Track and Field Teams Finish Second and Fourth in GPAC Indoor Meet

Concordia’s track and field team competes in the Concordia Invite on Feb. 11-12. Photo by Jordyn Sturms.

by Madison Pitsch

The Bulldog track teams are no stranger to success as they finished the GPAC indoor season with a men’s second-place finish and a women’s fourth-place finish.

Senior Kali Robb (shot put) and sophomore Allie Brooks (pole vault) led the women’s team with first-place finishes.

The men’s first place finishers included senior Cody Boellstorff (weight throw), senior Zach Lurz (shot put), senior CJ Muller (600 meters) and senior Lucas Wiechman (55 meter hurdles, heptathlon and pole vault).

Sophomore Nathan Matters in the 600 meters (1:21.47) and sophomore Johanna Ragland in shot put (44’ 02”) also qualified for nationals in their performances this weekend.

“I thought that momentum built as we got deeper into the meet, for both the ladies and men,” coach Matthew Beisel said. “(Our) kids are no strangers to the national scene, and they’ll take care of business. One never knows how things are going to shake out at nationals…we’ve had good surprises in the past few years.”

Wiechman took first in the 55-meter hurdles with a time of 7.65, closely followed by junior Ben Hulett with a time of 7.75. Wiechman also took first in the pole vault with a vault of 15’11” and first in the heptathlon with a total score of 4891.

“(Wiechman) is a great guy, very smart, catches on immediately and has a work ethic that is tremendous,” Beisel said. “He sets goals, makes a lot of sacrifices with training, diet and preparation to get where he is.”

The Concordia throwing program has a history of dominance in the GPAC track circles. Robb took first in shot put with a launch of 46’ 9 ½”. Freshman Adrianna Shaw was right behind her with a throw of 46’ 7 ½”. Lurz took first in shot put on the men’s side with a throw of 58’01”. Boellstorff’s first place weight throw was 67’ 02 ¼”

Beisel credits much of the throwing success to throwing coach Ed McLaughlin.

“He coordinates their strength training and their technique work, as well as conditioning and drives them very hard. They believe in him and trust him,” Beisel said. “He’s very, very smart and also relates well to his athletes, so they respond by making the sacrifices needed to make big accomplishments.”

Brooks continues her campaign toward nationals with a first place pole vault of 12’04 ¾”. Junior Andrea Anderson tied for third with a vault of 10’ 11”.

Muller, as described by Beisel, is “absolutely formidable on the track.” He won the 600-meter run with a time of 1:20.31 and ran anchor in the first place 4×400 team that won first place with a time of 3:21.82.

“He has an intense pride in being a Bulldog, and can step up and perfom,” Beisel said. “Like Lucas (Wiechman), he’ll do anything he can to help our team score points at conference and Nationals.”

Aside from many first place finishes, the Bulldogs were aided by many top three finishes. Freshman Jessica Deterding took second in triple jump with a leap of 36’2 ¼”. Junior Scott Johnson tied for second in long jump with a jump of 22’ 08”. Muller finished second in the 800 meters with a time of 1:56.16. Senior Jake Rodgers ran a 50.47 in the 400, taking third on a compromised hamstring.

The Bulldogs will complete their indoor season on March 2-4 at the 2017 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships at the David E. Walker Track at Gentry Field in Johnson City, Tennessee.