Bulldog Athletics Association Member (BAAM) Athletes of the Week
Male: Ben Chisholm, Tennis
A sophomore from Adelaide, Australia, Ben Chisholm helped the Bulldogs win two of three matches just prior to the start of spring break. In those outings against the likes of Grand View, No. 14 Missouri Baptist and Kansas Wesleyan, Chisholm went 3-0 at the No. 4 singles spot. He is a Recreation and Sport Studies major.
Female: Taylor Larsen, Dance
A senior from Ravenna, Neb., Taylor Larsen has played a starring role for a Concordia Dance team that will make the program’s first ever appearance at the NAIA National Championships. Larsen earned 2026 First Team All-GPAC accolades and is a two-time All-American. Larsen is studying marketing and business.
2025-26 BAAM Athletes of the Month
February – Jonny Jurchen (track & field) / Adrianna Rodencal (track & field)
January – Hayden Kluthe (track & field) / Adrianna Rodencal (track & field)
December – Brooks Kissinger (basketball) / Adysen McCarter (track & field)
November – Ava Greene (volleyball) / Brooks Kissinger (basketball)
October – Kierstynn Garner (soccer) / Adam Van Cleave (football)
September – Carson Fehlhafer (football) / Katie Welker (shooting sports)
2025-26 BAAM Athletes of the Week
March 3 – Raelyn Kelty (women’s basketball); Brooks Kissinger (men’s basketball)
Feb. 24 – Adysen McCarter (track & field); Cal Price (wrestling)
Feb. 17 – Mary Beth Hart (softball); Jonny Jurchen (track & field)
Feb. 10 – Gabe Lujan (wrestling); Adrianna Rodencal (track & field)
Feb. 3 – JJ Jones (basketball); Hayden Kluthe (track & field)
Jan. 27 – Zac Kulus (basketball); Adrianna Rodencal (track & field)
Jan. 20 – Hayden Kluthe (track & field); Adrianna Rodencal (track & field)
Jan. 13 – Cole Price (wrestling); Ayla Roth (women’s basketball)
Dec. 16 – Jonny Jurchen (track & field); Adysen McCarter (track & field)
Dec. 9 – Ashley Keck (volleyball); Brooks Kissinger (basketball)
Dec. 2 – Brooks Kissinger (basketball); Kristin Vieselmeyer (basketball)
Nov. 18 – Oliver Benson (soccer); Braxtyn Koch (football); Kristin Vieselmeyer (basketball)
Nov. 11 – Ava Greene (volleyball); Brooks Kissinger (basketball)
Nov. 4 – Kierstynn Garner (soccer); Hugo Garrote (soccer)
Oct. 28 – Keeli Green (cross country); Vaughn Hendrickson (cross country)
Oct. 21 – Addie Kirkegaard (volleyball) / Taylor Slaymaker (soccer); Adam Van Cleave (football)
Oct. 14 – Oliver Benson (soccer); Kierstynn Garner (soccer)
Oct. 7 – Carlos Collazo (football); Katie Welker (shooting sports)
Sept. 30 – Hugo Fuentes & Nick Velders (tennis) / Peyton Atwood (football); Sadie Mares (soccer)
Sept. 23 – Oliver Balazs (soccer); Katie Welker (shooting sports)
Sept. 16 – Carson Fehlhafer (football); Ella Waters (volleyball)
Sept. 9 – Sam Blevins (shooting sports); Molli Martin (volleyball)
Sept. 2 – Emery Custer (golf); Slade Leicht (soccer)
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.
Weides shifts to Director of Soccer Operations, head women’s soccer coach; Ochoa takes reins of men’s soccer program: Both Concordia Soccer programs will undergo a change in the head coaching role. After 18 seasons leading the men’s soccer program, Jason Weides has assumed the title of Director of Soccer Operations / Head Women’s Soccer Coach of the Bulldogs. Meanwhile, Concordia has appointed Concordia Athletics Hall of Famer Bernie Ochoa as Head Men’s Soccer Coach. The personnel announcement was made official by Concordia Athletics on March 9. For additional details, check out the press release HERE.
GPAC All-Conference honors announced for winter sports: The final GPAC All-Conference announcements for winter sports came in early March at the GPAC Cheer & Dance Championships. Complete all-conference listings can be found via the links below. In addition to the all-conference honors earned by Concordia athletes, Josh Watts was named GPAC Coach of the Year for men’s wrestling.
--Men’s Basketball
--Women’s Basketball
--Cheer
--Dance
--Track & Field
--Wrestling
Weightlifting hosts CUNE Open, honors senior class: History was made on Feb. 28 as Concordia Weightlifting hosted its first ever official home competition. Twenty-three athletes competed at the CUNE Weightlifting Open, which saw Best Lifter awards earned by Taylor Hedke on the women’s side and Enzo Mancini on the men’s side. The five seniors honored were Harley Jane Carter, Evan Fukuhara, Adrian Hernandez, Leighton Limback and Jacob Wagoner. Head Coach Freddie Myles’ weightlifting squad has competed at three events throughout the 2025-26 season. Both the weightlifting and powerlifting programs are gearing up for National Championship events scheduled for April 9-12. The locations will be Kenner, La., for powerlifting and Salt Lake City, Utah, for weightlifting. For a recap of the CUNE Weightlifting Open, click HERE.
Profiling standout Concordia student-athletes: Concordia Athletic Communications frequently highlights student-athletes and their unique stories. In recent feature releases, the journeys of seniors Ashley Keck, Taylor Larsen and Mariana Molano have been detailed. Recently, a feature on the successful season for women’s basketball was released. Links to recent feature stories can be found below.
--WBB: ‘Press’
--Ashley Keck
--Taylor Larsen
--Mariana Molano
--Men’s Tennis Seniors
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.
Women’s Basketball
· Current record: 23-8, 17-5 GPAC (T-3rd in final standings); ranked No. 13 in NAIA coaches’ poll.
· Last week – NAIA National Championship Tournament:
o First Round – Lost vs. Bethel (Kan.), 78-76, on March 13.
· Links: 2025-26 Schedule | Roster | Statistics | NAIA Coaches’ Poll
· Notable: The season finished in heartbreak in the first round of the NAIA National Championship tournament. The sixth-seeded Bulldogs allowed a late 74-69 lead to slip away and were upset by Bethel College (Kan.), 78-76. The game’s final points came in the closing 30 seconds when Caryn Yoder made all three free throws after being fouled from beyond the 3-point arc. Foul shooting was an issue for Concordia, which went 13-for-28 (.464) in that department. Four Bulldogs reached double figures in the defeat: Kristin Vieselmeyer (18), Sammy Leu (13), JJ Jones (10) and Ayla Roth (10). Head Coach Drew Olson led the program to the national tournament for the 17th time in his 20 years at the helm. The result means the end of the line for Vieselmeyer, a First Team All-GPAC honoree as a senior. The third of three sisters to compete as a student-athlete at Concordia, Vieselmeyer finished with four-year totals of 986 points, 452 rebounds, 160 assists, 94 steals and 83 blocked shots. Olson will return a strong nucleus for 2026-27, led by a senior class featuring the likes of Bree Bunting, Jones, Raelyn Kelty and Leu. Roth also figures to make a jump going from her freshman to sophomore year. Concordia went 23-8 overall and was ranked as high as No. 9 in the NAIA coaches’ poll this season. The Bulldogs placed in a tie for third in the GPAC regular season standings and reached the conference tournament semifinals before then being selected as an at-large national qualifier.
· For additional news and notes on the women’s basketball program, click HERE.
Men’s Basketball
· Current record: 19-12, 11-9 GPAC (T-4th in final standings).
· GPAC Tournament:
o GPAC Quarterfinals – Won vs. Dordt, 66-60, on Feb. 25.
o GPAC Semifinals – Won at No. 21 Morningside, 92-87, on Feb. 28.
o GPAC Championship – Lost at No. 20 Northwestern, 102-72, on March 3.
· Links: 2025-26 Schedule | Roster | Statistics | NAIA Coaches’ Poll
· Notable: The season officially concluded on March 5 when the Bulldogs learned they had not been selected to the 64-team NAIA National Championship field. Concordia was left out despite a 19-12 overall record and its status as the GPAC tournament runner up. Head Coach Ben Limback’s squad reached the GPAC tournament final via postseason wins over Dordt and No. 21 Morningside. The Bulldogs won six times over teams that qualified for the national tournament. The GPAC representatives at the national tournament are Morningside and Northwestern. Concordia was led in 2025-26 by GPAC All-Conference honorees in Brooks Kissinger (first team), Dane Jacobsen (second team), Zac Kulus (honorable mention) and Jaxon Stueve (honorable mention). The Ashland, Neb., native Kissinger accumulated 663 points (22.1 average) on the season for the fourth highest total in program history. In the semifinal win at Morningside, Kissinger became the 39th player in program history to reach 1,000 career points. A high school teammate of Kissinger, Jacobsen enjoyed a strong season of his own in averaging 13.3 points while shooting 46.4 percent from 3-point range. Concordia figures to make a run at a return to the national tournament in 2026-27 behind a nucleus that will feature the likes of Jacobsen, Kissinger and Stueve, as well as Jacob Duitsman, Hayden Frank, Tate Odvody and others.
· For additional news and notes on the men’s basketball program, click HERE.
Wrestling
· Final dual record: 8-1, 7-1 GPAC; No. 16 in NAIA ratings.
· Most recent:
o Placed 20th at the 2026 NAIA National Championships.
· Links: 2025-26 Schedule | Roster | Statistics | NAIA National Rankings
· Notable: Head Coach Josh Watts’ Bulldogs wrapped up their season at the NAIA National Championships in Wichita, Kan., on March 6. The season’s final day was a rough one as Barret Brandt (184), Hagen Heistand (157) and Paul Ruff (133) each came up one win shy of reaching the All-America podium. Concordia’s nine qualifiers combined for 23.5 team points, placing the Bulldogs at 20th in the final team standings. Both Heistand and Ruff advanced to the quarterfinals of their respective brackets before tasting defeat. Of the nine Bulldogs at the national tournament, six notched at least one victory. As a major highlight, Brandt posted two pins on the national stage, pushing his career total to 50, equaling the school record he now shares with Deandre Chery. Though the end was disappointing, Concordia enjoyed a stellar season that included an 8-1 overall dual record, second place conference finishes in the regular season and postseason, the program’s best ever finish at the Missouri Valley Invite (third) and individual GPAC titles for Heistand and Cal Price (149). The Bulldogs rose as high as No. 16 in the NAIA’s official national ratings. The offseason now gets underway as Concordia aims to raise the bar higher in 2026-27.
· For additional news and notes on the wrestling program, click HERE.
Indoor Track & Field
· Weekends of 2025-26 Meets: 8.
· Most recent:
o Placed T-31st on the women’s side and T-33rd on the men’s side at 2026 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships on March 5-7.
· Links: 2025-26 Schedule | Roster | TFRRS Performance Lists
· Notable: The 2026 NAIA Indoor National Championships wrapped up the indoor season across the NAIA. After three days of competition in Gainesville, Fla., the Bulldogs placed in a tie for 31st (10 points) on the women’s side and in a tie for 33rd (nine points) on the men’s side. The most thrilling moment occurred on the final day when senior Adrianna Rodencal blazed to a time of 8.25 in the finals of the 60-meter hurdles and celebrated her first career NAIA national title. It was her fifth career All-America award. Her time was also a personal best that broke her own school record (again). Concordia’s two other All-America awards came on the men’s side as Nathan Baldwin placed third in the weight throw (PR of 63’ 4”) and Jonny The Jet Jurchen placed sixth in the 3,000-meter racewalk with a school record of 12:14.38. A total of 21 Bulldogs made their way to Gainesville. In other highlights, Jack Habegger reached the finals of the racewalk as a freshman and the men’s 4x800-meter relay ran a season best of 7:41.34. The group was made up of Keith Siek, Trenton Kumm, Lucas Corwin and Justin Sherman. Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squads have a break from competition before beginning the outdoor season with the UNK-Hastings Central Nebraska Challenge on March 28.
· For additional news and notes on the track & field programs, click HERE.
· Up next:
o Saturday, March 28 – UNK-Hastings Central Nebraska Challenge (Kearney High School); season’s first outdoor meet.
Cheer / Dance
· Cheer Season Scoring Average: 67.27
· Dance Season Scoring Average: 87.57
· Most recent:
o Cheer:
§ Placed 8th/8 (77.28) at the 2026 GPAC Championships on March 6.
o Dance:
§ Placed 2nd/7 (87.79) at the 2026 GPAC Championships on March 7.
· Cheer Links: 2026 Schedule | Roster
· Dance Links: 2026 Schedule | Roster
· Notable: At the very beginning of spring break, the Bulldogs competed at the GPAC Championships (March 6-7) hosted by Northwestern. The results were an eighth-place finish in cheer (76.73 total score) and a third-place claim in dance (87.99 total score). In placing third, Concordia Dance achieved the best conference finish in program history. A successful season that included championships at the York Crown Classic and Concordia Invite has earned dance a spot in the 2026 NAIA National Championships – a first in program history. Through nine events, Head Coach Mandi Maser’s squad has averaged a score of 87.57, ninth highest in the NAIA. Meanwhile, the average for cheer was 67.27. Head Coach Emilie Ashenbach’s squad will look to build upon their growth throughout the winter as it eyes improvement for next season. Between cheer and dance, the Bulldogs earned a total of 10 GPAC All-Conference awards. In dance, first team accolades went to Hanna Bitner, Taylor Larsen, Bianca Romshek and Lana Tillman. Maser and her squad will now gear up to appear on the national stage in Topeka, Kan., on March 27-28. Concordia is one of three GPAC teams that will be represented in dance at the national championships.
· For additional news and notes on cheer and dance programs, click the following links: Cheer | Dance.
· Up next:
o 2026 NAIA Cheer and Dance National Championship in Topeka, Kan., March 27-28.
Baseball
· Current record: 15-9, 3-1 GPAC; ranked No. 18 in the NAIA coaches’ poll.
· Most recent (including spring trip):
o Lost at No. 17 St. Thomas, 15-3, on March 5.
o Lost at No. 17 St. Thomas, 11-2, on March 6.
o Lost at No. 17 St. Thomas, 8-4, on March 6.
o Lost at No. 17 St. Thomas, 12-8, on March 7.
o Lost vs. Mayville State, 8-4, on March 9 (Winter Haven, Fla.).
o Won vs. Mayville State, 6-4, on March 9 (Winter Haven, Fla.).
o Won vs. Mount Marty, 6-2, on March 13 (Lincoln, Neb.).
o Lost vs. Mount Marty, 3-2, on March 13 (Lincoln, Neb.).
o Won vs. Mount Marty, 9-2, on March 14.
o Won vs. Mount Marty, 7-3, on March 14.
· Links: 2026 Schedule | Roster | Statistics | NAIA Coaches’ Polls
· Notable: Since the most recent edition of the weekly report, Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad has played 10 games, including the trip to Florida. The Bulldogs went 1-5 in Florida while dropping all four games on the home diamond of No. 17 St. Thomas University (Fla.). Concordia proceeded to split a doubleheader with Mayville State University (N.D.) before opening GPAC play with three wins in a four-game series with Mount Marty. In the series with the Lancers, the Bulldog pitching staff posted a 2.43 ERA with 10 total runs allowed in 32 innings. Alex Johnson opened conference play by tossing a seven-inning complete game that included 11 strikeouts. He surrendered just one earned run. Brody Smearer also threw seven innings over the past week without a an earned run surrendered. Seven different Bulldog hitters notched at least four hits and five recorded one home run in the Mount Marty series. Over his past six games, Bronx Lewis has homered three times and leads the team with nine big flies on the year. The speedster Zackery Day (98 career stolen bases) is closing in on a milestone achievement. A showdown with No. 21 Doane looms this weekend in a four-game series that will be split between Friday and Sunday at two different sites.
· For additional news and notes on the baseball program, click HERE.
· This week:
o Friday, March 20 vs. No. 21 Doane (16-5, 3-1 GPAC), 1 p.m. DH (Sherman Field in Lincoln, Neb.).
o Sunday, March 22 vs. No. 21 Doane (16-5, 3-1 GPAC), 1 p.m. DH.
Shooting Sports
· Last week:
o Placed 3rd/6 at Iowa Western CC Invite on March 7-8.
· Links: 2025-26 Schedule | Roster
· Notable: As of Tuesday (March 17) afternoon, the Bulldogs were already underway with competition at the 2026 ACUI Collegiate Clay Target National Championships. The full schedule for the week can be found HERE. Head Coach Dylan Owens’ team was coming off a third-place finish at the Iowa Western Community College Invite held on March 7-8. Concordia busted 1,830 targets towards the team HOA total and placed behind host Iowa Western (1,907) and Fort Hays State University (1,889). A senior from Hamill, S.D., Katie Welker continues to shine. She took women’s HOA and doubles trap (192) championships at the Iowa Western Invite and was the team’s overall top competitor with a score of 375/400. Concordia’s other contributors to the team score in doubles trap were senior Devin Harris (182), grad student Sam Blevins (180), senior Kaylee Hinton (178) and freshman Brianna Helsene (167). Meanwhile, the top marksmanship in doubles skeet was displayed by senior Cael Washburn (191), Blevins (187), Harris (187) and freshman Delayna Rife (183). At the national championships in San Antonio this week, the Bulldogs are hoping to improve upon last season’s national finish of seventh in the Division 2 breakdown.
· This week:
o 2026 ACUI Collegiate Clay Target National Championships in San Antonio, Texas (National Shooting Complex), March 17-21.
Golf
· Most recent completed tournament:
o Men – Placed 12th/13 (310-310–620) at the Maverick Desert Classic on March 9-10.
o Women – Last competed at the Nebraska Intercollegiate on Oct. 6-7.
· Men’s Links: 2025-26 Schedule | Roster | Statistics
· Women’s Links: 2025-26 Schedule | Roster | Statistics
· Notable: The spring season is underway for the men’s program, which spent part of spring break in Goodyear, Ariz., for the Maverick Desert Classic hosted by Minnesota State University. In a field loaded with NCAA Division II competition, Head Coach Brett Muller’s squad placed 12th out of 13 groupings with a score of 310-310–620 (+44). The team’s top individual performers included the likes of Jake Richmond (74-78–152), Tyler Weismann (78-78–156), Calvin Zabloudil (79-79–158) and Jude Elgert (83-75–158). Their efforts helped the Bulldogs card two scores lower than their season average entering the event. The season average now stands at 313.8 through six varsity events (15 rounds) in 2025-26. Richmond leads the team with an 18-hole average of 77.1. On the women’s side, Concordia has not played since the Nebraska Intercollegiate back in the fall. Emery Custer and company will return to action later this month at the Bethel College Invite (a men’s and women’s tournament). As of Tuesday (March 17), the men’s team was getting set to play at the Doane Spring Invite in Lincoln.
· Up next:
o M – March 17-18 at Doane Spring Invite (Mahoney GC / Highlands GC).
o W – March 28-29 at Bethel College Invite (Sand Creek Station GC in Newton, Kan.).
Tennis
· Current records: men – 10-2 | women – 8-4.
· Last week:
o W – Won vs. Grand View, 7-0, on March 6.
o W – Lost at Missouri Baptist, 4-0, on March 7.
o M – Won vs. Grand View, 7-0, on March 6.
o M – Lost at No. 14 Missouri Baptist, 4-1, on March 7.
o M – Won at Kansas Wesleyan, 5-2, on March 8.
· Men’s Links: 2025-26 Schedule | Roster | Statistics
· Women’s Links: 2025-26 Schedule | Roster | Statistics
· Notable: Before taking some time off for spring break, the Bulldogs engaged in a busy stretch from March 6-8. During that time, the men went 2-1 while the women went 1-1. Both teams earned 7-0 home wins over Grand View University (Iowa) and both then lost at Missouri Baptist University (ranked 14th for men and RV for women). The men went on to travel to Salina, Kan., where they notched a 5-2 victory over Kansas Wesleyan University. One of the highlights for the men was the play of sophomore Ben Chisholm, who went 3-0 at the No. 4 singles spot. Additionally, senior Nick Velders went 2-0 at the No. 2 position. With those results, Velders moved his Concordia career singles record to a sparkling 27-2 (9-0 this season). In last week’s win over Grand View, the Bulldog women swept singles and earned the doubles point by triumphing in two of the three matches. Four Concordia women’s players are tied for the team lead with seven singles wins this season. Head Coach Lisa Hart’s squads have another string of matches coming up this Thursday through Saturday, beginning with a men’s and women’s home matchup with Seward County Community College (Kan.). Those matches will lead the Bulldogs into the start of conference play versus Hastings (March 25 for the men and March 26 for the women).
· For additional news and notes on the tennis programs, click the following links: Men | Women.
· This week:
o M/W – Thursday, March 19 vs. Seward County CC, 12 p.m.
o M/W – Friday, March 20 at Missouri Valley, 12 p.m.
o M/W – Saturday, March 21 at (M – No. 17; W – No. 19) William Woods (Mo.), 11 a.m.
Softball
· Current record: 9-7.
· Most recent:
o Lost vs. Baker, 11-3 (5 inn.), on March 7 (Wichita, Kan.).
o Won vs. Bethany, 5-2, on March 7 (Wichita, Kan.).
· Links: 2026 Schedule | Roster | Statistics | NAIA Coaches’ Polls
· Notable: The Bulldogs were off from competition for the week of spring break. Most recently, Head Coach Brock Culler’s squad appeared at the Friends Invite in Wichita, Kan., on March 7. As part of the shortened event (due to inclement weather on March 6), Concordia fell by the run rule, 11-3, to Baker University (Kan.) before bouncing back to claim a 5-2 win over Bethany College (Kan.). In the defeat, Aubriana Krieser doubled and drove in two of the team’s three runs. In the victory, both Krieser and Keira Farritor homered as the bats heated up late in the contest. The Swedes held a 1-0 lead until the bottom of the fifth. Kaylei Denison picked up the win in the circle while throwing all seven innings with two runs allowed on eight hits and two walks (four strikeouts). Through 16 games, freshman Mary Beth Hart continues to lead the team in hitting (.404 batting average). Krieser owns team highs for home runs (three) and RBIs (15). Over her first 10 pitching appearances, Denison is 5-3 with a 3.16 ERA in 51 innings. After having more than a week between games, the Bulldogs will ramp back up with three doubleheaders in a four-day stretch. Conference play opens on Wednesday with a twin bill at No. 19 Midland.
· For additional news and notes on the softball program, click HERE.
· This week:
o Wednesday, March 18 at No. 19 Midland (18-8, 0-0 GPAC), 5 p.m. DH.
o Friday, March 20 at Nebraska Wesleyan (8-8), 4 p.m. DH.
o Saturday, March 21 at Briar Cliff (10-14, 0-0 GPAC), 1 p.m. DH.