SEWARD, Neb. – High achievers for their respective teams, senior men’s soccer student-athlete Hugo Garrote and freshman women’s tennis student-athlete Seohyeon “Lay” Jang have been honored as Bulldog Athletics Association Member (BAAM) Athlete of the Month for October. The winners emerged from a vote conducted on Tuesday (Nov. 10) among attendees at the BAAM luncheon. BAAM luncheons are held every Tuesday (when classes are in session) at 12 p.m. CT inside the Dog House Grill.
A first-year Bulldog from Seoul, South Korea, Jang quickly took the NAIA women’s tennis world by storm. She’s been named Concordia’s female athlete of the month for both September and October. This past month, Jang made waves by winning the NAIA singles national championship at the ITA Cup (Oct. 15-18) in Rome, Ga. Jang blazed through the 16-player bracket with a 4-0 record that included wins over Georgia Gwinnett’s second-ranked Suryanshi Suryanshi, 6-4, 6-3, in the semifinals and Doane’s fourth-ranked Maria Purizaca, 6-4, 6-1, in the championship match. This fall, Jang went unbeaten in singles as she also won the GPAC Fall Individual Championships and the ITA Central West Regional Championships. Including her victory in the dual versus Midland (a 6-1 team win) on Oct. 1, Jang posted a 14-0 singles mark this fall. She is a Business Administration major. Jang will resume the 2026-27 season, along with her women’s tennis teammates, in the spring semester.
Currently in his third season with Bulldog Men’s Soccer, Garrote has served as one of the team’s top players throughout a thrilling 2026 campaign. During October, Garrote helped Head Coach Bernie Ochoa’s squad to an 8-0 record with a combined goal scoring advantage of 45-6. In those eight games, Garrote tallied five goals and five assists. The native of Jerez De La Frontera, Spain, found the back of the net twice in Concordia’s GPAC tournament quarterfinal win over Doane. On the season, Garrote has recorded seven goals and six assists in 18 games (17 starts) for the GPAC regular season champion and NAIA 22nd-ranked Bulldogs (13-4-1, 10-0 GPAC). He was named Second Team All-GPAC in 2025. Over his three seasons at Concordia, Garrote has totaled 11 goals and 13 assists in 58 games. A transfer from Monroe College, he is studying Business Administration.
BAAM Athletes of the Month are rewarded out of the pool of student-athletes that garner BAAM Athlete of the Week recognition throughout the month.
2026-27 BAAM Athletes of the Month
October – Hugo Garrote (soccer) / Seohyeon “Lay” Jang (tennis)
September – Seohyeon “Lay” Jang (tennis) / Kaden Thompson (football)
2025-26 BAAM Athletes of the Month
April – Adrianna Rodencal (track & field) / Nick Velders (tennis)
March – Nick Velders (tennis) / Katie Welker (shooting sports)
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)