Bulldog Athletic Association Member (BAAM) Athletes of the Week
Male: Noah Schutte, Basketball
A native of Laurel, Neb., Schutte starred at the GPAC tournament in posting 38 points and 18 rebounds at Northwestern and then 23 points and six rebounds at Jamestown. His nine 3-point field goals in the quarterfinals broke a school single game record. On the year, Schutte is averaging 20.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.
Female: Katie Birtell, Competitive Dance
Birtell, who hails from Columbus, Neb., earned GPAC all-conference honors for the third time while helping the Bulldogs post a total team score of 81.31 at the GPAC Championships. Also a two-time NAIA Scholar-Athlete, Birtell played an instrumental role in Concordia ranking 12th nationally for average competition score.
Previous BAAM Athletes of the Week
Feb. 21 – Issiah Burks (wrestling) / Adrianna Rodencal (track & field)
Feb. 14 – Noah Schutte (basketball) / Taysha Rushton (basketball)
Feb. 7 – Adrianna Rodencal (track & field) / Calvin Rohde (track & field)
Jan. 31 – Noah Schutte (basketball) / Kristin Vieselmeyer (basketball)
Jan. 24 – Rylee Haecker (track & field) / Calvin Rohde (track & field)
Jan. 17 – Kylahn Freiberg (track & field) / Garrett Seagren (basketball)
Jan. 10 – Sadie Powell (basketball) / Noah Schutte (basketball)
Dec. 13 – Chase Berry (track & field) / Adrianna Rodencal (track & field) / Taysha Rushton (basketball)
Dec. 6 – Gabi Nordaker (volleyball) / Gage Smith (basketball)
Nov. 29 – Rylee Ladd (powerlifting) / Noah Schutte (basketball)
Nov. 15 – Rebecca Gebhardt (volleyball) / Federico Simonetti (Soccer)
Nov. 8 – Kylahn Freiberg (cross country) / Kaden Peters (football)
Nov. 1 – Breyer Meeks (shooting sports) / Carlos Orquiz (soccer) / Morgan Nibbe (volleyball)
Oct. 25 – Bree Burtwistle (volleyball) / Isaiah Shaddick (soccer)
Oct. 18 – Korrell Koehlmoos (football) / Carly Rodaway (volleyball)
Oct. 11 – Rylee Haecker (cross country) / DJ McGarvie (football)
Oct. 4 – Rebecca Gebhardt (volleyball) / Korrell Koehlmoos (football)
Sept. 27 – Bree Burtwistle (volleyball) / Ryan Wokutch (soccer)
Sept. 20 – Tanner Muff (shooting sports) / Gabi Nordaker (volleyball) / Katie Welker (shooting sports)
Sept. 13 – Kierstynn Garner (soccer) / Jack Nelson (shooting sports)
Sept. 6 – Camryn Opfer (volleyball) / Camden Sesna (cross country)
Aug. 30 – Federico Simonetti (soccer) / Carly Rodaway (volleyball)
Aug. 23 – Bree Burtwistle (volleyball)
2022-23 BAAM Athletes of the Month
January – Rylee Haecker (track & field) / Noah Schutte (basketball)
December – Adrianna Rodencal (track & field) / Gage Smith (basketball)
November – Rebecca Gebhardt (volleyball); Noah Schutte (basketball)
October – Bree Burtwistle (volleyball); Korrell Koehlmoos (football); Carly Rodaway (volleyball)
September – Gabi Nordaker (volleyball); Camryn Opfer (volleyball); Camden Sesna (cross country)
News and notes:
--The Bulldog Weekly Report will take a break next week and will return on Tuesday, March 14.
BAAM luncheons are held every Tuesday at 12 p.m. CT inside the Dog House Grill, located in the Janzow Campus Center. The luncheons feature reports from head coaches who are in season at the time. For information on how to join BAAM, click HERE. It is not a requirement to be a BAAM member in order to attend the weekly luncheons.
Cheer & Dance teams put forth strong performances at GPAC Championships/NAIA Qualifier: The Concordia Competitive Cheer & Dance teams emerged with strong scores while in action this past weekend at the GPAC Championships/NAIA Northwest Group qualifier hosted by Doane. Day one of the event was reserved for the dance competition, which saw the Bulldogs place sixth with a total score of 81.31. Concordia turned in scores of 77.13 in the preliminaries and 82.70 in the finals. On the second day, Bulldog Cheer broke the school record with both of its routines, scoring 82.53 in the prelims and 83.63 in the finals. The total score of 83.36 landed Concordia in third place in the GPAC. Individually, All-GPAC honors were captured by Katie Birtell, Rylee Flesner, Taylor Larsen and Avery Lewis (honorable mention) in dance and by Shelby Timmerman (honorable mention) in cheer. The competition season is now complete. Concordia did not receive at-large selection to the national championships. National qualifiers were announced on Sunday.
--Cheer Homepage
--Dance Homepage
Tennis teams go 1-1 on Saturday spent in Fulton, Missouri: After playing a pair of junior colleges in recent action, the Concordia University Tennis teams went up against fellow NAIA competition this past Saturday (Feb. 25) in Fulton, Mo. On the men’s side, the results were a 5-2 win over Tabor College (Kan.) and a 4-0 loss at the hands of 10th-ranked William Woods University (Mo.). On the women’s side, the Bulldogs defeated Tabor, 6-1, and then were beaten by No. 23 William Woods, 5-0. In the victory, the men’s team got doubles wins from the duos of Juan Rabellino and Thomas Van Haaren and Shawn Springer and Manuel Rodriguez. Singles triumphs were captured by Hugo Fuentes, Santiago Abadia, Rodriguez and Van Haaren as the back half of the lineup made the difference. In women’s action against Tabor, Concordia swept through doubles with contested wins via Tessa Blough and Alana Lopez Pagan and Tara Ferrel and Ella Dean. In singles, winners were Mariana Molano, Lopez Pagan, Gabrielle Heiser, Kylie Freudenburg and Brooke Hosick. Head Coach Cam Long’s squads now stand at 3-4 on the women’s side and 2-5 on the men’s side. Up next, Concordia will be in Sterling, Kan., on Saturday for men’s and women’s matches versus Sterling College. Action is slated to get underway at 12 p.m. CT.
--Concordia Men’s Tennis
--Concordia Women’s Tennis
Weightlifting program readying for National Championships: Head Coach Freddie Myles will take a group of Bulldog to the Collegiate Weightlifting Nationals (March 3-5) in Columbus, Ohio, this weekend. During the fall season, Concordia Weightlifting competed in three events – the Kansas Open (Sept. 10), the Midwest Regionals (Nov. 19) and the Heartland Open (Jan. 21). The national championships will be the conclusion to the inaugural season for weightlifting. The powerlifting aspect of the Concordia Lifting Sports program will have its national championships April 13-16 in Arlington, Texas. For more information on the Concordia Lifting Sports program: Men | Women.
Shooting Sports to resume 2022-23 season with Doane Tiger Invitational: The 2022-23 season for Head Coach Dylan Owens’ Bulldogs will resume this Saturday and Sunday with the Doane Tiger Invitational held in Lincoln, Neb. Concordia has been idle since the NCSSAA North Central Qualifier in early November. During the fall portion of the season, the Bulldogs competed in seven events and placed in the top five overall as a team in all six outings that featured team scoring. For more details on the program, check out the homepage for Concordia Shooting Sports HERE.
Women’s Golf to open spring season next week in Arizona: As part of spring break, Head Coach Brett Muller’s women’s golf team will be headed to the Phoenix area for the Southwest Minnesota State University Spring Invite. The tournament will be held March 7-8 at the Wigwam Golf Club Red Course in Litchfield Park, Ariz. This will be the team’s first event since the Nebraska Intercollegiate back in the fall. Through nine fall rounds, the Bulldogs averaged a score of 352.8. The top individual golfers have been the likes of Lauren Havlat (84.4), Emery Custer (86.7) and Mya Nurse (87.1). For more details on Concordia Golf: Men | Women.
Burks seizes last chance to become a GPAC champion, national qualifier: This is what Issiah Burks has worked for his whole collegiate career, which spans back to the fall of 2017 when he first arrived in Seward. The journey for Burks has included a redshirt year as a freshman, a torn ACL and the “COVID” year of 2020-21. Those circumstances factored into his decision to return in 2022-23. The years of toil for the Hemet, Calif., native have paid off in the form of a 165-pound GPAC title and a trip to this week’s NAIA national championships. Said Burks, “It still hasn’t sunk in that I won conference.” It will be Burks’ birthday this Friday (March 3) when he takes the mat at the national tournament. For more on Burks, check out our feature piece HERE.
Burtwistle, Opfer announce return for 2023 volleyball season: The Concordia Volleyball program got some good news late in the calendar year 2022 when Bree Burtwistle and Camryn Opfer informed coaches and teammates that they would return in 2023 and use their “COVID year” of eligibility. This past season, Opfer was named a Second Team All-American and Burtwistle garnered Honorable Mention All-America status. They helped lead the Bulldogs to a national ranking as high as No. 4 in the NAIA coaches’ poll and a final overall record of 25-6. For more details on their decisions, check out this featured story linked HERE.
Bulldog Coaches Show airs every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. CT: The Bulldog Coaches Show is underway in its eighth year of existence. The show airs live for a half hour every Thursday beginning at 5:30 p.m. CT on KTMX-FM 104.9 Max Country. The weekly feature can also be heard live via 104.9 Max Country’s website or by downloading the Max Country app. Throughout the 2022-23 season, Bulldog football, men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball contests will be aired live on Max Country. Parker Cyza serves as the host of the coaches’ show as well as the play-by-play voice for football and basketball. Frank Greene is in his eighth season calling Concordia volleyball.
Concordia Sports Network: Live webcasts for most home varsity contests can be accessed by visiting https://www.cune.edu/athletics/watch-bulldogs at game time. Beginning in 2019-20, Concordia Athletics partnered with PrestoSports for live video and statistical streaming. Live webcast links for away contests are publicized in sport specific releases that preview action for that particular week. Scrimmages, exhibitions and junior varsity events are not broadcasted.
Men’s Basketball
· Concordia’s bid to defend last season’s GPAC tournament championship ended with a GPAC semifinal loss, 95-77, to 11th-ranked Jamestown on Feb. 25. Three days prior, the Bulldogs walloped fourth-seeded Northwestern, 90-77, in Orange City, Iowa, in a conference tournament quarterfinal clash. The results leave Concordia on the national tournament bubble entering the week. The 2023 NAIA Men’s Basketball National Championship bracket is slated to be released on Thursday. Head Coach Ben Limback’s squad stands at 18-12 overall. The Bulldogs placed fifth in the regular season standings with an 11-9 league record. For more information on Concordia Men’s Basketball, click HERE.
· The GPAC was rewarded with three at-large national tournament selections in 2022, and the Bulldogs are hoping the same will happen in 2023. Last year’s field included Concordia and Briar Cliff as automatic qualifiers and Dordt, Jamestown and Northwestern as at-large selections. In official metrics released by the NAIA in mid-February, the Bulldogs appeared at No. 55 in the RPI and at No. 51 in terms of strength of schedule. According to the RPI, Concordia’s best wins this season have been over No. 21 Dordt (road) and No. 25 Northwestern (home and away). The Bulldogs also played No. 4 Oklahoma Wesleyan University down-to-the-wire in a neutral site game at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
· The GPAC quarterfinal win at Northwestern will be remembered for a long time for Noah Schutte’s performance. The Laurel, Neb., native went wild for career highs of 38 points and 18 rebounds and broke a program single-game record by draining nine 3-point field goals (on 11 attempts). According to available records, there had been five previous Concordia players to sink eight 3-pointers in a game, including current Bulldog Brad Bennett. The others are Josh Dahlke, John Puelz, Ryan Shrum and Bret Walter. As part of Schutte’s GPAC quarterfinal explosion, he scored 16 points in the first half and then 22 in the second half. His 38 points and 18 rebounds reset the career highs he had posted in the previous contest – 36 points and 13 rebounds at Dakota Wesleyan. For those wondering, the school record for points in a single game remains 47 by Jon Ziegler (2007) and the standard for rebounds in one game is 30 by Gordon Bredow (1962-63 season).
· It was also a fine night for Gage Smith at Northwestern as he totaled 21 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists and two blocked shots. While Schutte went 9-for-11 from 3-point range himself, the Bulldogs were an incredible 20-for-37 from beyond the arc as a team. The hot shooting helped Concordia build a 53-35 halftime lead and then push the advantage to as many as 26 points (71-45) in the second half. Schutte and Smith combined to go 12-for-17 from beyond the arc, but they also had help. From downtown, Garrett Seagren canned 3-of-5 shots, Zac Kulus went 3-for-7 and Jaxon Weyand and Logan Wilson were both 1-for-1. Kulus and Seagren finished with nine points apiece. The Bulldogs managed to defeat a Northwestern (20-9) squad that went 11-1 at home during the regular season.
· That momentum did not carry over to Jamestown. Unfortunately, Concordia was without both Brad Bennett and Gage Smith, who were under the weather. In their place, freshman Zac Kulus and senior Kelly Vyhnalek made their first career starts. The Jimmies (25-5) dominated from the opening tipoff, built a 53-26 halftime lead and led by as many as 31 points in what turned into a rout. Schutte wasn’t able to save the Bulldogs this time, although he totaled 23 points on 10-for-10 shooting from the foul line. Off the bench, Logan Wilson contributed a career high 14 points on the strength of 4-for-8 shooting from beyond the arc. On the other side, Mason Walters piled up 33 points and Jamestown shot 53.0 percent from the floor.
· The Bulldogs hope that wasn’t the end for Gage Smith, a fifth-year member of the program. In the win over Briar Cliff during the final week of the regular season, Gage Smith leapt Chandler Folkerts and moved to No. 2 on the program’s all-time rebound list. Smith’s rebound total now rests at 891, ranking him behind only Matt List (928). Folkerts grabbed 868 boards in his career. Gage also owns current program all-time rankings of 12th in assists (276) and 15th in scoring (1,348). The Elizabeth, Colo., native has played in 133 games since arriving with the start of the fall semester of 2018. Gage has played on two separate teams that won GPAC championships – the 2019-20 and 2021-22 editions.
· Schutte should be a shoe-in for First Team All-GPAC accolades when all-conference teams are released on Wednesday. Schutte showed last season on the national stage that he was ready for primetime. He was named to the 2022 NAIA Men’s Basketball National Championship All-Tournament Team. Among GPAC players this season, Schutte ranks fourth in scoring average (20.0), fourth in 3-point field goal percentage (.452), eighth in rebounding (7.0), ninth in free throw percentage (.794) and 10th in field goal percentage (.540). In his career as a Bulldog, Schutte has totaled 1,134 points and 450 rebounds in 82 games.
· The NAIA has scheduled a national tournament selection show for 7 p.m. CT on Thursday via its YouTube channel. Sometime shortly after 7 p.m. is when Concordia will know for certain whether its season will continue at the national tournament. If the Bulldogs do earn a bid, they will play in the first round on Tuesday, March 7 at a campus site to be determined. More information on the NAIA men’s basketball national tournament can be found HERE.
Women’s Basketball
· A team seeded sixth or lower had never won the GPAC women’s basketball tournament championship. The Bulldogs’ bid to become the first fell short as they were defeated in the conference semifinals, 66-57, by second-seeded Briar Cliff on Feb. 25. Four days earlier, Concordia picked up perhaps its most impressive win of the season when it won at No. 19 Jamestown, 73-67, in the GPAC quarterfinals. Head Coach Drew Olson’s squad is confident it will be included in the national tournament field when the bracket is revealed on Thursday. The Bulldogs are 19-11 overall. For more information on Concordia Women’s Basketball, click HERE.
· Entering the week, it appears that the GPAC is a virtual lock to garner at least six bids to the national tournament. Dordt and Briar Cliff are already automatic qualifiers while Concordia, Dakota Wesleyan, Jamestown and Northwestern seem to be comfortably in the field. Morningside is the league’s one bubble team. In metrics released by the NAIA in mid-February, the Bulldogs appeared at No. 32 in the RPI and at No. 25 in terms of strength of schedule. Based on the RPI, Concordia’s best wins have come over No. 26 Dakota State (home), No. 28 Jamestown (away), No. 46 Dakota Wesleyan (home), No. 47 Morningside (twice) and No. 53 Northwestern (away).
· Going by the NAIA coaches’ poll at the time the games were played, the Bulldogs have won three times on the road against top 25 foes, defeating No. 25 Morningside (Nov. 30), No. 15 Northwestern (Jan. 21) and No. 19 Jamestown (Feb. 21). Contributions were made up and down the roster in last week’s victory at Jamestown. Five Concordia players scored in double figures: Sadie Powell (14), Abby Heemstra (13), Abby Krieser (13), Kendal Brigham (10) and Taysha Rushton (10). The Bulldogs led the Jimmies, 40-26, at the half, withstood a late push and made the clutch plays down the stretch to pull it out. Defensively, Concordia managed to limit Jamestown star Hannah DeMars to 10 points.
· One more win would give the Bulldogs 20 for the season, a mark Drew Olson has hit in 13 of his first 16 seasons as head coach at his alma mater. Last week’s win at Jamestown marked No. 442 in the career of Olson. He’s begun to sneak up on former Bulldog men’s basketball head coach Grant Schmidt for the most wins ever by a Concordia basketball coach (or for any sport at Concordia). Schmidt compiled a record of 445-276 over his 23-year tenure. Olson played for Schmidt during the 2000-01 through 2002-03 seasons. Counting Olson’s three seasons as a Bulldog student-athlete, he’s been involved in 504 victories (62 wins as a player).
· In Concordia’s three most recent losses (two to Briar Cliff), it has struggled offensively while up against some of the top defensive teams in the GPAC. Over the past three defeats, the Bulldogs have posted respective point totals of 51, 54 and 57. Concordia will look to recapture its shooting touch at the national tournament. Despite some recent struggles, the Bulldogs still rank highly nationally in several shooting categories – sixth in free throw percentage (.767) and 22nd in 3-point field goal percentage (.344). Concordia had a six-game stretch from late January through early February when it scored 85 points or more five times (twice eclipsing 100).
· Rushton is again a candidate for First Team All-GPAC accolades (honors will be announced on Wednesday by the league). She was recognized on the first team in both 2020-21 and 2021-22. On the season, Rushton is averaging 13.6 points per game while shooting 41.9 percent from the floor, 40.2 percent from 3-point range and 77.9 percent from the foul line. After Rushton, there’s a whole lot of balance on this Bulldog team. The next highest scorers are the likes of Krieser (10.0), Brigham (9.9) and Powell (9.9). Krieser may be a candidate for GPAC Defensive Player of the Year. She’s been a catalyst in the team’s press and is averaging 2.0 steals per game.
· Defensive tenacity has been a constant for Concordia, even when it hasn’t shot the ball well. Currently, the Bulldogs sport GPAC rankings of first in field goal percentage defense (.380), first in turnovers forced per game (19.6), fourth in defensive efficiency (.843) and sixth in scoring defense (63.5). There are five Concordia players averaging at least 1.0 steal per game: Krieser (2.0), Mackenzie Toomey (1.8), Rushton (1.6), Powell (1.4) and Brigham (1.0).
· Concordia will learn of its national tournament draw on Thursday when the NAIA airs its selection show at 6 p.m. CT via the NAIA YouTube channel. The Bulldogs are expecting to make the program’s 22nd all-time national tournament appearance and 12th in a row. The first two rounds of the tournament will take place at campus sites on March 7-8. The final 16 teams still standing advance to the final site, the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa.
Wrestling
· The 2022-23 season reached the conference tournament the weekend of Feb. 17-18 as 12 Bulldogs put themselves up against the best the GPAC has to offer. Concordia piled up 110 team points and placed behind only Morningside (184) and Doane (175) atop the GPAC. The yields included nine place finishes, five semifinalists, four automatic bids to the national tournament, two runners up and one conference champion. It’s been a strong bounce-back season for Head Coach Chase Clasen’s squad, which also placed third in the GPAC during the regular season and equaled a program record for dual wins in a campaign. For more information on Concordia Wrestling, click HERE.
· The GPAC tournament place finishes were recorded by Creighton Baughman (second at 141), Issiah Burks (first at 165), Logan Davidson (third at 184), Stephen Duffy (fourth at 184), Bryce Karlin (fifth at 125), Garret Moser (sixth at 174), Jeaven Scdoris (fourth at 149), Tavoris Smith (second at 157) and Tommy Wentz (fifth at 157). Each of those nine Bulldogs won at least two matches and each contributed at least 7.0 points towards the team total. Baughman, Burks, Davidson and Smith garnered automatic bids to nationals based on allocations awarded to the GPAC when factoring in the national rankings.
· National tournament qualifiers were officially announced by the NAIA in the evening of Feb. 21. Concordia did not receive any at-large qualifiers. That means the Bulldogs will travel four wrestlers to the national tournament this weekend in Wichita, Kan. Baughman, Burks, Davidson and Smith will all appear on the NAIA’s national stage for the first time in their careers. A native of Papillion, Neb., Baughman is a two-time All-American at the junior college level. In addition to the release of the qualifiers, the NAIA posted preliminary national tournament brackets on Feb. 24. Those brackets can be found HERE.
· Through the GPAC Championships, nine Bulldogs have notched double digit win totals: Creighton Baughman (24-8), Tommy Wentz (20-12), Issiah Burks (17-11), Stephen Duffy (15-10), Bryce Karlin (14-10), Jeaven Scdoris (14-15), Garret Moser (13-14), Jose Sanchez (12-16) and Grant Wells (11-15). Karlin paces the team with 10 pins while Baughman has seven and Duffy and Cy Renney have collected six pins apiece. Entering the GPAC tournament, Baugham (16th at 141) and Davidson (25th at 184) were ranked nationally.
· The 2022-23 season will wrap up this weekend at the 2023 NAIA Wrestling National Championships. Hartman Arena in Park City, Kan., will serve as the location for the national tournament for the fourth year in a row. Concordia owned a streak of eight-straight years with at least one All-American before that run ended in 2022. The program’s most recent All-American was Mario Ybarra in 2021. Wrestling is scheduled to get underway at 10 a.m. CT on both Friday and Saturday. The championship matches will get started at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
Track & Field
· The 2023 GPAC indoor championships (Feb. 17-18) were the most recent outing for Concordia Track & Field, which is now gearing up for the NAIA indoor national meet. The Bulldogs celebrated a GPAC team championship on the women’s side as they piled up 241.5 points. Meanwhile, the men placed third in the conference with 100.5 points. The Bulldogs claimed a total of 10 event conference titles, including two apiece from Rylee Haecker and Adrianna Rodencal. The men’s team title was claimed by Dordt. All that’s left now this indoor season for Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squads are the national championships. For more information on Concordia Track & Field, click HERE.
· GPAC event titles were won by the Bulldog women’s 4x400 meter relay, Rachel Battershell (400 meters), Zach Bennetts (pole vault), Lauren Dawson (race walk), Rylee Haecker (mile and 1,000 meters), Josie Puelz (pole vault), Amy Richert (pentathlon) and Adrianna Rodencal (60 hurdles and 200 meters). Runners up included the men’s 4x400 and 4x800 meter relays, Jenna Esch (800 meters), Kylahn Freiberg (1,000 meters), Erin Mapson (pole vault), Josi Noble (triple jump), Joel Rathe (long jump), Richert (long jump), Rodencal (60 meters), Aaron Spivey (triple jump) and Zach Zohner (pole vault). Haecker accomplished the GPAC championship double in the mile and 1,000 meters for a second year in a row.
· Below is a complete listing of Concordia athletes who possess marks meeting either the ‘A’ or ‘B’ national reporting standard. The tally through the end of the GPAC Championships includes 27 ‘A’ standards and 25 ‘B’ standards. In addition, five Bulldog pentathletes have eclipsed the minimum national reporting standard of 2,950 points. Amy Richert currently ranks No. 4 nationally in the pentathlon.
o Women’s 4x400m Relay, A (3:53.49)
o Men’s 4x400m Relay, B (3:18.91)
o Women’s 4x800m Relay, B (9:39.96)
o Men’s Distance Medley Relay, A (10:10.06)
o Women’s Distance Medley Relay, A (12:20.68)
o Elena Batenhorst – No. 18 in NAIA in pentathlon (3,124)
o Rachel Battershell – 60 Hurdles, A (8.94); 400 Meters, A (57.06)
o Zach Bennetts – Pole Vault, A (16’ 2 ¾”)
o Chase Berry – Pole Vault, A (15’ 7”)
o Erin Boggs – Pole Vault, A (11’ 6 ½”)
o Dagne’ Buck – Weight Throw, A (57’ 7 ¾”)
o Mark Cooke – 60 Hurdles, B (8.28)
o Amira Cummings – Pole Vault, A (11’ 6 ½”)
o Josiah Edwards – Weight Throw, B (55’ 9 ¼”)
o Jenna Esch – 600 Meters, A (1:35.40); 400 Meters, B (58.62)
o Kylahn Freiberg – 1,000 Meters, B (2:59.90); Mile, B (5:07.94); 3,000 Meters, B (10:24.45)
o Abby Gerber – Shot Put, A (44’ 6 ¾”); Weight Throw, B (53’ 1 ½”)
o Rylee Haecker – 1,000 Meters, A (2:56.44); Mile, B (5:06.10)
o Brady Klute – Weight Throw, B (55’ 11”)
o Jordan Koepke – 600 Meters, B (1:36.52)
o Wyatt Loga – High Jump, B (6’ 7”)
o Erin Mapson – Pole Vault, A (12’ 6 ¼”)
o Colton Meyer – 400 Meters, A (48.45)
o Ben Moll – Weight Throw, B (53’ 5”)
o Hannah Newton – High Jump, A (5’ 5 ¾”)
o Josi Noble – No. 23 in NAIA in Pentathlon (3,006)
o Alli Owings – Weight Throw, B (52’ 6”)
o Kamryn Pokorney – Weight Throw, B (53’ 6 ¼”); Shot Put, B (43’ ¼”)
o Josie Puelz – Pole Vault, A (13’ ¼”)
o Joel Rathe – Long Jump, B (23’ 6 ¼”)
o Amy Richert – No. 4 in NAIA in Pentathlon (3,487); High Jump, B (5’ 4 ½”); 60 Hurdles, B (9.07)
o Maddie Robinson – Shot Put, A (44’ 9”); Weight Throw, A (55’ 11”)
o Adrianna Rodencal – 60 Hurdles, A (8.72); 200 Meters, B (25.37)
o Calvin Rohde – 1,000 Meters, A (2:27.16); Mile, A (4:12.33)
o Austen Rozelle – Weight Throw, B (54’ 4”)
o Myles Sadd – High Jump, B (6’ 7”)
o Isabelle Salters – No. 28 in NAIA in Pentathlon (2,968)
o Darien Semedo – Shot Put, B (51’ 5 ¾”); Weight Throw, B (55’ 3 ½”)
o Camden Sesna – Mile, A (4:14.52)
o Amanda Steinke – No. 22 in NAIA in Pentathlon (3,008)
o Kayla Svoboda – Pole Vault, A (11’ 6 ½”)
o Trinity Tuls – 400 Meters, B (58.11)
o Abi Wohlgemuth – Weight Throw, B (53’ 5 ¾”)
o Chris Wren – Weight Throw, A (62’ 10 ¾”)
o Zach Zohner – Pole Vault, A (15’ 11”)
· Rodencal has enjoyed an incredible freshman indoor season that saw her earn GPAC Athlete of the Meet recognition last week. Rodencal scored 28 team points via her first-place finishes in the 60 hurdles and 200 meters and second-place claim in the 60 meters. The Lincoln Lutheran High School alum again broke her own record in the 60 hurdles by running a GPAC finals time of 8.72 (second fastest in conference meet history). She’s the first Bulldog to earn GPAC Athlete of the Meet/Year recognition since Rachel Battershell at the 2020 indoor meet. Rodencal currently ranks 14th on the NAIA national list in the 60 hurdles. She will run the 60 hurdles and the 200 meters at the national championships.
· NAIA national qualifiers were officially announced on Feb. 24. Concordia is set to travel 32 athletes to Brookings, S.D. Among the qualifiers on the women’s side, the following Bulldogs have earned past All-America awards: Rachel Battershell (10), Jenna Esch (one), Kylahn Freiberg (three), Rylee Haecker (six), Jordan Koepke (four), Erin Mapson (five), Josie Puelz (five), Amy Richert (three) and Maddie Robinson (three at Olivet Nazarene). On the men’s side, past All-Americans are Zach Bennetts (one), Chase Berry (two), Colton Meyer (three) and Chris Wren (three). In last week’s NAIA national ratings calculated by the USTFCCCA, Concordia landed at No. 4 on the women’s side and at No. 16 on the men’s side.
· The streak of GPAC championships has now reached eight for the women’s program. That run began when Concordia hosted the 2019 conference indoor meet. The streak would most likely be at nine if not for the cancellation of the 2020 outdoor season due to COVID-19. The 241.5 points scored by the Bulldogs at the 2023 indoor meet are a program best during its active run of five-straight conference indoor championships. The previous point totals were 173.5 in 2019, 193 in 2020, 217 in 2021 and 194.5 in 2022.
· For those who have qualified, the indoor season will continue with the 2023 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships set for this Thursday through Saturday in Brookings, S.D. More information on the national championship meet can be found HERE. Brookings has hosted the meet in three of the past four years (Yankton, S.D., held it in 2021). Concordia is coming off 2022 NAIA indoor placements of third on the women’s side and 36th on the men’s side.
Baseball
· The offensive firepower of the 21st-ranked Bulldogs was on display over the weekend as they swept a four-game series from Culver-Stockton College (Mo.). In action that took place at the LaRoche Baseball Complex in Fort Scott, Kan., Concordia won by scores of 5-4, 16-5, 16-8 and 16-2 over the Wildcats, a member of the NAIA’s Heart of America Athletic Conference. Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad has won seven-straight games and has moved to 7-4 overall. The 2023 campaign has included three weekends of Saturday-Sunday action to this point. For more on the Concordia Baseball program, click HERE.
· Culver-Stockton likely won’t be the last opponent that the Bulldog offense wears out. During the four games, Concordia batted .404 with a .461 on-base percentage, .779 slugging percentage, 15 doubles and 12 home runs. Home runs came from Joey Grabanski (three), Jaidan Quinn (three), Alec Blakestad (two), Jesse Garcia (two), Ben Berg (one) and Michael Buckendahl (one). A newcomer to the varsity (sophomore), Buckendahl flashed some power while also contributing three doubles over the weekend.
· Entering the week, Grabanski ranks second among NAIA players with eight homers on the season. He’s already produced two separate three-homer games in 2023. For his career, Grabanski has collected 43 home runs and 150 RBIs and has slugged .739. Meanwhile, Garcia has also pushed his career homer total above 40 to 41. Grabanski and Garcia are closing in on the school all-time home run record of 47 by Keaton Candor. Those three are also the only players in school history with at least 150 career RBIs. Candor leads that category with 188 followed by Garcia (161) and Grabanski (150).
· Dupic’s career coaching record now stands at 249-149-1 since he began his tenure with the 2015 season. That win total puts Dupic one behind Jeremy Geidel (250) for the title of the winningest coach in program history. Under Dupic, the Bulldogs have reached heights they had never attained previously. In addition to the 249 wins, Dupic has led the program to five total GPAC championships, four national tournament appearances and one trip to the NAIA World Series. The 2021 squad owns the school record for wins in a season with 42.
· Twelve Concordia pitchers saw action over the weekend. The starters (in order) were Alex Johnson, Blake Benson, Frankie Cresta and Caden Johnson. A transfer from University of the Ozarks, Benson turned in the longest outing in covering six innings. He allowed three runs on six hits (no walks) while striking out nine. In game three of the series, Cresta went 5.1 innings and limited the damage to two runs on two hits and two walks to go along with seven strikeouts. Ernie Snyder was the lone Bulldog to pitch in multiple games.
· The next time Concordia takes the field it will be in sunny Florida. The Bulldogs are preparing to play a three-game series at No. 25 Keiser University this Saturday and Sunday in Fort Lauderdale. The Bulldogs will continue play in The Sunshine State through March 11 while up against strong NAIA competition. The full slate can be found HERE.
Softball
· The weekend did not go exactly as planned as the Bulldogs went 1-3 in action in the state of Kansas (Feb. 25-26). Concordia split a twin bill at the University of Saint Mary (Kan.), falling 9-0 (five innings) in game one before responding with a 5-3 win in game two. The next day, the Bulldogs dropped both contests at Benedictine College (Kan.), losing by scores of 11-3 (six innings) and 7-5. Head Coach Brock Culler’s squad now stands at 3-5 overall through two weekends of action. For more on the Concordia Softball program, click HERE.
· One the highlights of the early season has been the emergence of sophomore pitcher Megan Eurich, who fired complete games in each of her first three outings. In four pitching appearances this season, Eurich is 3-0 with a 2.62 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 24 innings. Eurich was a complete game winner this past weekend at Saint Mary before covering three innings in the game two loss at Benedictine. To this point, Culler has used four different pitchers. On each game day, Culler has sent out Jerzi Rowe in game one and Eurich in game two. In addition, Brooke Townsend has made four appearances in relief and Jessie Bestenlehner has pitched twice out of the bullpen.
· Through eight games, the Bulldogs’ leading hitters (among regulars) are Hanna Bowers (.435), Zoie Isom (.375), Taylor Glause (.296) and Kylie Shottenkirk (.286). Isom has consistently come through with teammates on base and paces Concordia with nine RBIs. Meanwhile, Glause is slugging .556 thanks to her five doubles and one triple this season. Bowers has already collected 10 hits while taking over a starting role.
Some significant trips are on the horizon. Concordia is gearing up to go to Wichita, Kan., this weekend for the Friends University Invitational this Friday and Saturday. As part of the Invite, the Bulldogs will play Bethany College (Kan.) and Dakota State University (S.D.) on Friday and York University and Hannibal LaGrange University (Mo.) on Saturday. The Bulldogs will then turn around and head to Tucson, Ariz., for the Tucson Invitational (March 7-10) over spring break. The entire schedule can be viewed HERE.