Track and field to host Concordia Outdoor Invite on Saturday
SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University track and field program will play host for the first time this outdoor season as the Bulldogs put on the Concordia Outdoor Invite on Saturday. Bulldog Stadium will serve as the venue for a field of nine teams at the meet. Field events get started at 11 a.m. with running events to begin at 12 p.m.
In the rankings
In the USTFCCA’s initial NAIA national computer ratings for the 2014 outdoor season, the Concordia men slotted in at No. 8 and the women ranked 12th. View the complete NAIA ratings HERE.
Webcast
The Concordia Sports Network will carry the meet live beginning at 12 p.m. and running through its conclusion. The broadcast will feature three cameras. Please note that the positioning of webcast equipment poses limitations on the broadcast. Some events will be featured more than others.
Field of teams
*USTFCCA team ratings in parentheses
Concordia University (NAIA: M – #8; W – #12)
Colby Community College
Doane College (NAIA: M – #14; W – #6)
Hastings College (NAIA: M – #12; W – #9)
Midland University
University of Nebraska-Kearney
Nebraska Wesleyan University
Wayne State College (NCAA DII: W – #19)
York College
Saturday’s Seward weather forecast
The current weather.com forecast calls for a high temperature of 82 with a 30 percent chance of rain and potential for severe thunderstorms (wind out of the southwest at 15 miles per hour).
Bulldogs garner three of four GPAC weekly honors
On Wednesday the GPAC bestowed Concordia with three conference athletes of the week: John Cartier (men’s track), Zach Lurz (men’s field) and Shelby Yelden (women’s field). All three lead the GPAC in at least one event. To read more about their honors, click HERE.
Thirteen national top 10 marks
Concordia currently sports 13 marks that rank inside the top 10 on the NAIA’s individual leaderboard. Of those 13, nine are ‘A’ standard national qualifying marks while the other four are ‘B’ marks. Both sophomore Liz King (javelin) and Shelby Yelden (pole vault) lead the nation in their respective events. King broke the school javelin record by more than 10 feet with her toss of 155’ 10” at the Wayne State Wildcat Classic on March 28.
Zach Lurz, a native of Torrington, Wyo., is the only Bulldog who has three automatic national qualifying marks. Lurz is the first thrower in school history to qualify for nationals in the discus, hammer throw and shot put in the same season.
All Concordia national marks:
- Jonathon Becker – B; 110 meter hurdles (14.83)
- Cody Boellstorff – A; hammer throw (195’ 11”)
- John Cartier – B; 400 meter dash (48.37)
- Kattie Cleveland – A; discus (143’ 2”)
- Stephanie Coley – B; shot put (43’ 9”)
- Jamie Crouse – A; hammer throw (167’ 10”)
- Carson Farr – B; pole vault (15’ 5”)
- Liz King – A; javelin (155’ 10”)
- Zach Lurz – A; shot put (54’ 5 ¼”), A; discus (177’ 9”), A; hammer throw (178’ 1”)
- Katricia Svoboda – A; discus (146’ 6”)
- Shelby Yelden – A; pole vault (12’ ½”)
Other top competitors at Concordia Invite
Among NAIA competitors, Hastings’ Jennifer Maag stands out with her national leading marks in the shot put (48’ 6 ¼”) and discus (157’ 10”). Doane’s women have a total of six top 10 marks in the NAIA. The Tigers’ Carly Henry rates fourth in the discus and seventh in the hammer throw. Meanwhile, led by Maag, Hastings has seven top-10 individual rankings.
On the men’s side, Doane’s Kale Wolken tops the NAIA in the long jump (23’ 10 ¼”) while Sam Housh ranks third in the 110 meter hurdles. The Hastings men have a pair of formidable throwers in Justin Roberts (second in shot put) and Tyler Rathke (third in discus).
Among NCAA competitors, Nebraska Wesleyan possesses stars in Ashton Steckelberg (second in NCAA DIII in women’s 110 hurdles) and Garrett Sellhorst (fifth in men’s triple jump). NCAA Division II Nebraska-Kearney has DII’s second-ranking shot put mark thanks to Jackie Ziemke and the eighth-rated men’s pole vaulter in Mark Seeba. Wayne State’s Sara Wells is one of the top NCAA Division II throwers, ranking second in the discus and fifth in the shot put.
