Recent Concordia University graduate assistant alums have dispersed throughout the country, landing full-time jobs within the coaching ranks. Past Bulldog GA’s have found homes on coaching staffs at places like Arizona Christian University, Grand Canyon University, Iowa State University, the University of Nebraska-Kearney, the University of North Dakota and the University of South Carolina-Upstate, to name a few.
Now we welcome a new wave of talented grad assistants. A number of them earned their undergraduate degrees from Concordia and several are from out-of-state. States represented include Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Oklahoma and Wisconsin. We asked them to comment on what drew them to Concordia and what they hope to bring to their respective programs at Concordia. Below are the responses that were provided.
Luke Batters, Men’s Soccer
--Hometown: Runcorn, England
--Alma Matter: Concordia University, Nebraska
My situation is different because I have been here and done it as a player. So therefore I have a great understanding of the school from a player point of view. I know what the players want and how they react to given situations. It is very appealing to me to become part of the coaching capacity because coaching is something I want to continue to proceed with in the future. Jason will be a great mentor for me and I will learn a lot from him which will therefore help better myself. I can see myself contributing mainly in practice sessions and also working on the defensive side of the game. As a player I have always seen myself as a leader on the field and this now helps me from the sideline. I have been coaching now for the past five years and I have gathered some great practice sessions during this time which I am looking forward to delivering this season.
Jack Bennett, Men’s Soccer
--Hometown: Oxford, England
--Alma Mater: Concordia University, Nebraska
My situation is unique due to my previous relationship with the men’s team and the university as a whole. While it makes life for me easier in some ways, I will be approaching my new role with eagerness and passion not unlike someone entirely new to the institution and team. In the latter years of my career as a player and captain at CUNE, I knew that my importance to the team was just as much as a leader, as it was a goalkeeper. I enjoyed that aspect a lot. As a coach now for both the women’s and men’s team I get the opportunity to bring that same leadership and deep-rooted passion that I have for the sport back to an institution I love, for which I consider myself very lucky. I know my strengths and my weaknesses and what I bring to the table. Whilst I realize that coaching is unfamiliar to me at the minute, and so is working with the women's team (and of course that can be daunting). I love leading, I love soccer and I love developing relationships and helping people become better players and people. When push comes to shove, I know that my inexperience will not prevent my strengths from prevailing.
Derek Butler, Strength & Conditioning
--Hometown: Greenwood, Indiana
--Alma Mater: Indiana University
Concordia felt like a great fit for me because it is a school of athletic success, and a place where I can get experience in all aspects of strength and conditioning. Coach Berner was just what I was looking for. He has great knowledge to mentor me, and is willing to give me to freedom to grow on my own. I have noticed that everyone is transparent and works well with each other. It is a great culture here. I think I will contribute in many different ways. It is hard to pick one category. The main thing I would say is being able to bounce ideas back and forth with Berner, so we can develop the best programs for the athlete’s needs.
Wade Council, Baseball
--Hometown: Colorado Springs, Colorado
--Alma Mater: Concordia University, Nebraska
It was appealing to stay in the program because the system we have in place works. If players can continue to understand the culture that we have built at CUNE, then success will follow. I’ve always wanted to coach in some capacity, so being at a place I am already comfortable in made it a whole lot easier. Concordia is home for me and I am just excited that I get to stay in the program for a couple more years. I see myself contributing to the program as a coach by helping the outfielders and hitters unlock their potential and watch them grow into the best players they can be. I have an advantage of already knowing and having a solid relationship with 90% of the guys from playing with them, so I’m excited to further our relationships as well as create new ones with the new guys.
Hunter Corneliusen, Athletic Communications
--Hometown: De Soto, Kansas
--Alma Mater: Kansas State University
Concordia felt like a great fit to progress in my professional career due to the number of opportunities and sports I will gain experience in covering. Also, growing up in Kansas, it is in the proximity of home for me. Another major factor in my decision to come here was seeing how successful the athletic program is and how passionate the university and town is about sports. One of the most noticeable things about Concordia is how friendly everyone is. There is a great sense of cohesiveness across campus and the athletic department. It is very uplifting to know that I am working somewhere where people are genuinely invested in each other and are all striving for success. I am looking forward to continuing to tell the story of Bulldog Athletics. I plan to work my hardest to help Concordia athletes garner the recognition they deserve and showcasing all the significant accomplishments across the 2020-2021 athletic season.
Kelly Daniels, Golf
--Hometown: Byron, Minnesota
--Alma Mater: Dakota Wesleyan University
I felt like Concordia was a good fit because I was a former Student-Athlete at Dakota Wesleyan University and I liked how the program there helped me grow as a person and as an athlete. Some things that I’ve noticed about the people and environment is that everyone is super welcoming and friendly. You don’t have to worry about not knowing something or getting lost because someone is always more then willing to give you answers or show you the way. I feel like my experience as a student-athlete as well as my professional career in golf will help develop new and returning players.
Bre Hamilton, Softball
--Hometown: Windsor, Colorado
--Alma Mater: Doane University
Professionally, I believed that it would allow me to not only gain coaching experience but also learn from multiple different coaches throughout my time here at Concordia. Inside the classroom, the program that I am entering (school counseling) is opening doors for my job opportunities down the line. Just being a part of the Concordia Softball staff so far has been awesome. Everyone is very welcoming and willing to help me make the transition from student-athlete to coach. Coach Semler and Coach Martinez are both great to work with and have already taught me a lot so far in the past couple weeks. It’s a great environment for me to grow and I am really looking forward to what these next two years will bring. I see myself working with the girls and helping them grow in their positions on the field as well as women off of the field. I want to be able to help them grow and feel comfortable in the world outside of college sports. I also see myself as a forever person for these girls, whether it be at Concordia or after. Having someone that they can turn to for help, questions or anything is going to be my position for them.
Kaitlyn Hodgins, Women’s Basketball
--Hometown: Seminole, Oklahoma
--Alma Mater: University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma
Concordia felt like the perfect fit for me to progress my professional career as a coach for a mixture of reasons such as the coaching staff and the history of the program. The coaching staff and the history of the program speak for themselves. I do not think I could have found a better place to begin my coaching career. Coach Olson and Coach Purdy hold each person, including themselves to a higher standard in every aspect of their lives. I believe that working under them and seeing the values and work ethic each of them hold and instill into the program will be very beneficial for myself as a young coach. The very first thing I noticed about the people at Concordia is the fact that every person is so nice and willing to help me with any task I need guidance on. Having this quality of each person on campus has already become very helpful with my transition from player to coach. Alongside preparing the JV players for their varsity time, I will contribute to the women’s basketball program by helping prepare each player for the tasks they will encounter on and off the court as they grow into young women.
Cory Marquardt, Men’s Basketball
--Hometown: Wausau, Wisconsin
--Alma Mater: Drake University
I chose to come to Concordia because of the quality people here. The facilities and game day atmosphere are an incredible bonus to the outstanding coaches and staff here. The athletic department has been very successful as of recent, and I only look to help grow that championship culture. My job is not to change or fix what we have going, but to provide some new thoughts from a fresh set of eyes to the program. I am crazy excited to work with this team and continue to build off a championship season.
Returning Graduate Assistants
Emilie Aschenbach, Cheer/Dance
Kurtis Bonner, Track & Field
Thomas Greeff, Tennis
Grady Koch, Football
Erin Lokke, Shooting Sports
Rachel Losch, Volleyball
Jonas Lovin, Baseball
D’Mauria Martin, Football
Breeana Martinez, Softball
Andrea Borray Ortiz, Women’s Soccer