Men’s Track Team Works Toward Repeat National Title

by Tationa Trice

Concordia men’s track team hope for a repeat performance this year, after winning the national title last year for outdoor track and field. The team is under the leadership of coach Kregg Einspahr and assistant coaches Ed McLaughlin, Mark Samuels, Jason Berry and Craig Saalfeld.

“With outdoor season, you build off what you did during indoor,” McLaughlin said. “Distant runners and sprinters have to readjust to different distances. Jumpers have to deal with the …elements again. (For) throwing…the ball diameter is smaller. So they have to readjust to those things.”

One of the greatest difficulties men’s track faces is pushing through to the upcoming competition in the GPAC conference .

“Sometimes when you do really well at something, you have a tendency to think, ‘Well I got this figured out,’ and the hard part is to explain to the kids that the reason you got there was the level of work you did throughout the year. That’s the biggest: getting past the hump of ‘we’ve won it now, but can you do it again,’” McLaughlin said.

The Bulldogs have both new and returning runners, throwers and jumpers including junior Lucas Wiechman (pole vaulter and hurdler) and junior CJ Muller (4×400 relay) who are both returning to the team.

The first outdoor track meet for the Bulldogs is on April 2 in Hastings. The goal of the team is to compete to their best ability.

“You have to earn this,” McLaughlin said. “Nothing is given to you. All you can focus on is what you’re going to do, and if you do your best, we’re good to go.”