2005-06 - Women's Basketball schedule/results

13-17 Overall, 7-11 GPAC

Date Opponent Location Time/Results
Midland Classic:
Nov. 5 vs. Peru State Fremont, Neb. W 79-47
Nov. 8 York College York, Neb. W 55-45
College of the Ozarks Classic:
Nov. 11 vs. John Brown University Point Lookout, Mo. L 63-48
Nov. 12 vs. College of the Ozarks Point Lookout, Mo L 72-62
Nov. 15 College of St. Mary Omaha, Neb. L 75-51
Nov. 19 University of Sioux Falls* Sioux Falls, S.D. L 70-60
Nov. 22 Nebraska Wesleyan* Lincoln, Neb. W 77-69
Cattle Classic:
Nov. 25 vs. York College Seward, Neb. W 62-60
Nov. 26 vs. Tabor College Seward, Neb. L 72-58
Dec. 3 Northwestern* Seward, Neb. L 90-76
Dec. 7 Doane College* Crete, Neb. L 70-51
Dec. 10 Morningside College* Seward, Neb. L 81-56
Hoop N Surf Tournament:
Dec. 18 vs. Notre Dame de Namur Honolulu, Hawaii W 63-46
Dec. 19 vs. University of Mary-Wash. Honolulu, Hawaii L 68-63
Jan. 4 Hastings* Hastings, Neb. L 67-47
Jan. 7 Briar Cliff* Seward, Neb. W 73-71 (OT)
Jan. 11 Dana College* Blair, Neb. W 78-67
Jan. 14 Dordt College* Sioux Center, Iowa L 74-61
Jan. 17 Nebraska Wesleyan* Seward, Neb. L 58-56
Jan. 21 Dakota Wesleyan* Seward, Neb. W 73-62
Jan. 25 Midland Lutheran College* Seward, Neb. W 56-50
Concordia Invitational Tournament (CIT):
Jan. 27 vs. River Forest Mequon, Wis.

W 52-50

Jan. 28 vs. Mequon Mequon, Wis. W 70-57
Feb. 1 Briar Cliff* Sioux City, Iowa L 71-62
Feb. 4 Mount Marty* Yankton, S.D. L 76-74
Feb. 8 Dana College* Seward, Neb. W 59-58
Feb. 11 Hastings* Seward, Neb. L 71-52
Feb. 14 Midland Lutheran* Fremont, Neb. W 75-66
Feb. 18 Doane* (Parent's/Senior Day) Seward, Neb. L 62-47
GPAC Tournament:
Feb. 21 vs. Dakota Wesleyan Seward, Neb. L 82-72 (OT)



*Indicates Great Plains Athletic Conference Games
All Home Games in BOLD

686_WB0506_IMG_4344.jpg

2005-06 - Women's Basketball roster

No. Name Pos. Ht. Yr. Hometown
10 Whitney Stichka G 5-8 Fr. Ruskin, Neb.
12 Marie Wintz G 5-7 Jr. Hartington, Neb.
14 Erin Zurcher G 5-6 Fr. Meadow Grove, Neb.
20 Jordan Schmoldt F 5-6 So. Clay Center, Neb.
22 Carly Dittenber G 5-6 Sr. Tomball, Texas
24 Krissy Turman G 5-7 So. Wahoo, Neb.
30 Liz Spencer F 5-9 So. Meade, Kan.
32 Melissa Tinkham G 5-9 Fr. Kearney, Neb.
34 Tiffany Harder G 5-8 So. Wisner, Neb.
40 Danae Koopman G 5-9 Fr. Scribner, Neb.
42 Jessica Domina F 5-10 Sr. Coleridge, Neb.
44 Jenni Lovegrove F 5-11 So. Fairmont, Neb.
50 Brittany Feher F 6-1 So. Cleveland, Ohio
52 Libby Hirssig F 5-11 So. Rochester, Minn.
  Jackie Nuxoll F 6-1 So. Ord, Neb.
  Jacki McCullough F 5-11 Fr. Milford, Colo.
  Melissa King G 5-9 Fr. Newman Grove, Neb.
  Brooke Pralle G 5-7 Fr. Wymore, Neb.

11 score in win over Peru State

5 NOV 2005

Concordia's women basketball team, full of new faces after graduating seven seniors, had 11 different players score in their 79-47 win over Peru State. It was the first game of the year for the Bulldogs.

“It was a good start,” said Head Coach Todd Voss. “We had five first time starters on the court. Carly didn’t start because of just getting back from an injury. During the pre-season we’ve been dealing with some nagging injuries, we are just on the verge of getting healthy.”

Tiffany Harder, Jaime Loos and Brittany Feher all had career highs and led all scorers with 15 points. Loos was perfect from beyone the arc, going three for three. Libby Hirssig pulled down 10 rebounds and added six points. Other players with six points included Jessica Domina and Jenni Lovegrove.

“One of our goals is to have quality bench play,” Voss said. “and we saw that tonight.

Defensively the Bulldogs forced 28 turnovers and had 21 steals, led by Melissa Tinkham with five. On the flip side, Concordia had only 13 turnovers.

“For us to succeed at a high level we must defend well and we did that for the most part,” added Voss. “Our defensive pressure created offensive opportunity in the last six minutes of the first half that gave us some separation on the scoreboard.”

Concordia travels to York, Neb., to take on the Panthers of York College on Tuesday, Nov. 8th. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

Women improve to 2-0

8 NOV 2005

The Bulldogs struggled to find points, especially in the second half, but managed to pull out a 55-45 win over York College Panthers on Wednesday night.

Leading by nine at halftime it took the Bulldogs nearly 7 1/2 minutes to put the ball in the bucket in the second half. During that span York pulled to within 35-31 Concordia with 15:55 to play in the game.

The Bulldogs found some offense and opened up the lead to 43-33 when Melissa Tinkham hit the short baseline jumper with 9:54 to play in the game.

For the second consecutive game Tiffany Harder led all Bulldog scorers with 14 points. The only other player in double figures for Concordia was Brittany Feher with 11.

“I would have liked to score a few more points,” said Head Coach Todd Voss. “But we picked up the win and we will learn from it. We struggled offensively but our defense came through in the end.”

Bulldogs drop pair in Missouri

11& 12 NOV 2005

The Concordia women’s basketball team dropped a pair of games at the Coca-Cola Classic Tournament hosted by the College of the Ozarks this past weekend.

On Friday the Bulldogs took on John Brown University, losing 63-48. The game was tied at 22 in the first half before John Brown, who was ranked No. 19 in the NAIA Division I preseason poll, went on a 10-0 run to end the half.

“I thought we did a good job of competing and played well defensively at times, said Head Coach Todd Voss. “But when we did breakdown defensively, we made it too easy for them to score.”

Despite a lackluster offensive performance, the Bulldogs shoot just 29 percent from the field, Concordia did come pull within five points with six minutes remaining. But once again John Brown answered, pulling away with another run.

“Offensively, we just had a poor shooting night,” added Voss. “That is too much to overcome against a quality team. Overall the last five minutes of each half proved to be the difference. We competed well, but did not finish like we needed to.”

Freshman Melissa Tinkham led the Bulldogs in scoring getting nine points, all via the three-pointer. Jessica Domina added eight points along with six boards.

Against the host school, College of the Ozarks, Concordia was out rebounded by margin of 26-16 in the 62-52 loss. It was another ranked opponent for the Bulldogs, as College of the Ozarks was ranked No. 9 in the NAIA Division II preseason poll.

At the break the Dogs trailed by only one, 33-32. But Ozarks was just too much inside for Concordia as they were outscored 46-28 in the paint.

“We showed growth, but must continue to improve our consistency on both ends of the floor,” added Voss. “We can’t expect to be successful if we get out rebounded like we did tonight.”

Two players reached double figures for the Bulldogs, Tiffany Harder with 14 and Domina with 10. Harder also had four steals and was named to the all-tournament team.

“Overall this was a good tournament for us.We played two nationally ranked teams and it will prepare us for conference play,” said Voss. “Obviously, we are not happy about the loses, but we came back a better team.”

Turnovers plague Bulldogs

19 NOV 2005

The Concordia women’s basketball team played one half of even basketball against the University of Sioux Falls Cougar on Saturday. But turnovers cost the Bulldogs in the second half, as the Cougars defeated Concordia 70-60.

The Bulldogs fell to 3-4 (0-1 GPAC) with the loss while the Cougars improved to 2-4 overall (1-0 GPAC).

Concordia led only once, the opening basket, but kept close throughout, tying the four times. The Cougars were able to open up the lead due in part to the turnovers of the Bulldogs. Concordia had 19 turnover in the game, 13 coming in the second half. Sioux Falls was able to convert those turnovers into 22 points, compared with only 12 points for the Bulldogs coming via turnovers.

The Bulldogs did lead the battle of the bench, as Coach Todd Voss got 31 points from his substitutes compared to 29 from the Cougar reserves.

Senior Jessica Domina led the way offensively for the Bulldogs, scoring 14 points and pulling down eight rebounds. Brittany Feher chipped in with nine points off the bench while Marie Wintz and Jenni Lovegrove each had seven points.

Next up for the Bulldogs is Nebraska Wesleyan on Tuesday Nov. 22nd in Lincoln, Neb. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

Dogs put together complete game against NWU

22 NOV 2005

Sophomore forward Jenni Lovegrove scored a career high 20 points, 16 coming in the second half, and missed only once from the field to lead the Concordia women's basketball team to a 77-69 win over Nebraska Wesleyan University Tuesday night at Snyder Arena in Lincoln, Neb.

“Jenni Lovegrove had a complete performance,” added Voss. “Her scoring not only gave us points put opened things up for others on the perimeter.”

With the win the Bulldog’s improve to 3-4 overall (1-1 GPAC) heading into this weekend’s Cattle Classic in Seward. The loss drops the Prairie Wolves to 2-1 overall (0-1 GPAC).

Also for the Bulldogs, it the 98th collegiate win for Head Coach Todd Voss who is approaching the century mark in just his fourth season. Each team shot 42 percent from the field, but Concordia was 19 of 28 at the line while the Prairie Wolves attempted just 17 free shots, capitalizing on 10.

Concordia, who led 37-34 at the break, opened the second half with a 6-2 run to push their lead to eight points with 17:11 remaining. Lovegrove scored back-to-back buckets during the run. Nebraska Wesleyan countered with a 10-2 spurt to tie the game, 51-51, midway through the second half.

The Prairie Wolves eventually took the lead 62-60 with 6:33 left in the game. Concordia outscored the Wolves 17-7 the rest of the way as on the next possession Jaime Loos hit from downtown to put the Bulldogs up for good as. Concordia’s defense came through down the stretch, allowing only one field goal by NWU the final 3:48.

“I liked our confidence in the final five minutes, played with poise and stepped up and made plays.” said Voss. “The last two games we played well for one half and that just isn’t enough. It was our goal to put together two halves and we did that.”

Lovegrove, who also pulled down nine boards, was one of three Bulldogs in double figures, as Carly Dittenber and Krissy Turman each tallied 10 points. Turman also added six assists in 24 minutes of action. Loos finished the game with nine points, all coming from beyond the arc. She also nabbed nine rebounds for Concordia.

“Jaime (Loos) brought another element to her play tonight by being a rebounder,” Voss added. “and Krissy (Turman) continues to get more and more comfortable with each game. She gave us a big boost with her scoring & passing.”

Turman’s 10 points were part of 31 total points scored by the Bulldog bench. It marks the second consecutive game the Concordia bench as scored over 30 points.

The Bulldogs are back in action at the sixth annual Cattle Classic, played Nov. 25 and 26 in Seward. Concordia is in action against York College on Friday, Nov. 25 at 7:00 p.m. and will take on fourth ranked Tabor College on Saturday, Nov. 26 at 3:00 p.m. in the Cattle Classic finale.

Women split at Cattle Classic

25-26 NOV 2005

The Concordia women's basketball team went 1-1 over the weekend at the sixth annual Cattle Classic. On Friday the Bulldogs won a nail-biter over York College, 62-60, before falling to fourth ranked Tabor College, 72-58, on Saturday.

The Bulldogs are now 4-5 overall (1-1 GPAC) on the season. The loss was only the second ever in the Cattle Classic for Concordia, who is 10-2 in Cattle Classic games. The Bulldogs only other loss in the Classic also came at the hands of Tabor in 2003.

On Friday Concordia was able to hang on down the stretch to defeat the York College Panthers, 62-60, in game two of the 2005 Cattle Classic. It was the second meeting of the two teams this season, with the Bulldogs coming out on top both times.

The Panthers’ Ashley Wellman led all scorers with 22 points. She also pulled down 11 rebounds. Amber Koroshetz added 18 points in the losing effort.

Struggles from the charity stripe by the Bulldogs allowed the Panthers to hang around to the end. For the game Concordia was 12 of 30 (40 percent) from the free throw line.

Three players reached double figures in scoring for Concordia, including Jessica Domina and Tiffany Harder with 14 points. Carly Dittenber chipped in with 10 points. Krissy Turman continues to be a factor for the Dogs, pulling down six rebounds and scoring eight points.

Against Tabor College the Concordia Bulldogs gave Tabor College all they could handle for one half. But Tabor pulled away in the final 14:00 minutes for a 72-58 victory in the final game of the 2005 Cattle Classic.

After struggling from the charity stripe one night earlier, Concordia turned things around, shooting 82 percent from the line in the first half, sinking 14 free throws to stay within striking distance, trailing Tabor 32-30 at halftime.

In the second half the Bulldogs took the lead 37-35 with 14:54 remaining. From that point Tabor went on a 12-0 run which proved to be too much for the Dogs to overcome.

Stacie Herman scored 21 points to pace Tabor in the win, and was named the Cattle Classic MVP. For the second consecutive night Donya Anderson notched a double-double, scoring 11 points and pulling down 10 boards.

After struggling from the free throw line against York, the Bulldogs they struggled from the field against Tabor. Concordia shot only 29 percent from the field. For the second consecutive night Jessica Domina was the leading scorer for Concordia with 13 points. She also had 10 rebounds for a double-double. Jenni Lovegrove also reached double figures with 12 points for the Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs host Northwestern who is 10-0 on the season on Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m.

Women drop high scoring affair

3 DEC 2005

Despite a career day from forward Jenni Lovegrove, who scored a career high 22 points on 8 of 8 shooting, the Concordia women's basketball team fell, 90-76, to the Northwestern College Red Raiders on Saturday afternoon in Seward.

“Northwestern has an outstanding offensive team,” said Bulldog Head Coach Todd Voss. “But we can’t give up 90 points and expect to win.”

With the win Northwestern remains unbeaten on the season at 11-0 overall (3-0 GPAC). With the loss the Bulldog’s fall to 4-6 overall (1-2 GPAC).

Tiffany Harder scored the first seven points of the game for the Bulldogs as they jumped out to a 5-0 lead. Concordia led or was tied for the first six minutes of the game. The Red Raiders took the lead 15-12 on a three point shot by Deb Remmerde with 13:54 left in the first half and never looked back.

Northwestern opened up a nine point advantage, 42-33, at halftime behind 15 points from Remmerde. Remmerde, who came into the game averaging 30.5 point per game, finished with 33 points on the afternoon and ten rebounds. She was one of three Red Raiders in double figures as Jaime Hoegh and Amy Larson added 17 and 15 respectively.

The Red Raiders pulled away in the second half, as the Bulldogs would get no closer than 12 the rest of the way. On the game Northwestern turned 18 Concordia turnovers into 31 points. The Red Raiders were also 18 of 20 from the charity stripe while the Bulldogs struggles from the stripe continued, as they shot 60 percent (21-35).

“We did a great job of getting to the free throw line,” Voss added. “But converting at 60 percent isn’t going to get it done.”

The Bulldogs held the advantage on the boards, as they out rebounded the Red Raiders 44-35, getting nine more offensive rebounds than Northwestern, resulting in 22 second chance points.

“This was our best team effort on the boards of the year,” added Voss. “Jordan did a great job on the glass. Our rebound is something that can become a constant for us”

Jaime Loos came off the bench to add 13 points for Concordia, including three buckets from beyond the arc. Brittany Fehr also chipped in with eight points and four rebounds off the bench. Harder finished with 12 points, while Jordan Schmoldt and Jessica Domina each grabbed eight rebounds.

The Bulldogs travel to Doane College on Wednesday for a 7:30 p.m. contest before hosting Morningside College on Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. It is a full day of basketball at Concordia on Saturday as the men’s team is in action at 4:00 p.m. followed by the men’s JV against Hamilton College at 6:00 p.m. The women’s JV start things off against Morningside at noon.

Tigers get better of Dogs

7 DEC 2005

The Bulldogs put together a solid first half as they trailed by only three points at halftime, 28-25. But No. 13 Doane outscored Concordia 42-26 in the second half for the 70-51 victory on Wednesday evening in Crete.

Concordia was able to hang around in the first half by hitting 12 free throws. The Bulldogs did force Doane into 22 turnovers and 25 fouls, but it wasn't enough. The Tigers shot just over 50 percent from the field and had exactly twice as many field goals as the Bulldogs.

"We put together a good first half of basketball," said Head Coach Todd Voss. "But we struggled offensively in the second half."

Concordia, who shot 32 percent from the field and 63 percent fromt he line, wasn’t able to weather a seven minute scoring drought midway through the second half. The Bulldogs also had 26 turnovers which Doane converted into 23 points.

Krissy Turman led the Bulldogs with a career high 15 points. Jenni Lovegrove was the only other Concordia player in double figures with 11.

Lovegrove leads Bulldogs in loss

10 DEC 2005

Offense continues to be hard to find for the Concordia women's basketball team as the fell, 81-56, to the Morningside College Mustangs, No. 5 in NAIA Division II, on Saturday afternoon in Seward.

With the win Morningside improved to 9-2 overall (5-0 GPAC). With the loss the Bulldog’s fall to 4-8 overall (1-4 GPAC).

Melissa Tinkham pulled the Bulldogs to within four points on a pair of free throws with 3:16 remaining in the first half. The Mustangs outscored the Bulldogs 11-4 in the final minutes of the half taking a 39-28 advantage at intermission.

Morningside scored five unanswered points to open the second frame of play and never looked back, leading by as many as 27 in the second half. The Mustangs converted 21 Bulldog turnovers into 25 points and outscored Concordia 50-30 in the paint.

Nine different players scored for Concordia, but only one, Jenni Lovegrove, reached double figures. Lovegrove finished the game with 17 points and five rebounds. Tinkham chipped in with nine points while Libby Hirssig added seven points off the bench.

Kayla Wibben, one of four Mustangs in double figures, led all scorers with 18 points.

The next time the Bulldogs take to the hardwood will be Dec. 19th at the Hoop ‘N Surf Tournament in Honolulu, Hawaii. They are scheduled to take on Notre Dame de Namur at 11:00 a.m. Hawaii time which would be 3:00 p.m. central standard time.

Bulldogs get tropical win

18 DEC 2005

Sophomore forward Jenni Lovegrove scored a game high 18 points and pulled down seven rebounds to lead the Concordia women's basketball team to a 63-46 win over Notre Dame de Namur Sunday afternoon at the Hoop ‘N Surf Classic and in Honolulu, Hawaii. It was the 100th collegiate coaching victory for Bulldog Head Coach Todd Voss.

With the win the Bulldog’s improve to 5-8 overall (1-4 GPAC) while loss drops Notre Dame de Namur to 5-4 overall.

Leading by four points at halftime, Concordia used 26-6 run to open the second half. During the run the Bulldogs held Notre Dame de Namur scoreless for almost eight minutes.

“We played really solid basketball in the first eight minutes of the second half,” said Head Coach Todd Voss. “Our great defensive effort made up for our struggles at the line.”

Concordia shot only 38.7 percent from the charity stripe in the contest. The Bulldogs fared better from the field as they shot 58 percent in the second half and 42 percent on the game.

The Bulldogs forced 22 Notre Dame turnovers and converted them into 19 points. Despite getting out rebounding for the game, 41-38, Concordia capitalized on second chance opportunities scoring 16 points on 15 offensive rebounds.

Eleven different players scored for the Bulldogs. Krissy Turman was the only other player in double figures for Concordia with 10 points, six coming on a pair for three point baskets. Jessica Domina and Libby Hirssig each added six points.

The Bulldogs have one game remaining in Hawaii as they are scheduled to take on the University of Mary-Washington Monday at 3:00 p.m. (CST). The next action for the Bulldogs in the contiguous United States is slated for Jan. 4 against the Hastings College Broncos in Hastings, Neb.

Voss notches win 100

In only his fourth year as head women's basketball coach at Concordia, Todd Voss has notched his 100th career collegiate win. The victory came against Notre Dame de Namur Dec. 18 as the Bulldogs took part in the Hoop N Surf Classic held in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Voss joined the Bulldog staff in 1999, serving as an assistant coach for three seasons before assuming the head coaching duties in 2002. Through his first three complete seasons, he compiled a record of 95-15 with three consecutive NAIA Division II National Championship Tournament appearances, including two trips to the semifinals. Currently he has a record of 100-23 with a career winning percentage of .813. accomplishment.

During his first season as head coach he led Concordia to a No. 1 national ranking, the 2003 Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Championship and a school-best 36-2 record. As a result, he was voted the 2003 GPAC Coach-of-the-Year. Coach Voss was also named the Lincoln Journal Star state college coach of the year in 2005.

Under his guidance the women’s basketball program also has earned an unprecedented sixth consecutive NAIA academic national championship as awarded by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). No other school at any level has duplicated this accomplishment.

An alumnus of Concordia, Voss is a member of the Concordia Athletic Hall of Fame. He was a member of the 1991 team that was the first Bulldog team to qualify for a NAIA postseason tournament.

Voss earned his master’s degree in educational administration from Concordia in August 2001. In addition to his coaching duties he also serves as athletic facilities coordinator. He and his wife, Amy, have a daughter, Karlee Sue.

Bulldogs drop close game to UMW

19 DEC 2005

Concordia had three different player in double figures but came up short against the University of Mary Washington, losing 68-63, in their final game at the Hoop ‘N Surf Classic and in Honolulu, Hawaii.

“This tournament was a positive for us,” said Head Coach Todd Voss. “We made some improvement and saw a lot of growth.”

The Bulldog’s fall to 5-9 overall, while the Eagles of UMW improve to 9-0 overall. The win set a new school record for consecutive wins to open a season for the Eagels who are ranked No. 16 in the latest NCAA Division III poll.

Despite struggling from the field in the first half, they shot just 29 percent from the floor, the Bulldogs were able to take a 31-28 advantage into the locker room at intermission. Concordia continued to create scoring opportunities from the charity stripe, attempting 25 free throws in the game, knocking down 10 of 12 in the first half.

The teams played even basketball most of the second half as neither team would open a lead up of more than nine points. The Bulldogs led until Lisa Tracy drained a triple to put UMW up 51-48 with 8:49 remaining. Concordia would get no closer than three the rest of the way. Liz Hickey, 6-3 center, paced the Eagles with 23 points and 10 rebounds.

“We played a solid game, especially on the boards,” noted Coach Voss. “This is probably the most physically impressive team we will play all year.”

Concordia out rebounded the Eagles, who have four players on their roster 6-1 or taller, 42-38 including 19 offensive rebounds.

Jenni Lovegrove had 17 points to lead the Bulldogs in scoring for the third consecutive game. Jessica Domina added 14 points and six rebounds, also in double figures with Marie Wintz with 10 points. Wintz was 4 of 5 from the floor and hit two long range field goals.

The Bulldogs are off until the 2006 as they will take on the Hastings College Broncos in Hastings, Neb., on Jan. 4 at 6:00 p.m.

Lovegrove garners honor

Sophomore Jenni Lovegrove (Fairmont, Neb.) was named to the All-Classic Team at the 2005 Hoop N’ Surf Classic held Dec. 18-19 in Honolulu, Hawaii.The Bulldogs went 1-1 during the event.

Lovegrove, a 5-11 forward, scored 35 points during the two games played by the Bulldogs. She scored 17 points in Concordia’s 63-46 win over Notre Dame de Namur and 18 in the 68-63 loss to the University of Mary-Washington. During the Hoop N’ Surf Classic Lovegrove shot 50 percent from the field and pulled down 11 rebounds.

Turnovers hamper Dogs in defeat

4 JAN 2006

The Hastings College women's basketball team scored 23 points off Bulldog turnovers en route to a 67-47 win over Concordia on Wednesday night at Lynn Farrell Arena in Hastings.

Hastings, ranked No. 10 in the most recent NAIA Division II poll, improves to 13-4 overall (5-1 GPAC) while the Bulldogs fall to 5-10 overall (1-5 GPAC).

Concordia was able keep things close early on, trailing by only five with ten minutes remaining in the first half. Behind solid shooting, the Broncos were 50 percent from the field and hit four triples in the first frame, Hastings outscored the Bulldogs 25-8 to take a 44-22 advantage into halftime.

Hastings frustrated Concordia’s ball handlers with tight man-to-man pressure up and down the court. The Bulldogs who finished the game with 25 turnovers had 14 in the first half alone.

Concordia outscored the Broncos 25-23 in the second half despite shooting only 25 percent from the field. The Bulldogs made the most of their opportunities at the charity stripe hitting on 11 of 15 attempts in the second half and 15-19 in the game.

Offense was hard to come by for Concordia who had only one player, Jessica Domina, in double figures with 10 points. Carly Dittenber added eight points to go along with six apiece for Brittany Feher, Jenni Lovegrove and Whitney Stichka.

Hastings was paced by Lynnze Martinsen who led all scorers with 20 points. Maggie Schmaderer was a perfect 4 for 4 from beyond the arc and finished with 16 points for the Broncos.

The Bulldogs are scheduled to play on Saturday, Jan. 7 at 2:00 p.m. against Briar Cliff in Seward before traveling to Blair to take on Dana on Wednesday, Jan. 11.

Bulldogs down Briar Cliff in OT

7 JAN 2006

Senior Jessica Domina scored 21 points and pulled down 13 rebounds as the Concordia women’s basketball team picked up a 73-71 overtime win over Briar Cliff Saturday afternoon in Seward.

Briar Cliff’s Dana Lehner hit a jumper in the lane as time expired to tie the game. Lehner was fouled on the play and went to the line with no time on the clock with a chance to end the game. Fortunately for the Bulldogs her free throw was short, forcing overtime.

With the win Concordia improved 6-10 overall (2-5 GPAC) while the Chargers fell to 8-9 overall (1-6 GPAC).

A jumper by Briar Cliff’s Mel Shidel gave the Chargers a 71-68 lead with 2:22 left in overtime. Domina then scored four straight points, a jump shot outside the lane and a pair of free throws, to give the Bulldogs the advantage 72-71 with 29 ticks remaining.

Jordan Schmoldt increased the margin to two on her free throw with 14 seconds remaining. Kayla Boyd’s shot for the Chargers was off and Domina brought down the rebound as time expired to seal the win.

Concordia who took a nine point lead into the locker room at half, shooting 42 percent from the floor. They were also perfect (7 of 7) from the charity stripe. In the second half Concordia led by as many as twelve before Briar Cliff mounted their comeback.

The Bulldogs managed to stay in control thanks in part to their free throw shooting. Concordia had 10 more point via the stripe than the Chargers and finished the game 78.6 percent from the line.

Domina led all scorers with 21 points and was one of three Bulldogs in double figures. Carly Dittenber added 13 points, going 2 of 2 from beyond the arc, and Schmoldt came off the bench to score 11. Schmoldt also had five rebounds and three steals.

Concordia will travel to Blair, Neb., to take on the Dana College Vikings on Wednesday, Jan. 11 at 7:30 p.m. The game can be heard live via the Webcast at www.cune.edu.

Bulldog bench big in win over Dana

11 JAN 2006

Concordia’s bench scored 39 points, including 14 by Tiffany Harder, to lead the Bulldogs to a 78-67 victory over Dana College Wednesday night in Blair, Neb. The solid play of the Concordia bench along with success at the charity stripe help the Bulldogs overcome 51 percent shooting by Dana from the field.

It was the second consecutive win for the Bulldogs (7-10, 3-5 GPAC) while the Vikings (8-10, 2-6 GPAC) dropped their third straight.

Over a four minute span in the middle of the first half Concordia outscored the Vikings 12-3 to open up a 15-point advantage. The lead hovered around the 12 points for the next for minutes before the Bulldog offense started to sputter.

Brittany Feher’s bucket in the lane with 4:06 left in the first half proved to last points the Bulldogs would score. Dana closed out the half with an 8-0 run to pull within six, 35-29 at intermission.

The offense continued to struggle as the Bulldogs were able to muster only three points in the first 4:08 of the second frame. Going back to the first half Concordia scored only three points in just over eight minutes.

Dana took the lead, 40-38, and again 42-40 before the Bulldogs went on top for good on a Harder free throw. The Vikings were able to hang around due in part to the play of Michelle Weinrich. Weinrich scored 14 of her game high 20 points in the second half.

Jessica Domina scored seven points as the Bulldogs turned a one point lead with 8:26 remaining into a 10 point advantage at the 4:34 mark. During that run Melissa Tinkham, who came in primarily to play defense on Weinrich, buried a three to push the Bulldog lead to six. Tinkham also hit a jumper in the lane to beat the shot clock later in the game. She finished the game with five points and three assists in seven minutes of action.

Jordan Schmoldt hit 4 of 4 free throws in the final 65 seconds to preserve the Concordia lead. Schmoldt finished the game with eight points. Feher and Whitney Stichka finished with five points off the bench for the Bulldogs. Domina led all Bulldogs with 16 points and eight rebounds. Krissy Turman added 12 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block.

As a team the Bulldogs were 75 percent from the charity stripe and 45.9 percent from the floor.

Concordia will travel to Sioux Center, Iowa to take on Dordt College on Saturday, Jan. 14 at 2:00 p.m. The game can be heard live on www.cune.edu via the Webcast page.

Second half woes slow Bulldogs

17 JAN 2006

It was the tale of two halves for the Concordia women’s basketball team Tuesday evening in Seward as they fell to Nebraska Wesleyan, 58-56. Concordia falls to 7-12 overall (3-7 GPAC) while the Prairie Wolves improve to 6-10 overall (4-6 GPAC)

The Bulldogs hit on 6 of 9 three-point attempts in the first half, including one as time expired by post player Brittany Feher, as they opened up a 40-25 advantage at intermission. Concordia limited the Prairie Wolves to 31.3 percent shooting from the field in the first frame and scored 11 points of eight NWU turnovers.

Jenni Lovegrove had a solid first-half effort with eight points, five rebounds and a pair of steals and assists. As a team Concordia shot almost 44 percent from the floor. Ten different players scored in the opening frame as the Bulldogs benefited from 21 points off the bench.

As hot as the Bulldogs were in the first half, they were equally as cold in the second. Concordia could muster only 16 points on 28.6 percent shooting. Despite the low offensive output the Bulldogs never trailed in the game until 1:13 remaining in the game.

The Prairie Wolves Sarah Sedlack converted a traditional three-point play to tie the game at 42. That play capped a 17-2 run by Nebraska Wesleyan to open the second half, tying the game at 42.

The Bulldogs answered with an 8-0 run of their own that included back-to-back three-point field goals by Tiffany Harder and Krissy Turman.

A jumper by Megan Wells, who scored eight of her game high 15 points in the second half, with 1:13 remaining gave the Prairie Wolves their first lead of the game.

NWU left the door open, missing 3 of 4 free throws in the final 40 seconds. Carly Dittenber had a chance to tie the game as she was fouled driving to the hoop with three seconds remaining. Dittenber missed the first of two free throws, converting on the second to trim the lead to one. Devan Aschtgen, who was fouled immediately on the inbound, then hit 1 of 2 from the charity stripe to give the Wolves a two-point cushion.

Time expired as the Bulldogs were not able to get off a last second shot attempt.

In addition to Wells, Sarah Sedlack finished in double figures in points for Nebraska Wesleyan with 10. Aschtgen, who picked up her fourth personal foul at the 15:53 mark in the second half, chipped in with nine points four rebounds two assists and two steals.

For the Bulldogs the trio of Domina, Lovegrove and Turman led the way with eight points each. Domina also pulled down eight rebounds in 34 minutes of action. Libby Hirssig and Harder each added six points off the bench.

Concordia is back in action on Saturday as they take on Dakota Wesleyan in a 2:00 p.m. contest in Seward.

Bulldogs clean glass in win

21 JAN 2006

Guards Whitney Stichka and Jordan Schmoldt combined to score 23 second-half points as the Concordia University, Nebraska women's basketball team defeated Dakota Wesleyan University, 73-62, Saturday afternoon in Seward.

Concordia (8-12, 4-7 GPAC) owned the offensive glass on Saturday, as they got 15 second chance points compared to zero for the Tigers (8-15, 5-6 GPAC). In fact, DWU did not have a single offensive rebound in the game.

Playing without Krissy Turman (injury), Concordia trailed early by as many as five before going on a 15-2 run over a five minute span to take a 33-20 lead. During the run Brittany Feher scored six points off the bench.

However, the Tigers made 43 percent (10 of 23) of its field goals, five of them from long range, to stay close as the Bulldogs lead 37-30 at intermission.

Dakota Wesleyan shot 65 percent from the floor in the second half and took the lead, 41-40, with 13:15 remaining in the game. The Tigers where able to open up a four point advantage as the Bulldogs scored only five points in almost nine minutes.

Jessica Domina nailed a pair of free throws after she pulled down an offensive rebound as was fouled on her put back attempt to give the Bulldogs the lead for good, 48-47.

Stichka and Schmoldt then took the game over for Concordia, scoring 21 of the Bulldogs final 25 points. Schmoldt hit back-to-back threes to push the Bulldog lead to seven with 4:29 left. Schmoldt, who finished the game with 11 points (3 of 4 from beyond the arc) didn’t attempt a shot in the first half.

The Tigers would not go easily cutting the Concordia advantage to three on two occasions in the final 3:30. Each time, the Bulldogs answered with a triple from either Stichka or Schmoldt.

Concordia hit 8 of 8 free throws in the final 37 seconds to seal the victory.

Stichka was 7 of 8 at the line and led all Bulldogs in scoring with 16 points. She also added four rebounds, two steals and an assist in her first career start.

Eleven different players scored for Concordia. Joining Stichka in double figures were Schmoldt (11) and Jenni Lovegrove (11).

Lovegrove also grabbed eight rebounds. Tiffany Harder scored nine points off the bench while Domina, Feher and Carly Dittenber each chipped in with a half a dozen.

Concordia was 81.8 percent (27 of 33) at the line, going 14 of 16 after the break.

Dakota Wesleyan had two players foul out (and two others reach four. Kelly Haiar had a team-high 14 points for the Tigers while Kara Overweg (13), Sarah Mortenson (11), and Jennifer Pommer (10) were all in double figures.

The Bulldogs host Midland Lutheran on Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 7:30 p.m. before heading to Wisconsin for the 55th annual Concordia Invitational Tournament.

Bulldogs use late run for CIT win

27 JAN 2006

Redshirt freshman guard Whitney Stichka scored 13 points, 10 in the second half, as the Concordia University, Nebraska women’s basketball team came from behind for a 52-50 win over Concordia University, Illinois, (River Forest) in the first round of the 55th Annual Concordia Invitational Tournament (CIT).

The tournament, one of the longest running college basketball tournaments in the nation, rotates among sites. This year CIT is being hosted by Concordia University, Wisconsin, located in Mequon, Wis.

It was the third straight win for the Bulldogs (9-12, 5-7 GPAC), who have won 10 consecutive CIT titles. The Cougars (8-11, 2-3 NIIC) lost on the first day of CIT for the second straight year.

The Bulldogs opened up a 10 point lead on two occasions in the first half, the last coming at the 2:30 mark before heading into the locker room with an eight point cushion at intermission.

Early in the second half it looked as if the Bulldogs were going to pull away, as they opened up an 11-point lead, 31-20, with 17:41 remaining.

River Forest turned the tables on the Bulldogs, using a 23-3 run over the next 9:15 to take a 12-point lead with 7:31 left in the game.

The Bulldogs then started their comeback, getting a three-pointer from Whitney Stichka and four free throws from Libby Hirssig to cut the lead to five. A three by Jordan Schmoldt tied the game, 46-46, at the 3:06 mark.

The teams then traded baskets before Stichka buried a trey from the right baseline off a Schmoldt assist with 67 ticks on the clock to give the Bulldogs the lead for good, 51-50. A Schmoldt free throw pushed the lead to 52-50.

A deep shot from the corner as time expired by Alison Sansone of Concordia-Illinois was short to give the Bulldogs the win.

“Whitney stepped up down the stretch,” said Head Coach Todd Voss. “We played a great final seven minutes to come back and get the win.”

For the game the Bulldogs hit 17 of 20 free throws (85 percent) compared to River Forest who attempted only four free throws the entire game, capitalizing on three. From the field the Cougars (42 percent) were better than the Bulldogs (33 percent).

Eleven different player scored for the Bulldogs, but only Stichka was able to reach double figures with 13. Jessica Domina added eight points while Schmoldt finished with six.

Alison Sansone and Atoi Sinclair paced the Cougars with 15 and 14 points respectively.

The Bulldogs play the winner of Concordia-Michigan (Ann Arbor) and Concordia-Wisconsin (Mequon) tomorrow night at 6:00 p.m. in the championship game.

Complete effort nets Bulldogs 11th straight CIT title

28 JAN 2006

For the second straight game Redshirt freshman guard Whitney Stichka led the Bulldogs in scoring as the Concordia University, Nebraska women’s basketball team put together a complete game and team effort for a 70-57 win over Concordia University, Wisconsin, (Mequon) in the championship game of the 55th Annual Concordia Invitational Tournament (CIT).

With the win the Bulldogs (11-12, 4-7 GPAC), have now won 11 consecutive CIT titles. The Falcons (14-6, 9-2 LMC) lost at home for only the second time this season. They were also on a nine game winning streak coming into the game.

The Bulldogs trailed only briefly as the Falcons took a lead of two points on three occasions. Jessica Domina nailed a three-pointer to give the Bulldogs a 6-7 advantage and they never looked back.

After the Falcons battled back to cut the lead to one, the Bulldogs scored eight points in a matter of 59 seconds to bump the lead up to seven. Melissa Tinkham scored five points, including a trey, during the Concordia-Nebraska run.

In the final 5:18 of the first half the Bulldogs held the Falcons to only one field goal while scoring eleven points of their own to stretch their lead to 39-25 at intermission. Again it was Tinkham providing the offense, as she scored four points and dished out an assist to Domina who converted her second three of the game.

Six different Bulldogs had steals in the first half, as the Falcons turned the ball over 15 times. Most of the thefts by the Bulldogs came as Concordia-Wisconsin tried to feed Krista Mayyou, their leading scorer and post player.

“Our post defense was excellent tonight,” said Head Coach Todd Voss.

Libby Hirssig, Jenni Lovegrove and Domina all had multiple steals in the first frame, including four by Domina.

The Bulldog offense continued to thrive in the second half as the Bulldogs scored on five of their first seven possessions. Stichka buried a three to give the Bulldogs a 19-point lead with 15:44 remaining. The biggest lead of the night for Concordia-Nebraska was 22.

The closest the Falcons would get the rest of the way was 12 with just over five minutes remaining. The Bulldogs answered with a 5-0 run that included a layup by Domina and a traditional three-point play by Lovegrove.

Lovegrove finished the game with a double-double (16 points, 10 rebounds) and added four steals, but were led in scoring by Stichka’s 17 points. Domina and Tinkham each chipped in with a dozen for the Bulldogs.

Surprisingly the Bulldogs didn’t dominate all the statistical categories. Concordia-Wisconsin was better from the field (48 percent compared to 39 percent), of the shots the Bulldogs hit, seven were from long range, compared to only one for the Falcons, who also out rebounded the Bulldogs (35 to 33).

The Bulldogs forced 20 Falcon turnovers and converted them into 24 points.

For the game the Bulldogs hit 17 of 20 free throws (85 percent) compared to River Forest who attempted only four free throws the entire game, capitalizing on three. From the field the Cougars (42 percent) were better than the Bulldogs (33 percent).

The Bulldogs return to conference play on February 1 as they take on Briar Cliff in Sioux City, Iowa at 6:00 p.m.

Two earn CIT honors. Stichka named MVP

Two Bulldogs, Jessica Domina and Whitney Stichka, were named to the All-Tournament Team at the 55th annual CIT. Stichka was honored as the tournaments most valuable player.

Stichka finished the tournament with 30 points, shooting 45 percent from the field, 55 percent from beyond the arc and 84 percent from the charity stripe. She also added six assists and a pair of steals.

Comeback push falls short; Bulldogs drop pair

1 & 4 FEB 2006

The Concordia women’s basketball team saw their comeback bid fall short against Mount Marty on Saturday as they fell 76-74. It was the second loss in as many tries for the Bulldogs who also dropped a contest to Briar Cliff earlier in the week 71-62.

It was a game of runs against Briar Cliff as both teams had at least eight point leads in the first half. The Bulldogs started the game on fire, bolting to a 14-6 lead behind a pair of three-pointers from Jessica Domina and Whitney Stichka.

But Briar Cliff came roaring back, scoring 16 unanswered to take a 22-14 lead. Carly Dittenber stopped Charger run with a jumper from downtown with 6:44 left in the first half. The Bulldogs pulled to within four at the break thanks to a triple by Marie Wintz with four seconds remaining.

Concordia picked up in the second half where they left off in the first, scoring on seven of their first 10 possessions, including a Krissy Turman jumper at the 14:06 mark to take a 43-38 lead. Turman hit a jumper almost four minutes later to push the Bulldog advantage to six.

The Bulldogs were able to maintain the spread until the 7:59 mark. From that point in the game Concordia was outscored 21-6 to end the game. Nine of the Chargers 14 points in the final 6:02 came via the charity stripe. For the game, Briar Cliff had 20 second chance points as they out-rebounded the Bulldogs by nine and had 14 offensive rebounds. They also turned 19 Concordia turnovers into 13 points.

Jessica Domina recoreded a double-double with a dozen points and rebounds for the Bulldogs. Marie Wintz was the only other Bulldog in double figures with 11.

In Yankton, S.D. on Saturday the Bulldogs led only once, 2-0, but stayed within striking distance for nearly the entire game. The Lancers opened up a six point led in the first half, but the Bulldogs pulled to within two at halftime, 36-34.

Mount Marty slowly built their lead to as many as 12 in the second half before the Bulldogs started their comeback. In the final 7:45 of the game the Bulldogs outscored the Lancers 22-12.

Libby Hirssig grabbed an offensive rebound with 16 seconds left and converted a layup to cut the Lancer lead to two. Hirssig was fouled on the play, but missed the free throw. After two free throws by Mount Marty’s Cassie Iverson pushed the Lancers advantage back to four Hirssig grabbed another offensive rebound was fouled as she scored on the putback. Her free throw was again short. But the Lancers left the door open as Natasha Swier missed both free throws at the other end. Domina pulled down the rebound with five seconds left but the Bulldogs were not able to get off a shot before the buzzer sounded.

Krissy Turman led the Bulldogs in scoring with 15. Dittenber added 14 and Jenni Lovegrove had a dozen.

Valentine's Day lovely for Bulldogs

14 FEB 2006

The Concordia University, Nebraska women’s basketball team erupted in the second half as they picked up a 75-66 win over Midland Lutheran College on Valentine’s Day in Fremont, Neb.

Trailing by two, 27-25, at end of the first half the Bulldogs doubled their offensive production in the second frame, outscoring the Warriors 50-39.

The game had had 12 lead changes and was tied eight different times, including five times in the second half. It wasn’t until Jenni Lovegrove’s layup with the 8:24 remaining that Concordia took the lead for good. Concordia took advantage of 10 turnovers by Midland, converting them into 17 points.

The Bulldogs also dominated another statistical category – bench points. Concordia had 26 points compared to only six by the Warriors. Melissa Tinkham had 14 points, 11 in the second half, in 17 minutes of action for the Bulldogs. She was 3 of 5 from beyond the arc and 5 of 6 from the charity stripe. Whitney Stichka and Libby Hirssig also chipped in with six points each off the bench.

In addition, three of the five Bulldog starters were in double figures. Lovegrove led the Bulldogs in scoring with 15 points. Carly Dittenber had 13 points, all in the second half, and Jessica Domina chipped in with 11.

Midland was paced by Karmen Jericevic who led all scorers with 23 points. Allie Rippe was right behind with 22, while Elizabeth Sneed added 13.

No. 9 Doane too much for Bulldogs

18 FEB 2006

The Concordia University, Nebraska women’s basketball team was able to stay close early on, but No. 9 Doane eventually pulled away, losing 62-47 on Saturday in the final regular season game of the season for each squad.

Ashley Howard had 18 points in the first half to help the Tigers open up a 12 point lead at half. The Bulldogs struggled from the field shooting just 32 percent in the opening frame. Doane on the other hand was red hot from the field, hitting on 60 percent of their shots.

Concordia improved in the second half, shooting 40 percent, but it wasn’t enough as Doane finished the game shooting 52.8 percent. For the second straight game Melissa Tinkham came of the bench and scored in double digits for the Bulldogs. She finished with a dozen points and three rebounds. Tinkham was the only Bulldog in double figures.

Concordia is scheduled to host Dakota Wesleyan in the first round of the GPAC tournament on Tuesday, February 21 at 7:30 p.m. The Bulldogs are the No. 8 seed while DWU is the No. 9 seed. The winner of Tuesday moves on to face No. 1 seed Hastings College on February, 23 at a 7:30 p.m.

Season ends with overtime loss

21 FEB 2006

The Dakota Wesleyan women's basketball team got some late game heroics to beat Concordia University, Nebraska, 82-72 in overtime, in the first round of the GPAC tournament Tuesday night Seward. The Tigers (11-20, 7-11 GPAC) move on to face No. 1 seed Hastings College on Thursday while the Bulldogs’ (13-17, 7-11 GPAC), see their season come to an end.

The Bulldogs led 42-34 at the break behind 41.9 percent shooting from the field and eleven points from senior Jessica Domina. Concordia had nine different players score in the first half, including four who hit from beyond the arc.

Concordia was in control most of the second half, opening up an 11-point advantage with 13:23 remaining in regulation. Twice the Tigers cut the lead to three, but both times the Bulldogs answered, including a three by Whitney Stichka to push the lead back to six with 4:59.

But Dakota Wesleyan limited Concordia to just four points the rest of the way to force the overtime period. In fact, the Tigers took their first lead since midway through the first half on a deep three by Jennifer Pommer with 2:03 remaining to take a 64-63 advantage. Wesleyan pushed their lead to a deuce as Kellly Haiar converted one of two free throws with 17 ticks left on the clock.

Domina grabbed the rebound on the second free throw shot and got the ball to Carly Dittenber. The senior then drove the middle of the lane, getting fouled with nine seconds on the clock. Dittenber knocked down both free throws to tie the game at 65 and force overtime.

In the extra session, DWU scored the 12 of their 17 points via the charity stripe. Pommer hit another big three for the Tigers to push the lead to six. The closest the Bulldogs would get in overtime was one, after a free throw by Stichka.

Both teams played the extra frame shorthanded as five different players (three Bulldogs, two Tigers) fouled out of the contest. Those fouling out in OT included Domina, who was given a standing ovation by the crowd in her final game as a Bulldog. Dittenber was also treated to a warm round of applause by the home crowd as she left the game in the final minute.

The senior duo led the Bulldogs in scoring, Domina with 19 and Dittenber with 14. Dittenber was almost perfect from the line, converting on 9 of 10 opportunities. Domina also had five rebounds. Jenni Lovegrove, Whitney Stichka and Krissy Turman all chipped in with eight points a piece.

Kelly Haiar was one of four Tigers in double figures and had a game-high 20 points on 6 of 9 shooting from the floor. She was 8 of 12 at the line and grabbed seven rebounds, before fouling out with 32.1 second left in OT. Kara Overweg and Pommer each had three triples, scoring 17 and 12 points respectively.

Voss joins staff at Drake University

Concordia Athletic Director Grant Schmidt has announced that Todd Voss (right), head women’s basketball coach, has resigned to take a position as an assistant coach at Drake University, an NCAA Division I school, in Des Moines, Iowa.

Last season Drake was 17-12, including a 13-5 second-place finish in the Missouri Valley Conference, en route to earning their second WNIT bid in three seasons. Voss joins Dr. Micah Parker, another former Concordia head coach, as an assistant for Drake Head Coach Amy Stephens.

“Losing Todd is tough for the institution, athletic department, and women’s basketball program. He is an outstanding coach with integrity and a strong faith and has accomplished an awful lot in just a very short period of time, but he felt that it was time to take on a new challenges in his career,” Schmidt said. “At Concordia, both as a player and a coach, Todd has always been about success, I am proud of what he has done for this university and I am positive that he will continue that success elsewhere.”

During his four years as Concordia head coach, Voss compiled a 108-32 (.771) record at Concordia. In 2003 he led the Bulldogs to the NAIA Final Four, a No. 1 national ranking, and the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Championship and a school-best 36-2 record. As a result, he was voted the 2003 GPAC Coach-of-the-Year.

In 2004-05 the Bulldogs returned to the Final Four and were the GPAC postseason tournament champions and Voss was named the Lincoln Journal Star state college coach of the year. Under his guidance the women’s basketball program also earned an unprecedented six straight NAIA academic national championships as awarded by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.

“I am very thankful for my years at Concordia. I had the opportunity to work with some outstanding student-athletes and coaches which led to success on and off the court,” said Voss. “It was a great seven years and my family and I will certainly miss the people. At the same time we are very excited for the opportunity to be a part of Drake University and contribute to the success of their women’s basketball program.”

In addition to his role as head women’s basketball coach Voss also served as a faculty member and the director of athletic facilities.

The search for a replacement will begin immediately.

Olson named head women's basketball coach

Concordia Athletic Director Grant Schmidt announced today that Drew Olson has been selected as the new head women's basketball coach at Concordia.

A native of Omaha, Neb., Olson has ties to Concordia. He was a three year letterwinner for the Bulldogs in both basketball and tennis. During his basketball career he helped the Bulldogs make two NAIA National Tournament appearances, win three Concordia Invitational Tournament (CIT) titles and a Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Tournament Championship.

In addition he was honored individually as an NAIA All-America honorable mention selection, and a NAIA Scholar-Athlete. He was also a GPAC All-Conference selection and the Concordia Athlete of the Year in 2003.

Olson’s coaching resume includes a stop at Bellevue University (Bellevue, Neb.) where he served as an assistant men’s basketball coach for the last three seasons. During Olson’s time at Bellevue the Bruins compiled a record of 74-21 and made three NAIA National Tournament Appearances, finishing as national runner-up once and in the quarterfinals. In addition they won two Midlands College Athletic Conference (MCAC) regular season and tournament titles.

Coaching is a familiar career choice for the members of the Olson family as his father, Rich, has coached girl’s basketball at the high school level for over 20 years, winning three state championships at Millard South, and currently serves as the head girls coach at Lincoln Northeast. Drew’s brother, Jarrod, is also in the college coaching ranks, recently taking over as head women’s coach at Florida Southern University after serving as an assistant at Creighton University.

"I could not be more pleased to name Drew as the latest addition to the Bulldog Athletic Department,” said Schmidt. “Drew is a natural leader with all the qualities that we look for in coaches to lead athletes and teams at Concordia. I am confident that he will be able to continue to build on the past success of the women’s program and prove himself as one of the top young coaches in the region.”

“I am honored to be given the opportunity to take over the women’s basketball program at Concordia,” Olson said. “Coach Voss did an excellent job solidifying the program as a National contender and I look forward to working with this talented group of Christian women to continue that success with Concordia values.”