(April 4, 2009 - Lansing, Mich.) -- The Concordia men's and women's outdoor track and field squads opened their 2009 season with a short trip up the road to East Lansing to participate in the Michigan State University Spartan Invitational. The Cardinals participated in 10 different events with Courtney Willis recording the highest overall finish as she earned the 10th spot in the women's long jump finals with a jump of 4.56 meters.

In addition to Willis in the long jump, three other Cardinal women participated in events against some of the top track & field participants in the state.

Adora Morrow ran in both the 100 meters and 200 meters races earning a 19th place finish in the former with a time of 13.99 while picking up a 25th place finish in the latter as she crossed with a time of 29.14.

Chloe Metcalf was also a two-event participant as she joined Morrow in the 100-meter race finishing with a time of 14.38, earning a 22nd place finish. Metcalf also joined Willis in the long jump as she was five spots behind the senior with a jump of 4.10 meters, earning the 15th place spot.

Johanna Barz also participated in the long jump and was edged out by Metcalf, as Barz finished in 16th place with a jump of 3.84 meters.

On the men's side, nine different Cardinals participated in seven different events with Maxime Joseph having the highest finish as he was 22nd in the long jump with a jump of 5.73 meters.

Joseph was also the highest Cardinal in the men's 200-meters race with a 25th place finish with a time of 23.97. Also representing Concordia in the race were Yonathan Zeleke (29th - 24.38), Jesse Caddell (33rd - 24.82) and Adam Behmlander (35th - 24.85).

Zeleke edged out Joseph in the 100-meters earning the highest Cardinal finish with a time of 11.89, which left him in 23rd overall. Joseph finished at 12.08, finishing third spots behind Zeleke for 26th while Behmlander crossed at 12.22, which was good for 28th overall.

Martell Buchanan was the lone Cardinal in the 800-meters and he finished with a time of 2:05.37, which was good for 36th overall in a very crowded field.

Three Cardinals ran in the men's 1500-meters with Tyler Case earning the team's highest position with a time of 4:32.73, which was good for 30th overall. Just behind Case was Ryan Burmeister, who finished in 32nd overall with a time of 4:45.31 while Philip Brown was in 34th at 4:52.96.

The final Cardinal participant was John Alderson, who was in the shot put and discus events. Alderson had his best finish in the discus as he was 27th overall with a distance of 35.63 meters. In the shot put, Alderson was 29th with a distance of 37-01.00.