Final 2024 NAIA Outdoor T&F National Championship Results
SEWARD, Neb. – Courtesy of their performances at the 2024 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships, 10 Bulldogs have earned All-America honors in one or more events (full list below). In order to receive an All-America plaque, a top eight placement at the national championship meet is required. The list of 2024 Concordia University Track & Field outdoor All-Americans is headlined by pole vault national champion Zach Zohner and hammer throw national champion Chris Wren.
The Battle Creek, Neb., native Zohner became the men’s program’s first vaulter to sweep NAIA national championships in a single year since TJ Kloster in 2000. His vault of 17’ 2 ¾” in Marion, Ind., equaled his personal best winning clearance from the NAIA indoor national meet. Other pole vault national champions in men’s program history are TJ Kloster (six), Gene Brooks (five), Patrick Gellens (two), Jeb Myers (one) and Lucas Wiechman (one). Brooks owns the school indoor pole vault record (18’ ½”) while Kloser owns the program outdoor pole vault standard (17’ 6 ¼”). Zohner’s PR of 17’ 2 ¾” places him No. 3 on the school’s all-time indoor list. Pole vault coach Jason Berry has worked with the likes of Wiechman and Zohner on the men’s side and five-time national champion Josie Puelz on the women’s side.
Wren, who hails from Fair Oaks, Calif., claimed the fourth NAIA hammer throw title in men’s program history with his mark of 208’ 5.” The other hammer throw titlists from Concordia have been Cody Boellstorff (2015 and 2017) and Jacob Cornelio (2021). Throws coach Ed McLaughlin has helped lead Bulldog athletes to 20 individual national championships during his tenure. Wren is now a five-time All-American and was the NAIA indoor weight throw runner up.
In her final collegiate meet, Kylahn Freiberg broke the school record in the 1,500 meters (4:31.08 in the prelims) and wound up placing seventh in the NAIA in the event. Freiberg picked up her seventh career All-America award. Also on the track, the women’s 4x400-meter relay extended its string of consecutive appearances in the national finals to 11. The Bulldogs placed fourth (best ever women’s 4x4 finish) nationally. The group featured Jenna Esch, Kayla Kirchner, Isabelle Salters and Trinity Tuls in the finals. Jordan Koepke also ran the 4x4 in the prelims. Salters and Gretchen Stottlemyre (javelin) were Concordia’s two first-time All-Americans to emerge from the meet.
Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squads earned 2024 NAIA outdoor national finishes of seventh on the men’s side and tied for 20th on the women’s side. At the conference level, the women won the GPAC title (11th in a row) and the men placed third.
2024 Outdoor All-Americans
*School record
Jenna Esch
2024 Outdoor Placements: 4th in 4x400m relay (3:47.68); 7th in 800 meters (2:11.81)
Career All-America Awards: 8
National Meet Appearances: 5
Kylahn Freiberg
2024 Indoor Placements: 7th in *1,500 meters (4:31.08)
Career All-America Awards: 7
National Meet Appearances: 8
Kayla Kirchner
2024 Indoor Placement: 4th in 4x400m relay (3:47.68)
Career All-America Awards: 2
National Meet Appearances: 3
Jordan Koepke
2024 Indoor Placement: 4th in 4x400m relay (3:47.68); 8th in 400m hurdles (1:02.07)
Career All-America Awards: 8
National Meet Appearances: 6
Isabelle Salters
2024 Indoor Placement: 4th in 4x400m relay (3:47.68)
Career All-America Awards: 1
National Meet Appearances: 2
Darien Semedo
2024 Indoor Placement: 4th in shot put (56’ 11 ¾”)
Career All-America Awards: 2
National Meet Appearances: 4
Gretchen Stottlemyre
2024 Indoor Placement: 8th in javelin (136’ 6”)
Career All-America Awards: 1
National Meet Appearances: 2
Trinity Tuls
2024 Indoor Placement: 4th in 4x400m relay (3:47.68)
Career All-America Awards: 4
National Meet Appearances: 5
Chris Wren
2024 Indoor Placement: 1st in hammer throw (208’ 5”)
Career All-America Awards: 5
National Meet Appearances: 8
Zach Zohner
2024 Indoor Placement: 1st in pole vault (17’ 2 ¾”)
Career All-America Awards: 4 (two-time national champion)
National Meet Appearances: 6