DES MOINES, Iowa – A large portion of the Concordia University track and field teams made the journey early on Saturday morning (April 13) destined for the NAIA Midwest Quad hosted by Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa. A week after hosting in sunny and mild conditions, the cold returned to the Midwest, where the Bulldogs competed against fellow NAIA competition in Grand View, St. Ambrose University and Waldorf University.
In the smaller meet, head coach Matt Beisel’s squads emerged with plenty of event titles while sophomore Cody Williams turned in a fresh automatic national qualifying clearance in the pole vault. Senior Leah Larson was not far off an ‘A’ standard of her own in the triple jump. Concordia came away from this meeting knowing it has more in the tank.
“We made a big push going into our home meet last week,” Beisel said. “There are always emotional ups and downs throughout the season. We were able to get some work done today. At this point, getting a meet in for skill intensive events and staying in that competitive mode is important mental preparation. It’s really about preparing ourselves for where we need to be when the conference meet rolls around.”
It was only a matter of time before Williams qualified for nationals in the pole vault. He won the competition on Saturday by clearing 15’ 7.” No one else came within a foot of that height in a field that was made up of mostly Bulldog competitors. On the women’s side of the pole vault, junior Allie Brooks achieved a ‘B’ standard (11’ 5 ¾”) and was the event titlist.
Now ranked No. 2 in the NAIA by the USTFCCCA, the Concordia women continue to show off a deep group of jumpers. Larson took first in the triple jump by landing at 38’ ¾,” which put her on the board with a ‘B’ standard. Freshman Claire Cornell (qualified for nationals in the long jump) did not compete today, but two other rookies in Cora Olson (17’ 8 ¾”) and Jamey Broman (17’ 7 ½”) managed to record personal bests in the long jump.
A good number of throwers also again eclipsed ‘A’ standards with Jacob Cornelio (191’ 10”), Samantha Liermann (171’ 10”) and Addie Shaw (168’ 11”) all doing so in the hammer throw, Liermann (45’ ½”) hitting the mark in the shot put and Shaw (151’ 11”) reaching it in the discus. Junior Liam Hennessy wasn’t too far off in both the hammer and shot put. Meanwhile, junior Jerod Peters put forth three personal bests and senior Jazzy Eickhoff was a winner in the javelin (130’ 1”) with another ‘B’ mark.
A majority of Concordia’s distance runners were held out of the meet, but Beisel liked what he saw from the three women who ran the 5,000 meters: freshman Abi DeLoach (19:24.53), junior Hannah Rebmann (19:41.76) and freshman Sydney Clark (20:09.95). DeLoach’s time was a personal best by roughly 20 seconds. Elsewhere on the track, the Bulldog women’s 4x800 meter relay of Miranda Rathjen, Rebekah Hinrichs, Tori Beran and Alyssa Fye finished in a solid time of 9:44.75.
On the men’s side of things, senior Josiah McAllister clocked in at 1:57.35 in the 800 meters (second place). Freshman Gavin Davis bested a field of 19 in the 400 meters (50.26).
For most Bulldog athletes, the Jim Dutcher Invited hosted by Doane this coming Friday and Saturday (April 19-20) is up next. Select Concordia competitors will also appear at the University of Kansas Relays this week.