SEWARD, Neb. – For their performances throughout the calendar month, Gabi Nordaker and Camryn Opfer of the volleyball program and Camden Sesna of the cross country program have been selected as the Bulldog Athletic Association Member (BAAM) Athletes of the Month for September 2022. Nordaker, Opfer and Sesna were winners of a vote conducted on Tuesday (Oct. 4) at the BAAM luncheon. Nordaker and Opfer got the same number of votes on the women’s side and thus, are co-female athletes of the month. The three honorees are the first BAAM Athletes of the Month for the 2022-23 academic year.
A major reason for the success of the sixth-ranked Concordia Volleyball team, Nordaker put together a month of September that saw her hit an otherworldly .470. During that month, the standout middle has also totaled 121 kills (3.56 per set) and 36 blocks over 10 matches. Nordaker was named the GPAC Attacker of the Week on Sept. 27 after she hit better than .600 in wins over both Mount Marty and No. 14 Dordt. Recognized as First Team All-GPAC in 2021, the Omaha native leads the Bulldogs this season in kills (189), blocks (52) and hitting percentage (.403). That hitting percentage currently ranks No. 2 on the NAIA national leaderboard. As a team, Concordia leads the nation in hitting percentage (.296).
The Seward High School product Opfer surpassed 1,000 career kills early in the month of September. While Nordaker stars in the middle, Opfer is a six-rotation player who has a hand in just about everything that happens on the court for the Bulldogs. During the month, Opfer totaled 104 kills (3.25 per set), 109 digs (3.41 per set), 14 blocks and six aces while hitting .287. Opfer is one of just four players in the program’s history to reach both 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs. On the season, Opfer has accumulated 163 kills and 200 digs and is hitting .245 from the outside. With the help of Nordaker, Opfer and many others, Concordia has jumped out to a 16-1 start (7-1 GPAC).
On the cross country courses, Sesna continues to pace the men’s program. He’s led the Bulldogs at each of the team’s first three meets while recording place finishes of 36th/323 (20:19.33 in the four mile) at the Augustana Twilight, 42nd/318 (25:22.3 in 8k) at the Greeno/Dirksen Invite and 1st/24 (25:58.52 in 8k) at the Dean White Invite. For his efforts, Sesna was honored as the GPAC Runner of the Week on Sept. 7 and 21. The Kearney, Neb., native has beat out all GPAC and NAIA competition at every meet so far in 2022. Last season, Sesna finished seventh in the GPAC and qualified for the NAIA national meet. As a team, Concordia is currently receiving votes in the NAIA national poll.
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.
2021-22 BAAM Athletes of the Month
April – Jaidan Quinn (baseball) / Kendra Placke (Golf)
March – Noah Schutte (basketball) / Camry Moore (softball) / Josie Puelz (track & field)
February – Gage Smith (basketball) / Josie Puelz (track & field)
January – Carter Kent (basketball) / Rylee Haecker (track & field)
December – Carter Kent (basketball) / Sarah Lewis (track & field)
November – Noah Schutte (basketball) / Gabi Nordaker (volleyball)
October – Lane Napier (football) / Camryn Opfer (volleyball)
September – Caydren Cox (football) / Gabi Nordaker (volleyball)