2024 GPAC Baseball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
SEWARD, Neb. – In a tight vote at the top, the Concordia University Baseball team got the nod in the 2024 GPAC Baseball Preseason Coaches’ Poll, released on Thursday (Feb. 1) by the conference office. The Bulldogs picked up 96 points and six first-place votes while edging out defending league champion Doane, which pulled in 95 points and four first-place votes. Morningside (80), Mount Marty (73) and Jamestown (66) rounded out the top five. Both Concordia and Doane received votes in the NAIA preseason poll released back on Nov. 1.
The competition within the GPAC has strengthened in recent years. The league put three teams into the 2023 national tournament (two automatic bids and one at-large bid).
“It’s gotten better,” Dupic said of the GPAC. “There’s been an influx of different coaches, different people and programs and probably administrative support. I think we’ve seen that teams in our region can be competitive on a national scale. When that happens, you can see other programs start to commit and believe in the progress and growth they can have. We’ve seen that across the board with three teams getting to the national tournament. Everybody won games at the national tournament … There is tangible proof that this is the best the league has ever been. I don’t think this year is going to be any different. I think it’s going to be really competitive, and it should be a fun challenge.”
During Dupic’s tenure (which began with the 2015 season), Concordia has won a combined five GPAC championships (three regular season and two postseason). Last season, Dupic became the winningest coach in the history of the program and carries a 282-163-1 overall mark into this spring. Dupic guided the 2023 squad to a 40-18 (21-7 GPAC) record and an appearance at the national tournament. The ’23 team was ranked as high as No. 21 in the NAIA coaches’ poll.
The 2024 Bulldogs welcome back reigning GPAC Player of the Year Joey Grabanski and fellow First Team All-GPAC award winners in Jay Adams, Alec Blakestad, Caden Johnson, Ty Nekoliczak and Jaidan Quinn. Both Grabanski and Quinn were named 2023 NAIA Second Team All-Americans. They were key parts of an offense that broke program single season records for runs scored (581) and home runs (117).
Concordia is slated to open the 2024 season with a pair of games in Oklahoma City, Okla., on Feb. 10. The complete ’24 schedule can be found HERE.
2024 GPAC Baseball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
--First-place votes in parentheses
1. Concordia – 96 (6)
2. Doane – 95 (4)
3. Morningside – 80
4. Mount Marty – 73
5. Jamestown – 66
6. Northwestern – 51
7. Briar Cliff – 44
8. Midland – 42
9. Hastings – 23
10. Dordt – 22
11. Dakota Wesleyan – 13