Freshman Cooper Folkestad came up with the biggest eye-opening performance at the SJU Invite. He posted the second farthest distance in the shot put in school history.
Freshman Cooper Folkestad came up with the biggest eye-opening performance at the SJU Invite. He posted the second farthest distance in the shot put in school history.
Posted: Mar 06, 2021

Familiar Names And Folkestad Shine

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. (3/06/21)---Two familiar names to Cobber track & field fans, and one soon-to-be-familiar name led Concordia at the St. John's Invitational.

Juniors Jesse Middendorf and Cal Wright provided the only individual event wins for Concordia in a meet that exclusively featured MIAC opponents – St. Thomas , St. John's and Gustavus. However, it was the second-place finish of freshman Cooper Folkestad that drew the biggest round of applause on the day. Folkestad unleashed a throw of 52-04.75 which is the second farthest in school history.

Middendorf claimed the victory in the 800 meters while Wright captured the crown in the 400 meters. Middendorf came home in a time of 1:55.78 which is just off his MIAC-best time of 1:54.09. He also owns the top conference time in the 600 meters.

Wright, who last week cranked out the second fastest time in school history in the 300 meters, ran a season-best time in the 400 meters and won the event by almost a full second. Wright crossed the line in a time of 50.30.

Wright and Middendorf also played key roles in the Cobbers' victory in the 4x400 relay. Wright led off the quartet and Middendorf ran the anchor as the group posted a season-best time of 3:25.87 which is second in the MIAC this season and No.20 in the nation this year. Colin Schuller ran the second leg and Dan Wilson the third in the day's winning relay.

Senior Munir Isahak was the hardest working member of the Cobbers on the day. He competed in both the mile and 3000 meters and recorded Top 3 finishes in both. He was third in the mile with a season-best time of 4:23.40 which is No.4 in the conference this year. Isahak then came through with a mark of 9:10.69 in the 3K and finished in second place.

Freshman Leo Smith and sophomore Simon Zahrback gave Concordia eight Top 5 finishes on the day. Smith, who won the 3K at SJU last weekend, was third in the 5K on Saturday with a time of 15:44.54 which was only 2.26 seconds out of second place. Smith's time is personal best and the No.9 time in the MIAC this year.

Zahrback also ran a season-best time and also jumped into the Top 15 of the conference. He came home in a time of 53.57 which was good for fourth place and the No.11 time in the MIAC.   
 
UP NEXT: Cobber athletes will now have to wait until next week to see who gets invited to the DIII Elite Championships which will take place on Mar. 12-13 at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa.

RECAP SPONSOR: Today's recap sponsor is Erbert & Gerbert's. Erb & Gerbs has been a longtime sponsor of Cobber athletics. From donations, to prizes to food contributions, Concordia athletics can always count on the great folks at Erbert and Gerbert's for support.