SEWARD, Neb. – While handing out its national awards, NAIA Ball (Twitter: @NAIABall) named two Bulldogs as finalists. NAIA Ball revealed honorees on Monday (June 14) and selected Ryan Dupic (Coach of the Year) and Jake Fosgett (Pitcher of the Year) as NAIA national award finalists. The Concordia University Baseball team enjoyed a record breaking season in 2021 that saw it go 42-12 with an appearance in the NAIA World Series.
Dupic has completely transformed the program since arriving prior to the 2015 season. The Buena Vista University (Iowa) graduate took over an outfit that had not posted a winning season since 1979. Over Dupic’s seven seasons, the Bulldogs have finished above .500 each year while winning GPAC championships in 2017, 2019 and 2021. Concordia also reached the national tournament in all three of those campaigns. Dupic has run his record as head coach to 202-128, including a 97-55 mark in conference games. The 2021 Bulldogs landed at No. 12 in the NAIA postseason coaches’ poll, representing the highest national ranking in program history.
Fosgett has played a major role in the team’s success in recent years. The right-hander from Carlsbad, Calif., earned the GPAC Pitcher of the Year award and was named an NAIA honorable mention All-American. This past spring, Fosgett made 13 appearances (11 starts) and covered 56.2 innings while posting a 9-1 record, 1.43 ERA and 101 strikeouts compared to 17 walks. On the NAIA national leaderboard, Fosgett ranked No. 1 in opponent batting average (.153), second in ERA and second in strikeouts per nine innings (16.04). In a victory over Dordt in March, Fosgett racked up a career high 17 strikeouts in a six-inning performance.
NAIA Ball Coach of the Year Finalists
Nate Breland, Central Methodist (Mo.)
Ryan Dupic, Concordia
Brad Neffendorf, LSU Shreveport
*Ben Reel, Indiana Southeast
Jeremy Sheetinger, Georgia Gwinnett
*Coach of the Year
NAIA Ball Pitcher of the Year Finalists
*Pablo Arevalo, Keiser (Fla.)
Jake Fosgett, Concordia
Antonio Frias, Faulkner (Ala.)
Corey Jackson, Bellevue (Neb.)
Nick Merkel, Central Methodist (Mo.)
Mason Schwellenbach, Central Methodist (Mo.)
Colton Williams, Science & Arts (Okla.)
*Pitcher of the Year