SEWARD, Neb. – For their performances throughout the calendar month, Rylee Haecker of the track & field program and Noah Schutte of the men’s basketball program have been selected as the Bulldog Athletic Association Member (BAAM) Athletes of the Month for January 2023. Haecker and Schutte were winners of a vote conducted on Tuesday (Feb. 7) at the BAAM luncheon. Schutte was also recognized as the Concordia Male Athlete of the Month in November.
Also a standout in cross country, Haecker has enjoyed an indoor track season that has seen her qualify automatically for nationals in the 1,000 meters and as part of the team’s distance medley relay. During the month of January, the Davenport, Neb., native ran 1,000 meter times of 3:04.83 (Graduate Classic) and 2:58.36 (Polar Dog), a mile time of 5:09.13 (Beile Classic) and was part of the DMR that finished in 12:20.68 (Graduate Classic). On current NAIA national lists, Haecker ranks third in the 1,000 meters and 20th in the mile. She’s also helped relays to national rankings of No. 4 in the DMR and No. 7 in the 4x800 meter relay. Individually, Haecker is the No. 1 rated GPAC runner in both the 1,000 meters and the mile. As a team, the Concordia women are currently ranked No. 2 in the NAIA (according to the USTFCCCA). Haecker has earned six All-America awards in her track career.
Schutte continues to star on the hardwood while standing out as one of the top players in the GPAC. During the month of January, Schutte averaged 17.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game while shooting 43.1 percent from the floor and 77.3 percent from the foul line. He was named the MVP of the Concordia Invitational Tournament and garnered the GPAC Player of the Week award (third time this season) on Jan. 31. The native of Laurel, Neb., notched at least 20 points four times in January and led the Bulldogs to a CIT title with wins over Concordia Chicago and Concordia Wisconsin. Among conference players, he ranks sixth in scoring average (18.4), ninth in free throw percentage (.786), 10th in field goal percentage (.542), 12th in 3-point field goal percentage (.411) and 12th in rebounding average (6.3). Schutte entered this week having totaled 994 points in his collegiate career.
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.
2022-23 BAAM Athletes of the Month
January – Rylee Haecker (track & field) / Noah Schutte (basketball)
December – Adrianna Rodencal (track & field) / Gage Smith (basketball)
November – Rebecca Gebhardt (volleyball) / Noah Schutte (basketball)
October – Bree Burtwistle (volleyball) / Korrell Koehlmoos (football) / Carly Rodaway (volleyball)
September –Gabi Nordaker (volleyball) / Camryn Opfer (volleyball) / Camden Sesna (cross country)