Frolek's Late-Race Kick Paces Cobbers At St. Olaf

Recap courtesy of Ben Becker

NORTHFIELD, Minn. (9.21/24)---The Cobbers dealt with unusually-warm temperatures in September in their first 6K of the season at the St. Olaf Invitational. 

Concordia's character was put to the test today as they had to overcome the tough St. Olaf course which included steep hills, rough ground and long stretches out in the sun. 

In spite of those challenges, the Cobbers placed 11th out of 22 teams and sixth out of the 9 MIAC teams that participated in the meet. 

Concordia was led by senior Drew Frolek and first-year runner Ashley Nelson who finished within 6 seconds of each other. 

"I have a lot of reasons why I'm out here, and I just gotta remember those," Frolek said in reference to grinding out the final kilometer of the race.  

Frolek was CC's No.1 runner and clocked a 24:31 as she kicked past Nelson in the final 100 meters of the race. Nelson, who was named the MIAC Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Week last week, finished as the team's No. 2 runner with a time of 24:37. Both runners placed in the Top 50 as they finished 37th and 42nd.

Frolek trailed Nelson for all but the last 100 meters of the race as she made up a 7-second gap in the final 1K.

Sophomore Amelia Rowley finished third for the Cobbers earning a time of 25:37. That time was good enough for a 73rd-place finish. 

Rounding out the Top 5 were first-year athlete Kelyn Henry-Perlich and sophomore Londyn Ames.

Henry-Perlich just snuck under the 26-minute barrier in her first-ever 6k. It was good enough for an 85th-place finish

Ames placed 131st with a time of 26:44.

Concordia will return to action when they compete in the Univ. of Jamestown Invite on Friday, Oct. 4 at 4 p.m.

HEAD COACH MADDIE VAN BEEK POST-MEET INTERVIEW