--Due to the Easter holiday, this is an abbreviated version of the Bulldog Weekly Report.
Bulldog Athletic Association Member (BAAM) Athletes of the Week
Female: Adrianna Rodencal, Track & Field / Kylie Shottenkirk, Softball
Rodencal, a Lincoln native, broke the program record in the 100-meter hurdles last week by clocking a time of 14.15 for first place at the Central College Invite. Rodencal also placed third in the 200 meters in a time of 25.50. She currently ranks sixth in the nation in the 100 hurdles.
Shottenkirk, another Lincoln native, provided Concordia solid offensive production last week at the top of the lineup while going 4-for-11 with a double, three walks and two runs scored. On the season, she is batting .350 with a .425 on-base percentage, .520 slugging percentage, three home runs and 20 RBIs.
Male: Calvin Rohde, Track & Field
A native of Reed City, Mich., Rohde came up just shy of the school record in the 5,000 meters while finishing the race in 14:42.28 at the Central Invite. The personal best for Rohde allowed him to win the race and achieve a ‘B’ standard that ranks No. 8 nationally.
Previous BAAM Athletes of the Week
April 4 – Matthew Boyer (track & field) / Lauren Dawson (track & field)
March 28 – Santiago Abadia (tennis) / Megan Eurich (softball)
March 21 – Wyatt Hambly (shooting sports) / Claire Kee (shooting sports)
March 14 – Caitlyn McGarvie (softball) / Josie Puelz (track & field) / Zach Zohner (track & field)
Feb. 28 – Katie Birtell (Dance) / Noah Schutte (Basketball)
Feb. 21 – Issiah Burks (wrestling) / Adrianna Rodencal (track & field)
Feb. 14 – Noah Schutte (basketball) / Taysha Rushton (basketball)
Feb. 7 – Adrianna Rodencal (track & field) / Calvin Rohde (track & field)
Jan. 31 – Noah Schutte (basketball) / Kristin Vieselmeyer (basketball)
Jan. 24 – Rylee Haecker (track & field) / Calvin Rohde (track & field)
Jan. 17 – Kylahn Freiberg (track & field) / Garrett Seagren (basketball)
Jan. 10 – Sadie Powell (basketball) / Noah Schutte (basketball)
Dec. 13 – Chase Berry (track & field) / Adrianna Rodencal (track & field) / Taysha Rushton (basketball)
Dec. 6 – Gabi Nordaker (volleyball) / Gage Smith (basketball)
Nov. 29 – Rylee Ladd (powerlifting) / Noah Schutte (basketball)
Nov. 15 – Rebecca Gebhardt (volleyball) / Federico Simonetti (Soccer)
Nov. 8 – Kylahn Freiberg (cross country) / Kaden Peters (football)
Nov. 1 – Breyer Meeks (shooting sports) / Carlos Orquiz (soccer) / Morgan Nibbe (volleyball)
Oct. 25 – Bree Burtwistle (volleyball) / Isaiah Shaddick (soccer)
Oct. 18 – Korrell Koehlmoos (football) / Carly Rodaway (volleyball)
Oct. 11 – Rylee Haecker (cross country) / DJ McGarvie (football)
Oct. 4 – Rebecca Gebhardt (volleyball) / Korrell Koehlmoos (football)
Sept. 27 – Bree Burtwistle (volleyball) / Ryan Wokutch (soccer)
Sept. 20 – Tanner Muff (shooting sports) / Gabi Nordaker (volleyball) / Katie Welker (shooting sports)
Sept. 13 – Kierstynn Garner (soccer) / Jack Nelson (shooting sports)
Sept. 6 – Camryn Opfer (volleyball) / Camden Sesna (cross country)
Aug. 30 – Federico Simonetti (soccer) / Carly Rodaway (volleyball)
Aug. 23 – Bree Burtwistle (volleyball)
2022-23 BAAM Athletes of the Month
March – Wyatt Hambly (shooting sports) / Claire Kee (shooting sports) / Josie Puelz (track & field)
February – Adrianna Rodencal (track & field) / Noah Schutte (basketball)
January – Rylee Haecker (track & field) / Noah Schutte (basketball)
December – Adrianna Rodencal (track & field) / Gage Smith (basketball)
November – Rebecca Gebhardt (volleyball); Noah Schutte (basketball)
October – Bree Burtwistle (volleyball); Korrell Koehlmoos (football); Carly Rodaway (volleyball)
September – Gabi Nordaker (volleyball); Camryn Opfer (volleyball); Camden Sesna (cross country)
News and notes:
BAAM luncheons are held every Tuesday at 12 p.m. CT inside the Dog House Grill, located in the Janzow Campus Center. The luncheons feature reports from head coaches who are in season at the time. For information on how to join BAAM, click HERE. It is not a requirement to be a BAAM member in order to attend the weekly luncheons.
Homer happy Garcia’s journey one of maturation and all-around success: Once a teenager who turned heads by slugging homers out of the Miami Marlins ballpark, Jesse Garcia has grown and matured as a star student-athlete for Concordia Baseball. He's enjoyed it so much that a fifth year became an easy decision. Starting with the 2019 season, Garcia has been a consistent slugger in the middle of Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s lineup. He’s also earned high marks in the classroom. Says Dupic of Garcia, “He’s been an example of what it should be in terms of being successful in the classroom and on the field. Jesse is one of the best hitters in the history of the school when you look at the numbers and the consistency he’s had all the way through. I can’t say enough about him and the job he’s done in all facets.” For more on Garcia’s journey, click HERE.
USA Powerlifting Collegiate Nationals begin Thursday: The inaugural season of Concordia Powerlifting will culminate this week as Head Coach Freddie Myles will take a group of Bulldogs to the USA Powerlifting Collegiate Nationals. The event is set to run Thursday through Sunday at the Arlington Expo Center in Arlington, Texas. More details about the national championships can be found via the event’s official website HERE. The most recent competition for Bulldog Powerlifting was the Nebraska State Championships held in Fremont, Neb., on Jan. 28. Four Concordia lifters came away with first-place medals at that event. The recap for that competition can be found HERE. For more information on Concordia Powerlifting, check out the program’s homepage HERE.
Bulldog Coaches Show airs every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. CT: The Bulldog Coaches Show is underway in its eighth year of existence. The show airs live for a half hour every Thursday beginning at 5:30 p.m. CT on KTMX-FM 104.9 Max Country. The weekly feature can also be heard live via 104.9 Max Country’s website or by downloading the Max Country app. Throughout the 2022-23 season, Bulldog football, men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball contests will be aired live on Max Country. Parker Cyza serves as the host of the coaches’ show as well as the play-by-play voice for football and basketball. Frank Greene is in his eighth season calling Concordia volleyball.
Concordia Sports Network: Live webcasts for most home varsity contests can be accessed by visiting https://www.cune.edu/athletics/watch-bulldogs at game time. Beginning in 2019-20, Concordia Athletics partnered with PrestoSports for live video and statistical streaming. Live webcast links for away contests are publicized in sport specific releases that preview action for that particular week. Scrimmages, exhibitions and junior varsity events are not broadcasted.
Baseball
· This past Easter weekend, the Bulldogs took care of business at home while thoroughly dominating Dordt in the four-game series (April 7-8). Concordia wiped out the Defenders by scores of 19-5, 19-2, 18-1 and 13-3 (eight innings). The Bulldogs piled up 69 runs while leaving the yard 13 times in the series. Those results have moved Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad to 25-11 overall (11-3 GPAC) entering the week. It appears the GPAC regular season championship race will be between four teams: Concordia, Morningside (11-3 GPAC), Doane (12-4 GPAC) and Mount Marty (12-4 GPAC). For recaps from last week’s games, click HERE for April 7 and HERE for April 8. For more on the Concordia Baseball program, click HERE.
· The Bulldogs are in action today (April 11) at Dakota Wesleyan (4-21, 1-13 GPAC) for a doubleheader in Mitchell, S.D. First pitch was slated for 1 p.m. CT. After those contests conclude, Concordia will look forward to playing at Doane (26-8, 12-4 GPAC) at 12 p.m. on Saturday before coming home to host Briar Cliff at 1 p.m. on Sunday. By the end of the weekend, the Bulldogs will have only two opponents left on the regular season slate (four-game series with both Midland and Morningside).
Softball
· Concordia is still trying to gain traction within conference play. This past week, the Bulldogs had the difficult task of hosting the GPAC’s two highest rated teams: No. 13 Northwestern and Midland (receiving votes). In action on April 7, the Warriors defeated Concordia by scores of 7-0 and 8-1. The very next day, the Red Raiders emerged from Plum Creek Park with victories by scores of 6-0 and 8-3. Head Coach Brock Culler’s squad has dropped nine in a row while slipping to 12-21 overall (1-9 GPAC). The Bulldogs won their GPAC opener, 2-1, over Morningside before the slide began. Recaps from this past weekend can be found HERE (April 7) and HERE (April 8). For more on the Concordia Softball program, click HERE.
· Opportunities to right the ship are coming this weekend as the Bulldogs will play at Jamestown (14-11, 0-2 GPAC) at 2 p.m. CT on Friday before heading to Mitchell, S.D., to take on Dakota Wesleyan (6-23, 1-9 GPAC) at 1 p.m. on Saturday. By the close of the weekend, Concordia will be down to four GPAC doubleheaders remaining on the regular season slate. The final home dates are set for April 21 versus Briar Cliff and April 22 versus Mount Marty.
Track & Field
· Meet No. 3 of the 2023 outdoor season took place this past Friday (April 7) as roughly half the team competed at the Central College Dutch Invitational in Pella, Iowa. The yields for the Bulldogs included five event titles, four new ‘B’ standards and a school record from freshman Adrianna Rodencal. Virtually all levels of collegiate competition were included at the meet hosted by Central, which is affiliated with NCAA Division III. For more on the Concordia Track & Field programs, click HERE.
· The event titles at the Central Invite came from Matthew Boyer (javelin), Josie Puelz (pole vault), Rodencal (100 hurdles), Calvin Rohde (5,000 meters) and Zach Zohner (pole vault). The new ‘B’ standards were produced by Boyer (javelin), Erin Painter (discus), Kamryn Pokorney (hammer throw) and Rohde (5,000 meters). Rodencal’s time of 14.15 in the 100 hurdles eclipsed the previous school standard of 14.25 by teammate Rachel Battershell. Rodencal currently ranks first in the GPAC and sixth in the NAIA in the 100 hurdles.
· Through three weeks of action, Bulldog athletes have collectively produced five ‘A’ standards and eight ‘B’ standards. Five auto marks were put on the board at the Central Nebraska Challenge on April 1.
o Matthew Boyer – B, Javelin (182’ 4”)
o Jenna Esch – B, 400 Meters (57.08)
o Jordan Koepke – A, 400 Hurdles (1:02.71)
o Ben Moll – B, Hammer Throw (178’)
o Hannah Newton – B, High Jump (5’ 5”)
o Erin Painter – B, Discus (139’ 7”)
o Kamryn Pokorney – B, Hammer Throw (164’ 6”)
o Josie Puelz – A, Pole Vault (12’ 1 ½”)
o Adrianna Rodencal – A, 100 Hurdles (14.15)
o Calvin Rohde – B, 1,500 Meters (3:54.98); B, 5,000 Meters (14:42.28)
o Darien Semedo – A, Hammer Throw (184’ 4”)
o Zach Zohner – A, Pole Vault (16’ 5 ¼”)
· The Bulldogs are gearing up to host the Concordia Invite this Friday and Saturday. The light schedule for Friday will include the hammer and javelin throws only. Then on Saturday, the meet heats up with the full spectrum of events, including the 5,000 meter racewalk. The tentative meet schedule can be found HERE.
Golf
· The spring season is in full swing for both Bulldog golf teams. As of Tuesday (April 11) morning, the men’s team was in the midst of playing the final round of the Midwest Spring National Invite hosted by Kansas Wesleyan University. The tournament got started on Monday from Colbert Hills Golf Course in Manhattan, Kan. As for the women, they hosted the Concordia Bulldog Spring Invitational last week (April 3-4) and placed seventh out of the 11 teams in the field. A recap of that tournament can be found HERE. Be sure to check the men’s golf homepage for details when the event in Manhattan wraps up. For more on the Concordia Golf programs: Men | Women.
· The action will resume for the women on Wednesday and Thursday with the College of Saint Mary Spring Invite to be held at Tiburon Golf Club in Omaha. The action is scheduled to get started at 11 a.m. both days. The women’s team will also play at the Iowa Western Bent Tree Showcase early next week (April 17-18). Meanwhile, the men are readying to play at the Bulldog-Tiger Cup on Saturday and then compete in the Nebraska Wesleyan Invite running Sunday and Monday (April 16-17) at Hillcrest Country Club in Lincoln.
Tennis
· Both teams were in action once last week before taking a few days off for the Easter holiday. Unfortunately, both the men and women were defeated at home by Doane. The women’s match ended in a 5-2 score on April 4 while the men’s match was decided by a 6-1 score on April 6. For recaps of those contests, check out the links HERE for the women and HERE for the men. Head Coach Cam Long’s squads entered this week sporting records of 8-7 (1-2 GPAC) on the women’s side and 7-7 (1-2 GPAC) on the men’s side. Both squads earned a conference win over Hastings and have GPAC losses to Morningside and Doane. For more on the Concordia Tennis programs: Men | Women.
· A busy week lies ahead for both Bulldog teams, which will be in action in three of the next four days – home versus Grand View University (Iowa) on Wednesday (11:30 a.m.), home versus Mount Marty on Thursday (3:30 p.m.) and at Midland on Saturday (12 p.m.). That will just about wrap up the regular season. By week’s end, the women will be down to two matches and the men will be down to one left in the 2022-23 regular season.