2020 Upward Trend Continues
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (2/01/20)---It's only two meets into the 2020 season but the Cobbers are serving notice that they are a team on the rise.
Concordia went north to Grand Forks and came away with a second-place team finish at the UND Indoor Open which feature Division I, II and NAIA schools.
The Cobbers are finding out that a core contingent of middle distance and distance runners have the ability to score points in individual and relay events at any meet.
In the opener it was the 4x200-meter relay team that recorded the top time in the MIAC this season. On Saturday the 4x400 relay quartet won the event at UND and also put up the fastest time in the conference this year. CC crossed the line in a time of 3:21.16 which was 10seconds faster than the team from DII MSU Moorhead. Their winning time is also the fastest in the MIAC by two seconds.
The sophomore sprint/middle distance duo of Cal Wright and Jesse Middendorf should be a force all season long. Wright, who won the 200 meters in the season opener, was third in the event at UND with a time of 22.28.
Middendorf captured the win in the 800 meters at 1:57.33 and was second in the mile at 4:26.70. His time in the 800 puts him into the No.9 spot on the MIAC list while he is now 13th in the mile.
Senior Eric Wicklund went back-to-back in event wins this season. He won the mile in the opener last weekend and on Saturday he raced to first place in the 3000 meters. Wicklund won with a time of 9:16.96 which was 18-seconds in front of teammate Olsen Pancoast.
Junior Jake Steiner continues to impress in 2020 and should score points in both the throw events at the MIAC Meet. He had a pair of MIAC Top 6 marks at UND. He had the top finish in the field events for the Cobbers when he placed third in the shot put with a distance of 48-04.75 which is No.5 in the MIAC this year. Steiner pulled off the Top 10 double by going 51-05.00 in the weight throw which is No.6 in the MIAC and good for seventh place at UND.
Senior 2-sport athletes Matt Bye and Willie Julkes continue to get in shape with eyes on Top 3 finishes at the MIAC Meet. Bye, who earned All-American honors in the decathlon at the NCAA Outdoor Meet last spring, is training to do the same in the heptathlon at the indoor meet this year and posted a season-best height in the high jump. Bye cleared 6-02 which is the sixth best in the MIAC this year.
Julkes had the top MIAC mark on Saturday with a sixth-place finish in the 60-meter hurdles. He crossed the line in 8.67 which is No.5 in the MIAC this year.
Julkes also had a sixth-place finish in the 60 meters at UND. He sprinted to a 7.27 in the finals but his prelim time of 7.25 is 13th in the conference this year.
Julkes finished his day with another Top 16 conference mark. He finished eighth in the triple jump with a distance of 40-02.25.
Fellow senior Tom Whiting did Julkes .01 of a second better in the prelims of the 60. He inched his way to a 7.24 and sits at No. 12 in the MIAC.
UP NEXT: Concordia will look to continue their upward trend in 2020 when they travel the short distance to compete in Fargo at the NDSU Bison Open on Feb. 7-8.
Saturday recaps sponsored by Bufffalo Wild Wings: Grab your friends and get to B-Dubs on Sunday nights for College Nights at 9 p.m. 50% off 1 food item with ID and $3 apps at the Buffalo Wild Wings located on Hwy 10 in Moorhead.
