Underclassmen runners excel at GPAC, cross country nationals

Freshman Vaughn Hendrickson (left) and sophomore Trey Robertson (right) compete on the cross country team. Also pictured, senior Thomas Gorline (middle).

Photo credit: Concordia Athletics

By Kai Olbrich

This article is featured in the February print edition of the Sower newspaper.

Sophomore Trey Robertson and freshman Vaughn Hendrickson both had a season to remember for Concordia’s cross country team as they set personal records, topped the Great Plains Athletic Conference and excelled at nationals.

The journey started Sept. 6 at the Augustana University Twilight Meet. Robertson, a native of Wallace, Nebraska, and the top returning Bulldog, placed first for the team and 29th overall in a field littered with NCAA Division I and junior college talent. Hendrickson, from Fort Wayne, Indiana, was still warming up to the longer distances run in college as opposed to high school as he came in third for the team and 47th overall.

Hendrickson didn’t take long to get going, however, as he finished first for the Bulldogs for the rest of the season. After qualifying individually for nationals along with Robertson, Hendrickson took his chance and placed 36th, earning all-American honors and achieving a personal best of 24:37.2 for the 8,000 meters contest.

Coach Matt Beisel was impressed with the progress that Hendrickson has made in the short time since high school, and was very happy with how he raced at nationals.

“To have Vaughn go out and make all-American as a freshman was outstanding. He ran his personal best and averaged a 4:54 mile pace for 5 miles,” Beisel said. “His PR [personal record] in high school was really good, a 5k in 15:30 as a senior, but he came through the 5k at a 15:12 with 2 miles to go and earned that all-American award.”

While Hendrickson is very happy with how he did at nationals and throughout the season as a whole, he doesn’t want it to be about him. He races for his team, friends, family, and most importantly, God.

“Yeah, it was a really cool experience, and I know that God has blessed me in so many different ways,” Hendrickson said. “I’m out here also you know, I run for my family. I run for my friends. And, you know, there are so many more meaningful things to look for when you run, not just inside yourself. So I find that super important.”

Hendrickson and Robertson both qualified for nationals individually via the GPAC championship meet, where they placed first and second, the first time since 2010 that Concordia has accomplished that feat. They posted times of 25:44 and 25:51, respectively.

Robertson was very happy with how the race went, both in the result individually, and for being able to share it with his teammate.

“That was really neat. I can’t remember, my coach told me how long it’s been since that happened [first and second place finish] and it’s been quite a while, so that was really neat to do,” he said. “Especially because going into the season, we knew that Doane and Dordt had really good runners. Going into it I was not expecting to get one or two. So doing that and having Vaughn there with me was just amazing.”

Hendrickson echoed the sentiment that it was even more meaningful to succeed alongside his teammate and be able to celebrate their success together.

The high placement for Robertson meant that he also was able to run at nationals. Unfortunately, however, he became ill just before the trip to Columbia, Missouri. Despite the setback, Robertson still performed well, placing 99th out of 326 finishers. Beisel believes that the national race speaks to Robertson’s determination.

“I really, absolutely believe Trey would have been there with him [Hendrickson], but the morning we left Trey got a really bad cold, he felt horrible. He literally slept all the way to nationals,” Beisel said. “And he went out, and I’ll tell you what, Trey is one of the grittiest and toughest guys I have ever met.”

That toughness also was evident at the Blazing Tiger National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ Classic, where he posted a personal best of 24:49.

Despite technically running against each other for individual placement, Robertson and Hendrickson don’t let that affect them. They rely on each other to push them to be even better and help the team.

“I mean, I love Vaughn, he’s a great kid,” Robertson said. “Amazing runner. And having him to train with every day and to just be that person that I know that if I don’t do my best, he’s always there and he’s doing well. And that kind of helped relieve a lot of the pressure.”

Hendrickson appreciates how Robertson not only helps him be a better runner but also a better person and Christian.

“I feel like for me, he’s not only pushed me to be, you know, a better athlete but also just a better person, a better follower of Christ,” Hendrickson said. “I think he’s really encouraged me.”

Henrickson and Robertson are underclassmen, so there is still plenty of time for them to continue dominating the GPAC. But for now, they have their sights set on the indoor track and field season.

“This is really my first time doing indoor track, so this will be interesting,” Hendrickson said. “I’m just ready to get out there, run with the team, you know, experience something new from cross country. I think that’ll be super cool.”