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Holiday Greetings!
Several legitimate MIAC contenders! That summarizes fall sports in a few words: 2nd in football, 2nd in women's cross country, 3rd in men's golf, 4th in volleyball, and I should add 1st in women's golf although only five teams in the MIAC compete so it is not considered a conference sport.
FOOTBALL
Football began on a high note with an exciting victory over the cross-town
rival Dragons 20-13. Two weeks later an early season showdown with
St. John's ended in a 27-27 tie. This appeared to be the championship
game as each team was 5-0-1 going into the seventh week of MIAC competition.
However, Hamline stopped the Cobbers on their championship drive by scoring
two touchdowns in the final minutes of that game to win 20-19. St.
John's went on to capture the MIAC title with a 8-0-1 record while the
Cobbers finished second at 6-2-1. It was an excellent season for
a young team (only eight seniors on the squad). But, during
their careers, these seniors were involved in two MIAC championships and
advanced twice to the NCAA Division III playoffs.
MIAC coaches selected 5 Cobbers on each of the first and second All-MIAC teams.
First Team
Paul Lundstrom, Sr, DB, Fargo, ND
Mike Klindt, Sr, HB, Breckenridge, MN
Ty Goschen, Sr, WR, Fargo, ND
Thad Tudor, Jr, LB, Great Falls, MT
Mike Gindorff, Jr, DT, Crosby, MN
Second Team
Dave Benson, Sr, LB, Benson, MN
John Campion, Sr, OT, Detroit Lakes, MN
Chad Walthall, Sr, QB, Staples, MN
Kirk Leinwand, Jr, OG, Forsyth, MT
Dave Carlson, Jr, FB, Chisago City, MN
Lundstrom was voted the team's MVP and Andy Becker (Mosinee, WI) was named the Outstanding Freshman. (Andy saw a lot of varsity action at cornerback.) Next year's tri-captains will be Mike Gindorff, Thad Tudor, and Dave Carlson.
VOLLEYBALL
The Cobber volleyball team compiled a 26-19 overall record and finished
8-3 in regular MIAC action. Although 4th in the MIAC was not the
early season goal, we feel very good about the competitiveness of this
year's team. Two seniors (Tabby Wendlandt, Litchfield, and Leah Hardy,
Fairview, MT) will be missed for both their leadership and ability, but
two All-conference performers (Amy Walstad, junior from Fargo, and Kerri
Smerud, sophomore from Moorhead) will return to lead the Cobbers next year.
Mari Stewart, a junior setter from Williston, ND, and Hardy received honorable
mention honors.
CROSS COUNTRY
The cross country teams ran for two new coaches this fall. Marion
Strand's women runners showed steady improvement throughout the season
and ran a close second to St. Thomas (46 for St. Thomas and 55 for Concordia)
in the MIAC meet. Some misfortune at the NCAA Regional Meet meant
a 5th place finish, but it was an outstanding season. One senior,
Beth Berg, from Willmar, and six juniors usually comprised the top seven,
and pack running was the key to their success. For example, in the
MIAC meet, Cobber runners finished 7, 8, 9, 10 (only 7 seconds separating
7th and 10th).
Men's cross country wasn't so dramatic, but a new attitude toward men's cross country has begun under coach Mike Paul. Most of our current runners are middle distance people and cross country caters to distance runners, so if you are aware of any of those long distance people, let Mike know. Bart Mueller (Hendrum, MN), an outstanding 800 meter runner in track, led the men to an 8th place finish in the MIAC meet. But, several freshmen and a couple other underclassmen show enough promise to have them move up in the standings next year.
SOCCER
Men's and women's soccer are still "the newest teams on the block"
at Concordia, and are finding it isn't easy to move into the upper bracket
where the established MIAC programs are found. Intercollegiate soccer
in Minnesota is the MIAC and the competition is keen, as it is in every
sport. The men's team ended the season 7-5-3 overall, but were 8th
in MIAC action at 2-5-3. Craig MacBean, senior from Plymoth, and
Eric Nelson, junior from Novo Hamburgo, Brazil, led the Cobbers in scoring
and were both All-Conference performers. Two women players also earned
All-Conference recognition: Deb Idstrom, sophomore from New Hope,
and Sara Pittorf, junior from Burnsville. The team finished 2-13
overall and 1-7 in the MIAC.
GOLF
The men's golf team captured 3rd place in the MIAC meet and finished
with consistent tournament performances throughout the season. Wayne
Severud, senior from St. Louis Park, led the Cobbers with a 7th place
finish in the MIAC meet, and averaged 78.6 strokes/round for the season.
The women golfers have been consistently competitive for years. This
fall Gustavus hosted the first unofficial MIAC meet (only 5 teams in the
league considered a conference sport). The Cobbers won the two-day
tournament by 13 strokes. Kelly Cornell, sophomore from Thief River
Falls, won medalist honors with a two-round total of 175. The team
also captured the first place trophy at the Northern State Invitational.
Academic All-Conference
The prestige of being named to the Academic All-Conference team is
increasing. Fifteen women and twenty men are named following the
fall sports season, and there are outstanding student/athletes representing
all our MIAC colleges. Concordia's representatives include:
Name, Sport, GPA, Major, Hometown
Sharon Espeland, Cross Country, 3.78, Social Studies, Bismarck, ND
Leah Hardy, Volleyball, 3.90, English, Fairview, MT
Dave Benson, Football, 3.72, Biology, Morris, MN
Bart Mueller, Cross Country, 3.73, Chemistry, Hendricks, MN
We are feeling good about our fall sports season and now look forward to winter sports, and the Holiday Season. Isn't it intriguing how our spirits soar as Christmas draws close? Christmas is a time when giving becomes a joy. It is good to experience that and remind ourselves that this is the way our life should be. When we focus on a life of service, giving of ourselves as Christ has shown us through his example, our spirits can soar much more often.
A very blessed Christmas from all of us at Concordia.
Dr. Armin Pipho
Concordia's fall sports season featured another fine Cobber football team, a women's cross country team that ranked fifth nationally and a women's golf team that won a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship meet~ In addition, 19 students participating in fall sports earned nominations for academic all-conference honors.
Football Coach Jim Christopherson's 21st year as the Cobber's head coach began with a 20-13 win over Moorhead State University in the Crystal Bowl Sept. 9, raising the Cobber record in the 70year-old series to 41-14-~2.
An MIAC season opening win over Augsburg College, Minneapolis, and a tie with St. John's University, Collegeville, salvaged with a last-second 56-yard Chad Waithall to Mark Lundstrom touchdown pass, put the Cobbers in the title race.
Five weeks later the Cobhers still were undefeated and were less than two seconds from winning their sixth MIAC game. But two Hamline University (St. Paul) touchdowns sent the Cobbers home with a 20-19 loss.
A 44-17 loss to Gustavus Adoiphus College, St. Peter, the following week and a season-ending 3~-13 win over Bethel College, Minneapolis, gave the Cobbers a 7-2-1 record and second place behind St. John's in the MIAC.
The Cobbers were led this year by senior captains Paul Lundstrom, Jon Florence and Mike Klindt. Lundstrom, Fargo, N.D., and Florence, Velva, N.D., were outstanding defensive backs; Klindt, Breckenridge, Minn., led the Cobbers in rushing for the second straight year, ending hi~ career with 1,970 yards on the ground. Here's how the Cobbers fared against other conference teams:
Women's cross country
First-year women's cross country coach Marion Strand took over a talented group of runners this fall and guided them to second place in the prestigious MIAC championship meet. The team was ranked fifth among National Collegiate Athletic Association Division Ill teams.
Four Cobber runners earned all-MIAC honors with their top 10 finishes in the Oct.28 MIAC meet. Chris Fredrick (junior, Foley, Minn.), Sharon Espeland (junior, Bismarck, N.D.), Molly Weyrens (junior, St. Cloud, Minn.) and Kathy Keele (scnior, West Yellowstone, Mont.) claimed seventh-through10th places in the MIAC.
Men's cross country
The men's cross country team began rebuilding under new coach Mike Paul. The Cobber team, which placed eighth in the MIAC meet, was led by senior Bart Mueller, Hendricks, Minn., an all-MIAC middledistance runner on the track team, who placed 20th in the conference championship meet.
Volleyball
For the second consecutive year the Cobber volleyball team scored a high finish in MIAC regular season play. After last year's 11-0 record, the Cobbers came back with an 8-3 record and third place in 1989.
In her third year as coach, Kathy James guided the team to a 26-29 overall record with the help of allMIAC performers Amy Waistad (junior, Fargo, N.D.) and Kern Smerud (sophomore, Moorhead).
Women's golf
The women's golf team, coached hy Duane Siverson, captured the five-team MIAC meet in Mankato Oct. 6-7. Though the meet was not an official MIAC championship, the victory was sweet. Kelly Cornell (sophomore, Thief River Falls, Minn.) captured medalist honors with a 175 two-day score.
Men's golf
John Eidsness' men's golf team claimed third place, behind Gustavus Adoiphus and St. John's University in the team MIAC championship meet Oct. 6-7 in Monticello. Wayne Severud (senior, St. Louis Park, Minn.) crowned his Cobber career by earning allMIAC honors with his seventh-place finish.
Men's soccer
The Cobber men's soccer team went into the season with hopes of contending for the MIAC title. But some key early losses took this tal-' ented outfit, coached by Tom Kennedy, out of the running. Despite tying conference champion St John's University Sept.23, the team finished with an 8-6-4 overall record, 2-5-3 in the MIAC. The Cobbers were led by seniors Craig Macbean, Plymouth, Minn., at forward and Cekiel Danielson, Denton, Texas, goalie.
Women's soccer
The women's soccer team struggled gamely under coach Dean Hashbarger hut was unable to stay with the best teams in the MIAC. The Cobbers ended the year with a 2-13 record, 1-7 in the MIAC. Concordia again received excellent efforts from two of the league's best players, Sara Pittorf (junior, Burnsville, Minn.) and Deb ldstrom (sophomore, New Hope, Minn.).
Academic all-MIAC
Cobber student athletes demonstrated that excellence in the classroom can go hand-in-hand with excellence on the playing field. Nineteen Cobber athletes earned nominations for the prestigious academic all-MIAC awards honoring athletes who demonstrate outstanding ability in both athletic and academic pursuits.
Students honored were:
Leah Hardy, Fairview, Mont.
Tabby Wendlandt, Litchfield, Minn.
Amy Walstad, Fargo, N.D.
Martha Trelstad, Clarkfield, Minn.
Kerri Smerud, Moorhead
Beth Berg, Willmar, Minn.
Sharon Espeland, Bismarck, N.D.
Chris Fredrick, Foley, Minn.
Chris Godfrey, Duluth, Minn.
Peggy Savanick, Apple Valley, Minn.
Molly Weyrens, St. Cloud, Minn,
Missy Bjerke, Moorhead
Dave Benson, Morris, Minn.
Chris Reimertz, Furulund, Sweden,
Bart Meuller, Hendricks, Minn.
Cekiel Danielson, Denton, Texas
Ron Fee, Killam, Alberta,
Canada Eric Dull, St. Louis Park, Minn.
Jeff Christensen, Fargo, N.D.
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