Three throwers improve national qualifying marks at NWU Invite

LINCOLN, Neb. – A final tune up meet prior to next week’s conference championships for many Bulldog athletes brought three new season best automatic qualifying marks for Concordia throwers at Thursday’s Nebraska Wesleyan Spring Invite. The small meet held in Lincoln also featured athletes from host Nebraska Wesleyan and the University of Nebraska-Kearney.

Recently named the GPAC field athlete for the third time this season, 2015 indoor shot put national champion Zach Lurz unleashed a personal best throw of 192’ 4” in the hammer throw, moving him up to third on the NAIA national list. He placed second to an unattached competitor at the meet and in an event Concordia has dominated. Bulldogs hold down three of the top four spots on the NAIA men’s hammer throw leaderboard.

Freshman Sidney Meyer also produced a PR in the hammer throw with her national qualifying mark of 169’ 8” (10th best in the NAIA). She placed second at Nebraska Wesleyan behind a thrower from Nebraska-Kearney.

In the women’s shot put, junior Stephanie Coley bumped up her season best measurement to 46’ 8 ¾” – also good for a second-place claim. In addition, she finished second and third, respectively, in the discus and hammer throw. Coley ranks fifth on the NAIA national shot put list.

The meet also saw Concordia earn first-place finishes by Randi Janzen (800 meter run), Megan Burma (steeplechase), Katleyn Shoup (triple jump) and Trey Farmer (shot put).

It will be a light weekend for the majority of Bulldog athletes. However, a group of 14 standouts will compete at the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa, over the next two days. For information on the Drake Relays, click HERE.