Bulldog Athletic Association Member (BAAM) Athletes of the Week
Male: Sean Stratman, Soccer
A returning Second Team All-GPAC performer, Sean Stratman will again help anchor the back line for the Bulldogs. In the 2025 season opener, Stratman helped limit Columbia College (Mo.) to three shots on goal. Stratman is a sophomore from Omaha, Neb.
Female: Kierstynn Garner, Soccer / Ashley Keck, Volleyball
A senior from Kearney, Neb., Kierstynn Garner enjoyed a strong start to the 2025 season as she posted two goals and two assists while up against two NAIA top 25 foes. Garner and company drew with No. 23 University of Science & Arts (Okla.), 3-3, and then upset No. 4 Columbia College (Mo.), 3-1. Garner is one of four players in program history with at least 50 career goals.
A senior from Kearney, Neb., Ashley Keck reached a milestone of her own as she eclipsed 1,000 career kills as part of fourth-ranked Concordia’s 3-0 run at the Power Quad. Over those three outings, Keck tallied 46 kills and 51 digs and was named GPAC Attacker of the Week. Keck is a returning NAIA First Team All-American.
2025-26 BAAM Athletes of the Week
Aug. 26 – Kierstynn Garner (soccer); Ashley Keck (volleyball); Sean Stratman (soccer)
News and notes:
BAAM luncheons are held every Tuesday (when classes are in session) 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.
Previewing 2025 fall athletic seasons: Fall seasons are officially underway for several Concordia Athletics teams. Others are still looking forward to getting underway with action for the 2025 campaign. For more details on fall sports, check out the season previews linked below.
• Cross Country
• Men’s Golf | Women’s Golf
• Men’s Soccer
• Women’s Soccer
• Volleyball
Concordia Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2025: The Concordia Athletics Hall of Fame class of 2024 was revealed to the public on July 23. The new inductees will include Sarah Kortze ’14, Philly Lammers ’20, Courtney Meyer ’65, Randy Pospishil ’73 and the 2014-15 men’s track & field team. The class will be officially inducted as part of a ceremony on Oct. 10 in conjunction with homecoming weekend on campus. For more details on the Hall of Fame, click HERE.
Concordia Athletics thanks Tae’lor Purdy-Korell for 10 years of service: It was announced early this week that Tae’lor Purdy-Korell has resigned her position as Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach. Purdy-Korell spent the past 10 seasons assisting Drew Olson for a powerhouse program that won the 2019 NAIA Division II national title. Purdy-Korell stepped down in order to spend more time with her husband Lance and three children. Olson’s program will soon announce a new assistant coach to replace Purdy-Korell.
Bulldog Coaches Show airs every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. CT: The Bulldog Coaches Show has returned for an 11th year. 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 2025-26 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, basketball and volleyball. In addition, Eric Allgood will call select volleyball matches in place of Cyza.
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 with the 2023-24 academic year, Concordia Athletics began a partnership with Hudl for live video 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 via the Hudl account. For select JV streams, check out that specific sport’s Facebook page.
Volleyball
· Current record: 4-0; ranked No. 4 in the NAIA coaches’ poll.
· Last week:
o Won vs. Columbia College, 25-17, 23-25, 25-13, 25-18, on Aug. 21.
o Won vs. MidAmerica Nazarene, 25-23, 25-15, 25-20, on Aug. 21.
o Won at No. 1 Indiana Wesleyan, 24-26, 25-21, 25-27, 25-17, 15-10, on Aug. 22.
· Links: 2025 Schedule | Roster | Statistics | NAIA Coaches’ Poll
· Notable: So far so good as Concordia Volleyball has opened the eighth season of Head Coach Ben Boldt’s tenure. The fourth-ranked Bulldogs stand at 4-0 after last week’s 3-0 run at the Power Quad hosted by Indiana Wesleyan University. In action in Marion, Ind., Concordia toppled Columbia College (Mo.) in four sets, MidAmerica Nazarene University (Kan.) in three and top-ranked Indiana Wesleyan in an eventful five-set clash. Both Columbia and MNU received votes in the NAIA preseason poll. As a major individual highlight, returning NAIA First Team All-American Ashley Keck became the 11th player in program history to reach 1,000 career kills. Keck (14 kills, 31 digs, five blocks and three aces) and fellow senior Molli Martin (13 kills and 10 blocks; both career highs) starred in the victory over the two-time defending national champion Wildcats. The Bulldogs have taken down Indiana Wesleyan in August for a second straight year. Through four matches, Concordia has showcased familiar veteran hitters such as Keck, Ava Greene, Addie Kirkegaard, Kya Scott and Ella Waters. The freshmen have also provided a lift as Ella and Emma Brueggemann and Laynee Baker have emerged as key performers. Another challenging weekend classic awaits as the Bulldogs put their unblemished record on the line at the College of Saint Mary Labor Day Classic on Friday and Saturday (full slate listed below). The action in Omaha will put Concordia up against two more ranked foes: No. 16 Viterbo University (Wis.) and No. 5 Eastern Oregon University. All matches will be carried live by 104.9 Max Country.
· For additional news and notes on Concordia Volleyball, check out the team’s homepage HERE.
· This week (all matches at CSM Labor Day Classic in Omaha):
o Friday, Aug. 29 vs. Ottawa University (Kan.), 12 p.m. CT.
o Friday, Aug. 29 vs. No. 16 Viterbo University (Wis.), 4 p.m. CT.
o Saturday, Aug. 30 vs. Bethel College (Kan.), 9 a.m. CT.
o Saturday, Aug. 30 vs. No. 5 Eastern Oregon University, 1 p.m. CT.
Women’s Soccer
· Current record: 1-0-1.
· Last week:
o Tied vs. No. 23 Science and Arts, 3-3, on Aug. 21.
o Won vs. No. 4 Columbia, 3-1, on Aug. 23.
· Links: 2025 Schedule | Roster | Statistics | NAIA Coaches’ Poll
· Notable: Head Coach Nick Smith was encouraged by the opening week of the 2025 season as the Bulldogs more than held their own while up against two NAIA top 25 opponents. Concordia drew with No. 23 University of Science and Arts (Okla.), 3-3, before upending fourth-ranked Columbia College (Mo.), 3-1, two days later. Columbia reached the national semifinals last season and returned an NAIA First Team All-American goalkeeper. The Cougars represented the highest ranked opponent ever defeated by a Bulldog women’s soccer team (first varsity season in 1996). Prior to this past weekend, the program’s previous highest ranked wins came over No. 16 Hastings in 2014 and No. 16 Bellevue in 2015. In the momentous win, Concordia got a goal apiece from freshman Lupe Sanchez (6’), senior Kierstynn Garner (33’) and freshman Charli Preister (85’). A two-time First Team All-GPAC honoree, Garner hit the 50-goal milestone last week, becoming the fourth player in school history to accomplish that feat. The others are Jennifer Davis ’06 (88), Angela Krueger ’01 (65) and Brittany Tomsick ’07 (53). Also notable, the Columbus native Preister put away a goal in each of her first two collegiate games. Depth appears to be a theme for the Bulldogs, who have trotted out more than 20 players for minutes over the first two contests. Nonconference play continues this week as Concordia looks ahead to Wednesday’s road trip to Dakota State University (S.D.) and Saturday’s home matchup with former GPAC rival Nebraska Wesleyan University.
· For additional news and notes, check out the program’s homepage HERE.
· This week:
o Wednesday, Aug. 27 at Dakota State University (S.D.), 6 p.m. CT.
o Saturday, Aug. 30 vs. Nebraska Wesleyan University, 2 p.m. CT.
Men’s Soccer
· Current record: 0-1.
· Last week:
o Lost vs. Columbia, 1-0, on Aug. 23.
· Links: 2025 Schedule | Roster | Statistics | NAIA Coaches’ Poll
· Notable: The 18th season of Jason Weides’ head coaching tenure got underway inside Bulldog Stadium as Concordia welcomed Columbia College (Mo.) to town on Aug. 23. The Cougars got a 22nd-minute goal from Harry Stephen and made it hold up. Columbia emerged with statistical advantages in shots, 11-6, and corner kicks, 13-5. After saying goodbye to a large 2024-25 senior class, the Bulldogs are counting on returners to step into larger roles while integrating a significant group of newcomers. The initial starting 11 featured returning GPAC All-Conference players in goalkeeper Nolan Fuelberth (second team) and defenders Sean Stratman (second team) and Mike Wyvill (honorable mention). Other returners in the lineup were Ryan Brown, Hugo Garrote, Mattis Hollnagel, Slade Leicht, Kai Olbrich and Adrian Wambua. Meanwhile, freshmen Milo Hegarty and Noah Rakowsky cracked the first 11. Weides’ squad landed in a tie for second in the GPAC preseason poll after placing second last season in both the regular season and postseason. Concordia will carry a 26-game GPAC regular season unbeaten streak (16-0-10) into 2025 conference play. Next up on the docket will be two nonconference road trips as the Bulldogs travel to William Woods University (Mo.) on Thursday and to Missouri Baptist University on Saturday.
· For a closer look at this week’s matchups, check out the game notes linked HERE.
· This week:
o Thursday, Aug. 28 at William Woods University (Mo.), 1 p.m. CT.
o Saturday, Aug. 30 at Missouri Baptist University, 1 p.m. CT.
Golf
· Last season:
o Men – Placed 10th in the GPAC (317-313-318–948).
o Women – Placed 7th in the GPAC (332-329-343–1,004).
· Men’s Links: 2025-26 Schedule | Roster | Statistics (link to come)
· Women’s Links: 2025-26 Schedule | Roster | Statistics (link to come)
· Notable: The 2025-26 season teed off on Monday for the men’s team. As of mid-day Tuesday, the Bulldogs were in the process of polishing off the two-round Mount Marty Invite in Yankton, S.D. On day one, Concordia’s ‘A’ team carded a score of 318, placing it 10th out of 14 total groupings. The top two individual scores were turned in by freshmen as Tyler Weismann shot four-over-par 76 and Calvin Zabloudil shot 78. Returning Honorable Mention All-GPAC performer Jake Richmond shot an 82 in the first round of his senior season. Richmond led the 2024-25 team in scoring average. Meanwhile, a women’s squad led by First Team All-GPAC senior Emery Custer will get the ’25-26 campaign underway with the Mount Marty Invite on Thursday and Friday. Custer, Maddie Lewis and Savannah McFalls are the top returners from last season. At the 2025 GPAC Championships, the Bulldogs placed seventh on the women’s side and 10th on the men’s side. The conference tournaments are held during the spring semester. Head Coach Brett Muller has begun his 15th season at the helm of Concordia Golf.
· This week:
o Men – Monday-Tuesday (Aug. 25-26) at Mount Marty Invite in Yankton, S.D.
o Women – Thursday-Friday (Aug. 28-29) at Mount Marty Invite in Yankton, S.D.
Cross Country
· Last season:
o Men – placed 3rd at the 2024 GPAC Championships.
o Women – placed 4th at the 2024 GPAC Championships.
· Links: 2025 Schedule | Roster
· Notable: Report date was Aug. 19 for Concordia Cross Country, which got a head start on preparing for the 2025 season. Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squads both placed in the top four of the final 2024 GPAC standings. Concordia returns each of its national qualifiers: All-American Vaughn Hendrickson, Trey Robertson and Keegan Beisel. Hopes are high for the Bulldogs, who aspire to qualify both teams for the NAIA National Championships. For a season preview, click HERE.
· For additional news and notes on the Concordia Cross Country teams, click HERE.
· Season opener:
o Friday, Sept. 5 at Augustana Twilight (Sioux Falls, S.D.), 8:40 p.m.
Shooting Sports
· Last season:
o Placed 7th/14 at 2025 ACUI Collegiate Clay Target National Championships.
· Links: 2025-26 Schedule | Roster
· Notable: Concordia Shooting Sports arrived on campus along with the start of the fall semester. Head Coach Dylan Owens is gearing up for his fourth season leading the Bulldogs. The program is coming off a 2024-25 season that saw it place third in the Prairie Circuit Conference and seventh in the Division 2 breakdown at the 2025 ACUI Collegiate Clay Target National Championships. A 2025-26 season preview will be available online next week.
· Season opener:
o Fort Hays State Fall Intercollegiate Shoot in Hays, Kan., Sept. 6-7.
Football
· Current record: 0-0; ranked No. 21 in NAIA coaches’ poll.
· Last season:
o Finished 8-2 and ranked No. 18 in 2024 postseason NAIA coaches’ poll.
· Links: 2025 Schedule | Roster | Statistics | NAIA Coaches’ Poll
· Notable: Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad reported to campus on Aug. 5 for preseason preparation. A series of Saturday scrimmages will lead the Bulldogs into their Sept. 6 season opener versus Doane underneath the Bulldog Stadium lights. A season preview will be released this week online with details on preseason happenings and expectations for 2025. Daberkow is entering his ninth season as head coach.
· For details on each week’s matchup, check out the game notes linked HERE.
· Season opener:
o Saturday, Sept. 6 vs. Doane (3-8, 3-7 GPAC in 2024), 7 p.m. CT.