Bulldog Athletic Association Member (BAAM) Athletes of the Week
Male: Carter Kent, Basketball
A Crete, Neb., native, Carter Kent continued his stellar play last week while totaling 44 points and making 16-of-31 shots from the filed in wins over Mount Marty and Hastings. Kent also added eight rebounds and seven assists on the week. He is averaging 17.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game this season.
Female: Sarah Lewis, Track & Field
Lewis, who hails from Mason City, Iowa, starred at the Concordia Early Bird Meet, achieving automatic national qualifying standards in the 60 meter hurdles, 400 meters and as part of the 4x400 meter relay. Her times in the 60 hurdles and 400 meters both rank inside the top three in school history. Lewis is a six-time NAIA All-American.
Previous BAAM Athletes of the Week
Dec. 7 – Carter Kent (basketball) / Gabi Nordaker (volleyball)
Nov. 30 – Noah Schutte (basketball) / Taysha Rushton (basketball)
Nov. 16 – Korrell Koehlmoos (football) / Bree Burtwistle (volleyball)
Nov. 9 – Camden Sesna (cross country) / Gabi Nordaker (volleyball)
Nov. 2 – Carter Kent (basketball) / Camryn Opfer (volleyball)
Oct. 26 – Peyton Mitchell (football) / Lexie Kreizel (volleyball)
Oct. 19 – Lane Napier (football) / Kalie Ward (soccer)
Oct. 12 – Caydren Cox (football) / Kalee Wiltfong (volleyball)
Oct. 5 – DJ McGarvie (football) / Sarah Schwacher (shooting sports)
Sept. 28 – Wyatt Hambly (shooting sports) / Gabi Nordaker (volleyball)
Sept. 21 – Camden Sesna (cross country) / Lina Kirst (soccer) / Grace Reiman (cross country) / Carly Rodaway (volleyball)
Sept. 14 – Caydren Cox (football) / Mikeila Martinez (soccer)
Sept. 7 – Drew D’Ercole (golf) / Ivan Yabut (golf) / Erica Heinzerling (volleyball)
Aug. 31 – Martin Herrera (soccer) / Camryn Opfer (volleyball)
BAAM Athletes of the Month
November – Noah Schutte (basketball) / Gabi Nordaker (volleyball)
October – Lane Napier (football) / Camryn Opfer (volleyball)
September – Caydren Cox (football) / Gabi Nordaker (volleyball)
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.
Game/event days on campus: Concordia Athletics continues to welcome fans to its venues for sporting events. Currently, there are no attendance limits. Before visiting road venues involving Bulldog teams, fans should be sure to check the spectator policies on those particular campuses. Other locations may require the use of face coverings. Once again, fans attending varsity sporting events at Concordia are able to purchase advance tickets online via HomeTown Ticketing. Tickets will also be sold on site on the day of events. Should any policies or protocols for fans change, updated information will be available on the athletics fan information page HERE.
Concordia Invitational Tournament tickets on sale: Tickets for the 70th Concordia Invitational Tournament are now on sale via online orders at https://www.cune.edu/athletics/tickets. The event will take place Jan. 28-29 inside Friedrich Arena and will feature competition in the sports of men’s and women’s basketball, cheer and dance. CIT features the Concordias of Nebraska, Ann Arbor, Chicago and Wisconsin. For more details on the upcoming event, click HERE.
Concordia announces launch of men’s and women’s powerlifting programs: Concordia Athletics will soon expand its sport offerings. The Athletic Department announced the launch of men’s and women’s powerlifting on Nov. 9. The two programs will begin competition during the 2022-23 academic year. The target date to name a head coach is January 1, 2022. Like all other intercollegiate sports at Concordia, the powerlifting programs will offer athletic scholarships to student-athletes. For more on this development, click HERE.
Napier, Schardt recognized as All-Americans: The Concordia University Football program landed a pair of standouts on the All-America list released on Monday (Dec. 13) by the NAIA. The award winners are linebacker Lane Napier (first team) and tight end Garrett Schardt (honorable mention). Napier has earned some form of All-America recognition for the fourth year in a row. As a program, the Bulldogs have had at least one All-America honoree in each of the past seven years. For more on Napier and Schardt, click HERE.
Recapping the fall of 2021: The fall of 2021 in Concordia Athletics yielded both thrilling and heartbreaking moments. Bulldogs reached the national stage in cross country and volleyball while Lane Napier and Ivan Yabut accomplished feats never before attained by any individuals in school history. The Shooting Sports program was especially impressive in placing third or better at every fall event. Much more significant than any result, Concordia said goodbye to shooting sports Head Coach Scott Moniot. For more on the top moments and performances from this past fall, read our complete fall recap HERE. Below are links to sport-specific seasons-in-review.
-2021 Volleyball season-in-review
-2021 Football season-in-review
-2021 Men’s Soccer season-in-review
-2021 Women’s Soccer season-in-review
Volleyball program achieves program’s best ever final ranking: On the strength of an appearance in the national quarterfinals, the 2021 Concordia University Volleyball team has achieved the best end-of-season ranking in the history of the program. The Bulldogs landed at No. 6 in the NAIA Postseason Coaches’ Top 25 Poll released on Dec. 8. While garnering 471 points in the poll, Concordia vaulted up to sixth after being ranked No. 19 in the poll that preceded the national tournament. Head Coach Ben Boldt’s program has finished three-consecutive seasons at No. 14 or higher. For more details, click HERE.
Nordaker and Schutte honored as BAAM November Athletes of the Month: Courtesy of their efforts throughout the entire month, Gabi Nordaker of the volleyball program and Noah Schutte of the men’s basketball program have been named the Bulldog Athletic Association Member (BAAM) Athletes of the Month for November 2021. Nordaker and Schutte emerged as the winners of a vote conducted at the BAAM luncheon held on Tuesday (Dec. 7). Nordaker also took the same honor for September. For more details on their exploits, click HERE.
Bulldog Coaches Show airs every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. CT: The Bulldog Coaches Show is underway in its seventh 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 2021-22 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 seventh 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. For more details on this change, click HERE. Check team schedules/results pages for webcast dates. Scrimmages, exhibitions and junior varsity events are not broadcasted.
Track & Field
· For the third season in a row, the Bulldogs got the indoor campaign started prior to Christmas break. The program welcomed athletes from nine opposing institutions during the two-day Concordia Early Bird Meet (Dec. 10-11) held inside the Fieldhouse. The yields for the Bulldogs included eight automatic national qualifying marks, three ‘B’ standard marks, 12 event championships and one of the nation’s top pentathlon point totals. Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squads are coming off strong 2021 indoor seasons that saw Concordia turn in NAIA national place finishes of third on the women’s side and 12th on the men’s side. For more information on Concordia Track & Field, click HERE.
· Below is a list of the Bulldogs who achieved marks at the Early Bird that were reported to the national leaderboard. It should be noted that several times were converted for the national performance list.
o Women’s 4x400m relay – A (3:53.73)
o Andy Amos – A, weight throw (57’ 10 ¼”)
o Olivia Buschow – B, weight throw (52’ 10 ¾”)
o Amira Cummings – A, pole vault (11’ 6 ½”)
o Morgan De Jong – A, weight throw (55’ 5”)
o Sarah Lewis – A, 400 meters (57.34); A, 60 hurdles (8.87)
o Wyatt Loga – B, high jump (6’ 7”)
o Josie Puelz – A, pole vault (13’ 2 ¼”)
o Amy Richert – No. 2 in NAIA in pentathlon (3,407)
o Calvin Rohde – B, 3,000 meters (8:38.77)
o Chris Wren – A, weight throw (61’ 8 ½”)
· Sarah Lewis stole the show with her efforts on the track at the Early Bird. Lewis qualified for nationals in each of her three events – the 60 hurdles, 400 meters and as part of the 4x400 meter relay squad. The times turned in the 60 hurdles (8.87) and 4x400 meter relay (3:56.83) represented meet records. A native of Mason City, Iowa, Lewis has put together a standout collegiate career that includes six All-America awards. Last indoor season, Lewis competed in each of the three aforementioned events at the indoor national championships and helped the 4x4 to All-America accolades.
· With stars like Lewis and Josie Puelz leading the way, Concordia expects to have one of the top women’s teams in the nation once again. A two-time pole vault national champion, Puelz remains motivated as she begins her third year inside the program. The Lincoln Lutheran alum took a shot at breaking her own school record last week and came up just short. However, she still managed to clear 13’ 2 ¼” and is currently ranked second in the NAIA. Puelz will have company at nationals in the pole vault with teammate Amira Cummings also qualifying. In addition, Erin Mapson is a four-time All-American.
· A lot is always expected out of Coach Ed McLaughlin’s throws crew. The group emerged from the Early Bird with three auto marks, courtesy of Andy Amos, Morgan De Jong and Chris Wren in the weight throw. Olivia Buschow also turned in a ‘B’ mark. De Jong is both a reigning GPAC champion and All-American in the weight throw while Wren was also a 2021 weight throw All-American. Perhaps someone from that group will develop into a national title contender after the program graduated past national champions Jacob Cornelio and Addie Shaw last season. McLaughlin has overseen 19 individual throwing national titles during his acclaimed coaching career.
· Now in her second collegiate season, Amy Richert (Gresham, Neb.) is a potential breakout star. She is coming off a fine rookie track campaign that saw her earn two All-America awards at the 2021 outdoor national meet – sixth in the heptathlon and seventh in the high jump. Last week, Richert made a run at the school record in the pentathlon while piling up 3,386 points. The school record of 3,410 points by Jessica Deterding remains intact. Richert won both the pentathlon and high jump competitions at the Early Bird.
· The 12 event titles at the Early Bird were produced by the women’s 4x4, women’s 4x8, Jamey Broman (long jump), Rylee Haecker (1,000 meters), Lewis (60 hurdles), Cora Olson (60 meters; 200 meters), Puelz (pole vault), Grace Reiman (3,000 meters), Richert (pentathlon; high jump) and Kailey Weichel (600 meters). Runners up from Concordia included Mark Cooke (400 meters), Cummings (pole vault), De Jong (weight throw), Abi DeLoach (3,000 meters), Abigail Gerber (shot put), Charlie Hayden (mile), Bella Hruza (60 meters), Rhaya Kaschinske (1,000 meters), Jordan Koepke (60 hurdles), Averie Lambrecht (triple jump), Lewis (400 meters), Rohde (3,000 meters) and Katie Severt (long jump).
· The Bulldogs will be idle over the Christmas/semester break and then gear up for a return to action on Jan. 14-15 when they are slated to compete at the Scott Nisely Memorial Classic (hosted by Doane) and the University of Nebraska Graduate Classic. In addition, Concordia is scheduled to host three more home meets this indoor season. The schedule allows the Bulldogs to remain local until their group of national qualifiers head to Brookings, S.D., for the national meet, March 3-5.
Men’s Basketball
· Concordia took care of business during a week that included matchups against two opponents situated below it in the GPAC standings. The Bulldogs once again protected the home court while defeating Mount Marty, 87-72, on Dec. 8. Three days later, Concordia shook off a five-point halftime deficit and pulled away for an 81-66 win at Hastings. Head Coach Ben Limback’s squad has won three in a row and six of its last seven outings. The Bulldogs are currently perched atop the GPAC standings at 6-2 in league play (11-2 overall). For more information on Concordia Men’s Basketball, click HERE.
· Not since the 2004-05 team raced out to a 13-0 start has the program won at least 11 of its first 13 games in a season. The ’04-05 team went on to win the GPAC tournament title and advance all the way to the NAIA Division II national title game. This ’21-22 squad just might be the most well-rounded team since then. One potential achievement in play for the current team (not achieved by the ’04-05 squad) is a conference regular season championship. During the GPAC era, the program has captured three conference tournament titles but never a conference regular season championship. The program’s most recent conference regular season title occurred in 1995-96.
· Gage Smith turned in one of the finest games of his collegiate career while going for 25 points and 11 rebounds in the win over Mount Marty. The Lancers couldn’t stop Smith in the post during the second half when the Bulldogs turned a close game into a comfortable win with a 16-2 run. During which, Smith totaled nine points. In addition, Carter Kent (19) and Noah Schutte (14) reached double figures in scoring while Justin Wiersema added eight points and five assists. Concordia put the game on ice by making 19-of-21 shots from the foul line. The Bulldogs also shot a sterling 53.6 percent from the floor, helping overcome a 24-point outing from Mount Marty’s Tyrell Harper.
· The game at Hastings wasn’t the first time this season that Concordia has struggled defensively in the first half and then made an adjustment. The Broncos’ Karson Gansebom struck for 16 points in the first 10 minutes of the game and Hastings took a 41-36 lead to the half. The Bulldogs responded by dominating the next 20 minutes in outscoring the Broncos, 45-25, as Kent and company heated up. Kent racked up 25 points while Schutte (18) and Wiersema (13) also hit double figures. Gage Smith added seven points and nine rebounds and Garrett Seagren chipped in nine points off the bench. The biggest highlight of the game occurred roughly midway through the second half with Tristan Smith threw down an emphatic one-handed slam in transition.
· It seems fair to say that Kent is in the midst of playing the best basketball of his career. Named the GPAC Player of the Week on Dec. 7, Kent has posted respective point totals of 20, 32, 19 and 25 over the past four games. That equals a four-game scoring average of 24.0 points per game. During that stretch, Kent has made 34-of-64 shots from the floor, including 15-of-34 attempts from beyond the arc. On the defensive end, Kent has done a solid job when asked to guard the opponent’s top perimeter scorer. Kent is averaging 17.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game on the season.
· Concordia ‘only’ shot 47.0 percent at Hastings, snapping what had been a string of six-straight games with a field goal percentage north of 50. Offensive efficiency has been a theme for the Bulldogs who sport national ranks of 10th in free throw percentage (.775), 12th for fewest turnovers per game (9.8) and 19th in field goal percentage (.496). It’s becoming a real chore to hold down Concordia’s starting group, four of which are shooting 48 percent or better from the floor: Schutte (.565), Gage Smith (.559), Wiersema (.520) and Kent (.483). Each of those four players are averaging at least 13.6 points per game.
· The home win streak stretched to 11 with the win over Mount Marty. The Bulldogs have also won 23 of their last 24 games played inside Friedrich Arena. With the exception of Morningside, every program in the GPAC has dropped its most recent trip to Seward. During the active 11-game home win streak, Concordia has won 10 of those contests by double-digit margins (outlier was a 91-90 buzzer beating win over Peru State College). In true road games this season, the Bulldogs are 2-2 with wins over Dordt and Hastings.
· Concordia will finish final exams this week and then make its way to Daytona Beach, Fla., for matchups this Sunday versus No. 23 William Jessup University (Calif.) and next Tuesday (Dec. 21) versus Rochester University (Mich.). Tipoff times are set for 6 p.m. CT on Dec. 19 and 1 p.m. CT on Dec. 21. The Bulldogs are scheduled to play their final game of the calendar year on Dec. 29 with a matchup at Ottawa University (Kan.).
Women’s Basketball
· Concordia is finding consistency as it digs deeper into GPAC play. The Bulldogs got out to strong starts in both of last week’s outings and collected a home win over Mount Marty, 88-53, and a road win at Hastings, 91-69. Over the past six games, the only loss for the Bulldogs came on the road against No. 10 Morningside. Head Coach Drew Olson’s squad has moved to 8-4 overall (5-3 GPAC). While still early, the conference standings show five GPAC teams clustered together with either two or three conference defeats. For more information on Concordia Women’s Basketball, click HERE.
· The progress for this team has been evident in recent weeks. Going back to Nov. 23, the Bulldogs looked lethargic while surviving in a home win over Jamestown with the help of Taysha Rushton’s buzzer beater. Since then, Concordia has been a consistent force on the offensive end. Over the past five games (4-1), the Bulldogs have gone a combined 57-for-141 (.404) from beyond the arc and have scored at least 76 points in each game. The stretch began with a signature nonconference victory, a 76-66 triumph at then third-ranked Wayland Baptist University (Texas).
· Concordia put together strong first quarters and displayed impressive offensive balance in both of last week’s outings. Against Mount Marty, the Bulldogs demoralized the visitors by outscoring them 33-5 in the opening quarter. Taysha Rushton piled up 18 points while playing sparingly in the second half. Four of her teammates posted at least eight points: Lauren Baker (12), Kendal Brigham (12), Taylor Farrell (nine) and Sadie Powell (eight). Concordia mounted a lead as large as 40 points and forced 27 turnovers in a game that was never competitive.
· It was the third quarter at Hastings that crushed the hopes the Broncos had of pulling an upset. Olson was especially pleased with the second wave that had a lot to do with a 21-4 run to close the third period. At that point, the Bulldogs owned an insurmountable 74-46 lead. Five Concordia players wound up in double figures: Rushton (16), Baker (15), Powell (14), Kayla Luebbe (11) and Rylee Pauli (10). The Bulldogs shot 54.7 percent from the floor while beating Hastings for the fifth-straight series meeting. This was the most lopsided series meeting since the 2019 GPAC tournament (89-66 Concordia win).
· Baker’s shooting from the perimeter has bordered on ridiculousness. On the season, she’s made 20-of-31 (.645) shots from beyond the arc. Much of that production has come over the last five games which have seen her shoot 18-of-25 (.720) from 3-point range. In last week’s outings, Baker went 4-for-6 versus Mount Marty and 5-for-6 at Hastings on 3-point tries. The freshman from Fremont, Neb., is averaging 8.1 points per game on the season. She has been included in the starting lineup in each of the past six outings. Baker is the current NAIA national leader in 3-point field goal percentage.
· Individual statistical leaders so far this season include Rushton in scoring average (16.9), Pauli in rebounding (7.1) and field goal percentage (.586), Conrad in assists (5.17) and free throw percentage (.783), Mackenzie Toomey in steals (23) and Baker in 3-point field goal percentage (.645). With the recent offensive surge, the Bulldogs have vaulted to 29th in the nation in scoring average (78.6). Concordia also sports NAIA national ranks of 15th in 3-point field goals per game (9.0) and 3-point field goal percentage (.340).
· Rushton is the lone player on the team averaging in double figures, but the Bulldogs make up for it with depth. Ten Concordia players average 5.4 points or more per game. Olson has essentially used two defined waves of platoons. The first involves the starting five of Baker, Conrad, Abby Heemstra, Pauli and Rushton. The next wave features the likes of Brigham, Farrell, Luebbe, Powell and Toomey. Of course there are times when the two waves are mashed together in some form. If not for injuries to veterans Abby Aplaca and Mackenzie Koepke, Olson would have an even deeper roster.
· Once final exams are in the books, the focus can shift to the team’s trip to Honolulu, Hawaii, for games this Saturday and Sunday. On day one, the Bulldogs will test their mettle against No. 1 Campbellsville University (Ky.) with tipoff scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT. On day two, Concordia will take on third-ranked Thomas More University (Ky.) at 4 p.m. CT. These two games will be the final outings of the 2021 calendar year. GPAC action will resume on New Year’s Day.
Wrestling
· It was a relatively light week for the Bulldogs, who resumed conference dual action on Dec. 9 and earned a 32-18 home win over Midland. Head Coach Myron Bradbury’s squad then had the weekend off from competition. The most recent tournament for Concordia was the Doane Open that included 18 Bulldogs on Dec. 4. Concordia owns a 2-2 GPAC record with the other win coming over Dakota Wesleyan, 32-13. The losses came at the hands of Hastings and Morningside. For more information on Concordia Wrestling, click HERE.
· In last week’s dual, the Bulldogs benefitted from the Warriors forfeiting at 125, 133, 141 and 165. Contested victories were earned by Anthony Perez (technical fall at 157) and by TJ Huber (10-3 at 174). Forfeit wins were credited to Thomas Ivey (125), Mario Ybarra (133), Conner Burrus (141) and Tavoris Smith (165). Meanwhile, Midland picked up wins courtesy of Steven Aranda (decision at 149), Connor Rinn (decision at 184), Tyson Beauperthuy (pin at 197) and Matt Johnston (pin at 285). Concordia held its star heavyweight Jacob Telles out of the lineup. The Warriors slipped to 0-4 in conference duals.
· Going back to the week prior, the Doane Open featured wrestlers from 34 different institutions. When the dust settled, Concordia competitors combined for 30 wins, including eight by pin, and three place finishes. Place finishes were earned by Isaac Agabin (fifth at 133), Telles (sixth at 285) and Jovon Howe (sixth at 184). Fourteen of the 18 Bulldog wrestlers in action walked away with at least one victory. Three other Bulldogs collected two or more wins apiece: Carter Willis (4-2 at 133), Tavoris Smith (3-2 at 157), Adam Roberts (2-2 at 125) and Jose Sanchez (2-2 at 165). One win each was earned by Issiah Burks (165), Josh Broyles (141), Jeaven Scdoris (149), Brandon Gonzalez (149), Tracy Allen (149), Huber (174) and Jesse Guadarrama (285).
· The following Concordia grapplers have collected at least five wins on the season: Mason Garcia (12-3), Thomas Ivey (12-3), Jacob Telles (11-4), Tavoris Smith (10-9), Jose Sanchez (9-11), Conner Burrus (7-3), Isaac Agabin (7-7), Anthony Perez (6-7), Adam Roberts (6-10), Mario Ybarra (5-2) and Josh Broyles (5-8). Garcia and Telles are neck and neck for the team pins lead with seven apiece. Ivey has made a splash in tournaments by placing second at the York Open and third at the Nebraska-Kearney Open. Two Bulldogs have won a tournament this season: Burrus (141) and Garcia (197) at the York Open.
· New conference ratings are scheduled to be released today (Dec. 14) with a fresh set of national rankings on the docket for Thursday. Entering the week, Ybarra is the lone Concordia representative in the national rankings. The returning All-American checked in at No. 10 at 133 pounds. Telles had appeared at No. 19 in the heavyweight rankings in the preseason. In the most recent GPAC ratings, six Bulldogs landed inside the top six of their respective weight classes.
Concordia is looking forward to hosting a field of seven teams on Saturday for the Concordia Bulldogs Duals. The event will get started at 10 a.m. CT and feature four rounds of duals. The Bulldogs will go up against Central Baptist College (Ark.), Marian University (Ind.), Texas Wesleyan University and Oklahoma Wesleyan University. The other teams that will be present inside Friedrich Arena will be Doane and Oklahoma City University. Concordia hosted this event last season and went 1-3 with a win over Oklahoma Wesleyan. Once the Concordia Bulldog Duals are in the books, the Bulldogs will wait until after New Year’s to resume action.