2026 GPAC All-Conference Baseball Teams
First Team: Alex Johnson (Pitcher of the Year); Bronx Lewis; Warren Rose; Jake Watson; Luke Wilson.
Second Team: Caden Bugarske
Honorable Mention: Sam Bespoyasny; Carson Burnett; Jaeden Jordahl; Trent Schlim
SEWARD, Neb. – Alex Johnson has starred as the conference’s top pitcher in back-to-back years. On May 5, the league office recognized Johnson as the 2026 GPAC Pitcher of the Year. The Bulldog ace is one of five Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball players named to the conference’s first team. The other first team selections are senior Bronx Lewis, junior Warren Rose, sophomore Jake Watson and junior Luke Wilson. Meanwhile, Caden Bugarske was tabbed a second team award winner and honorable mention distinction went to juniors Sam Bespoyasny and Carson Burnett, senior Jaeden Jordahl and freshman Trent Schlim.
Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad has qualified to play at the NAIA National Championship Opening Round next week (May 11-14) after placing second in the GPAC in both the regular season and postseason. The Bulldogs will carry a 37-16 overall record into the national tournament.
The Olathe, Kan., native Johnson will leave a lasting legacy on Concordia Baseball. A link back to the 2021 NAIA World Series team, Johnson remained in the program for six seasons while persevering through Tommy John surgery. This 2026 season, Johnson owns a record of 7-2 to go along with a 3.88 ERA in a team-high 60.1 innings (12 starts). The fireballer leads all GPAC pitchers with 98 strikeouts while topping the NAIA charts (among starting pitchers) in strikeouts per nine innings (14.62). Opposing batters have hit .228 against him this spring. On the program’s all-time lists, Johnson currently ranks first in strikeouts (309), first in games started (50), tied for fourth in wins (25), fourth in innings pitched (230) and seventh in ERA (3.48). In addition to his two GPAC Pitcher of the Year awards, Johnson has been honored with first team all-conference accolades three times in his career.
A starter in the outfield for all 53 games this season, Lewis has starred as the GPAC’s leading home run hitter with 23 blasts in 2026. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native moved up to the league’s first team after garnering honorable mention status last season. This spring, Lewis has slashed .347/.496/.815 with 68 runs scored, 60 hits, 10 doubles, a triple, 56 RBIs and 19 stolen bases. While playing most in center field (with time also spent in right field), Lewis has handled 78 of 79 defensive chances with four outfield assists. The Kirkwood Community College transfer put together an impressive GPAC tournament that saw him go 6-for-10 with four home runs and 10 walks. Lewis’ home run total ranks as the sixth highest in a single season in program history. In 106 career games as a Bulldog, Lewis has slashed .296/.447/.629 with 29 home runs.
New to the team this season as a transfer from Chemeketa Community College, Rose (St. Paul, Ore.) has served as a dominant lefty out of the bullpen. In 15 relief appearances, he has posted a 3-1 record and 2.25 ERA with two saves while racking up 39 strikeouts in 24 innings. Opposing batters have hit only .207 against him. Entering the GPAC Championship Game, Rose had made nine straight appearances without allowing a run.
In year two in the program, Watson broke out as a star at catcher. The Lincoln Christian High School product started every game behind the plate during conference regular season and postseason play. In 47 games (46 starts), Watson leads the team in batting average and is slashing .369/.463/.650. He has totaled 15 doubles, a triple, nine home runs and 55 RBIs. As a catcher, Watson has posted a .988 fielding percentage and has caught 14 runners attempting to steal. He has established a new school single season record for putouts (444) while catching the nation’s leading strikeout staff. Watson has become a mainstay in the heart of the order after playing on the junior varsity as a freshman in 2025.
A transfer from Miles Community College, Luke Wilson won a starting spot in left field in his first season with the Bulldogs. In 45 games this season, Wilson (Calgary, Alberta) has slashed .325/.416/.578 with five doubles, two triples, 10 home runs and 43 RBIs. He has posted a .944 fielding percentage in the outfield. Wilson enjoyed a monster day on April 23 when he slugged three home runs as part of a doubleheader sweep at Morningside.
Like Johnson, Bugarske was a member of the ’21 World Series team. His return from Tommy John surgery this spring has provided a major boost to the pitching rotation. Bugraske has earned his first career all-conference award. On the season, Bugraske sports a 5-3 record with a 3.74 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 53 innings (13 appearances; 10 starts). He has limited opposing hitters to a .257 batting average. In his Concordia career, Bugarske (Boerne, Texas) has won 20 games and has registered a 4.17 ERA and 207 strikeouts in 192 innings (49 appearances).
After starting in left field last season, Jordahl moved to second base in 2026 and earned his second GPAC All-Conference award (first team in 2025). The Billings, Mont., native is hitting .300 with a stout .481 on-base percentage (and .459 slugging percentage) in 53 games. Jordahl has tallied 55 runs, nine doubles, six home runs, 32 RBIs and 12 stolen bases. He has drawn 35 walks and has been hit by 25 pitches. Jordahl has made only four errors (.973 fielding percentage) while teaming up with Jake Tyler in the middle of the infield. Over two seasons at Concordia, Jordahl has hit .320 (102 hits), with 20 doubles, two triples, 14 home runs and 74 RBIs in 103 games.
Burnett (Poway, Calif.) took hold of the starting first base job after transferring in from Ohlone Community College. This spring, Burnett is slashing .316/.470/.520 in 51 games (49 starts). He has amassed 36 runs, 11 doubles, one triple, six home runs and 38 RBIs. Burnett owns a .977 fielding percentage in 311 chances at first. Burnett belted two home runs during the GPAC tournament.
Bespoyasny (Omaha, Neb.) and Schlim (Eastvale, Calif.) have been key pieces of the pitching staff in their first years with the Bulldogs. Bespoyasny has made 10 appearances (seven starts) and sports a 3.43 ERA and 5-1 record with 37 strikeouts in 42 innings. He earned a GPAC Pitcher of the Week award early in the 2026 campaign. Meanwhile, Schlim has worked at the back end of the bullpen and has appeared in 15 games. He is 3-1 with four saves and a 3.68 ERA. Schlim has produced 27 strikeouts (to seven walks) in 22 innings.
Concordia will learn of its NAIA Opening Round assignment at 4 p.m. CT on Wednesday when the NAIA selection show is scheduled to air via its YouTube channel. The Bulldogs will make their eighth national tournament appearance of Dupic’s tenure (2015-present).