SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University athletic department again finished near the top of the NAIA in terms of total number of 2017-18 NAIA Scholar-Teams. Twenty Bulldog teams hit the mark required to earn the distinction, allowing Concordia to rank third nationally, as announced by the NAIA on Friday (July 20). Concordia shared the national lead for number of NAIA Scholar-Teams during the 2015-16 academic year.
For a team to be considered for the NAIA Scholar-Team award, it must have a minimum 3.0 grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) as defined by the institution. The team grade point average includes all eligible varsity student-athletes.
Of the 20 Concordia Scholar-Teams, 14 of them turned in GPA of 3.3 or better. Tops among these high achieving squads was the women’s outdoor track and field program that produced a collective 3.71 GPA. Concordia University also boasts the most all-time NAIA Scholar-Athletes of any institution in the nation. Concordia now has 1,361 all-time NAIA Scholar-Athletes, including 77 (second most in the GPAC) for the 2017-18 academic year.
In addition, seven Bulldog student-athletes garnered both CoSIDA Academic All-District and CoSIDA Academic All-America accolades. Samantha Liermann was tabbed the CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year for track and field/cross country.
2017-18 Concordia NAIA Scholar-Teams
Baseball – 3.37
Men’s Basketball – 3.19
Women’s Basketball – 3.51
Cheer – 3.34
Men’s Cross Country – 3.45
Dance – 3.45
Football – 3.01
Men’s Golf – 3.43
Men’s Indoor Track & Field – 3.42
Men’s Outdoor Track & Field – 3.27
Men’s Soccer – 3.13
Men’s Tennis – 3.25
Softball – 3.35
Women’s Cross Country – 3.70
Women’s Golf – 3.36
Women’s Indoor Track & Field – 3.67
Women’s Outdoor Track & Field – 3.71
Women’s Soccer – 3.48
Women’s Tennis – 3.29
Volleyball – 3.66