Track squads take top-five rankings into outdoor national championships

By on May. 19, 2015 in Track & Field

Track squads take top-five rankings into outdoor national championships

SEWARD, Neb. – Nearly three weeks since a thrilling GPAC outdoor championship meet, 32 Concordia University track and field athletes are set to compete at the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships in Gulf Shores, Ala. The action will begin from Mickey Miller Blackwell Stadium with multi events at 10 a.m. on Thursday. The meet will then heat up on Friday and Saturday.

Head coach Kregg Einspahr’s squads are coming off finishes of fifth on the men’s side and 11th on the women’s side at the indoor national championships in Geneva, Ohio. Expectations will again be high for the GPAC champion men and conference runner-up women.

“I think both teams have a legitimate chance to be in the top eight,” Einspahr said. “We will really depend on our throwers, our pole vaulters on the women’s side and the multi events. I think our relays can come through with some points that we’re not projected to get. You always hope to balance points that you don’t expect with some possible disappointments. We will be a little bit disappointed if we’re not in the top 10.”

Both squads have big potential for scoring in the hammer throw with seven Bulldogs apiece scheduled to whirl on Thursday in the men’s and women’s competitions. Throws coach Ed McLaughlin would love to see his men dominate the event like they did at the conference meet where they garnered seven of the top eight finishes. Boellstorff, a junior from Waverly, Neb., is the national leader in the hammer (205’ 8”).

Boellstorff is one of 16 throwers that Concordia traveled to Alabama. Among them, Liz King (javelin), Zach Lurz (shot put) and Josh Slechta (weight throw) have past individual national titles to their credit. King is the defending national champ in the javelin and a three-time GPAC titlist in the event.

While several throwers hope to land All-America plaques, Einspahr believes his group of runners can make some noise. Sophomore CJ Muller will compete in both the 400 meter dash and as part of the 4x400 meter relay. Muller stepped up his game at the indoor national championships and placed sixth in the 600 meter race.

“It’s going to be a big PR for me to be All-America in the open 400,” Muller said. “I think it’s possible. Indoor I had a huge PR in the 600. I think anything is possible. The training has been there. I just have to go out and execute and hopefully have fun while I’m doing it.”

Each of Concordia’s 11 indoor All-Americans have made the trek to Alabama. Both Lurz (shot put; weight throw) and Brandon Ramos (heptathlon; pole vault) captured All-America status in more than one event. The accomplished Kim Wood nearly gave the women a national titlist. She placed runner up in the 1,000 meters.

Wood is a key figure for the 4x800 meter relay that will run at 5:40 p.m. CT in Thursday’s preliminaries. Senior Erika Schroeder expects that she and her Bulldog teammates will be part of the finals of the event on Friday.

“Right now we have five girls who can run the 4x8 and we’re just waiting on who’s going to run it,” Schroeder said. “They’re all great runners and they’ve all had a great season. We’re hoping to make finals and make All-American status – definitely in the top six.”

The Bulldogs and other Midwest teams will have to adjust to the warmer weather down south. The cool Nebraska spring will give way to more humidity and projected high temperatures in the mid-80s in Gulf Shores.

Einspahr believes the weather will lend to great performances for Concordia athletes he says are well-prepared to compete at their peak.

“We have some people who aren’t seeded high, but are performing really well right now,” Einspahr said. “That’s what counts. Sometimes you see kids who are sick, tired or not focused. The kids who are well-coached and competing well at the end of the year can really come through. I think we have a mature group that’s been there before. That makes a difference.”

Stretch Internet, the NAIA’s official video-streaming company of 17 select NAIA national championship events, will be broadcasting the championships on www.NAIANetwork.com. A subscription package to view the entire three-day event is $10. For more information, including how to register and sign-up for an account, click here.

For more information on the men’s national championships, click here. For additional information on the women’s national championships, click here.

2015 NAIA Men’s Outdoor Track and Field National Championships Qualifiers
Men’s Qualifiers by School – HTML
Men’s Qualifiers by Event – HTML

2015 NAIA Women’s Outdoor Track and Field National Championships Qualifiers
Women’s Qualifiers by School – HTML
Women’s Qualifiers by Event - HTML