Track and field hosts annual Concordia Outdoor Invite on Saturday
SEWARD, Neb. – The top 10 nationally-ranked Bulldog track and field programs will host the annual Concordia Outdoor Invite in and around Bulldog Stadium on Saturday. The meet will get underway with field events at 11 a.m. The first running events will go off at 12 p.m.
The meet will be streamed online via the Concordia Sports Network.
The field of teams will include conference rivals Doane, Hastings and Nebraska Wesleyan as well as non-league NAIA foes in Grand View University, Sterling College and York College. Nebraska NCAA Division II squads University of Nebraska-Kearney and Wayne State College will also compete on Saturday. Nine combined teams in the field are currently nationally ranked, according to the USTFCCCA.
Ranked teams at Concordia Invite
*According to USTFCCCA computer ratings
MEN
No. 8 Concordia (NAIA)
No. 14 Hastings (NAIA)
No. 22 Doane (NAIA)
WOMEN
No. 3 Concordia (NAIA)
No. 10 Doane (NAIA)
No. 14 Hastings (NAIA)
No. 16 Wayne State (NCAA DII)
No. 21 Nebraska Wesleyan (NCAA DIII)
No. 25 Grand View (NAIA)
Head coach Kregg Einspahr’s men’s and women’s squads are the highest-ranked teams in the field thanks in large part to the work of an impressive group of throwers that have already piled up 17 combined automatic national qualifying marks. Three throwers have qualified for the national meet in three different events: Stephanie Coley, Zach Lurz and Kali Robb. Lurz was named the NAIA National Field Athlete of the Week on Wednesday.
The third-ranked Concordia women boast three individual national leaders: Liz King (javelin), Cassie Starks (pole vault) and Katricia Svoboda (discus). In addition, sophomore Cody Boellstorff tops all NAIA men’s hammer throwers with his school record toss of 205’ 8.”
In Concordia’s most recent outing – the UNK Loper Invite – six different Bulldogs captured event titles: Boellstorff (hammer), King (javelin), Tai Pleasant (400 hurdles), Josh Slechta (javelin), Starks (pole vault) and Kim Wood (1,500 meters). Svoboda also made waves with her discus mark of 157’ 6” – a personal best by more than 10 feet.
After Saturday’s meet, Concordia will host just one more time in 2015. Their final home date is set for Friday, May 8 when the annual Concordia Twilight Meet takes place.