Zylstra Caps Opener With MIAC Weekly Honor

MOORHEAD, Minn. (2/04/15)—Brandon Zylstra wasted little time in making a splash on the conference track and field scene. Zylstra won the high jump and long jump in his very first collegiate meet and earned MIAC Field Athlete of the Week honors in the process.

Zylstra cleared 6-08.00 in the high jump and posted a distance of 21-06.75 in the long jump at the season-opening Cobber Duals and won both events handedly.

Zylstra becomes the first Cobber field athlete to earn the conference's weekly award since 2013 when Erik Olson earned the honors in back-to-back weeks.

Zylstra's winning marks in both events helped Concordia win the Cobber Duals for the first time since the 2007 season. The meet featured nine area teams including Division II MSU-Moorhead, Dickinson State, Northern State, UM-Morris, Mary and Minot State and NAIA Jamestown and Valley City State.   

In addition to posting the best marks at the meet, Zylstra is now in the top 2 in both events in the MIAXC and also on the national charts. His height in the high jump is tied for the top mark in the conference while his distance in the long jump is second best in the MIAC. Zylstra is currently tied for 10th in the nation in the high jump.

Zylstra will try to better his season-opening eye-openers when he, and the rest of the Cobbers, compete at the NDSU Thundering Herd Classic on Friday, Feb. 6 and Saturday, Feb. 7