (57.55). On the men’s side of the 400, Garrett Durkop broke 50 seconds (49.71).
Rodencal was backed in the 400 hurdles by teammates Josi Noble (third) and Hadleigh Collison (fifth). Noble set a new PR by running 1:02.26 for a fresh NAIA B standard. Also notable on the track, Concordia’s men’s 4x4 ran 3:22.34 and placed fifth, and in the women’s 800 meters, Landri Loos ran 2:17.03 (sixth). Lucas Corwin clocked in at 1:54.67 on the men’s side of the 800.
Both the men’s decathlon and women’s heptathlon wrapped up on Saturday. Concordia’s Hank Moore (5,855 points) wound up in fifth place in the decathlon while Addie Reimer (4,285 points) and Kennedee Canales (4,053 points) placed fourth and fifth, respectively. Moore was the top finisher in the 100 meters (10.96) and 400 meters (51.15) out of the decathletes while Rimer paced the heptathletes in the high jump (5’ 2 ¼”) and javelin (109’ 6”).
As noted on Friday, the Bulldog men’s 4x8 turned in a season best (7:41.01) and placed third at the conference championships. Other top place finishers from Friday were Kiki Nyanok in the long jump (second), Evan Hill and Kayla Svoboda in the pole vault (both third), Vaughn Hendrickson in the 10,000 meters (fourth) and Emma Kucera in the javelin (fourth). Svoboda came back on Saturday and placed third in the 100 hurdles (14.44).
2026 GPAC Outdoor Champions
· Emry Gutz: javelin (205’ 8”)
· Jonny Jurchen: 5,000-meter race walk (21:34.19)
· Kayla Kirchner: 4x400-meter relay (3:47.14)
· Tayden Kirchner: 4x400-meter relay (3:47.14)
· Adysen McCarter: 4x400-meter relay (3:47.14)
· Trey Robertson: 3,000-meter steeplechase (9:38.21)
· Adrianna Rodencal: 100-meter hurdles (13.14); 400-meter hurdles (58.36); 4x400-meter relay (3:47.14)
There will be two more meets next week that will allow for final opportunities to improve marks for potential national qualification. The Bulldogs will host the Concordia Twilight on May 8 in one last home meet for the ’26 outdoor season. Select Concordia athletes will also be headed to the Loper Twilight (University of Nebraska-Kearney) on May 9.