From near and far, from high schools and opposing NAIA institutions and from junior colleges came the Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball senior class of 2025. On a Tuesday in early June, Head Coach Ryan Dupic reflects upon the stories that brought them together while briefly breaking from the process of figuring out how to adequately fill their shoes for the 2026 season. That will be a tall task considering the class features the program’s all-time home run king, an NAIA Gold Glove infielder, the GPAC Pitcher of the Year, the winningest hurler in school history, a perhaps unsung, productive catching duo and a whole lot more.
An argument could be made for the class being the very best in the program’s history. The four-year Bulldogs, such as stars Ty Nekoliczak and Jaidan Quinn, contributed to an impressive 163 wins during the 2022 through 2025 seasons. Meanwhile, ace pitcher Alex Johnson’s Concordia career dates back to the NAIA World Series qualifying season of 2021. Along the way, the class grew with additions like transfers in shortstop Jimmy Blumberg, pitcher Braxton Greenburg and slugger Bradley Hallock.
“The class had a little bit of everything,” Dupic said. “It had high school kids who were with us from the beginning that were top-end guys. Some were guys that took some time to come into their own. We also had highly-impactful transfer players that came in and got better. It became a combination from all angles and a really good situation. It was such a good combination of so many different people.”
Senior Stories
Featured: Alex Johnson | Ty Nekoliczak | Jaidan Quinn
Every Concordia student-athlete carries a unique recruiting story. The circumstances for the likes of Alex Johnson, Ty Nekoliczak and Jaidan Quinn were outlined in features linked above. Johnson and Quinn both came with strong recommendations from a friend of Dupic, Luke Town, founder of the Advanced Baseball Academy in the Kansas City area. As pupils who came out of the academy, Johnson and Quinn learned of the special program Dupic was continuing to build at Concordia. Johnson committed the summer after his junior year of high school while Quinn veered to Wabash Valley College before joining his good friend in Seward ahead of the 2022 season.
As Johnson recalled of his recruitment, “The two biggest things that drew me to Concordia were the Christian values and the fact that Dupic just really cared.” Said Quinn of his transfer to Concordia, “I had a good connection with Dupic and I played with Alex Johnson my whole life pretty much. He’s another big reason why I came here.”
Dupic and his staff knew they had reeled in a pair of trophy fish when they signed Johnson and Quinn. Their performances over their careers validated the excitement that was felt when they landed in Seward. Quinn obliterated the school’s home run record while leaving the yard 98 times on his way to three NAIA All-America awards. On the mound, Johnson returned in 2025 after a two-year absence due to injury. His perseverance paid off in the form of one of the best seasons ever for a Bulldog pitcher.
Conversely, Nekoliczak entered the program with much less fanfare before blowing away all reasonable expectations. He collected 263 career hits and developed into the NAIA’s best defensive second baseman. Out of Greeley, Neb., Nekoliczak struggled to attract much recruiting attention. But when he reached out to Concordia, Dupic listened. The match was a perfect one. After four years of playing for the Bulldogs, Nekoliczak can’t get enough. He’ll join Dupic’s staff as a graduate assistant beginning in 2025-26.
In a radio interview with Max Country, Nekoliczak gushed about his head coach in saying, “He’s the best leader of men I’ve ever been around. I’m so blessed to be able to learn from him over the past four years. He pushed me to become the best version of myself. Now I get the opportunity to learn from him as a coach. Something I really respect about him is how much he cares about each individual.”
We know the feeling is mutual.
Braxton Greenburg
If Alex Johnson was 1A in the 2025 pitching rotation, Plymouth, Minn., native Braxton Greenburg was 1B. This spring, it all came together for the Mayville State University (N.D.) transfer. He did not lose a single decision (6-0 record) and posted a 3.36 ERA to go along with 91 strikeouts in 72.1 innings. He tossed a 7.2-inning, no-run, 13-strikeout masterpiece at Doane as part of a First Team All-GPAC campaign.
When Greenburg made the decision to transfer from Mayville State after his sophomore year, he had an idea of what he was looking for. Said Greenburg, “I wanted to come to Concordia mostly because of its winning history and its player development. I’ve always wanted to become to best pitcher I could be.”
The connection with Concordia started when Greenburg played summer ball with former Bulldog Dan Rivera. Once Greenburg became interested, Dupic drove to Fremont to watch Greenburg pitch in an Independence League Baseball game. Dupic felt confident that Greenburg would give a boost to the Bulldog staff.
Said Dupic, “When we got him as a junior, we knew he would pitch for us right away. He did a really good job, but I also felt like he had some things to iron out a little bit before he got to that level that he was able to get to this year. To his credit, he worked really hard at it and had a different approach and mindset. It came together for him really well.”
Currently throwing in the Northwoods League, Greenburg is pursuing professional opportunities. While doing so, he reflected on his two-year run with Concordia. “There are many memories to come from Concordia that's for sure,” Greenburg said. “I'd say the memories all stem from the people I was surrounded by and the culture within the program. Obviously, you always look back at the dogpiles and big victories. However, the funniest and most enjoyable memories come from all the time and laughs you have with teammates when working hard throughout the year.”
Christian Gutierrez
As Johnson and Greenburg looked to overpower the opposition, Christian Gutierrez went about utterly confounding hitters. Two of his major strengths were his pinpoint control and his workhorse qualities. In the history of Concordia Baseball, no pitcher has thrown more innings (290.1) or won more games (30) than the right-hander from La Mirada, Calif. Gutierrez made at least eight starts in all four seasons. Reliable, durable and consistent – those were the hallmarks of his Bulldog career.
The trick for Dupic initially was convincing Gutierrez to leave California for small-town Nebraska. At one point, it didn’t look like it was going to happen. Dupic had a relationship with Gutierrez’s high school coach in La Mirada, sparking conversation. But Dupic wasn’t going to push Concordia on him if it didn’t feel right. Eventually, Gutierrez warmed up to the idea of relocating to middle America.
As Dupic recalls, “There was a point where I kind of said, ‘Hey, I don’t think this is probably going to be the right fit.’ People might hear that and think it’s bad, but you’re just trying to do right by the kid. He reached back out maybe a month or so later. Something had changed in his personal dynamic and thought this could be a good fit. In hindsight when you look at the career he had, it was pretty fortunate on our side that he ended up being open to the idea of coming here across the country.”
Contrary to what it has seemed like over his tenure, Dupic does not have a magic eight ball to let him know what players and people like Gutierrez or Nekoliczak would turn out to be. Let’s just say this was meant to be.
“I thought Christian showed the ability to be in the strike zone, to spin some stuff well and know how to pitch,” Dupic said. “I had no expectation for him to win as many games as he did or have the role that he had. I did think he would have a chance to pitch for us and help us, but I certainly didn’t expect him to do it at the caliber he did. Sometimes you get a break with somebody. The part I didn’t know about Christian at the time, that’s hard to figure out about kids, is the sense of competitiveness, the feel he had and his ability to solve problems. Those are things that are really hard to teach by the time they get to college. Him having that moved him up a level in terms of what he was able to accomplish.”
Bradley Hallock
The eye-popping breakout for Bradley Hallock in 2025 is the type of dynamic the Bulldogs needed to again reign supreme in the GPAC and remain a major player on the national scene. What Hallock did this spring was nothing short of sensational. He clobbered 23 home runs, led the GPAC with 79 RBIs and produced a .453 on-base percentage and .736 slugging percentage while cutting back on the strikeout rate. The ‘wow’ production came two years after Hallock managed 11 hits (all singles) in 47 at bats at the University of Northern Colorado.
For Hallock, the key was rediscovering his love for the game. The Carrollton, Texas, native had been searching for the right school and the right environment to allow that to happen. Says Hallock, “The lasting memory that I'll take away from my time at Concordia was just how much fun I had with baseball again. Prior to coming to Concordia, I had a two-year stretch where baseball wasn't fun, and I was miserable each day going to the field. Then while at Concordia, I met so many great players and people who helped me rekindle my joy for the game. This past year especially, I was able to play freely and just enjoy my time on the field with a phenomenal group of guys.”
Candidly, Dupic wasn’t sold on Hallock as an impact player as he scrutinized his previous college performances. When it came to Hallock, Dupic trusted former hitting coach Caleb Lang, who saw something others didn’t. The change Hallock needed from a prospective baseball program centered upon culture and philosophy.
The conversations about Hallock remain vivid in Dupic’s mind. Explained Dupic, “Caleb saw something in Brad that he really believed in. If you looked at Brad’s numbers at the time, there wasn’t a lot to write about. I remember calling Brad. I was talking to him the other day and we were laughing about it. Caleb really liked him – saw the power – but Brad had a lot of swing and miss and his numbers weren’t really great. He bounced around a couple places. I remember being like, ‘Caleb, are you sure you want this guy?’ It was late in the summer and I called Brad. I remember saying, ‘Brad, I’m going to be totally honest with you. Your numbers look terrible, but Caleb really sees something in you and feels like you can do it.’ That’s probably not the greatest way to lead. I did tell him too: ‘You’re also married. You’re either crazy because you did it way too early and you didn’t know what you were getting into, or you’re like a super mature kid. I’m going to go with the second one on this.’ Brad was really cool. I think he just needed to find the right opportunity and the right fit. He was pursuing his very best and traveling all over the country trying to find a way to be great. He needed a college that fit his philosophy. It ended up being the perfect blend as a person of faith. It was a really good mix.”
Hallock proceeded to embrace the challenge. After a pretty good junior season at Concordia, he realized his full potential as a senior. This felt like home, a place where Hallock could be himself.
“The main thing that attracted me to Concordia was the program's history of winning and competing at a high level,” Hallock said. “I wanted to be at a place where I could be on a team that is consistently competing for a ring. Conner Watson, who was working at driveline while I trained there, also spoke highly of Coach Dupic and the rest of the coaching staff. The last aspect was the fact that Concordia was closer to my wife's home. The combination of a winning program, a coaching staff that cares about its players and their development, and the proximity to family made Concordia the perfect fit for me.”
The Catchers
When you add up the production of catchers Tanner Tompkins and Michael Welch, you essentially get another first team all-conference type of player. The 2025 squad had the luxury of not one, but two senior catchers who understood how to manage a pitching staff and how to swing it at the plate. Dupic and his staff went outside the state to acquire their services with Tompkins haling from Normal, Ill., and Welch trading the ocean views of San Diego for the cornfields of Nebraska.
Tompkins arrived straight out of Normal Community West High School and proceeded to collect 159 hits while batting .329 in his career. On the other hand, Welch first landed at Orange Coast College before transferring to Concordia. He saved his best for last as hit .337 as a senior and delivered a walk-off sac fly in the national tournament win over Science and Arts of Oklahoma. Said Dupic, “He and Tanner were both so good, it was always hard to figure out how to play both those guys.”
Said Dupic of Tompkins’ recruitment, “I remember Tanner coming on the visit. A whole bunch of his family showed up here. They were very warm and energetic, positive people. I felt like they were a good fit with the type of family they were and the family we have. He just seemed like a good kid who was going to work really hard and had this strong passion to do really well. It ended up being a good match in terms of their values and what we provide.”
Though he began his college career elsewhere, Welch enjoyed a full four years at Concordia and earned varsity playing time in his rookie season. His presence provided the program a wealth of riches at the catcher position.
Said Dupic, “I had a guy that reached out to me and said I should take a chance on this kid. I felt like, man, we kind of have a lot of catchers. We had Ben Berg and we had Tanner getting off to a good start in his career. I didn’t want to bury a kid. The guy was really adamant about what Mikey could do. Mikey always had a good feel. He was catching at a training facility with pro arms, so he knew how to catch. He was handling good pitchers. He had that trait already and knew the game. Long story short, he just got better. He came in and was in the mix early in his career and kept getting better.”
Maverick Wylder
A Waverly native, Maverick Wylder chose a path that included three years at Southeast Community College before he found his way to Concordia for two years as an integral bullpen arm. In 2024, Wylder made 19 appearances and collected five wins and five saves. He was on the bump when the Bulldogs won the 2024 GPAC Championship Game at Plum Creek Park. Unfortunately, injuries limited him to six appearances in 2025.
Wylder had been set to attend another college after Southeast before something told him that he needed to go to Concordia. His Bulldog teammates are better off because of the late change of plans.
“His story is one of perseverance and working through a lot,” Dupic said. “He was coming off being hurt. He was going to another place, but something didn’t feel right in his gut. His coach let me know that and we talked. It ended up being a really good fit. The physical part of it is unfortunate, but Maverick is a better man right now because he came to Concordia University. Our guys’ experience was uplifted by Maverick. It worked both ways. He was awesome. He was such a great kid. That was one that fell into our lap late.”
Leaving a legacy
It felt fitting on April 19 when a mob of Bulldogs gathered in shallow right field in celebration. On Senior Day 2025, 13 influential seniors soaked up the joy of clinching the GPAC regular season championship. Concordia accomplished that feat with a full four games remaining in what proved to be a dominant regular season. The ’25 squad also became the first in program history to host an NAIA Opening Round, which played out at Sherman Field in Lincoln.
The senior class extends beyond those listed above. When the Bulldogs were looking to fill a need at shortstop, they found Jimmy Blumberg, a high school teammate of Christian Gutierrez. Blumberg took over at short and served as an anchor for the middle of the infield. Another senior in Seth Claybourne (Omaha, Neb.) transferred into the program for his final college season and put forth a legendary effort at the national tournament when he worked 8.1 innings of relief without allowing an earned run in the 16-inning marathon with Indiana Wesleyan.
As part of senior day festivities, the program also honored Logan Fragomeni (Maple Grove, Minn.) and Nate Weaver (Cumberland, Ind.). A diverse set of seniors arrived in Seward via seven different home states. As Dupic remarked as part of the senior day happenings, “It’s difficult to put into words what this senior class has meant to both this program and me. They’ve accomplished significant success on the field with wins, conference championships and national tournament berths. Beyond that, they’ve grown as individuals in their faith, character, academic and personal pursuits.”
When elimination came at the national tournament, sadness set in because it meant the group would no longer be playing the game they love, right alongside the people they grew to love. But no one will be able to rob them of the memories gathered over one, two, three, four or even five years. It didn’t matter how or when you got here. It mattered that you were here, right now. The winning came as a bonus.
Said Bradley Hallock, “The team was truly a family, and I am grateful to have been able to end my collegiate career with that kind of experience. No matter what we were doing, whether it was a long practice, a long bus ride, or even pulling the tarp onto the field, it was always a joy to simply be around the fellas.”
Stated simply by Nekoliczak, “This year was the most fun I’ve had on the baseball diamond. This group of guys is so fun to be around. I wish it could have lasted a little longer.”