To The Record Setter Go The MIAC Spoils
Following his record-setting, Division III-leading performance in the shot put at the NDSU Bison Open on Saturday, it was inevitable that senior Cooper Folkestad (Wadena, Minn./Wadena-Deer Creek HS) was named the MIAC Field Athlete of the Week.
MOORHEAD, Minn. (2/10/26)---Following his record-setting, Division III-leading performance in the shot put at the NDSU Bison Open on Saturday, it was inevitable that senior Cooper Folkestad (Wadena, Minn./Wadena-Deer Creek HS) was named the MIAC Field Athlete of the Week.
Folkestad, who posted a jaw-dropping mark of 60-11.25 in the shot put at NDSU, earns a conference field athlete of the week award for the seventh time in his career. It is the most conference weekly awards by any athlete in the history of the Cobber program.
Folkestad posted his national breakout performance in his favorite indoor ring. The Cobbers competed at NDSU in December and he came up with the second farthest distance in the shot put in Division III at the time, when he let go a throw of 56-02.00.
On Saturday, Folkestad entered another stratosphere when he broke the school record set by All-American Aaron Banks set in 1996. Banks' school record was 59-09 which meant no Concordia athlete had ever crossed over into the 60-foot territory.
That all changed on Folkestad's second attempt at NDSU when he uncorked a throw of 60-04.75. Not satisfied to just have one mark over 60 feet, Folkestad finished off the meet by launching the shot an unthinkable 60-11.25.
His distance won the event and is the top mark in all of NCAA Division III. To make it even more impressive, his distance would be in the Top 30 of NCAA Division I.
Folkestad will have two more opportunities to better his record before competing at the MIAC Championship Meet on Feb. 27-28 at Carleton.