Bulldog Weekly Report (March 14)

By Jacob Knabel on Mar. 14, 2017 in Athletic Announcements

Bulldog Athletic Association Athletes of the Week

Male: Ceron Francisco, Wrestling / Lucas Wiechman, Track & Field

Francisco, a native of Fayetteville, N.C., became just the second Bulldog ever to advance to a national championship match. The 285-pound senior finished as a national runner up and ended his career with exactly 100 wins. Francisco is a two-time All-American and two-time NAIA North Qualifier champion.

Wiechman, who hails from Pilger, Neb., collected the men’s Most Outstanding Performer of the Meet award at the indoor national championships after winning a national title in the heptathlon in addition to placing third in the pole vault and fifth in the 60 meter hurdles. Wiechman also won three individual GPAC titles this indoor season.

Female: Michaela Woodward, Softball

Also the GPAC pitcher of the week, Woodward has been on a roll in her junior season. The native of Cortland, Neb., allowed only two earned runs over 23.1 innings at the Tucson Invitational, where the Bulldogs went 7-2. On the season, Woodward is 5-3 with a 1.23 ERA and 35 strikeouts over 51.1 innings.

Women’s basketball ends season in Fab Four: Head coach Drew Olson just finished guiding the women’s basketball program to its fifth all-time national semifinal appearance. The season ended on Monday with a 91-83 loss to third-ranked Saint Xavier University (Ill.) in the semifinal round. Concordia also reached the national semifinals in 2003, 2005, 2012 and 2015.

Concordia climbs to No. 2 in GPAC All-Sports Trophy Standings: Concordia athletics moved from No. 6 after the conclusion of the fall season, to No. 2 in the GPAC All-Sports Trophy Standings that were released by the conference last week. The Bulldogs made a jump thanks to GPAC titles produced by women’s basketball and wrestling and conference runner-up finish from men’s indoor track and field. Concordia enters the spring with 83.5 points. For complete standings, click HERE.

Seventeen winter sport Bulldogs named NAIA Scholar-Athletes: A total of 17 Bulldogs from the sports of men’s basketball, women’s basketball, cheer, dance and wrestling were recently named Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes. The honor requires student-athletes to reach junior academic status and to have maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or better. Concordia is the NAIA’s all-time leader with 1,250 Scholar-Athletes in school history.

How to purchase Cultivating Men of Faith and CharacterThe book, Cultivating Men of Faith and Character: The History of Concordia Nebraska Football, remains available for purchase online HERE. For more than 90 years, the Concordia football program has cultivated men of faith and character. This journey through the program’s entire history takes a narrative, coach-by-coach approach in bringing back to life the memorable plays, players and moments in Bulldog football history. Win or lose, Christian character has guided a storied football tradition in Seward, home to the “college in the cornfield.”

Bulldog Coaches Show airs every Thursday at 6 p.m. CT: The Bulldog Coaches Show is in its second year of existence. The show airs live for a half hour every Thursday beginning at 6 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 TuneIn Radio app and searching “Max Country.” Throughout the 2016-17 season, Bulldog football, men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball contests will be aired live on Max Country.

Concordia Sports Network: Live webcasts for most home varsity contests can be accessed by visiting http://www.cune.edu/csn at game time. Check team schedules/results pages for webcast dates. Scrimmages, exhibitions and junior varsity events are not broadcasted.

Women’s Basketball

  • No. 3 Saint Xavier put an end to Concordia’s national title hopes in the semifinals on Monday. The Bulldogs fell, 91-83, in their fifth all-time advancement to the Fab Four. On their way to the semifinals, they defeated Bryan College (Tenn.), Cardinal Stritch University (Wis.) and the University of Jamestown (N.D.). Eleventh-year head coach Drew Olson’s squad ended the season with an overall record of 34-3. Concordia won GPAC regular-season and postseason titles. For more information on Bulldog women’s basketball, click HERE.
  • The 2016-17 squad deserves mention as one of the best in school history. The 2016-17 squad is just the second in school history to capture conference regular-season and tournament titles. Its 34 victories are third most in program annals behind only the 2002-03 (36-2) and 2014-15 (35-3) teams. Additionally, the 2016-17 group broke a school record for most conference wins (19) in a single season. No other Olson team had ever had three first team all-conference selections.
  • Philly Lammers concluded her freshman season as the team’s leader in scoring (13.2), rebounding (7.0) and blocked shots (1.24). Lammers was impressive in her first taste of the national tournament, averaging 12.8 points and 9.8 rebounds over the four-game run. Lammers was named the GPAC freshman of the year. Lammers had her biggest game against Cardinal Stritch, going for 20 points and 14 rebounds. The Omaha native also had a double-double in the semifinals (15 points, 12 rebounds).
  • Sharpshooter Dani Andersen led Concordia in scoring in two of the four games at the national tournament. A transfer from Midland, Andersen also got her first experience on the national stage. Over the four games, she made 12-of-30 attempts from beyond the arc. She poured in 18 points against Bryan and then 21 versus Saint Xavier in a tremendous shooting display. She finished her first season at Concordia with scoring average of 9.2 points per game. She went 83-for-231 (.359) from 3-point range.
  • The Bulldogs forced 977 turnovers for an average of 26.4 per game in 2016-17. They fell just short of becoming only the second team in school history to cause 1,000 turnovers in a campaign. Among all teams nationally, Concordia ranked third in steals per game (16.0) and fifth in turnover margin (plus-8.6). All five Bulldog starters averaged more than 1.5 steals per game. Mary Janovich garnered GPAC defensive player of the year honors.
  • Though no current players are members of the program’s 1,000-point club, several will have an opportunity to reach quadruple digits next season. Quinn Wragge (899), Janovich (890) and Andersen (777) are each knocking on the door of that milestone. The current 1,000-point club includes 24 members. Janovich has cracked the top 20 of the school’s all-time steals with 186, putting her at No. 19. Wragge is likely to climb high on the all-time rebound list. She has 443 after her first two collegiate seasons.
  • The lone senior starter on the 2016-17 team was point guard Shelby Quinn. She ranked 17th nationally this season in assists per game (4.4). The native of Bellevue, Neb., totaled 11 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in the national semifinal game, putting her just shy of a triple-double. Those eight dimes moved Quinn above Amy Streuter (Harms) for 10th on the program’s all-time assists list. Quinn finished her career with 338 assists.
  • Quinn was one of six seniors on this year’s roster. The other five were Aubri Bro, Devin Edwards, Carissa Gutz, Laurel Krohn and Erin Vieselmeyer. Each of them had key roles off the bench. Both Quinn and Vieselmeyer were honorable mention All-GPAC choices. Vieselmeyer led all reserves in scoring (6.1) and rebounding (3.6). This group is the third-straight senior class to play every game of their careers with team national rankings.

Baseball

  • Concordia recently returned from its 10-game road trip at the Tucson Invitational (March 4-10). The Bulldogs went 7-3 in Arizona with the highlight victory being a 4-1, eight-inning triumph over No. 16 University of Jamestown (N.D.). While in Tucson, Concordia also claimed wins over Grand View University (Iowa) (twice), the University of Winnipeg, Waldorf University (Iowa) and Presentation College (S.D.) (twice). Third-year head coach Ryan Dupic’s squad stands at 8-6 overall. For more information on the Bulldog baseball program, click HERE.
  • Concordia broke two single-game school records in Tucson. On March 6, the Bulldogs tallied 31 runs, breaking the previous school record of 27 in a win over Nebraska Wesleyan in 2003. Concordia didn’t stop there. It set a new program standard by belting six home runs in its 21-6 victory over Waldorf on March 9. In the pummeling of the Warriors, Casey Berg accomplished a rare feat by hitting two home runs in one inning (the second was a grand slam). Newcomer Jason Galeano also connected for two home runs and Jake Adams and Jake Taylor hit one apiece as part of the onslaught.
  • The school’s single-season run scored record was broken in 2015 and then again in 2016. Concordia appears on its way to re-setting the standard in 2017. It has already put up 120 runs for an average of 8.6 per game. Over the 10 games in Tucson, the Bulldogs racked up exactly 100 runs while total 14 home runs. Concordia has hit 15 homers on the year. Eight different Bulldogs have accounted for that total. Galeano and Kaleb Geiger pace the team with three homes apiece.
  • Adams has been swinging an especially hot stick. He went 6-for-6 in the doubleheader sweep of Presentation that closed out the Tucson trip. While playing in nine of 10 games in Arizona, Adams collected at least one hit in eight games. Over that stretch, he was 15-for-27 (.556) with two home runs, three doubles, 11 runs scored and six RBIs. Among regulars, Adams is the team’s leading hitter with a .459 average. He also owns a .553 on-base percentage and .757 slugging percentage.
  • Berg is also red hot out of the leadoff spot. Over the final five games in Tucson, Berg went 11-for-20 with two home runs, six runs and six RBIs. A transfer from North Iowa Area Community College, Berg went past 100 career hits as a Bulldog during last week’s action. The native of Manning, Iowa, is batting .380 with two home runs and nine RBIs. He’s batted better than .300 each season at Concordia.
  • The pitching staff has gotten a shot in the arm from freshmen Nick Little and Jason Munsch. In the game 1 win over Presentation, Munsch fired five shutout innings, struck out five and allowed just three hits. He carries an ERA of 2.77 over his first 13 innings of work as a college pitcher. Meanwhile, Little, the team’s opening day starter, gave up six runs in both of his two starts in Arizona, although only two of those runs were earned in Concordia’s win over Grand View in the first game of a twin bill. Little has worked 19 innings and is 2-0 with a 4.74 ERA.
  • The veteran of the staff is senior lefty Josh Prater, who has made three starts and has totaled 17.2 innings. He’s 1-1 with a 2.55 ERA and has recorded 10 strikeouts. His best outing thus far was a seven-inning performance against Grand View in which he scattered eight hits and allowed just a single run. Prater was an honorable mention All-GPAC performer in 2016. Prater has put up ERA’s of 3.03 as a sophomore and 2.87 as a junior.
  • Freshman Wade Council provides plenty versatility for Dupic. The native of Colorado Springs plays both outfield and is a solid option as a left-handed pitcher. Council is 10-for-26 with seven RBIs at the plate and has yet to give up an earned run in six innings as a pitcher. Included in his 10 hits have been two doubles and two triples.
  • The Bulldogs are scheduled to play four times this weekend. They will host single games on Friday with Nebraska Wesleyan (1 p.m. CT) and No. 16 Jamestown (4 p.m.) before playing in Lincoln Saturday and Sunday. Concordia will take on Jamestown at 4 p.m. on Saturday and then Nebraska Wesleyan at 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Softball

  • The Bulldogs are back in Nebraska following a solid nine-game run at the Tucson Invitational (March 5-10). While in Tucson, Ariz., Concordia went 7-2 and defeated one team (Olivet Nazarene University) that was receiving votes in the national poll. Fourth-year head coach Todd LaVelle’s squad has the second most wins among all GPAC schools. The Bulldogs now stand at 13-5 overall. For more information on the Concordia softball program, click HERE.
  • Concordia has never had any trouble winning in the state of Arizona under LaVelle. The Bulldogs are 32-9 when playing in Arizona since the start of the 2014 season. The ’14 squad, which ended up qualifying for the national championships, went a perfect 9-0 at the Tucson Invitational. The 2016 Concordia team was similarly good, going 9-1 in Tucson.
  • Junior pitcher Michaela Woodward dominated in the circle throughout the road trip. In Arizona, Woodward fired 23.2 innings and allowed just two earned runs. Over that time frame, she surrendered 22 hits and eight walks and struck out 16 hitters. The native of Cortland, Neb., is off to a sterling start to 2017. In 51.1 innings, she’s gone 5-3 with a 1.23 ERA. She has allowed 46 hits and 14 walks and has recorded 35 strikeouts. Woodward went 20-13 with a 4.89 ERA as a freshman in 2015 and then 11-6 with a 4.56 ERA as a sophomore in 2016.
  • Junior Autumn Owens has supplied plenty of thunder in the middle of the order. She’s already hit four home runs and is nearly halfway to her total of nine as a sophomore last season. Nine remains the school single-season record for most home runs. Owens shares that record with Clarissa Eloge, a former GPAC player of the year. Owens has connected for 17 career home runs in 279 at bats as a Bulldog. Almost exclusively a third baseman during her first team all-conference 2016 season, Owens is also seeing time this year at catcher.
  • Through 18 games, five regulars are batting better than .300: Megan Ruppert (.360), Woodward (.346), Owens (.340), Janey Pasold (.333) and Ronee Watson (.303). As a team, Concordia is hitting .298 with a .369 on-base percentage and .423 slugging percentage. Owens tops the team with a .642 slugging percentage while Pasold has the best on-base percentage at .469.
  • LaVelle hoped his team would improve its results this season in one-run games after dropping several contests decided by that margin in 2016. So far, Concordia is 4-2 in one-run games. Two additional victories have come by two runs. In last week’s action, the Bulldogs made their way back from a 5-2 deficit against Judson University (Ill.). Concordia tallied four runs in the top of the sixth inning to take a 6-5 lead. That advantage stood up. Owens doubled in two runs and Jamie Lefebure soon followed the game-winning two-run triple.
  • Behind ace Woodward, Kylie Harpst and AJ Wygant have produced solid work in the circle. Harpst is 3-1 with a 2.74 EA in 30.2 innings. Wygant, who has seen more regular work as a pitcher, is 1-1 with a 1.78 ERA in 19.2 innings. The Concordia pitching staff owns a collective 2.16 ERA and has struck out 88 hitters in 123 frames. Opposing hitters are batting .265 against Bulldog pitchers.
  • Concordia has yet to play a home game. The Bulldogs are 11-3 on neutral fields and 2-2 in true road contests. The team’s 13-5 start is on par with the best 18-game stretches to open seasons during LaVelle’s tenure. The 2014 squad was 15-3 and the 2016 team was 14-4.
  • Concordia is now scheduled to play two home doubleheaders this week. The Bulldogs are also slated to host Bethany College (Kan.) (11-14) at 4 p.m. on Wednesday and Northwestern (10-9) at 1 p.m. on Saturday when conference action gets started. Originally, Concordia was also set to host Kansas Wesleyan University today (March 14), but the doubleheader was postponed due to inclement weather.

Tennis

  • Both Concordia tennis squads found a groove heading into spring break. The women are riding an active three-match win streak while the men have triumphed in three of their past four matches. In action last Tuesday (March 7), the men fell, 7-2, at the hands of 24th-ranked Bethany College (Kan.) while the women defeated the Swedes, 7-2. Those matches marked the end of a stretch of five-straight days with a match for third-year head coach Joel Reckewey’s programs. The Bulldog men are now 5-7 overall and the women are 4-8 overall. For more on the Concordia tennis programs: MEN | WOMEN.
  • The women have dominated during their three-match win streak, taking 23 of the 27 sets against the likes of Hesston College (Kan.), Friends University (Kan.) and Bethany. Junior Annie Horn has been a ringleader behind the team success. In singles play, she owns a personal win streak of five (four matches at No. 2 and one at No. 1). She has also teamed up with Kirsten Wagner for three-consecutive victories at No. 1 doubles. At 7-4 in singles, Horn tops the team in victories this season.
  • Junior Katie Hertz has enjoyed similar success of late. The native of Billings, Mont., has won four singles matches in a row – all at the No. 4 position. During that run, she has not dropped a single set and has relinquished just 13 games. Hertz has pushed her season record to 5-6. She is 5-3 at the No. 4 singles spot.
  • As a team, the women are 32-40 in singles action and 13-23 in doubles. In addition to team high win totals for Horn (7-4) and Hertz (5-6), four other Bulldogs have multiple singles victories: Kayla Smock (4-5), Wagner (3-6), Katelinn Wurm (3-7) and Angela Bell (2-0). Horn and Wagner have gone 4-6 in doubles play as the team’s winningest combo.
  • The Concordia men had beaten three institutions from the state of Kansas in a row before running into their first nationally-ranked opponent of the season. Collectively, the Bulldogs are 35-37 in singles play and 14-22 in doubles action. Gabe Poling paces the team with a 9-2 singles mark. Six of his victories have come at the No. 4 spot. Next on the list of wins leaders are Thomas Greeff (6-6), Lucas Zoller (6-6), Javier Moreno (5-3) and Josh Miller (4-4). Zoller has won his last two singles matches.
  • Both teams will go on an extended break. The women will be at Nebraska Wesleyan on March 29. The men will take on the Prairie Wolves the next day in Lincoln. Conference play will get started in April.