Bulldog Weekly Report (Nov. 27)

By Jacob Knabel on Nov. 27, 2018 in Athletic Announcements

Bulldog Athletic Association Athletes of the Week
*Due to the absence of a Bulldog Athletic Association Member luncheon during the week of Thanksgiving, athletic competitions between Nov. 13 – 27 were taken into consideration for the latest athlete of the week voting.

Male: Alberto Garcia, Wrestling

Garcia, a native of Escondido, Calif., made a big splash in his Bulldog debut by winning the 133-pound title of the elite division at the University of Nebraska-Kearney Open on Nov. 17. As a result, the transfer from Palomar College garnered GPAC Wrestler of the Week accolades. At the UNK Open, Garcia defeated two NCAA Division II and two NCAA Division I opponents.

Female: Taylor Grove, Cross Country / Quinn Wragge, Basketball

Grove, who hails from Billings, Mont., represented Concordia at the NAIA Cross Country National Championships on Nov. 16 and placed 125th by pacing the 5k course in 18:57.1. She earned an invite to the national meet courtesy of a fourth-place finish at the GPAC championships back on Nov. 3.

Wragge, a native of Crofton, Neb., has helped lead the top-ranked Bulldogs to a 9-0 start. Over the past three outings, she has totaled 38 points, 18 rebounds and nine steals in wins over Hastings, Jamestown and College of Saint Mary. The three-time first team All-GPAC honoree needs three more points to reach 1,500 for her career.

Previous Athletes of the Week
Nov. 13 – Zac Walter (football) / Grace Barry (basketball)
Nov. 6 – Jack Bennett (soccer) / Tori Cera (soccer)
OCTOBER Athletes of the Month: Carlos Ferrer (soccer) / Maria Deeter (soccer)
Oct. 30 – Carlos Ferrer (soccer) / Taylor Cockerill (basketball)
Oct. 23 – Josiah McAllister (cross country) / Jenna Habegger (volleyball)
Oct. 16 – Carlos Ferrer (soccer) / Maria Deeter (soccer)
Oct. 9 – Kordell Glause (football) / Brynn Suddeth (soccer)
Oct. 2 – Zac Walter (football) / Maria Deeter (soccer)
SEPTEMBER Athletes of the Month: Ryan Durdon (football) / Emmie Noyd (volleyball)
Sept. 25 – Roger de la Villa (soccer) / Erin Lokke (shooting sports)
Sept. 18 – Lane Napier (football) / Emmie Noyd (volleyball)
Sept. 11 – Ryan Durdon (football) / Marissa Hoerman (volleyball)
Sept. 4 – JP Verissimo (soccer) / Lauren Martin (soccer)
Aug. 28 – Garrett Perry (soccer) / Jenna Habegger (volleyball)

News and notes:

Fall season wrap up: Bulldog athletics completed the fall 2018 campaign with a sixth-place positioning in the GPAC All-Sports Trophy Standings. The conference also updates the standings at the close of the winter and spring sport seasons. Concordia collected 44.5 fall points (24.5 women, 20 men) towards the all-sports standings. For a complete breakdown of the Bulldog fall athletic season, click HERE.

Women’s soccer program upholds stature as one of league’s best: Head coach Greg Henson continues to guide a women’s soccer program that competes with the best in the GPAC. Led by senior captain Maria Deeter, the 2018 Bulldogs made another run to the conference championship game while coming up one win shy of reaching the national tournament. Concordia went 13-3-5 overall this past fall and placed third in the GPAC regular-season standings. For a recap of the season, click HERE.

Bulldog Coaches Show airs every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. CT: The Bulldog Coaches Show is underway in its fourth 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 2018-19 season, Bulldog football, men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball contests will be aired live on Max Country. Tyler Cavalli 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 fourth season calling Concordia volleyball.

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.

Men’s Basketball

  • The Bulldogs wrapped up a successful Thanksgiving week on the road by topping previously unbeaten Peru State College, 77-71, on Nov. 24. Five days earlier, Concordia began the week by squeaking past Waldorf University, 75-72, in Forest City, Iowa. The Bulldogs also played an exhibition game at NCAA Division I University of North Dakota on Nov. 20 with the result being an 89-56 win for the Fighting Hawks. Sixth-year head coach Ben Limback’s squad is now 6-3 overall (1-3 GPAC). For more information on Concordia men’s basketball, click HERE.
  • The wins on the road were an encouraging sign for a team that had fallen in its first two tries away from Walz this season (Midland and No. 10 Briar Cliff). While picking up the two road victories, the Bulldogs continued to pad what has been an impressive start in nonconference play. Concordia opened the season by defeating a Kansas Wesleyan University squad that went on to blow out Midland. The Bulldogs also own a victory over No. 25 St. Thomas University (Fla.). Both St. Thomas and Peru State were 2018 national tournament qualifiers.
  • The formula in many Concordia victories so far has been to drain 3-pointers and play solid on the defensive end. Sharpshooter Tanner Shuck (39.1 percent from 3-point range) has led the charge for a squad that sports national rankings of 31st in 3-point field goal percentage (.390) and 34th in made 3-point field goals per game (9.7). Among GPAC teams, the Bulldogs rank second in scoring defense (71.6) and third in field goal percentage defense (.431). They limited Peru State to just 33.3 percent shooting in the second half of that matchup.
  • Now in his junior season (senior academically), Shuck is a proven offensive threat whose game continues to evolve. He went off by equaling a career high with 29 points at Peru State. In that performance, Shuck went 10-for-17 from the floor, 5-for-8 from beyond the arc and 4-for-5 from the free throw line. Now at 850 career points, the Grand Island native is on track to become the program’s 30th all-time 1,000-point scorer. He’s knocked down 179 3-point field goals since joining the Bulldogs prior to the start of the 2016-17 season.
  • Chuol Biel, a transfer from McCook Community College, earned praise from Limback for his defensive work in the win at Peru State. Also a Grand Island native, Biel helped limit Bobcat leading scorer Lyle Hexom (who was averaging 22.2 points per game) to 13 points on 5-for-14 shooting from the field. Biel also blocked a shot and now has 16 blocks through the season’s first nine games. He ranks 17th nationally in blocks per game (1.78). Biel averages 7.7 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.
  • Shuck and junior point guard Brevin Sloup are neck-and-neck for the most minutes played per game on the team. Shuck averages 31.4 minutes and Sloup 31.0. That number represents a massive increase for Sloup, who averaged 12.8 minutes played as a sophomore last season. The Seward High School product has responded by averaging 15.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists. He also ranks third among GPAC players in free throw percentage (.882).
  • The game at North Dakota did not officially count towards Concordia’s record. However, the contest was factored into the season mark for the Fighting Hawks. The Bulldogs competed closely up through the midway point of the first half. Concordia trailed just 21-20 after a Ryan Holt basket at the 9:50 mark before North Dakota went on a run to close the half. In 22 minutes of action, Sloup topped the Bulldogs with 13 points on 5-for-9 shooting. Holt added eight points and four rebounds.
  • Holt stepped into the lineup and the first two starts of his career in last week’s action. Like Sloup, Holt has seen a greatly enhanced role this season. He responded with 12 points in the win at Waldorf and then snagged six rebounds in the victory at Peru State. The sophomore from Highlands Ranch, Colo., is averaging 5.9 points and 2.4 rebounds after playing in a grand total of 12 varsity minutes as a freshman.
  • A significant challenge awaits on Wednesday when fourth-ranked Morningside (7-0, 4-0 GPAC) pays a visit to Walz Arena. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. CT. Concordia (4-1 at home) will attempt to put a stop to a four-game series losings streak against the Mustangs, who own wins over 10th-ranked Briar Cliff and 14th-ranked Bellevue University. The Bulldogs will also host Nebraska Christian College (3-5) at 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Women’s Basketball

  • It was a light Thanksgiving week for the top-ranked Bulldogs, who blew away College of Saint Mary, 88-55, in a matchup that took place in Omaha on Nov. 20. By the time Concordia takes the court on Wednesday night, it will have gone more than a week without a game. Thirteenth-year head coach Drew Olson’s squad stands at 9-0 overall and 5-0 in the conference. The Bulldogs and Dakota Wesleyan (9-0, 5-0 GPAC) are the last remaining unbeaten teams in the GPAC. For more information on Concordia women’s basketball, click HERE.
  • The Bulldogs have now started a season 9-0 for the third time since Olson was named head coach prior to the 2006-07 season. The 2012-13 squad started out 15-0 before its first blemish while the 2017-18 edition put together a 24-0 run. The school record for longest undefeated string to begin a season was a 33-0 mark by the 2002-03 team. The 2002-03 and 2017-18 teams stand as the standard bearers in terms of fewest losses (two) in a season in program history. Those two squads also share the school record for most wins (36) in a season.
  • The win at College of Saint Mary was like a movie watched many times before by Bulldog fans. Concordia used a 15-0 run to begin the second half to mount an insurmountable 63-26 lead. The large spread allowed Olson to make liberal use of the bench. Not a single player saw more than 18 minutes of action. Freshman Mackenzie Koepke took advantage of her 15 minutes of playing time. She notched a career high 14 points while adding seven rebounds, a steal and a blocked shot. Quinn Wragge (12) and Taylor Cockerill (11) were the other Bulldogs to reach double figures in scoring.
  • Consider this the weekly turnover update. Concordia forced 31 more at College of Saint Mary. Incredibly, that number is actually below the team’s season average. Through nine games, Bulldog opponents have committed 319 turnovers for an average of 35.4 per contest. Concordia continues to lead the nation in steals per game (22.1) while ranking second in turnover margin (+15.8). Six Bulldogs average at least two thefts per game with three of them ranking in the top five in that category among GPAC players.
  • The ringleader behind that suffocating pressure defense has been transfer Grace Barry. The junior point guard ranks fourth among all NAIA Division II players with an average of 4.11 steals per game. The Lincoln East High School product got some quality rest at College of Saint Mary, but still contributed with six assists. She ranks third nationally in assists per game (5.78). On a balanced team, Barry ranks fourth among Bulldogs in scoring at 11.2 points per game.
  • With the game well in hand, Wragge exited for good with 6:45 left in the fourth quarter at College of Saint Mary. That meant that she had to wait at least another week to eclipse 1,500 career points. She now stands at 1,497 (10th most on the program’s all-time list). Next up on the school’s scoring list for Wragge to pass is Andrea Janssen (1,559) at No. 9. At her current rate (13.0 points per game), the Crofton, Neb., native has a legitimate chance to jump all the way to No. 2 on that list by the time the season ends. Bailey Morris (2,054 points) remains the program’s all-time leading scorer.
  • With no action occurring inside Walz Arena last week, Concordia’s home win streak remained at 40. The string began following a shocking 91-55 loss to Doane on Jan. 27, 2016. The Bulldogs finished that season by winning their final four home games and then preceded to go 17-0 at home in 2016-17, 15-0 in 2017-18 and 4-0 so far in 2018-19. The 40-game home win streak is the longest active string among NAIA women’s basketball programs. Southeastern University (Fla.) has won 38-consecutive home games.
  • Concordia still has yet to be challenged significantly having won each of its first nine games by margins of at least 13 points. It has done that against a schedule that Massey Ratings has listed as the 23rd most difficult in the NAIA to date (it will almost certainly move up as GPAC play continues). The Bulldogs’ average margin of victory has been 28.7 points (fourth best in NAIA Division II). Four Concordia wins have come over nationally-ranked foes with the point spreads being 13, 29, 14 and 28, respectively.
  • The home win streak will be put to the test by 11th-ranked Morningside (6-1, 4-1 GPAC) on Wednesday in a clash set to tip off at 6 p.m. CT. The Bulldogs have won each of the last five meetings with the Mustangs, including last season’s 106-86 trouncing in the semifinals of the GPAC tournament. Morningside’s lone loss so far this season came by a 91-66 score against No. 8 Northwestern. Concordia will then have this weekend off.

Wrestling

  • The Bulldogs enjoyed a week off from competition during the holiday week. Prior to the break, Concordia had already banked a pair of GPAC dual wins after coming back to defeat 13th-ranked Midland, 21-17, in Fremont on Nov. 15. Two days later, 15 Bulldogs took to the mats at the University of Nebraska-Kearney Holiday Inn Open. To date, first-year head coach Levi Calhoun’s squad has competed in three tournaments and two duals. For more on Concordia wrestling, click HERE.
  • New conference and national rankings were released last week by the NAIA. Deandre Chery (No. 7 at 174), Alberto Garcia (No. 9 at 133) and Josh Nelsen (No. 12 at 184) continue to represent the Bulldogs in the national ratings. Those three competitors were also among the 10 Concordia wrestlers to appear in the conference ratings, which lists the top six at each weight. In the GPAC rankings, Chery is No. 1 at 174 while Garcia and Michael Stann (285) are No. 2 at their respective weights. As a team, the Bulldogs remain listed in the “receiving votes” category.
  • The Bulldogs are seeking a return to the top of the GPAC dual standings after placing fifth in 2017-18. Prior to last season, Concordia put together three conference championship seasons in a row. During that run, the Bulldogs went 21-0 while dominating their conference foes. Since the start of the 2014-15 campaign, Concordia is now 28-3 in GPAC duals. The defending GPAC champions from 2017-18 are Briar Cliff (dual) and Midland (tournament).
  • Midland happens to be led by Dana Vote, who is in his second season with the Warriors. He was the Bulldog head coach for conference championship seasons in 2014-15 and 2015-16 before leaving to take an operations role on the staff at Iowa State University. In the matchup against his former boss, Calhoun saw his team dig a 17-3 hole before triumphing in the final four matches while earning the victory. Chery started the roll with a win by decision at 174. He then passed the baton to Nelsen (pin at 184), Darrin Miller (decision at 197) and Michael Stann (pin at 285).
  • Garcia stole the show at the UNK Open. He proved that his Concordia debut was worth the wait. The transfer from Palomar College went 4-0 in the process of winning the 133-pound title in the elite division of the UNK Open. Garcia defeated two NCAA Division II opponents and then two NCAA Division I foes during his run. In the championship bout, the native of Escondido, Calif., toppled Jevon Parrish of the University of Nebraska by decision, 13-7. Garcia was ranked 10th nationally in his weight class in the preseason despite having never wrestled at the NAIA level. He was named the GPAC Wrestler of the Week on Nov. 21.
  • Chery has placed at each of the first three tournaments this season. He won the 174-pound championship at the Dan Harris Open prior to placing third at the Dakota Wesleyan Open and then fifth at the UNK Open. Chery’s two losses in Kearney both came against NCAA Division II opponents. Chery added a pin over Benjamin Krantz of Colorado School of Mines to push his season pin total to six. The native of Miami Gardens, Fla., is a returning national qualifier and defending 174-pound GPAC champion.
  • Not only did Stann emerge from the dual at Midland as one of the heroes, he also enjoyed a 5-1 day at the UNK Open. Officially, Stann notched a fourth-place heavyweight finish, although he was unable to wrestle in the third-place match due to the rule that limits competitors to six matches in a day. Thanks to a 15-3 record, Stann is the team leader in victories. The native of Temecula, Calif., has helped solidify a spot in the lineup that was lacking depth last season after the graduation of national runner up Ceron Francisco.
  • In sum, Concordia’s 15 wrestlers at the UNK Open combined for 23 wins and three place finishes. Chery, Garcia and Stann were collectively responsible for 13 of those victories. Tyler Jorgensen (184), Darrin Miller (184) and Demetrius Miller (184) each went 2-2. Four Bulldogs picked up exactly one win at Kearney: Dakota Brace (125), Blake Castillo (174), Giancarlo Facio (125) and Zack Moistner (133).
  • Concordia will remain idle until Friday, Dec. 7 when it is scheduled to make its first home appearance of the season. The opponent will be Benedictine College (Kan.). The pre-Christmas slate also includes the Doane University Open (Dec. 8) and the GPAC/Cascade Duals (Dec. 16). The next GPAC duals will take place Jan. 26 inside Walz Arena.