During the period (March 17-23) considered for the latest weekly awards, Greenburg made starts against both Northwestern and Doane. In the outing at Northwestern, Greenburg went five innings, allowing one run on five hits and two walks to go along with seven strikeouts. Six days later, Greenburg fired 7.2 innings in a masterpiece at Doane. The Tigers managed only two hits (no walks) and Greenburg piled up a career-high 13 strikeouts in what amounted to a 10-0 Concordia victory. The Bulldogs went 5-1 for the week while led by Greenburg and a potent offensive lineup.
A Plymouth, Minn., native and transfer from Mayville State University (N.D.), Greenburg is in his second season at Concordia. In two seasons with the Bulldogs, Greenburg has appeared in 22 games (16 starts) and has posted a 4.79 ERA with 92 strikeouts in 77 innings.
No. 22 Concordia (18-8, 6-2 GPAC) will resume action on Friday by hosting Waldorf in a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. CT from Plum Creek Park.
Mar. 29, 2025
Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad raised its GPAC record to 8-2 (20-8 overall) while continuing to pulverize the baseball like it didn’t just graduate three First Team All-GPAC outfielders. The beat goes on.
“I don’t know – I’m not sure what to say about those guys,” Dupic said. “They do a good job. On favorable days like this, when guys have the opportunity to get good pitches to hit, they do a great job. When I see us laying off borderline pitches, that’s when I know we’re in a good spot. I’m really pleased with what they’ve done. The power has really come along as the season’s gone on.”
Every at-bat is a fireworks show waiting to happen when Quinn steps into the box. In Friday’s second game, Quinn smacked a solo homer in the first, another solo in the second and then a three-run shot in the third. The All-American third baseman never got another chance at tying his own school record for a single game (four homers). Waldorf intentionally walked him when he came to the plate (with no one on base) in the fifth. Quinn was then later pinch hit for, meaning his career home run count would have to remain at 88. That number equals Joey Grabanski’s school record.
But Quinn was far from the only Bulldog to inflict significant damage on Friday. In game one, four Concordia players not named Quinn left the park. Three bombs came in the first inning as Brad Hallock sent a two-run shot to center, Matt Rhoades blasted a solo to right center and Bronx Lewis clubbed a two-run homer to right. A couple of innings later, Tanner Tompkins ripped an 0-2 pitch for a two-run homer. The Bulldogs built a 15-4 lead before the Warriors put five runs up in the seventh.
For good measure, Hallock added another homer in game two and Michael Welch pulverized a two-run shot as part of a catcher tandem that has been ultra-productive. On the day, Concordia paraded around the bases with a combined 36 runs coming on 31 hits and 15 walks (plus three hit-by-pitches).
Go ahead and walk Quinn. It doesn’t matter the way the Bulldogs are swinging it right now. Said Hallock, who has been on a heater of his own, “The big thing is we’re just getting pitches that we can hit. We’re making them work. We didn’t get too big today. We knew going in that the wind was going to be blowing out, so we tried to get the ball in the air. We made sure they stayed in the zone. We’re going really good.”
Twelve Bulldogs registered at least one hit on the day. Jaeden Jordahl led the way by going 5-for-8 with three doubles and five RBIs. Jimmy Blumberg, Lewis and Rhoades notched four hits apiece. Logan Fragomeni even got a pinch-hit opportunity and drove in a run and Zackery Day delivered a pinch-hit two-run double. Day stole two bases and is now two away from the program career record.
The pitchers for Concordia were tasked with limiting fly balls as much as possible. In game one, senior Christian Gutierrez went six innings and earned his fifth win (26th career) while scattering 10 hits (no walks). Gutierrez fanned five hitters. In game two, freshman Micah Sweeton worked 4.2 innings with one run allowed on six hits and three walks (four strikeouts). Five Bulldogs were then summoned from the bullpen over the fifth, sixth and seventh innings. The pitchers were helped by a defense that committed only one error on the day.
Said Dupic of the work of the staff, “I thought they did a pretty good job. The key on days like this is you can’t walk a lot of guys. You have to make people earn it and throw strikes. We were able to keep them off balance enough.”
Waldorf (10-19, 5-7 GPAC) started out 5-3 in league play before being swept in back-to-back doubleheaders by Dakota Wesleyan and Concordia. The Warriors did manage to hit four homers of their own on Friday. Lucas Romero went deep twice in game one. However, Waldorf’s two starting pitchers were tagged for a combined 19 runs.
Instead of playing on Sunday, the Bulldogs will now host Briar Cliff (12-13, 5-5 GPAC) at 2 p.m. CT on Monday (March 31). The twin bill was pushed back a day due to Sunday’s unfavorable weather forecast. Concordia and Briar Cliff split a doubleheader in Sioux City, Iowa, last season. The Chargers picked up some momentum on Friday by taking two from Doane.
Mar. 31, 2025
Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad has pushed its win streak to seven while bumping the overall season mark to 22-8 (10-2 GPAC). Nearly halfway through the conference slate, Concordia sits atop the GPAC standings.
“They were great,” Dupic said of Monday’s pitching duo. “Alex made so many big pitches and just kept coming back. He’s such a complete pitcher. He can control the running game, mix pitches, hit different locations and change speeds. He has really good stuff too. It’s different when you have an ace in the front. We feel really good when he’s out there. And Braxton continues to be great. His last couple starts, he’s been really, really good. He mixed stuff up really well today. He’s pitching with a ton of confidence right now.”
The reemergence of Johnson continues to stand out as one of the best stories of this season for the Bulldogs. On Monday, he made his first home start since May of 2022 and dazzled by leaning heavily upon the fastball. Johnson racked up 13 strikeouts while allowing just two hits and three walks in a seven-inning complete game masterpiece. Any time Johnson found himself in a bit of trouble, he rose to the occasion. After walking the first two hitters in the third, Johnson picked off a runner and then fanned the next two batters. He also stranded a runner at third in the sixth with yet another punch out.
Named GPAC Pitcher of the Week last week, Greenburg has gone back-to-back starts without surrendering an earned run. In his latest outing, the righty from Plymouth, Minn., went 6.1 innings with just a single hit allowed (on a flare to center). Greenburg notched eight strikeouts compared to just one walk. The lone Charger run scored all day came with the aid of an error in the first inning of game two.
Briar Cliff pitcher Cade Nelson matched Johnson zero for zero through the first four innings of game one. In the fifth, the Bulldogs pushed a run across with the help of Jimmy Blumberg’s leadoff single. Cade Vanus then moved pinch runner Zackery Day to second with a sacrifice bunt and Ty Nekoliczak drove in Day with a base hit up the middle. It was all the support Johnson needed.
Said Dupic, “We want to be able to win in different ways. I thought the first game was a good example of that. Cade Vanus got a really good bunt down after Jimmy Blumberg got on base. Then we pinch run Zack and use our bench. Ty puts a really good at-bat together. When we can win those close, pitcher’s duels, we’re going to be in a good spot because we have a team that can score and really be offensive. Winning in different ways is a big deal, for sure.”
Game two finished with much less drama. Hallock’s first three-run shot came in the first inning with Nekoliczak and Jaeden Jordahl aboard. Matt Rhoades joined in the fun with a solo blast to right in the third. Concordia put the game out of reach with four runs in the fifth. Hallock pulverized a no-doubter to left center and Nekoliczak singled in a run in the frame. Hallock, Nekoliczak and Rhoades collected two hits apiece in game two.
Briar Cliff (12-15, 5-7 GPAC) pitched carefully to Jaidan Quinn, whose career home run total remains at 88 (tied with Joey Grabanski for the most in program history). The All-American third baseman walked four times on the day and also made a highlight-reel worthy diving stab and throw to first in the seventh inning of game one.
That play was much appreciated by good friend Alex Johnson. The Olathe, Kan., native stuck it out through two challenging years plagued by injury with the hopes of enjoying moments like these. Said Johnson afterwards, “I definitely don’t take anything for granted. Being able to put on the jersey is good enough for me. It’s nice for me to be able to play with my buddies again. We were doing the math and the last time I pitched here was the GPAC Championship Game against Jamestown three years ago. That’s pretty crazy.”
The string of home games will continue on Friday when Hastings (6-20, 3-9 GPAC) will pay a visit to Plum Creek Park. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 3 p.m. CT. The Bulldogs took a pair from the Broncos last season in Seward. Hastings hired Steve Maddock as its head coach prior to the start of the 2025 season.
Apr. 1, 2025
GPAC Release
SEWARD, Neb. – It was only a matter of time before the GPAC leader across all power categories earned weekly recognition. On Tuesday (April 1), the league office announced senior third baseman Jaidan Quinn as the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Player of the Week. Quinn is the fourth player from Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball to earn a weekly award in 2025, joining pitchers Alex Johnson (Feb. 12), Micah Sweeton (March 4) and Braxton Greenburg (March 25).
A native of Bonner Springs, Kan., Quinn’s latest accolade comes from his efforts in the Bulldogs’ doubleheader sweep of Waldorf on March 28. Concordia swept the twin bill, winning by scores of 15-9 and 21-5. Quinn did his part by going 3-for-5 with five runs scored, three home runs and seven RBIs. He reached base in seven out of his nine plate appearances. On the season, Quinn leads all GPAC players in home runs (15), RBIs (43) and slugging percentage (.880). His 15th homer of the season pushed his career total to 88, equaling former teammate Joey Grabanski for the all-time program record.
In addition to the 88 career home runs, the All-American Quinn has tallied 248 RBIs, 247 runs and 230 hits while hitting .355 with a .519 on-base percentage and .833 slugging percentage in 203 career collegiate games. Quinn shared the 2024 GPAC Player of the Year award with Grabanski.
Up next, Quinn and the Bulldogs (22-8, 10-2 GPAC) will host Hastings for a doubleheader at 3 p.m. CT on Friday.
Rhoades' clutch two-run double completes sweep of Morningside as win streak reaches nine
Apr. 6, 2025
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The win streak faced serious jeopardy late in the afternoon on Sunday (April 6) as the 17th-ranked Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball team sat one strike away from defeat. Sophomore Matt Rhoades emerged as the hero with a two-run double that lifted the Bulldogs to a 6-5 victory on the heels of a 4-2 game one win in the matchup with Morningside in Sioux City, Iowa. The clash carried significant GPAC championship implications with the two sides hovering at the top of the league standings.
Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad has won nine-straight games within conference play while running the GPAC record to 12-2 (24-8 overall).
“It means a lot. It’s two good wins,” Dupic said. “They have a good club, national tournament type of team. We may not have always been at our best today, but I thought our guys were really gritty with the way they stayed the course and battled to get some runs and battled to get outs. We came up big in some big situations. It was sort of a team culture win today, which is really encouraging.”
Concordia’s first lead of game two did not come until the ninth inning. The Mustangs held onto a 5-4 advantage at the end of eight innings and then turned to relieve Sam Hanson. The outcome appeared bleak for the Bulldogs after Hanson retired Ty Nekoliczak and Jaidan Quinn to open the ninth. Jaeden Jordahl then singled and Brad Hallock walked to set the stage for Rhoades. With two strikes, Rhoades poked the ball down the left field line for a double that brought home the tying and go-ahead runs.
Daiten Schmidt then sealed the win in the bottom half by nailing down the final three outs (two via strikeouts). Schmidt earned credit for saves in both ends of the twin bill (fifth and sixth saves of the season). He was put in that position in game two thanks to teammates that kept chipping away after digging a 4-0 hole through five innings. Rhoades and Tanner Tompkins produced an RBI single apiece in the sixth and Brad Hallock launched his 14th homer of the season (two-run blast) in the seventh.
In a matchup between the GPAC’s two highest scoring offenses, the pitching on both sides proved solid. There were only a combined four hits (one for Morningside) in Sunday’s first game. Concordia ace Alex Johnson worked the first five innings while fighting with his control (five walks). He gave up just one hit and one earned run while fanning six hitters. Johnson (5-2) then gave way to Sam Rambajan and Schmidt.
As part of his memorable day, Rhoades belted a two-run homer (10th of the season) in the fourth inning of game two (2-1 Bulldog lead at the time). Concordia pushed two runs across in the sixth inning to break a 2-2 tie. Mustang game one pitcher Cade Nolan worked around seven walks to contain the Bulldogs to four runs (three earned). Nolan and company kept GPAC home run leader Jaidan Quinn (2-for-6 with three walks on the day) in the ballpark on Sunday.
Said Dupic, “Both offenses are really good, but both teams pitched it well today. Braxton (Greenburg) gave up a few more runs today, but I thought he pitched really well. We had to find a way to get the job done and our guys did that, fortunately … I’m so proud of Matt. His approach at the plate is something we’ve been working on. I was so proud of him for the quality of his at-bat – getting to two strikes and staying with things.”
Greenburg showed good stuff in racking up 13 strikeouts in 6.2 innings. His stat line included five runs allowed on seven hits and two walks. Out of the bullpen came Jake Nelms, Alex Griess and Schmidt. Griess worked 1.1 scoreless innings and picked up the win.
Morningside (22-8-1, 9-5 GPAC) falls three games behind the Bulldogs atop the GPAC standings after Sunday’s results. The Mustangs built a 4-0 lead in game two with the help of Michael Delzell’s two-run homer. Morningside took three of four from Concordia in 2024.
Another home Monday makeup doubleheader is coming up for the Bulldogs. Concordia will host Hastings (7-21, 4-10 GPAC) at 2 p.m. CT on Monday in a matchup originally scheduled to unfold this past Friday. Each of the past 11 series contests have ended in Bulldog wins. The Broncos split a Saturday doubleheader with Dordt.
Pitching, defense rule the day as first-place Dawgs continue winning ways
Apr. 7, 2025
SEWARD, Neb. – The Bulldogs would much prefer the wind blow in the opposite direction. No matter, the 17th-ranked Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball team simply relied upon superior pitching and defense on Monday (April 7) while sweeping a home doubleheader from Hastings, 4-1 and 3-1. Starting hurlers Christian Gutierrez and Micah Sweeton combined to allow just a single run in masterful performances on a chilly but sun-soaked afternoon not conducive to offensive firepower.
Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad has moved to 26-8 overall (14-2 GPAC) on the strength of an 11-game winning streak. The Bulldogs are 6-0 at Plum Creek Park.
“It was about like we expected. It was a little bit colder day and the wind was blowing in a little bit,” Dupic said. “Their guys did a good job mixing things up. I was proud of our guys. I thought our pitchers did a good job and we played pretty well defensively. There were a couple mishaps there. Jaidan Quinn was really good at third base and we threw strikes when we needed to. This time of year, you just have to find ways to get the job done. Our guys did that today. It’s not ideal conditions for either team offensively.”
It was a day for keeping an eye on the Concordia record books. A reliable veteran right-hander, Gutierrez made his 38th career start on Monday and became the program’s all-time innings pitched leader (259.1) while pulling even with Nick Little as the Bulldogs’ all-time winningest pitcher (27 career wins). Gutierrez reached those totals while using his signature pinpoint control and change of speeds. In his latest outing, the senior from La Mirada, Calif., fired a seven-inning complete game with a single run allowed on four hits and one walk. He punched out eight Broncos while throwing only 72 pitches (55 for strikes).
The Bulldogs did manage to homer twice on Monday, but they aren’t solely a team of sluggers. Zackery Day helped drive home that point in swiping three steals on the day, making him the program’s all-time leading base stealer. His 70 steals eclipsed the former standard of 69 by Jerry Dittenber. Day accomplished the feat on his 21st birthday.
Offensively, Concordia scratched out enough offense thanks to the contributions of several familiar standouts. In game one, Ty Nekoliczak singled and scored in the first and then doubled home a run in the third. Jaidan Quinn traded places with Nekoliczak for an RBI double of his own. In the fourth, Matt Rhoades added insurance with a solo homer (11th of the season) to right center. In game two, Jimmy Blumberg knocked in a run in the second with a sacrifice fly. An inning later, Jaeden Jordahl homered (sixth of the season) off the top of the fence in left, extending the lead to 3-0.
The freshman Sweeton logged five shutout innings in game two as he worked around four hits and three walks. He moved to 5-1 while notching eight strikeouts. Dupic then called upon Seth Claybourne, Alex Griess and Daiten Schmidt out of the bullpen. Schmidt recorded the final out for his seventh save of the season (and third in two days).
The importance of Gutierrez to the program has not been lost on Dupic. He’s watched Gutierrez frustrate opponents time and time again over the past four seasons.
Said Dupic of Gutierrez, “He’s one of those guys that because he’s not always so flashy, he probably doesn’t get as much credit as he deserves. I don’t know where this program would be without him. From pitching in regionals and big games for us – conference title game last year – and being an all-conference guy a year ago. He takes the ball, he throws strikes and he finds a way to get the job done. He’s a winner. Great competitor. Terrific kid.”
Said Gutierrez in reacting to his rise up the program’s all-time lists, “When I think about wins and innings, I’m able to be out there for a long period of time in games, meaning we probably score a bunch of runs. That makes me happy. I’ve got hitters I can lean on to put up runs so I can keep going out there, and I’ve got a bullpen that can shut it down. It’s pretty cool. We’ve all got each other.”
On another statistical note, the All-American Quinn moved into a tie for No. 5 on the program’s all-time hits list with 234 for his career. Though he did not homer on Monday (remaining at 88 homers for his career), Quinn enjoyed a productive day that saw him go 2-for-4 with two walks. He also made a highlight-reel diving stab and throw to first in support of Gutierrez in game one. Nekoliczak is now No. 4 on the hits list with 235.
Hastings (7-23, 4-12 GPAC) avoided the shutout in game two when Elijah Merritt singled in a run with two outs in the seventh. The Broncos got solid results from their bullpen on Monday. However, they have now lost 13-straight series matchups with Concordia.
The final four road games of the regular season are coming up this weekend. The Bulldogs will be in Yankton, S.D., for a doubleheader on Saturday and Sunday with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. CT on both days. Mount Marty ran its league record to 8-8 (19-13 overall) while taking three of four from Dakota Wesleyan over the weekend.
Drama-filled day concludes with win streak intact
Apr. 12, 2025
YANKTON, S.D. – Both ends of the doubleheader were steeped in drama, but the winning streak survived another Saturday on the road in the GPAC. In action in Yankton, S.D., the 17th-ranked Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball team escaped with wins by scores of 4-3 (10 innings) and 12-10 on a windy and warm spring afternoon (April 12). Junior Daiten Schmidt earned a win and a save and Brad Hallock collected four hits, including a home run, in game two.
Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad (28-8, 16-2 GPAC) has pushed its winning streak to 13 while continuing to hold down the top spot in the GPAC standings. Each of the past six victories have come by margins of three runs or fewer.
“The reality of the situation is that it was two very different games,” Dupic said. “The wind was blowing in about 25-to-30 (miles per hour), so it was really tough for teams to score. Late in that first game and into the second game, things flipped and the wind died down. It really played differently from game one to game two. I was pleased that our guys found a way to win. We talk a lot about being the best team that day. Sometimes we haven’t played our best lately, but we’ve found ways to win. I was pleased with our resolve – two very good wins.”
It was a long day at the ballpark thanks in large part to the 10-inning affair in game one. The Bulldogs finally took their first lead of the day in the 10th inning. Sophomore first baseman Matt Rhoades emerged with another clutch hit as he singled home Jaidan Quinn to break the 2-2 tie in the 10th. Senior catcher Michael Welch then plated Hallock with single for a critical insurance run. In the bottom half, Schmidt retired the first two hitters before giving up a solo homer to Jackson Noem. The final out followed when Aidan Chang grounded to second base.
Concordia ace pitcher Alex Johnson went eight strong innings in game one. He allowed two first-inning runs before stifling the Lancer bats over the next seven frames. Johnson’s line showed two runs on six hits and two walks and seven strikeouts. While he did not receive enough run support to earn a win, three Bulldogs did notch two hits apiece in game one: Ty Nekoliczak (2-for-4), Rhoades (2-for-5) and Welch (2-for-5).
In game two, neither starting pitcher lasted more than three innings. The Bulldogs won the slugfest by posting crooked numbers in four separate innings. The offensive attack kept hammering away after Mount Marty closed within 9-8 after six innings. In the top of the seventh, Jaeden Jordahl doubled in a run and Hallock supplied the fireworks with a two-run homer (15th of the season).
More tension would follow. Ryan Bachman and Daniel Vonnegut produced an RBI single apiece in the bottom of the seventh as the Lancers (21-15, 8-10 GPAC) put the potential tying run at first base. Schmidt ultimately ended the threat by striking out Shugo Kondo with runners at first and second. Schmidt nailed down his eighth save of the season. Seth Claybourne threw 2.2 solid innings (one run allowed) out of the bullpen and picked up the win. Starter Christian Gutierrez lasted only 2.1 innings and surrendered four runs.
Said Dupic, “Seth Claybourne was big today. He did a great job. Daiten Schmidt’s been good all year. He’s been so good for us on the back end. I thought Sam Rambajan threw the ball well. As this thing progresses, we’re going to need a whole bunch of people … Jaeden Jordahl and Brad Hallock were really good today and Matt Rhoades had a big hit in the first game. Jaidan Quinn is having really good at-bats – Ty too. I’m hopeful we can bust out a bit offensively the rest of the series. The guys did some things that clicked in game two. I’m looking forward to seeing how they build on that.”
There were a combined 25 hits in Saturday's game two. In addition to Hallock’s four hits, three teammates notched two hits each: Jordahl (2-for-4), Nekoliczak (2-for-5) and Quinn (2-for-4). Nekoliczak also stole three bases on the day. As for Quinn, his career home run total remains at 88. Quinn and Nekoliczak have both moved into the top five on the program’s all-time hits list.
The same two teams will meet up for another doubleheader at the same time (1 p.m. CT) on Sunday. Following Saturday’s results, the Lancers are 9-5 at home while the Bulldogs are 11-5 in road contests this season.
Win streak halted at 14 as Bulldogs settle for taking three of four from Mount Marty
Apr. 13, 2025
YANKTON, S.D. – One victory away from tying the school record for longest winning streak, the 17th-ranked Concordia University, Baseball team failed to hold onto a lead as large as five runs. Ultimately, the Bulldogs settled for taking three of four from Mount Marty while splitting Sunday (April 13)’s doubleheader in Yankton, S.D. The Bulldogs followed the lead of red-hot Brad Hallock to a 14-1 blowout in Sunday’s first contest before surrendering a 13-12 10-inning, walk-off decision to the Lancers in the capper. Hallock belted three home runs and drove in 10 runs on the day.
Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad had not tasted defeat since the first of a four-game series at Doane back on March 22. Despite the win streak being halted at 14, Concordia (29-9, 17-3 GPAC) remains firmly in the driver’s seat atop the GPAC standings.
“Our offensive guys did a really good job, especially in that second game when we struggled to close things down,” Dupic said. “I wish we could have found a way to reward that with a win. There was some good process stuff there. We just weren’t clean enough on the mound or defensively in that second game. We had a couple guys in relief that threw day one that we maybe could have used, but we just didn’t want to push it too much this time of year. It’s good for some of those guys to be in moments like that. Hopefully they’ll learn from it because we’re going to need a lot of people throughout the year.”
The Carrollton, Texas, native Hallock put on a show all weekend as he slugged four home runs and knocked in 13 runs in the series. In Sunday’s first game, Hallock went 3-for-3 with a two-run homer in the first, a three-run blast in the fourth and a two-run double in the seventh. For good measure, Matt Rhoades followed Hallock with a two-run bomb in the seventh to put the finishing touches on the rout. As an offense, the Bulldogs posted 26 runs on 27 hits and 12 walks for the day.
Senior pitcher Braxton Greenburg (4-0) was the beneficiary of that run support in Sunday’s opener. Greenburg navigated through traffic (five hits and four walks) in tossing 5.1 shutout innings. The Plymouth, Minn., native notched eight strikeouts before turning it over to Ernie Snyder, who recorded the game’s final five outs in relief.
In the final game of the series, both sides took advantage of conditions that invited offensive firepower. Concordia was unable to hang on despite jumping out to a 5-0 lead. After Bulldog center fielder Bronx Lewis sent a go-ahead homer over the fence in the top of the 10th (12-11 Concordia lead), Mount Marty responded in the bottom half. A bases-loaded walk tied the game, and Jackson Noem ended it with a sacrifice fly to right. Just defeating the Bulldogs once in a series felt like a monumental feat.
The result meant the Bulldogs wasted another strong offensive performance. In the series finale, Jaeden Jordahl and Ty Nekoliczak collected three hits apiece and three Concordia players notched two knocks each: Lewis, Rhoades and Michael Welch. Jordahl came through with a clutch two-run single in the seventh to stake the Bulldogs to an 11-9 advantage. On the other side, Daniel Vonnegut produced a three-run homer in the sixth and a two-run shot in the eighth to help lead the Lancers (22-16, 9-11 GPAC) to the comeback win.
The 2025 Concordia team nearly equaled the program record winning streak of 15 achieved by the 2019 GPAC championship squad. Run prevention was the culprit. The series finale saw the Bulldogs mix and match with five different pitchers. Starter Micah Sweeton logged 5.1 innings with seven runs allowed on 10 hits (no walks). Mount Marty left the yard for four home runs of its own in Sunday’s game two.
Lancer pitching managed to keep Jaidan Quinn in the ballpark, although he enjoyed a productive day with three walks, a hit-by-pitch, an RBI double and a sacrifice fly. Pitchers have been especially careful with Quinn, who has walked 43 times on the season. Now the GPAC leader in home runs with 18 this season, Hallock has been on a tear that has yielded video game type of statistics.
Said Dupic of Hallock, “He’s done a great job. There have been games where even his outs have been lasers. He’s been on a really good run.”
The final eight regular season games for the Bulldogs will all be played at Plum Creek Park. That stretch begins this Friday (April 18) when Dordt (17-25, 6-14 GPAC) pays a visit to town. Concordia will play the Defenders four times during Easter weekend as the push for a GPAC regular season crown continues. The Bulldogs have won each of the past 18 series games against Dordt.
Faith, family and love for baseball carried Concordia's resilient ace through injury
Apr. 18, 2025
One-thousand, fifty-five days went by between Plum Creek Park home appearances for Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball’s Alex Johnson. If it’s not a college baseball record, it ought to be close. From the end of the 2022 season through the opening of the 2025 campaign, Johnson never lost his will to return to the diamond and ascend to the pitching rubber.
There were trying times for sure, but Johnson speaks with no bitterness in his voice as he recounts the journey. In his mind, he had all he needed to navigate the frustrations: his faith, wife Katelyn, parents Todd and Cindy, family, coaches and teammates. His time would come around again.
“I just love baseball,” Johnson said. “Even during the time I was recovering, I was excited to go to practice and excited to be with my teammates. The community aspect of baseball and the culture at Concordia was something that pushed me. I knew after I had surgery that there was no question that I was going to play baseball again. I just can’t see my life without baseball.”
The performance Johnson put together on March 31, 2025, reminded everyone of just how much talent the Olathe, Kan., native possesses. In making his first home start since the 2022 GPAC Championship Game played in May of 2022, Johnson blew away Briar Cliff hitters over seven shutout innings of two-hit, 13-strikeout ball. Afterwards, Johnson spoke of how grateful he was to simply play ball with his buddies again. He wasn’t fixated on the numbers – but they’re hard to ignore. In his eight starts in 2025, Johnson owns a 1.90 ERA and has racked up 70 strikeouts in 47.1 innings while allowing a paltry .185 opponent batting average.
None of that success comes as a surprise to Head Coach Ryan Dupic or Johnson’s teammates. A healthy Alex Johnson is a dominant force. The “health” part of the equation is what had evaded Johnson during the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Johnson made three starts in 2023 before shutting things down. He thought he was on track for a return in 2024 before suffering another setback. Johnson essentially lost two full seasons, what would have been his junior and senior years.
Johnson has typically been slow to recover from outing to outing, but the pain he experienced was more than the normal soreness that comes from a heavy workload. An MRI early in 2023 revealed a sprain severe enough to put him on the shelf. When Johnson attempted to resume throwing following the ’23 season, the pain intensified. Further examination revealed a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in Johnson’s pitching elbow.
Perhaps as frustrating as the pain itself was the uncertainty and bumpy path ahead. Said Dupic, “It’s a hard thing for anybody. You look back at his story and you have to admire his resilience through it all. He just keeps searching for solutions. I think that’s the best way to put it. I think part of what makes him so great – he’s not perfect every time – but he solves problems and figures things out. He can be not his best but then you look up and it’s the sixth or seventh inning and he’s given up one run. Not everybody’s like that. I think it was the same in this situation with the injury. There were so many unknowns. It was really unclear what exactly was going on with his situation. He just kept trying to find solutions.”
In December 2023, the 6-foot-6 right-hander underwent Tommy John surgery with the intention of rehabbing and making it back for 2025. Johnson was forced to come to grips with the idea of facing another baseball season of watching from the dugout. He missed out on Concordia’s national tournament appearances of 2023 and 2024. Both squads would have had a much greater chance of reaching the NAIA World Series (as Concordia did with Johnson in 2021) had Johnson been available. He had become a proven performer in 2022 when he was named First Team All-GPAC. The best was surely yet to come.
“It was unfortunate that I had to miss two years, but I’m very grateful for where I am here today,” Johnson said. “I thank God for the journey He’s put me on. I wish I could have played at Georgia Gwinnett and LSUS (for NAIA opening rounds). I wish I could have pitched in those games, but I learned how to be a good teammate and how to care more than just about how I do on the field. Baseball is an oddly individual team sport. Being able to help everybody and anybody and being able to celebrate the wins our teammates have is something I learned how to do.”
Johnson found ways to stay involved with his teammates despite being sidelined. Johnson opened his door (literally) to teammates for weekly Bible study while continuing to contribute to the culture of Concordia Baseball, a secret sauce that has fueled its success. Johnson brings the same passion to attacking hitters as he does to discussing the Bible and what an identity in Christ can mean for his peers. He even shouts out Zackery Day for helping influence teammates in their faith walks.
At the same time, Johnson kept up with rehabbing his elbow. Whenever he lacked motivation to perform certain exercises meant to strengthen his pitching arm, his wife Katelyn was there to nudge him forward. Alex and Katelyn began dating in high school and married on July 1, 2023. Katelyn wasn’t much of a baseball fan when she first met Alex, but that quickly changed.
“She’s been the driving factor to keep that motivation,” Johnson said. “She made sure I did the forearm movements when I was recovering from surgery. Those are kind of monotonous movements, and you know it’s a 12-month journey ahead to even start being able to throw or play catch again. Funny story is she was willing to go and play catch with me. I did hit her one time, but she was okay. She’s tough. I’m thankful for her to be my catch partner along with my wife. She was just ready to go with it – all right, this is what we’re doing. When we were at the doctor’s office and I didn’t have any more questions, she started ripping off five or six more questions to make sure we understood everything. She’s been awesome. I’m super thankful for her.”
Part of the deal meant moving to Seward. It’s the place Johnson agreed to make his second home when he committed to Concordia the summer prior to his senior year of high school. Dupic first learned of Johnson through his friendship with Luke Town, who founded the Advanced Baseball Academy in Stilwell, Kansas. Johnson came with a high recommendation from Town. The connection spurred a visit to campus that set in motion the next chapter of Johnson’s life.
Johnson actually played more first base than pitcher as a prep for his Spring Hill High School team. But Town recognized that Johnson’s highest potential at the next level would be as a pitcher. Further, Johnson joked of himself that he was a “terrible hitter.”
Says Dupic in recalling Johnson’s recruitment, “We set up a visit and Alex came with a bunch of other guys in his class. We did a workout with them the summer after their junior year. People really flock to Alex. He’s just so respected by other people. He’s always been that way. He committed and then a bunch of his teammates committed after. They were highly impacted by him. It was super clear right away that he was really good.”
Both Dupic and Town were the type of coaches Johnson sought. They are coaches that show appreciation for who their players are as people, not simply for what they can do on a baseball field. Johnson praises both coaches effusively.
“The two biggest things that drew me to Concordia were the Christian values and the fact that Dupic just really cared,” Johnson said. “There were nights my senior year after I had committed where he was still calling me and asking me how I’m doing. He wouldn’t just ask about baseball. He would ask about how I was doing personally and how my family was doing. He cared about me as a person too. I really wanted to be here. It’s a family culture. It’s not just something that gets said, it's the actual truth.”
Johnson would know something about what makes coaches different through his years of playing experience dating back to his youth in Olathe when baseball became one of his first loves (back in the day when brother Ethan and sister Kenzie joined in). Johnson has discussed his preference for transformational rather than transactional coaching. Dupic doesn’t just appreciate Johnson for his fastball and nasty breaking stuff. Okay, that part doesn’t hurt. But the relationship between Dupic and Johnson will carry lasting meaning beyond the strikeouts and shutout innings.
Those are statistics and numbers that Johnson just doesn’t spend a whole lot of time thinking about. He speaks with the type of maturity of someone beyond his years (a married man!). On the mound, he’s going to make his pitches and compete intensely. Most of the time, the results will be satisfying. Sometimes they won’t. Even the best in the game must come to terms with failure.
“I think it’s hard to be super dependent on outcomes, especially in baseball,” Johnson said. “It’s a failure-driven sport. I’ve learned that throughout the years. My main goal was to give God all the glory and to surrender any of the outcomes that come, good or bad. God still loves me. I’ve been given freedom through Jesus Christ.”
Johnson seemingly felt that freedom through his times of trial. How else could he be so at peace with the hand he was dealt? That’s what makes him who he is – someone easy to root for.
“He deserves it,” Dupic said. “For years around here, it was like, ‘man, if we just got Alex back.’ Everybody knows it. All the players knew it. He absolutely deserves this. I’m incredibly proud of him. It’s very fun to throw a guy like him out there. He can beat anybody in the country. When we have him on the mound, we can be as good as anybody. That’s how our guys feel when he pitches for us.”
Uplifting in the way he plays the game and for the way he inspires others to follow Christ, Johnson is just being himself. It’s more than good enough.
Johnson plans to stay the course. His options are open. He could return to Concordia next season, or he could pursue his dream to pitch professionally. Whatever he aspires to do, he’ll be all in. He will remain committed, even if it takes 1,055 days for it to come to fruition.
Says Johnson, “God has given me this ability. It’s within His plan. If one person or a group of people could learn about Jesus through my ability to pitch, I’d rather have that than any success that I’ve had.”
Quinn takes title of program home run king; Bulldogs walk all over Dordt
Apr. 18, 2025
SEWARD, Neb. – The title of program home run king belongs to Jaidan Quinn. The All-American third baseman belted the 89th homer of his career on Friday (April 18) as part of a home doubleheader sweep of Dordt. The 15th-ranked Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball team bludgeoned the Defenders by scores of 17-5 and 14-3 (eight innings) on another cool and breezy day at Plum Creek Park. The plate discipline of the Bulldogs led to 28 combined walks and Christian Gutierrez became Concordia’s all-time winningest pitcher.
The magic number as it relates to clinching an outright GPAC regular season title is down to two for Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad. The Bulldogs (31-9, 19-3 GPAC) have hit the 30-win mark in a season for the seventh time during Dupic’s tenure.
“It’s been a huge strength of ours this year,” said Dupic of the team’s plate discipline. “It kind of played itself out that way today. I thought the guys did a really good job, especially the second game. Their guy did a really nice job, but we just made him work so hard that finally in the fifth, he tired a little bit. We were able to get to the bullpen and make some things happen.”
Opposing GPAC pitchers given Quinn the Barry Bonds treatment in recent weeks, rarely offering up pitches out over the plate. But in the second inning of Friday’s first game, Quinn got a 3-1 cookie over the heart of the plate and violently parked the ball well beyond the right field fence for a two-run shot. Later in that same 10-run Concordia second inning, Quinn laced an RBI double. The Bonner Springs, Kan., native also took five walks on the day while setting the tone for a frustrating day for Dordt pitchers.
Time and time again on Friday, Bulldog hitters laid off 3-2 pitches just outside the zone. In game two, Defender starter Jared Hughes allowed just a single run through four innings. Eventually, Concordia wore him down. Hughes allowed the first four hitters in the fifth to reach (three on free passes) before being lifted for a reliever. Then in the sixth, white hot Brad Hallock turned a 5-3 lead into an 8-3 advantage with his second three-run homer of the day.
Incredibly, the Bulldog offense turned what was a 3-1 deficit after four frames into a run-rule affair. Bronx Lewis put an exclamation point on the day with a grand slam to right center in the bottom of the eighth. Concordia managed to slug four home runs on Friday despite the wind blowing in from left field. That wind had nothing to say to Quinn’s no-doubter record-breaking homer. Quinn surpassed former teammate Joey Grabanski for a new standard.
Said Quinn of the record, “It means a lot. When Joey did it, it was a really big thing. Then you have Charlie Munoz (of Cumberlands in Kentucky) – the guy’s been crushing it out there. Congrats to him. I’m happy where I’m at. I’m glad I did finally beat Joey. That was a fun one. I’ll probably be hearing about it later … Right when I got in the dugout, I think I got about 40 hugs. That’s a really good sense of team right there.”
Bulldog starting pitchers Alex Johnson and Gutierrez both earned wins on Friday. Johnson flashed dominant stuff and then was forced to sit for an extended period of time when Concordia put up 10 runs in the second inning of game one. Johnson fanned seven batters in his four innings of work. He allowed five runs on four hits and seven walks. In game two, Gutierrez logged seven innings with all three runs being unearned. Drew Oreskes hit a three-run homer in the first after an error came with two outs. Gutierrez piled up eight strikeouts and collected his 28th career win, eclipsing Nick Little (27) for the program career record.
Offensively, there were contributions made up and down the lineup. Hallock increased his GPAC season best totals to 20 home runs and 58 RBIs. From the leadoff spot, Ty Nekoliczak went 5-for-8 with six runs scored and two doubles. He also made a fine diving play of a liner at second. Nine different Bulldogs took multiple walks throughout the day. On the bases, Zack Day swiped three steals.
With Concordia on the cusp of claiming another GPAC championship, the players have kept the same laser-like focus on what’s immediately in front of them.
Said Dupic, “The leadership of the players has been really special. I feel like when I deliver a message, they listen, trust, believe it and hear it. We talked about that (the opportunity to clinch) heading into this week and we kind of expressed how we got here and how we put ourselves in this position – just by being ourselves and playing our style and the way that we play. It felt like a 15-second conversation. I think the guys do a really good job of believing in that. I’m proud of how they handle things on a daily basis.”
The same two teams will be back at Plum Creek Park at the same time on Saturday (1 p.m. CT) for another doubleheader. Between games, the Bulldogs will honor a group of 13 seniors. For a closer look at senior Alex Johnson, check out a profile on him linked HERE.
GPAC Championship clinched on celebratory senior day
Apr. 19, 2025
VIDEO: Watch all 10 home runs hit by Concordia in the four-game series sweep
SEWARD, Neb. – The 2025 GPAC baseball regular season championship race was no contest. As part of senior day festivities, 13 seniors entangled themselves in the middle of a celebratory dogpile in conclusion of another utterly dominant doubleheader. The Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball team completed a four-game dismantling of Dordt on Saturday (April 19) while clinching the GPAC regular season title with four games yet to be played next week. The latest victories came by scores of 23-1 and 11-1 at Plum Creek Park.
Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad moved to 33-9 overall (21-3 GPAC) while sewing up the fifth GPAC regular season title won by the program in an eight-year stretch. Accomplishing that feat on senior day was icing on the cake.
“Very blessed,” Dupic said. “It’s very cool to have so many people – family, friends and parents – celebrating here today. For our guys to get to celebrate so many different milestones, individual and team, all in the same weekend is really special. I’m just very grateful to have an opportunity to celebrate another conference championship and to do it at home on senior day. You really can’t ask for much more than that.”
A catalyst at the top of the lineup, senior Ty Nekoliczak moved past 250 career hits on Saturday. Said the Greeley, Neb., native of the moment, “It’s super special, especially to do it here in front of our home crowd and here on senior day. Our process in what we’ve prepped for and everything that we’ve worked through for the past eight months has set us up for this moment and gave us the opportunity to celebrate this.”
It’s safe to say Dordt pitchers will be happy not to see the Bulldogs until 2026. The four-game series saw Concordia outscore the Defenders by a combined tally of 65-10 while totaling 54 walks (yes, 54 of them) and 20 extra-base hits, including 10 home runs. In Saturday’s action, Jaidan Quinn launched two home runs (91 for his career) and Nekoliczak, Brad Hallock, Jaeden Jordahl and Matt Rhoades left the ballpark once apiece. Dordt wanted nothing to do with Quinn, who took 10 free passes in the series.
Saturday’s game one got out of hand early. The Defenders failed to score in the top of the first despite putting the first two runners on base. The Bulldogs quickly pounced as Quinn unleashed a laser of a two-run homer over the right field wall to set the tone. Concordia piled up six runs each in the first, third and sixth innings in a parade around the bases. There were 19 walks issued to the Bulldogs in the contest.
Not only did he homer on Saturday, Nekoliczak also smacked a bases clearing triple in the third inning of game one while going 4-for-6 with two walks and a stolen base. Hallock also collected four hits for the day while Jordahl added three knocks. Hallock continued to pad his GPAC RBI lead with eight more runs driven in. Meanwhile, Nekoliczak knocked in six runs and Quinn drove in five. In game one, much of the roster had the opportunity to contribute as Dupic made wholesale substitutions.
The pitching typically plays the role of backup singer when the offensive production looks like that, but Braxton Greenburg and Micah Sweeton turned in fine outings on Saturday. In game three of the series, Greenburg started and went five shutout innings with four hits and a walk allowed to go with five strikeouts. In the series finale, Dupic went with Rhoades for the opening inning before turning it over to Sweeton, who threw 5.1 innings with one run surrendered on five hits and two walks. He fanned nine hitters while picking up the win.
Counting GPAC postseason titles, Dupic has guided the program to eight conference championships in his 11 seasons (with 2020 wiped out by COVID-19). The Bulldogs have also clinched their seventh national tournament appearance (all under Dupic). With the carrot out in front of it to begin the weekend, Concordia stayed in the moment on each pitch.
Said Dupic in explaining the team’s consistency, “You have to go on a good run, and we went on a really good run. Then you have to win some close games, and we did that too. We won a ton of close games in a row. You have to do a good job in multiple facets. You can’t win every game one way. I think that’s what’s been different about this team this year.”
Given an opportunity to discuss his own accolades, Nekoliczak pointed the spotlight on the team. Said the NAIA Gold Glover, “It’s been awesome. This group has been one of the most fun I’ve ever been around. Every single person loves each other like a brother. We have such good relationships with the coaches. Top-down, this program is one of the best of the best.”
Concordia has won 22-straight series games versus Dordt (17-29, 6-18 GPAC). The rough series for the Defenders took them out of contention for a spot in the GPAC tournament.
During the senior day ceremony, Dupic presented both Christian Gutierrez (career wins) and Quinn (career home runs) with items to commemorate their new school records. In addition to aforementioned seniors in Greenburg, Gutierrez, Hallock, Nekoliczak and Quinn, the class includes Jimmy Blumberg, Seth Claybourne, Logan Fragomeni, Alex Johnson, Tanner Tompkins, Nate Weaver, Michael Welch and Maverick Wylder.
The homestand to finish off the regular season will continue this coming Thursday-Friday as the Bulldogs prepare to host Dakota Wesleyan (12-30, 11-13 GPAC). Game times are slated for 3 p.m. CT on Thursday and 1 p.m. on Friday. In this weekend’s action, the Tigers were swept in a four-game series by Briar Cliff.
Following school record, Gutierrez named GPAC Pitcher of the Week
Apr. 22, 2025
GPAC Release
SEWARD, Neb. – After rising to the top of the program’s all-time wins list, Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball senior pitcher Christian Gutierrez earned recognition on Tuesday (April 22). The league office announced Gutierrez as the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Pitcher of the Week. All four Bulldogs in the starting rotation have now earned a conference weekly award in 2025 as Gutierrez joins Alex Johnson (Feb. 12), Micah Sweeton (March 4) and Braxton Greenburg (March 25) with accolades.
As part of this past weekend’s four-game sweep of Dordt that clinched the GPAC regular season title, Gutierrez started game two of the series. The La Mirada, Calif., native covered seven innings and surrendered only three unearned runs on five hits and one walk while notching eight strikeouts. The victory marked Gutierrez’s 28th of his Concordia career and set a new program standard for career pitching wins (passing the 27 by Nick Little). On the season, Gutierrez owns a 7-2 record and 3.86 ERA in 10 starts (60.2 innings).
In four seasons at Concordia, the future teacher has compiled a 28-7 record with a 4.12 ERA and 232 strikeouts in 268.2 innings (50 appearances). Gutierrez has logged more innings than any pitcher in Bulldog Baseball history.
The GPAC champion Bulldogs are scheduled to finish the regular season this week by playing at Dakota Wesleyan in doubleheaders on both Friday and Saturday. The games were moved away from Plum Creek Park due to rain in the forecast.
GPAC champs collect eight NAIA Scholar-Athlete awards
Apr. 23, 2025
2024-25 NAIA Spring Sport Scholar-Athlete List
SEWARD, Neb. – A group of eight Bulldogs represented the GPAC champion Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball program with 2024-25 Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athlete recognition, as announced on Wednesday (April 23). The honor roll included seniors Brad Hallock, Alex Johnson, Ty Nekoliczak and Jaidan Quinn, juniors Easton Cooper and Zackery Day and sophomores Alex Draper and Sam Rambajan. Repeat honorees are Cooper, Day, Johnson and Nekoliczak.
In order to be nominated by an institution’s head coach or sports information director, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, must appear on the eligibility certificate for the sport and have attended one full year at said institution.
The accolades figure to keep pouring in for the aforementioned seniors. A year ago, Hallock, Nekoliczak and Quinn were each tabbed Academic All-District award winners by College Sports Communicators. Quinn also earned NAIA First Team All-America and Second Team Academic All-America awards following the 2024 season.
Concordia University, Nebraska ranks as the NAIA’s all-time leader in number of Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes with 2,526 entering the 2024-25 academic year. The school record for number of Scholar-Athletes in one academic year is 226 achieved in 2019-20. Concordia has been a regular national leader for both Scholar-Athletes and Scholar-Teams.
2025 Concordia Baseball Scholar-Athletes
· Easton Cooper (Lincoln, Neb.)
· Zackery Day (Simi Valley, Calif.)
· Alex Draper (Papillion, Neb.)
· Bradley Hallock (Carrollton, Texas)
· Alex Johnson (Olathe, Kan.)
· Ty Nekoliczak (Greeley, Neb.)
· Jaidan Quinn (Bonner Springs, Kan.)
· Sam Rambajan (Milton, Ontario, Canada)
Q and the Dawgs throttle DWU
Apr. 25, 2025
MITCHELL, S.D. – The run of domination continues no matter the venue for the Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball team. In contests originally scheduled to be played at Plum Creek Park, the 15th-ranked Bulldogs thumped Dakota Wesleyan by scores of 19-6 and 22-4 in Mitchell, S.D., on Friday (April 25). Jaidan Quinn and Brad Hallock continue to boost their GPAC Player of the Year candidacy. Concordia’s all-time home run king, Quinn rocketed four more blasts for the GPAC champions.
Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad entered the weekend having already clinched the GPAC regular season title and an automatic bid to the national tournament. The Bulldogs (35-9, 23-3 GPAC) still have plenty to play for as they look to improve their postseason résumé.
“The guys swung it well today,” Dupic said. “Good at-bats – so many extra-base hits, so many home runs. They put some good swings on balls. Obviously, Jaidan Quinn led the way. Up and down the lineup, we were really good. It put a lot of pressure on the opposing pitchers today, not only with their discipline but with the how they barreled the ball. It was a really good showing for those guys.”
The Concordia lineup is as potent as ever. The conundrum: attempt to get the Bulldogs to chase out of the zone and watch them take free bases – or – come into the zone and watch them send the ball over the fence. Ranked amongst the national leaders in walks, Quinn seemingly capitalizes on any mistake he sees. In Friday’s action, Quinn opened the scoring with a two-run shot in the first. The All-American from Bonner Springs, Kan., added another two-run blast in the fifth of game one and then unloaded in game two for a solo shot in the fourth and a three-run homer in the fifth.
After drawing 54 walks over the four-game sweep of Dordt, the Bulldogs waited out 19 more free passes on Friday. Tiger pitchers retired Quinn only once all day as he went 4-for-5 with three walks and a hit-by-pitch. In the series opener, Quinn, Matt Rhoades (3-for-4), Cade Vanis (3-for-5), Jaeden Jordahl (2-for-2) and Hallock (2-for-4) each notched multiple hits. In game two, exactly two hits apiece were produced by Quinn (2-for-2), Hallock (2-for-4) and Vanis (2-for-4).
In addition to Quinn’s four homers (95 for his career – and counting), Friday’s home run ledger included two apiece from Hallock (23 in 2025) and Rhoades (16 in 2025) and one from Jordahl. Rhoades and Vanis led the way with five hits apiece while Quinn scored seven runs and knocked in nine runs. Hallock and Rhoades both accumulated six RBIs. Twelve Bulldogs recorded at least one hit and nine Concordia players took at least one walk. Additionally, Bronx Lewis tripled twice, Zack Day scored four runs and stole a base and Ty Nekoliczak reached base five times.
Friday hitting stars:
· Jaidan Quinn: 4-for-5, seven runs, three walks, four home runs, nine RBIs
· Matt Rhoades: 5-for-8, five runs, one triple, two home runs, six RBIs
· Cade Vanis: 5-for-8, four runs, one double, five RBIs
· Brad Hallock: 3-for-6, five runs, three walks, two home runs, six RBIs
Starting pitchers Alex Johnson (7-2) and Braxton Greenburg (6-0) both earned wins on Friday. Johnson covered 4.1 innings, allowing four earned runs on six hits and a walk (six strikeouts). Aaron Petty, Ernie Snyder and Maverick Wylder (returned from injury) then appeared out of the bullpen. In game two, Greenburg piled up 11 strikeouts in five innings (three runs on four hits). Jake Nelms and Logan Fragomeni then worked an inning apiece.
Said Dupic of the team’s approach, “It’s a mature group. We want to play good baseball. We did that, especially offensively. We want to be playing well heading into postseason play. We’re focused on what we need to do each day.”
Dakota Wesleyan (12-33, 11-15 GPAC) clinched a spot in the GPAC tournament despite a rough day at the home park. The best stretch of play for the Tigers on Friday came when they rattled off six runs in the fifth inning of game one. Dexter Payne served as a bright spot with three hits in game two.
The same two teams will meet again at Drake Field on Saturday. Game three of the series is scheduled to get underway at 12 p.m. CT. With 23 league wins, the ’25 Bulldogs have equaled a program single season record they hope to break on Saturday. The GPAC record for most conference wins in a single season is 24 by the 2022 Doane team.
Rhoades powers Bulldogs to four-game sweep, GPAC team wins record
Apr. 26, 2025
MITCHELL, S.D. – The conference run for Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball has been about as dominant as it gets. The 15th-ranked Bulldogs polished off the 2025 regular season on Saturday (April 26) by completing a four-game sweep of Dakota Wesleyan in Mitchell, S.D. The latest victories for the GPAC champs came by scores of 10-4 and 12-2. Matt Rhoades punished Tiger pitching by homering twice and reaching base in seven of nine plate appearances.
Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad has broken a GPAC conference record for most league wins in a single season. At 25-3 in GPAC play (37-9 overall), Concordia won the GPAC regular season title by a full six games.
“It was good to get a lot of different guys in,” Dupic said. “It was good to play a couple tight games, especially in the early-to-mid portions of both games. It was good for us to feel that again and be in those situations. It was a little bit different day. Game one was decent weather and then game two we had a lot of rain. It made it tough on both teams to play clean. Fortunately, our guys were able to do that. I thought Seth Claybourne did a good job coming in and putting a stop to things. Micah Sweeton did a nice job and the offensive guys got it going in the sixth inning of game two.”
Compared to Friday’s routs (19-6 and 22-4), the two contests on Saturday were like nail-biters. The Bulldogs found themselves in a quick 3-0 in game three of the series and then trailed 2-1 after five innings in the series finale. Eventually, Concordia wore down the Tigers like it does to so many opponents. In the twin bill, the Bulldogs produced 15 hits and worked 19 more walks (compared to 10 strikeouts) while grinding away.
While Brad Hallock and Jaidan Quinn have seized plenty of attention for their prolific exploits, Rhoades has gone about his business with a super sophomore campaign. The Monument, Colo., native struck for a two-run homer in the sixth inning of Saturday’s game one before unloading for a three-run shot in the sixth frame of game two. Rhoades notched four hits and eight RBIs for the day. Of course, Hallock and Quinn also continued their tormenting of GPAC hurlers. Quinn launched his 23rd homer of the season (tying Hallock for the team lead) in a 4-for-8 day. Meanwhile, Hallock went 3-for-6 with three runs and three RBIs.
Concordia quickly erased the three-run deficit to start the day as it tallied three runs in the first inning, three more in the third, two in the fourth and two in the sixth. Tanner Tompkins doubled home two teammates as part of the three-run third. In the series finale, the Bulldogs turned a competitive contest into a run-rule affair with a 10-run sixth. It started with Rhoades’ three-run bomb and continued with a Ty Nekoliczak bases-loaded walk, Hallock two-run double and a Rhoades two-run single.
After surrendering a three-run homer to Caleb Myers in the first inning of game three of the series, Christian Gutierrez locked in and threw five shutout innings. He finished with five strikeouts against no walks. Gutierrez earned career win No. 29. In the capper, Micah Sweeton threw four innings with just one run allowed as he improved his record to 7-1. Rhoades actually started the game on the mound. In relief, Seth Claybourne, Sam Rambajan and Daiten Schmidt held DWU off the scoreboard.
Since March 22, the Bulldogs have lost only one game (22-1). Concordia rolled over its conference foes by a combined score of 291-101 over the 28-game run. That type of dominance could result in the Bulldogs earning a lofty seed come national tournament selection day.
Said Dupic, “It’s pretty incredible. We’re 25-3 and all three of our losses were one-run games. The guys have been really consistent. I’m really proud of them in terms of their approach. I think that’s the main thing. They have a great approach to playing the game and put themselves in a great position because of it.”
Postseason play is up next. As the GPAC’s top seed, the Bulldogs will host conference tournament action this coming Wednesday through Friday from Plum Creek Park. In hosting for the seventh time in the past eight seasons, Concordia will welcome No. 4 Briar Cliff, No. 5 Midland and No. 8 Dakota Wesleyan to Seward.
Powerful finish to regular season nets GPAC Player of the Week award for Quinn
Apr. 29, 2025
GPAC Release
SEWARD, Neb. – After stinging the baseball all weekend in Mitchell, S.D., Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball All-American Jaidan Quinn earned recognition on Tuesday (April 29). The league office has tabbed Quinn as the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Player of the Week. Quinn has reeled in the weekly accolade for the second time this season. As a team, the Bulldogs have earned six GPAC weekly awards in 2025.
As part of 15th-ranked Concordia’s four-game sweep of Dakota Wesleyan, Quinn batted .615 (8-for-13) with 11 runs scored, two doubles, five home runs and 12 RBIs. He also walked three times and was hit by a pitch while posting a .667 on-base percentage (and 1.923 slugging percentage) for the series. On the season, Quinn is hitting .373 with 58 runs, 11 doubles, 23 home runs, 68 RBIs, a .576 on-base percentage and .970 slugging percentage. The star third baseman leads the GPAC in home runs (tied with teammate Brad Hallock), on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
Quinn is a leading candidate to be named GPAC Player of the Year for a second-straight season. Quinn has run his program record career home run total to 96. Over 219 career collegiate games, the Bonner Springs, Kan., native has slashed .363 BA / .529 OBP / .853 SLG and has totaled 250 hits and 273 RBIs.
The GPAC champion Bulldogs (37-9, 25-3 GPAC) are getting set to host a pod of the GPAC tournament beginning on Wednesday. More details about the tournament can be found HERE.
Bulldogs secure win in midnight hour behind Johnson’s dominance
May 1, 2025
SEWARD, Neb. – A rain delay of three hours pushed GPAC tournament action beyond the final day of April. After the clock struck midnight, the NAIA 12th-ranked Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball team celebrated a 9-4 postseason victory over Dakota Wesleyan. It was a grind at times, but the masterful pitching of Alex Johnson and a few timely hits allowed the Bulldogs to defeat the Tigers for the fifth time in a span of six days.
Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s GPAC championship squad (38-9 overall) moved a notch closer to 40 wins on the season. Concordia has won 13-straight games played at Plum Creek Park. It was a long Wednesday (April 30) – that turned into Thursday – that saw the Bulldogs collectively work to dry the field enough for two games to be completed.
“It’s not ideal, obviously,” Dupic said. “The weather didn’t play out the way the forecast initially said it was going to. It pushed things back a little bit, but it is what it is. You just handle it and do the best you can. I thought our guys played pretty well. Their pitcher did a good job. It was a good ballgame, and we found a way to come out on top.”
The conference’s leading strikeout artist, Johnson showcased the good stuff on Wednesday night. Time after time, Johnson’s breaking ball produced awkward swings from Tiger hitters. The Olathe, Kan., native piled up 13 strikeouts. The only hiccup came in the third inning when DWU pushed across two runs. Johnson rebounded by throwing shutout frames in the fourth through sixth innings. The Concordia ace allowed two runs on five hits and two walks.
The eighth-seeded Tigers (12-36) managed to play the Bulldogs to a 2-2 deadlock into the bottom of the sixth. Concordia finally found separation as Alex Draper began a five-run outburst with an RBI double. Jaidan Quinn also singled in a run and Bronx Lewis forced one in with a bases-loaded walk. Quinn and Draper finished with two hits apiece and Ty Nekoliczak reached base all five times at the plate (double and four walks). In the bottom of the eighth, Jaeden Jordahl delivered a pinch-hit two-run single to push a three-run lead back to five.
On the mound for DWU, lefty Caleb Meyers made just his fourth start of the season. He threw 130 pitches in 5.2 innings while keeping the Concordia offense in check. The Bulldogs were limited to six hits on the night. But in classic Concordia fashion, Nekoliczak and company sucked the life out of the opposition by staying disciplined. Tiger pitchers issued 16 free passes.
The Bulldogs simply played a much cleaner game (no errors compared to three for DWU). Meanwhile, Johnson and reliever Seth Claybourne combined for 18 strikeouts. Claybourne threw the final three innings and picked up the save. Johnson moved his season record to 8-2.
Said Dupic of Johnson, “The breaking ball played well today. He’s a good competitor. He responded really well to giving up that two-spot and got us through six. That was huge to only have to use one reliever in this game. It’s big when you’re playing in a tournament. He did a really nice job.”
Concordia hopes for dryer weather on Thursday when action at Plum Creek Park resumes. Games are scheduled for 1, 4 and 7 p.m. CT. In the day’s opening contest, the Bulldogs will take on fourth-seeded Briar Cliff. The Chargers defeated Midland on Wednesday, 4-2. Two teams will be eliminated on Thursday.
Bulldogs battle back, set up rematch with Briar Cliff in pod finals
May 1, 2025
SEWARD, Neb. – A relinquishing of a three-run ninth-inning lead made for a long day two of the GPAC tournament for the 12th-ranked Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball team. The top-seeded Bulldogs effectively bounced back from a stunning unraveling in the 5-4 loss to Briar Cliff to claim a 13-2 run-rule shortened elimination game win over Dakota Wesleyan to put a cap on Thursday (May 1) action at Plum Creek Park. Stellar pitching performances from Braxton Greenburg and Alex Griess highlighted the day from Concordia’s perspective.
Prior to action on Thursday, Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad learned that it will be one of 10 hosts for the NAIA National Championship Opening Round. Before shifting focus to the national tournament, the Bulldogs (39-10) hope to make another run to the GPAC tournament title game.
“I thought they did really well,” said Dupic in response to Thursday’s loss. “I just told them to go home and rest and get some food. Nobody ever wants to get beat, but you just have to adjust and respond to it. We just tried to put together a plan – all right, here’s what we need to do moving forward. That was more on our end (as coaches). For the players, it was just be ourselves and try to play well. We played really well tonight.”
What made Thursday’s afternoon defeat so surprising was how in control Concordia seemed to be with Greenburg routinely mesmerizing Charger hitters. The senior from Plymouth, Minn., amassed 12 strikeouts and surrendered only three hits over eight innings. Greenburg’s most significant punch out came in the eighth when he got Jake Chronic to flail away with the bags full and two outs.
However, Briar Cliff (26-21) showed some mettle of its own on a diamond where the opposition has rarely tasted victory. An error and a hit batter helped set the stage for a dramatic Charger win. With the bases full and the game knotted, 4-4, Chronic redeemed himself with a walk-off RBI single off Bulldog closer Daiten Schmidt. The result snapped a 13-game home winning streak for Concordia.
In recent years, the Bulldogs have faced these same moments and have thrived. The next opponent, Dakota Wesleyan (13-37), kept its season alive on Thursday afternoon with a 7-5 win over Midland. A competitive contest early on turned into a rout as Concordia burst loose for two runs in the fourth and fifth innings and then seven in the sixth. Matt Rhoades delivered a two-run double and Jaeden Jordahl emerged with a pinch-hit two-run single to bust the contest wide open.
Second baseman Ty Nekoliczak went 3-for-5 with two runs and an RBI in the victory over DWU. In the same game, three Bulldogs notched two hits apiece: Brad Hallock, Rhoades and Michael Welch. Nekoliczak also went deep for a home run in the matchup with Briar Cliff. The day for All-American Jaidan Quinn included three hits, four runs, two walks and a hit by pitch. As part of a fine overall team defensive day, Bronx Lewis gunned down a Tiger attempting to reach third on a fly out.
Rhoades took the ball on the mound versus DWU and covered the first 3.1 innings (two runs allowed). In relief, sophomore righty Alex Griess of Ankeny, Iowa, starred as he went 3.2 shutout frames with just a single hit and one walk conceded. Griess recorded six strikeouts as he picked up his second win of the season.
Dupic had very little to complain about when it came to Thursday’s pitching efforts. Said Dupic, “Braxton’s been so good, especially lately. He was exceptional today. Matt Rhoades gave us 10 big outs today. That’s the most he’s given us this year. Obviously we have a lot of innings to fill if we’re going to come back and do this thing. I was really proud of Alex Griess. He’s just kept getting better. He played JV last year … We challenged our bullpen a little bit. We’ve had a couple of guys really lead us heavily in our pitching staff, but we’re going to have to use some other guys to get through this.”
Greenburg lowered his season ERA to 3.12. Greenburg and Alex Johnson are the top two strikeout pitchers in the entire GPAC. As a staff, the Bulldogs pace the GPAC in team ERA.
Concordia and Briar Cliff will meet up again on Friday in the finals of the Concordia Bracket. In order to reach the GPAC Championship Game, the Bulldogs must defeat the Chargers twice. Game six of the bracket is scheduled to get underway at 12 p.m. CT from Plum Creek Park.
Nightmare inning prevents Bulldogs from return to GPAC title game
May 3, 2025
SEWARD, Neb. – A 6-5 win in Saturday (May 3)’s early contest put the Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball program one victory away from reaching the GPAC Championship Game for a sixth-straight season. However, fourth-seeded Briar Cliff crashed the party by exploding for a 14-run sixth inning in what amounted to a 16-3, run-rule shortened decision in the day’s second game. The NAIA 12th-ranked Bulldogs rifled through eight pitchers in the defeat.
Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad (40-11) will have a break before resuming action at the NAIA National Championship Opening Round. Meanwhile, the Chargers will host Mount Marty in the GPAC Championship Game on Monday.
“It’s disappointing for the experience – I think we all wanted an opportunity to play in the conference championship game at home,” Dupic said. “I’d love for those guys to have that experience. That part of it is unfortunate. On the other side of this, it’s been a heck of a couple of days. We could probably use a little bit of a break. There could be some good that could come from that. Sometimes a challenge can bring out a little bit more in you. Hopefully it will for us.”
The key to Briar Cliff winning the Concordia Bracket at Plum Creek Park was its come-from-behind rally to win in walk-off fashion over the Bulldogs on Thursday. Concordia then had to drop to the consolation bracket to defeat Dakota Wesleyan before being tasked with attempting to knock off the Chargers twice on Saturday (a day after the games were originally scheduled). The pitching depth of the Bulldogs was pushed to the max, especially with No. 4 starter Micah Sweeton sidelined for the GPAC tournament.
In Saturday’s Concordia Bracket winner-take-all, All-American Jaidan Quinn evened the score at 2-2 when he went the opposite way to left field for a solo homer (97th career blast) in the bottom of the fifth. A half inning later, the wheels came off as Briar Cliff sent 17 batters to the plate in the top of the sixth. The Charger frame included 10 hits, three walks, a hit batter and two Bulldog errors. During that inning, reliever Maverick Wylder pulled himself out after feeling discomfort, further thinning out the staff. Briar Cliff took full advantage.
Said Dupic, “Heading into the last game, we didn’t have a clear plan as far as our pitching staff. Micah Sweeton was unavailable this weekend, so that put us in a position where we felt like we needed to keep spinning to the next guy. A lot of those guys hadn’t been in that position this year. I think we got caught in a bad matchup there in the sixth. Unfortunately, Mav went down. We have so much trust and faith in Mav. We felt like he could get us out of that the way he competes. Once he got hurt, we were in a tough spot. Briar Cliff played well, and it got away from us.”
A five-run second inning in Saturday’s first game helped keep Concordia alive in the bracket. As part of that frame, Matt Rhoades scalded a grand slam to right center (19th homer of the season). Senior workhorse pitcher Christian Gutierrez went all nine innings with five runs allowed (only one earned) on six hits and two walks. The La Mirada, Calif., native retired the final 16 hitters he faced and collected the 30th win of his standout career. Rhoades and catcher Tanner Tompkins produced two hits apiece in the win.
Briar Cliff (27-22) will have an opportunity to win its second all-time GPAC tournament title (and first since 2003). There were plenty of stars for the Chargers in their 16-3 rout. Diego Trujillo went 4-for-5 with three runs, a double and three RBIs and Rance Bryant drove in four runs. Pitcher Brock Saya went six innings and picked up the win while limiting the potent Bulldog lineup to three runs on four hits and four walks.
As part of another special season, Concordia has reached the 40-win mark for the fifth-straight season. The Bulldogs will attempt to add to that total during the NAIA National Championship Opening Round, which will be played May 12-15. As announced on May 1, Concordia will host one of the 10 opening rounds at Sherman Field in Lincoln, Neb. The entire field of national qualifiers is scheduled to be announced by the NAIA at 4 p.m. CT on May 7.
Quinn named Player of the Year, Johnson Pitcher of the Year in highlighting All-GPAC selections
May 6, 2025
2025 GPAC All-Conference Baseball Teams
First Team: Jaidan Quinn (Player of the Year); Alex Johnson (Pitcher of the Year); Braxton Greenburg; Jaeden Jordahl; Ty Nekoliczak (Gold Glove 2B); Matt Rhoades; Daiten Schmidt.
Second Team: Christian Gutierrez; Brad Hallock; Michael Welch.
Honorable Menton: Jimmy Blumberg; Bronx Lewis; Micah Sweeton.
SEWARD, Neb. – High honors went to Jaidan Quinn and Alex Johnson on Tuesday (May 6) as the GPAC announced 2025 all-conference baseball teams. Quinn earned recognition as GPAC Player of the Year and Johnson was tabbed GPAC Pitcher of the Year in highlighting the 13 All-GPAC selections from the GPAC champion Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball team. For leading the Bulldogs to a GPAC title and another national tournament berth, Head Coach Ryan Dupic was voted by his peers as the 2025 GPAC Coach of the Year.
Quinn and Johnson were joined on the 2025 all-conference first team honor roll by teammates in pitcher Braxton Greenburg, outfielder Jaeden Jordahl, second baseman Ty Nekoliczak, first baseman Matt Rhoades and pitcher Daiten Schmidt. Second team accolades went to pitcher Christian Greenburg, designated hitter Brad Hallock and catcher Michael Welch. Finally, honorable mention distinction was garnered by shortstop Jimmy Blumberg, outfielder Bronx Lewis and pitcher Micah Sweeton.
Dupic has been chosen as GPAC Coach of the Year for the fourth time (2017, 2019, 2024 and 2025) in his tenure. The ’25 Bulldogs broke a GPAC record for most conference regular season wins (25) and won the GPAC regular season title by a full six games. Dupic and his staff (including full-time assistant Ben Berg) kept the program humming this spring even after Concordia graduated three First Team All-GPAC outfielders from the ’24 squad. Dupic has led the Bulldogs to a combined eight GPAC titles (five regular season) and seven national tournament appearances in a complete transformation of the program. Concordia is one of six NAIA baseball programs to have won at least 40 games for a fifth-straight season.
Quinn has been voted GPAC Player of the Year for a second consecutive season. The Bonner Springs, Kan., native shared the award with teammate Joey Grabanski in 2024. As a senior in 2025, Quinn is hitting .373 (57-for-153) with 65 runs scored, 11 doubles, 24 home runs and 71 RBIs. Quinn paces all conference players in home runs, on-base percentage (.570), walks (61) and slugging percentage (.915). Nationally, Quinn ranks third in home runs. The reigning NAIA First Team All-American third baseman, Quinn has put together one of the finest careers in school history. On the program’s all-time lists, Quinn ranks first in home runs (97), first in walks (180), second in RBIs (276), second in runs scored (279), third in batting average (.363), fifth in hits (257) and fifth in doubles (48). Quinn is likely to add to his two career NAIA All-America awards this postseason. Quinn and Grabanski have both earned two GPAC Player of the Year honors.
A senior from Olathe, Kan., Johnson becomes the third player during Dupic’s tenure to be named GPAC Pitcher of the Year, joining Nick Little (2018) and Jake Fosgett (2021). After being sidelined for virtually the entire 2023 and 2024 seasons, Johnson has returned to the mound in impressively dominant fashion. Johnson leads all GPAC pitchers with 96 strikeouts on the season. In addition, Johnson owns an 8-2 record and 3.06 ERA over his 11 starts (61.2 innings). Opposing batters have hit just .208 off the 6-foot-6 right-hander. In his collegiate career, Johnson has made 37 starts and has posted an 18-4 record with a 3.32 ERA and 207 strikeouts in 162.1 innings. Johnson has earned two career First Team All-GPAC awards.
A first time All-GPAC honoree, Greenburg has enjoyed the best season of his college career. The native of Plymouth, Minn., went eight strong innings with 12 strikeouts in his most recent outing. For the season, Greenburg has produced a 6-0 record with a 3.12 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 66.1 innings. Opposing batters have hit just .199 off Greenburg, who ranks second only to Johnson among GPAC pitchers in strikeouts. In two seasons as a Bulldog, Greenburg has compiled a 9-1 record with a 3.97 ERA and 147 strikeouts in 113.1 innings.
In his first season with Concordia after transferring into the program, Jordahl has made a tremendous impact while taking over as the team’s left fielder. In 47 games, Jordahl is hitting .336 (46-for-137) with 45 runs scored, 11 doubles, two triples, eight home runs, 42 RBIs and 13 stolen bases to go along with a .469 on-base percentage and .620 slugging percentage. The Billings, Mont., native has also recorded three outfield assists. Jordahl has recorded 13 multi-hit games in 2025.
As a senior, Nekoliczak is putting the finishing touches on a remarkable four-year career with the Bulldogs. The Greeley, Neb., native has been named All-GPAC each season with two first team awards, a second team honor and one honorable mention distinction. He has also been voted as the league’s Gold Glove recipient at second base for the second-straight year (also the NAIA Gold Glove award winner at second base in 2024). This season, Nekoliczak is hitting .383 (67-for-175) with 67 runs scored, 12 doubles, a triple, four home runs, 39 RBIs and 20 stolen bases. He sports a .513 on-base percentage and .531 slugging percentage. At second base, Nekoliczak has converted 182 of 187 chances (.973 fielding percentage). For his career, Nekoliczak has hit .361 with a .471 on-base percentage and has totaled 260 hits, 228 runs scored, 48 stolen bases and 143 RBIs. He has compiled 151 walks compared to just 83 strikeouts in 720 career at-bats.
As a sophomore, Rhoades has built upon a rookie season that resulted in him being named NAIA Ball National Freshman of the Year. The Monument, Colo., native has reeled in his second First Team All-GPAC award. On the season, Rhoades is hitting .344 (65-for-189) with 45 runs, 12 doubles, a triple, 19 home runs and 74 RBIs in addition to a .449 on-base percentage and .720 slugging percentage. Among GPAC players, Rhoades ranks second in RBIs and third in RBIs. Over his two collegiate seasons, Rhoades has hit .318 (.415 on-base percentage and .650 slugging) with 35 home runs and 127 RBIs in 108 games.
In his junior season, Schmidt took over the team’s closer role. In 15 appearances in 2025, Schmidt has posted a 3.00 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 15 innings while tallying eight saves. Schmidt has issued only four walks (.228 opponent batting average) in his 15 appearances. Schmidt is a first time All-GPAC honoree.
No pitcher in Concordia’s history has toed the rubber more than Gutierrez, now a three-time all-conference award winner (two-time Second Team All-GPAC). This season, the La Mirada, Calif., native sports a 9-2 record with a 3.57 ERA and 67 strikeouts (against only 13 walks) in 75.2 innings. Guterrez leads the pitching staff in wins, innings and complete games. On the program’s all-time lists, Gutierrez ranks first in innings pitched (283.2), tied for first in pitching starts (42), first in wins (30) and fourth in strikeouts (242).
In his second season wearing Bulldog Blue, Hallock starred as one of the league’s most prolific hitters. The Carrollton, Texas, native is hitting .344 (62-for-180) with 64 runs scored, 10 doubles, 23 home runs and 79 RBIs along with a .465 on-base percentage and .783 slugging percentage. Hallock ranks second among all NAIA players in RBIs and is second among GPAC players in home runs. In two seasons at Concordia, Hallock has amassed 33 home runs and 124 RBIs while slashing .327 BA / .440 OBP / .648 SLG in 105 games. Hallock was tabbed Honorable Mention All-GPAC in 2024.
Welch has picked up his first All-GPAC honor while splitting catching duties with Tanner Tompkins as part of a productive duo. This season, the San Diego native is hitting .337 (31-for-92) with three doubles, three home runs and 21 RBIs in conjunction with a .479 on-base percentage and .467 slugging percentage. Welch also owns a .989 fielding percentage and has thrown out seven runners attempting to steal. Welch is a career .291 hitter (.434 on-base percentage) with six home runs in 93 games.
Of the three Honorable Mention All-GPAC selections, Blumberg is the one repeat award winner. The La Mirada, Calif., native is hitting .222 with nine extra-base hits and a .354 on-base percentage in 50 games. Blumberg sports an .884 fielding percentage. As the team’s center fielder, Lewis is hitting .247 with eight doubles, three triples, six home runs and 34 RBIs while starting all 51 games. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native has also notched three outfield assists. Finally, Sweeton jumped into the rotation immediately as a freshman and has gone 7-1 with a 5.09 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 46 innings (11 appearances). He collected a GPAC Pitcher of the Week award in March.
The Bulldogs (40-11) are preparing to host NAIA National Championship Opening Round action next week (May 12-15) at Sherman Field in Lincoln, Neb. Official national qualifiers are scheduled to be released by the NAIA at 4 p.m. CT on Wednesday via a live selection show.
Welch walks it off as Bulldogs advance in NAIA Opening round winner's bracket
May 12, 2025
VIDEO: Michael Welch's walk-off sacrifice fly
LINCOLN, Neb. – A tension-filled national tournament clash came down to a bases-loaded sacrifice fly for senior catcher Michael Welch. His drive to center chased home Zackery Day for the walk-off run in the bottom of the ninth, pushing the Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball team into the winner’s bracket in NAIA National Championship Opening Round action at Sherman Field in Lincoln, Neb. Welch notched three hits as the second-seeded Bulldogs clipped third-seeded University of Science and Arts (Okla.), 5-4, on Monday (May 12).
Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s program has won for the 14th time on the national tournament stage. The Bulldogs (41-11) will return to Sherman Field on Tuesday.
“It was a really gritty win,” Dupic said. “I thought our guys did a great job, first off in the run prevention area. I don’t think Braxton (Greenburg) necessarily had his best stuff today, but he really competed to get us 18 outs. That was a really big deal, and I thought Sam Rambajan bridging the gap was the biggest part of the game. It being 4-3 there, there’s a chance for that thing to blow up. He got some huge outs. We turned a big double play in the ninth. We made enough pitches to keep us in it and then our offense was able to come through.”
The work of Rambajan in the seventh helped open the door for Welch to play the role of hero. With Concordia nursing a 4-3 lead, Greenburg exited in the seventh with two on and no out. Rambajan proceeded to walk the first hitter he faced before a sac fly knotted the score, 4-4. Rambajan then coaxed a pop out and a ground out to end the threat. Two more scoreless frames thanks to Rambajan and Daiten Schmidt set the stage for Welch in the ninth.
USAO reliever Rob Schmidt issued walks to Jaidan Quinn, Brad Hallock and Jaeden Jordahl (intentional) to load the bases with one out. In continuing a fine day, the San Diego native Welch lifted a fly to center that easily plated the speedster Day. Welch went 3-for-4 with a double and the game-winning RBI. It’s a continuation of an all-conference season for Welch.
Said Welch of his ninth-inning at-bat, “I was put in a perfect position by the rest of the lineup – bases loaded, less than two outs. All I’ve got to do is get it in the outfield. I was just trying to get a good rip and get something I could handle. The rest of the lineup did the job for me.”
The grind-it-out work of the pitching staff kept Concordia in it after it fell behind by a 3-1 score. In the fourth, the Bulldogs picked up three runs as Bronx Lewis sent a two-run double to left center and Cade Vanis came through with a pinch-hit RBI single. Lewis joined Welch as a multi-hit performer on the day.
One of the GPAC’s top pitchers this season, Greenburg battled through six innings while allowing four runs on three hits and four walks (one strikeout). After laboring through the third inning, Greenburg put up zeroes in the fourth, fifth and sixth frames. Bulldog pitchers combined to limit Drover batters to four hits.
USAO (34-19) is making an appearance in Lincoln for the second-straight year. The Drovers sent ace Brian Ereu to the mound on Monday. He went 4.2 innings and surrendered four runs (three earned) on six hits and four walks. Naton Herchock starred out of the bullpen with 3.1 scoreless innings.
The Bulldogs will continue to soak up their first ever opportunity to host opening round action. Concordia will take on top-seeded Webber International University (Fla.) at 3 p.m. CT on Tuesday from Sherman Field. The complete bracket with updated results can be found below.
Said Dupic, “I know they do (appreciate playing close to home). It’s good to be able to sleep in your own bed. It was a good crowd today. We really appreciate that. It’s really neat to see former players and so many fans and athletic department staffers out here supporting us is a really nice deal. It was a good day for Concordia Baseball and hopefully we can do it again tomorrow.”
Bulldogs tripped up in national tournament duel between dominant aces
May 13, 2025
LINCOLN, Neb. – In an ace-off, it was a contest to see who would blink first. Finally, in the top of the eighth, Jalen Martinez lifted the first pitch he saw to left for a three-run homer. The towering drive propelled top-seeded Webber International University (Fla.) to a 3-0 win over the second-seeded Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball team on Tuesday (May 13). The result put the Warriors of Babson Park, Fla., in the driver’s seat in the Lincoln Bracket site, one of 10 hosts for the 2025 NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round.
Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad will face elimination when the action resumes at Sherman Field on Wednesday. The Bulldogs (41-12) are now 1-1 in the bracket having also earned a 5-4 decision over No. 3 seed University of Science and Arts (Okla.) on Monday.
“I thought they did a really good job. It was a tough day to score,” Dupic said. “Obviously their pitcher is really good. He did a good job expanding the zone and working sideways. That made it tough on our guys. He’s an All-American type guy and when he starts dotting those, making pitches, getting plus counts and mixing the curveball – he did a great job. I thought Alex was incredible and really did a good job keeping us in it all the way to the eighth. We had a couple chances to get that big swing and couldn’t quite get it. Hopefully we can come back tomorrow and make a run at it.”
The pitchers in this matchup of clubs ranked in the top 12 of the NAIA coaches’ poll were on their game. Through the first seven innings on Tuesday afternoon, Concordia’s Alex Johnson and Webber International’s Blayne Huter matched each other zero for zero. In making his 12th start this season, Johnson induced plenty of weak contact (14 groundouts) and used his quick pickoff move to nab a runner at second base. On the other side, Huter paired an explosive fastball with a sharp breaking curveball that resulted in 10 strikeouts over seven innings.
Offensively, the Bulldogs’ best scoring chance came in the fifth when they put two on with one out. Alex Draper and Ty Nekoliczak (bunt hit) both singled off Huter in the frame. The 6-foot-5 right-hander then made critical pitches to strike out power-hitting lefties Jaidan Quinn and Matt Rhoades. Huter also navigated out of trouble after allowing the leadoff hitter to reach in both the first and second innings.
Johnson sailed smoothly through the majority of the first seven frames. The Olathe, Kan., native retired the first batter of the eighth before the Warriors made their game-winning push. It started when Richard Rodriguez singled and Joseph Becker walked. The most meaningful swing of the game followed as Martinez got enough of Johnson’s offering to send it over the left-field wall. It was the only extra-base hit of the day for either side.
Huter (14-1) exited the game after firing seven shutout innings. In relief, standout Noah Palmese recorded the final six outs while notching his 12th save of the season. Palmese struck out pinch hitter Tanner Tompkins to put the game on ice. Webber International (43-13) now stands one win away from securing a spot in the NAIA World Series.
Nekoliczak and Jaeden Jordahl both went 2-for-4 on Tuesday to lead the Concordia lineup. In relief of Johnson, Daiten Schmidt worked 1.2 innings and helped keep the deficit at 3-0 after entering the game in the eighth. The Bulldogs will need to win twice on Wednesday in order to keep the dream of reaching the NAIA World Series alive (as the program did in 2021).
Said Dupic, “We’re just going to go home and get some rest, try to recharge and see if we can get some things going for the next couple of days.”
In an elimination game at 12 p.m. CT on Wednesday, Concordia will take on fourth-seeded Indiana Wesleyan University (31-21). The winner of the matinee will remain alive to play Webber International at 4 p.m.
Season ends in 16-inning grinder as Claybourne stars for Bulldogs
May 14, 2025
VIDEO: Seth Claybourne dominates in relief
VIDEO: Jaidan Quinn's 98th career home run
LINCOLN, Neb. – Both teams fought like their seasons depended upon it in a seemingly endless elimination battle in the NAIA Opening Round Lincoln Bracket. At long last, in the bottom of the 16th, the aggressive baserunning of Ty Matthews resulted in the walk-off run that ignited a Wildcat celebration near first base. Fourth-seeded Indiana Wesleyan University outlasted the second-seeded Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball team, 8-7, in a grueling clash played in 90-degree spring heat on Wednesday (May 14). Out of gas, the Wildcats then fell to Webber International University (Fla.), 11-1, in the Lincoln Bracket final.
Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad ended the 2025 campaign at 41-13 overall while extending program streaks of 40-win seasons to five and national tournament appearances to six. It took a special group of seniors to make such dream seasons become reality.
“Obviously we’re bummed out about the result today,” Dupic said. “Baseball can be a crazy game sometimes. Nobody could stop anybody from scoring the first six or seven innings and then nobody could score for about eight. It was a weird flow to the game … I’ll really miss the seniors. They’re good kids. They’re really good players and all that kind of stuff, but I just enjoy being around them. I’ll miss that as much as anything. They’ve accomplished so much over the past few years. It’s hard to put it into words.”
There were plenty of postgame hugs for Concordia senior pitcher Seth Claybourne, an Omaha product. Claybourne entered the game with one out in the bottom of the eighth and the game tied at 7-7. Another eight innings later, the Millard West High School alum remained on the hill. Claybourne kept throwing scoreless innings while making 99 pitches. He allowed just a single unearned run on two hits and two walks (eight strikeouts) in 8.1 innings.
On the other side, Brock Buckley put together a superhuman performance of his own. Two days after firing a one-hit shutout to beat Mount Mercy, Buckley came back and went 7.1 innings with just one run surrendered as the third Wildcat out of the bullpen on Wednesday. Once Buckley was finally removed after the 12th inning, Kevin Corcoran took the ball and worked four shutout frames with not even a single hit allowed. In other words, both bullpens were dynamite.
Said Dupic, “I’ve never seen anything like it in 18 years of college baseball. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone do such a good job just running on fumes those last couple of innings. It says a lot about Seth and his heart. He was so tired, but I felt like we had to keep rolling with him. Everyone was pretty proud of him and what he did.”
The prime extra-innings scoring chance for Concordia occurred in the 12th when Cade Vanis and Ty Nekoliczak drew back-to-back walks to open the inning. After slugger Jaidan Quinn put down a rare sacrifice bunt to advance the runners, Buckley fanned both Jaeden Jordahl and Brad Hallock to end the threat. An inning later, Corcoran wriggled himself free of a first-and-third, no-out jam.
Finally, Indiana Wesleyan (33-22) ended it in the 16th. The push began when Matthews reached on an error with one out. Two batters later, Caleb Engelsman singled to right field. Instead of settling for third, Matthews raced home while catching the Bulldogs napping. Drained of their pitching depth, the Wildcats forged one more memorable moment in their season.
The man who caught Claybourne enjoyed a fine day himself as Tanner Tompkins notched four hits and drove in three runs. His two-run single immediately put Concordia in front in the top of the first. One inning later, Quinn left the yard for one final time in his impeccable career. Quinn’s two-run shot to left center marked his 98th blast in a Bulldog uniform. Concordia led by a 4-1 score at the time and owned a 7-4 advantage after six frames.
The contest also signaled the end of the line for senior Christian Gutierrez, who made the 43rd start of his collegiate career. The program’s all-time winningest pitcher covered 6.2 innings (six runs on 10 hits) on Wednesday. Dupic then turned to Alex Griess for two outs before Claybourne put forth his workhorse performance.
There are eight Concordia seniors who earned GPAC All-Conference awards in 2025, including the GPAC Player of the Year Quinn and GPAC Pitcher of the Year Alex Johnson. Their production will be difficult to replace, but the statistics and accolades won’t ever be what comes to mind first when Dupic recalls this collection of young men.
In summing things up, Dupic offered, “I’ll miss the seniors more as people than anything. I’ll miss seeing them at practice every day. Sometimes when you’re a coach, you feel like you have to be somebody else. Around these guys, I didn’t have to be somebody else. I could just be myself. I think that’s as good of a compliment as you can give. Everybody looks at you as a coach and you’re supposed to do everything right and never make any mistakes. These guys didn’t view me like that. That’s when you’re part of a family. I’ll miss their maturity and the way they invested in relationships.”
Records Update: 2025 Bulldogs put stamp on program record book
May 28, 2025
Concordia Baseball Record Book
SEWARD, Neb. – The 2025 season saw a continuation of elite performances from the Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball program. Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s GPAC championship squad dominated its conference schedule while breaking a GPAC record for league wins in a single season. Meanwhile, stars such as Jaidan Quinn, Ty Nekoliczak, Brad Hallock and Christian Gutierrez capped impressive college careers. They were key figures for a ’25 team that finished at 41-13 overall and earned the opportunity to host an NAIA Opening Round.
Individually, Bulldogs broke significant program career records in 2025. Jaidan Quinn became Concordia’s new all-time home run king with 98 career blasts, Christian Gutierrez rose to the top of the charts for wins and innings pitched and Zackery Day swiped his way to a new program standard for stolen bases. Already the program’s all-time coaching wins leader, Dupic was named GPAC Coach of the Year while running his career record to 365-19-1 over his 11-year tenure. Dupic has guided the program to national tournament appearances in six-straight seasons and in seven of the past eight years.
Additional notes on top 10 career and single-season achievements are included below. For the complete Concordia Baseball record book, check out the link above.
2025 team statistical notes
· Program record for conference wins in a season (25).
· Tied for the third most overall wins (41) in program history.
· Second longest winning streak (14) in program history.
· Fourth most home runs (96) in a single season in program history.
· One of six NAIA programs nationally with at least 40 wins in each of the past five seasons (2021-25); the other programs on that list are Cumberlands (Ky.), Georgia Gwinnett, LSU Shreveport, Southeastern and Tennessee Wesleyan.
· First team in program history to host an NAIA Opening Round.
POSITION PLAYERS
Jaidan Quinn
Career
· No. 1 in home runs (98)
· No. 1 in walks (182)
· No. 2 in RBIs (278)
· No. 2 in runs scored (280)
· No. 3 in games played (227)
· No. 5 in hits (259)
· No. 5 in batting average (.360)
· No. 5 in doubles (48)
· No. 6 in at bats (720)
· No. 8 in assists (319)
Single Season (achieved in 2025)
· No. 1 in walks (63)
· No. 5 in home runs (25)
· No. 6 in RBIs (73)
· No. 8 in runs scored (66)
Ty Nekoliczak
Career
· No. 2 in assists (466)
· No. 2 in walks (154)
· No. 3 in runs scored (230)
· No. 4 in at bats (735)
· No. 4 in hits (263)
· No. 5 in games played (226)
· No. 6 in batting average (.358)
· No. 6 in stolen bases (49)
· No. 9 in RBIs (143)
Single Season (achieved in 2025)
· No. 2 in walks (52)
· No. 4 in assists (131)
· No. 5 in runs scored (69)
· No. 6 in stolen bases (21)
Brad Hallock
Career
· No. 7 in home runs (33)
Single Season (achieved in 2025)
· No. 3 in RBIs (79)
· No. 4 in walks (47)
· No. 6 in home runs (23)
Matt Rhoades
Career
· No. 2 in fielding percentage (.989)
· No. 6 in home runs (35)
· No. 10 in putouts (603)
Single Season (achieved in 2025)
· No. 4 in RBIs (75)
· No. 5 in putouts (358)
· No. 7 in home runs (19)
· No. 8 in at bats (202)
Zackery Day
Career
· No. 1 in stolen bases (82)
· No. 9 in runs scored (135)
Single Season (achieved in 2025)
· No. 2 in stolen bases (30)
PITCHERS
Christian Gutierrez
Career
· No. 1 in wins (30)
· No. 1 in innings pitched (290.1)
· No. 1 in games started (43)
· No. 4 in strikeouts (244)
· No. 4 in complete games (13)
· No. 8 in appearances (53)
Single Season (achieved in 2025)
· No. 1 in wins (9)
· No. 2 in innings pitched (82.1)
· No. 4 in games started (13)
Alex Johnson
Career
· No. 6 in strikeouts (211)
· No. 6 in wins (18)
· No. 6 in ERA (3.34)
· No. 7 in games started (38)
Single Season (achieved in 2025)
· No. 4 in strikeouts (100)
· No. 5 in wins (8)
Braxton Greenburg
Career
· No. 10 in strikeouts (148)
Single Season (achieved in 2025)
· No. 4 in games started (13)
· No. 6 in strikeouts (91)
Daiten Schmidt
Career
· No. 4 in saves (8)
Single Season (achieved in 2025)
· No. 3 in saves (8)
Season-In-Review: Elite status maintained as decorated senior class leads way
May 29, 2025
Just when outsiders may think it’s about time for the program to take a step back, the Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball team keeps humming at an elite level. Led by a class of 13 influential seniors, the Bulldogs churned out another 40-win campaign and another berth in the national tournament. The program has accomplished both of those feats in each of the past five seasons. The list of programs in the NAIA that can make that same claim is a who’s who of the elites: Cumberlands (Ky.), Georgia Gwinnett, LSU Shreveport, Southeastern (Fla.) and Tennessee Wesleyan.
Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s 2025 squad soaked up unique experiences as it clinched the GPAC regular season title on senior day (April 19) and became the first in program history to host an NAIA Opening Round.
As Dupic explained after a doubleheader sweep of Dordt on senior day, “You have to go on a good run, and we went on a really good run. Then you have to win some close games, and we did that too. We won a ton of close games in a row. You have to do a good job in multiple facets. You can’t win every game one way. I think that’s what’s been different about this team this year.”
So utterly dominant in league play, Concordia clinched the regular season title with four games left prior to the conference tournament. At 25-3 in GPAC play, the Bulldogs set a new conference standard for league wins in a single season. During league games, they led all GPAC teams in runs scored (291) while allowing fewer runs (101) than any other conference foe. Compared to the previous season, Concordia actually averaged more runs per game (9.22 to 8.75) and tightened up its run prevention as the team surrendered fewer unearned runs (35 compared to 53).
The contributions came from many standouts. For the second year in a row, All-American third baseman Jaidan Quinn earned GPAC Player of the Year honors while finishing his incredible career with 98 home runs. Second baseman Ty Nekoliczak led the team in batting average (.368) and played stellar defensively. DH Brad Hallock (GPAC best 79 RBIs) rose to stardom in the middle of the lineup. Matt Rhoades took another step as a prolific first baseman. Jaeden Jordahl made an immense immediate impact as the team’s left fielder. The catching tandem of Tanner Tompkins and Michael Welch proved ultra-productive. Zackery Day (30 steals) kept wreaking havoc on the basepaths. Bronx Lewis helped solidify the outfield. Jimmy Blumberg did his thing at shortstop – and the list goes on.
From a pitching perspective, the Bulldogs relied upon four main arms out of the rotation: Alex Johnson (8-3, 3.13 ERA, 13.0 K/9), Braxton Greenburg (6-0, 3.36 ERA, 11.3 K/9), Christian Gutierrez (9-2, 3.94 ERA, 7.5 K/9) and Micah Sweeton (7-1, 5.09 ERA, 10.0 K/9). After being sidelined for back-to-back seasons, Johnson’s return represented a feel-good story. He earned GPAC Pitcher of the Year accolades while heading the rotation. Greenburg essentially gave the rotation another ace and Gutierrez was as reliable as any player on the roster.
Out of the bullpen, Daiten Schmidt emerged as a First Team All-GPAC closer and notched eight saves. In one of the more impressive performances all season, Seth Claybourne covered 8.1 innings (no earned runs) with eight strikeouts in the 16-inning marathon loss to Indiana Wesleyan at the national tournament. Other regulars out of the ‘pen included Alex Griess, Jake Nelms and Sam Rambajan. Unfortunate injuries to DJ Andersen and Maverick Wylder cut into the staff’s depth.
The statistics and accolades speak highly of the 2025 squad, but years later, Dupic and everyone associated with the team will remember it for much more than the wins or the GPAC championship trophy. The class of seniors will reserve a special place in Dupic’s heart.
“They mean everything to me,” Dupic said. “They’re a great group of kids. They’re fun to be around every day. It’s been an incredible run. I think it’s one of the best groups we've had. They just really exemplify who we are as people and the culture of the program. They’re so bought into this thing. That’s the part that’s really special – when you look back and you have really good relationships. The guys invest so deeply into each other. The culture is something really special. Their accomplishments will be remembered for a long, long time. They’re in the record books and all that stuff, but it’s a special group to be around. They love to be around each other. It makes for a tremendous experience for everyone involved.”
It was another Concordia team that didn’t seem to mind who got the most credit or attention. Naturally, Quinn attracted plenty of it thanks to his powerful left-handed bat. This was supposed to be a year when the home run hitting dropped off, at least to some degree, after the graduation of slugger Joey Grabanski. But three Bulldogs pummeled at least 19 bombs: Quinn (25), Hallock (23) and Rhoades (19) with Jordahl (eight) and Lewis (six) supplying some added thump to the lineup. The team’s 96 homers were far and away the most of any GPAC squad. Credit also goes to hitting coach Ben Berg.
On April 18, Quinn surpassed Grabanski for the program’s all-time home run record with 89 at the time. As Quinn said afterwards, “It means a lot. When Joey did it, it was a really big thing. Then you have Charlie Munoz (of Cumberlands in Kentucky) – the guy’s been crushing it out there. Congrats to him. I’m happy where I’m at. I’m glad I did finally beat Joey. That was a fun one. I’ll probably be hearing about it later … Right when I got in the dugout, I think I got about 40 hugs. That’s a really good sense of team right there.”
As part of the 2025 journey, Concordia opened things up with a trio of wins in Oklahoma City (including one over in-state Bellevue University), took a game from NAIA power Southeastern over spring break and went on a 14-game winning streak during league play, the second longest in program history. In addition to Quinn’s career homer record, Gutierrez became the program’s all-time leader for wins and innings pitched and Day set a new standard for career stolen bases. In addition, Quinn and Nekoliczak moved into the top five of the program’s all-time hits list.
Ultimately, the run ended at Sherman Field in Lincoln, Neb., the host location for Concordia in NAIA Opening Round action. The Bulldogs picked up a win over the University of Science & Arts (Okla.) before dropping tight games to seventh-ranked Webber International University (Fla.) and Indiana Wesleyan. That final defeat stung for a squad with aspirations of returning the program to the NAIA World Series.
Said Dupic, “I’m certainly proud of our fight. Our execution wasn’t what it needed to be to get that job done, and that happens. That was unfortunate. It’s tough for the season to end, but it certainly doesn’t take away a lot of the positive things that our guys have done this year.”
Dupic also expressed his gratefulness for the major players who helped make it possible to host an opening round.
Said Dupic of the atmosphere in Lincoln, “It was terrific. It starts with Devin Smith and Angela Muller. They’re the ones who really spearheaded this and put us in position to get a bid. They do it to support our student-athletes and our coaches. Nothing would be possible without them. I think there’s a reason Concordia Athletics has done so well. Our leadership has been tremendous. I’m really grateful to them for their support. It’s great to host a regional. It’s a fun experience and you get to play close to home in front of parents and families. I’m very grateful to see faculty and staff there. We were very blessed in that way.”
For those outside the program, they can only hope that the challenge of replacing the senior class will be too overwhelming for Dupic and his staff. However, year-to-year consistency is a hallmark of the program under Dupic. One of those special seniors, the highly respected Nekoliczak, will remain with the Bulldogs as a graduate assistant coach. At the close of 11 seasons as head coach, Dupic has compiled an overall record of 365-191-1.
Follow the program throughout the offseason by visiting its homepage on the Concordia Athletics website: https://www.cune.edu/athletics/teams/baseball.
GPAC Champs land five Bulldogs on 2025 Academic All-District honor roll
Jun. 3, 2025
2025 CSC Academic All-District Baseball Teams
SEWARD, Neb. – A group of five Bulldogs from the 2025 GPAC championship Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball team landed on the list of Academic All-District Team award winners announced on June 3 by College Sports Communicators (CSC). The honor roll for the Bulldogs includes multiple-time Academic All-District choices in Brad Hallock, Ty Nekoliczak and Jaidan Quinn and first-time selections in Alex Johnson and Bronx Lewis. Nekoliczak and Quinn have both earned three CSC Academic All-District awards in their standout careers.
The 2024-25 Academic All-District® Baseball Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the diamond and in the classroom. Student-athletes must achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher in order to be nominated for this award. Nominees also had to meet specific requirements in terms of games played and games started during the 2025 season. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
2025 CSC Academic All-District Honorees – Concordia Baseball
Bradley Hallock | Sr. | Carrollton, Texas
Major: Exercise Science
Notes: 2x CSC Academic All-District; 2x All-GPAC (HM in 2024; second team in 2025); 2025 NAIA Scholar-Athlete.
Alex Johnson | Sr. | Olathe, Kansas
Major: Psychology; MBA
Notes: First CSC Academic All-District award; 2025 GPAC Pitcher of the Year; 2x First Team All-GPAC (2022 and 2025); 4x NAIA Scholar-Athlete.
Bronx Lewis | Jr. | Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Major: Business Administration
Notes: First CSC Academic All-District award; 2025 Honorable Mention All-GPAC.
Ty Nekoliczak | Sr. | Greeley, Nebraska
Major: K-12 Physical Education (minor in Business)
Notes: 3x CSC Academic All-District; 4x All-GPAC (HM in 2022, first team in 2023, second team in 2024, first team in 2025); 2024 NAIA Gold Glove award (2B); 3x NAIA Scholar-Athlete.
Jaidan Quinn | Sr. | Bonner Springs, Kansas
Major: Exercise Science
Notes: 3x CSC Academic All-District; 2024 CSC Second Team Academic All-American; 2x NAIA All-American (second team in 2023, first team in 2024); 2x GPAC Player of the Year; 4x First Team All-GPAC; 3x NAIA Scholar-Athlete.
Academic All-District® honorees were considered for advancement to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot. Student-athletes selected as CSC Academic All-America® finalists are denoted with an asterisk (in the CSC release) and will advance to the national ballot to be voted on by CSC members. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced July 1.
Quinn, Rhoades tabbed 2025 NAIA All-Americans
Jun. 4, 2025
2025 NAIA Baseball All-Americans
SEWARD, Neb. – Both corner infielders from the 2025 GPAC championship Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball team landed on the list of 2025 NAIA All-Americans announced on June 4 by the NAIA National Office. Senior third baseman Jaidan Quinn has been tabbed an NAIA Second Team All-American while sophomore first baseman Matt Rhoades has been named an NAIA Third Team All-American. This marks the third-straight year that Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s program has earned multiple All-America awards.
Named GPAC Player of the Year for a second-consecutive season, Quinn completed his collegiate career as one of the greatest players to ever wear Bulldog Blue. Over the past three seasons, Quinn has earned two Second Team All-America awards and one First Team All-America accolade. As a senior in 2025, Quinn batted .358 (59-for-165) with 66 runs scored, 11 doubles, 25 home runs and 73 RBIs and GPAC bests in on-base percentage (.559) and slugging percentage (.879). He started all 54 games at third base and drew a school record 63 walks. The native of Bonner Springs, Kan., finished his career with program all-time rankings of first in home runs (98), first in walks (182), second in RBIs (278), second in runs scored (280), third in games played (227), fifth in hits (259), fifth in batting average (.360), fifth in doubles (48) and eighth in assists (319). Quinn earned First Team All-GPAC accolades all four years and has collected a series of academic honors having been lauded as an Academic All-American by College Sports Communicators and as an NAIA Scholar-Athlete.
Rhoades picked up his first career All-America award as he followed up a fine freshman year with a sensational sophomore campaign. This past season, the Monument, Colo., native batted .332 (67-for-202) with 46 runs scored, 12 doubles, a triple, 19 home runs and 75 RBIs and to go along with a .438 on-base percentage and .683 slugging percentage. He also converted 375 of 379 (.989) chances in the field. Rhoades started all 54 games in 2025, including three as a pitcher. After just two seasons, Rhoades ranks No. 2 on the program’s all-time home runs list with 35. Rhoades has twice been named a First Team All-GPAC honoree and was chosen as the NAIA Ball National Freshman of the Year in 2024.
All-Americans during Coach Ryan Dupic’s tenure
2025 – Jaidan Quinn, 3B (Second Team) / Matt Rhoades, 1B (Third Team)
2024 – Jaidan Quinn, 3B (First Team) / Joey Grabanski, OF (Second Team)
2023 – Joey Grabanski, OF (Second Team) / Jaidan Quinn, 3B (Second Team)
2022 – Jay Adams, 2B (Honorable Mention)
2021 – Jake Fosgett, RHP (Honorable Mention)
2018 – Nick Little, RHP (Honorable Mention)
Bulldogs close out 2025 at No. 16 in NAIA coaches’ poll
Jun. 4, 2025
2025 NAIA Baseball Coaches’ Postseason Top 25 Poll
SEWARD, Neb. – For the third-straight year and for the fourth time in five seasons, Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s program has finished a campaign with an NAIA national ranking. In the 2025 NAIA Baseball Coaches’ Postseason Top 25 Poll released on June 4, the Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball team checked in at No. 16 with 210 points. In program history, only the 2021 NAIA World Series qualifying squad has earned a higher postseason poll position than the 2025 Bulldogs.
Named GPAC Coach of the Year for the fourth time in his tenure, Dupic led the ’25 team to a 41-13 overall record to a GPAC regular season championship and appearance at the NAIA National Championship Opening Round. The 2025 Concordia team broke the GPAC record for conference regular season wins (25) and became the first in program history to host an NAIA Opening Round. Both Jaidan Quinn and Matt Rhoades were honored as NAIA All-Americans on June 4.
The 2025 Bulldogs spent the entirety of the season ranked inside the top 25. They peaked at No. 12 in the poll released on April 30. That ranking equaled the ’21 team for the highest national ranking in program history. Other recent Concordia squads that completed seasons with top 25 rankings were the 2023 (24th) and 2024 (18th) teams. Eight-straight Bulldogs squads have at least received votes in the NAIA national poll at some point during their seasons.
The ’25 team extended impressive streaks for the program, which has now won at least 40 games in five-straights seasons (2021 through 2025) and has advanced to the national tournament in six-consecutive seasons. Only five other NAIA baseball programs have also won 40 games in each of the past five years. In 11 seasons at the helm of the program, Dupic owns an overall record of 365-191-1 and has led Concordia to a combined eight GPAC championships and seven national tournament appearances.
Concordia 2025 top 25 rankings
· Nov. 6 (preseason) – 20th
· March 5 – 21st
· March 19 – 22nd
· April 2 – 17th
· April 16 – 15th
· April 30 – 12th
· June 4 (postseason) – 16th
Senior Stories: how baseball's class of 2025 came together to forge a lasting legacy
Jun. 9, 2025
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.”
Quinn tabbed All-Midlands Honorary Captain; 10 Bulldogs honored by OWH
Jun. 30, 2025
Omaha World-Herald news article
SEWARD, Neb. – On the heels of beginning a professional career, slugging third baseman Jaidan Quinn has been named the Honorary Captain of the 2025 All-Midlands Baseball Team, as selected by the Omaha World-Herald. The news outlet has chosen a representative from the Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball program for this honor for the third-straight season (Joey Grabanski was tabbed the captain in 2023 and 2024). Quinn was joined on the All-Midlands team by nine Bulldog teammates. Six Concordia players were named to the main All-Midlands squad and four were recognized as honorable mention selections.
The World-Herald’s All-Midlands Baseball Team features the top players from Nebraska four-year colleges and universities outside of the NCAA Division I level. The 2025 team (listed at bottom) includes players from NAIA and NCAA Division II and III institutions. The 10 Bulldog honorees helped Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s ’25 squad win the GPAC regular season title and advance to the NAIA national tournament (sixth-straight national tournament for the program).
The accolades keep pouring in for Quinn, who last week signed with the Lake Erie Crushers of the Frontier League. The three-time NAIA All-American finished the 2025 season with 25 home runs to go along with a .358 batting average, .559 on-base percentage and .879 slugging percentage. Quinn graduated from Concordia as the program’s all-time home run with 98 career big flies. Following his senior season, Quinn was named GPAC Player of the Year and an NAIA Second Team All-American. The the All-Midlands Team lineup also featured outfielder Jaeden Jordahl, second baseman Ty Nekoliczak and first baseman Matt Rhoades, in addition to starting pitchers Braxton Greenburg and Alex Johnson.
As Dupic told the World-Herald when asked about Quinn, “He's a great kid. When you have someone who's such a great player and does things the right way as far as work ethic and selflessness, it makes my job that much easier.”
2025 Concordia All-Midlands Team Honorees
Jaidan Quinn (Captain) | Bonner Springs, Kan.
2025 stats: 54 G, .358 BA, 66 R, 59 H, 11 2B, 25 HR, 73 RBIs, .559 OBP, .879 SLG, .924 F%
Braxton Greenburg | Plymouth, Minn.
2025 stats: 6-0 W-L, 3.36 ERA, 13 GS, 72.1 IP, 52 H, 27 ER, 28 BB, 91 K, .197 BAA
Alex Johnson | Olathe, Kan.
2025 stats: 8-3 W-L, 3.13 ERA, 12 GS, 2 CG, 69 IP, 50 H, 24 ER, 27 BB, 100 K, .207 BAA
Jaeden Jordahl | Billings, Mont.
2025 stats: 50 G, .342 BA, 49 R, 51 H, 11 2B, 2 3B, 8 HR, 42 RBIs, 13 SB, .479 OBP, .604 SLG, .958 F%
Ty Nekoliczak | Greeley, Neb.
2025 stats: 54 G, .368 BA, 69 R, 70 H, 12 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 39 RBIs, 21 SB, .500 OBP, .505 SLG, .971 F%
Matthew Rhoades | Monument, Colo.
2025 stats: 54 G, .332 BA, 46 R, 67 H, 12 2B, 1 3B, 19 HR, 75 RBIs, .438 OBP, .683 SLG, .989 F%
Christian Gutierrez (HM) | La Mirada, Calif.
2025 stats: 9-2 W-L, 3.94 ERA, 13 GS, 82.1 IP, 3 CG, 77 H, 36 ER, 13 BB, 69 K, .244 BAA
Bradley Hallock (HM) | Carrollton, Texas
2025 stats: 54 G, .326 BA, 64 R, 63 H, 10 2B, 23 HR, 79 RBIs, .453 OBP, .736 SLG, .947 F%
Daiten Schmidt (HM) | Hickman, Neb.
2025 stats: 2-1 W-L, 8 SV, 2.55 ERA, 17 G, 17.2 IP, 15 H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 18 K, .231 BAA
Michael Welch (HM) | San Diego, Calif.
2025 stats: 39 G, .337 BA, 8 R, 34 H, 4 2B, 3 HR, 22 RBIs, .466 OBP, .465 SLG, .990 F%
2025 Omaha World-Herald All-Midlands Baseball Team (NAIA/D2/D3)
P – Braden Cannon, Wayne State
P – Braxton Greenburg, Concordia
P – Alex Johnson, Concordia
P – Parker McMan, Bellevue
P – Riley Plummer, Doane
C – Logan Grant, Bellevue
1B – Matthew Rhoades, Concordia
2B – Ty Nekoliczak, Concordia
SS – Eimir Perez, Midland
*3B – Jaidan Quinn, Concordia
OF – Ian Heck, York
OF – Jaeden Jordahl, Concordia
OF – Jake Lacey, Bellevue
DH – Sam Kwapnioski, Doane
U – Steven Elsner, Bellevue
*Honorary Captain
Honorable Mention – Bellevue: Scott Hansen, Ayden Makarus, Kenji Miller, Jace Wessels. Concordia: Christian Gutierrez, Bradley Hallock, Daiten Schmidt, Michael Welch. Doane: Logan Amick, Jordan Bond, Kaden Crawford, Ethan Merk, Taiyo Takahashi, Aaron Vulcano, Johnny Vulcano. Hastings: Jared Delgado, Eli Merritt, Jaden Stone. Midland: Brody Boyle, Brandon Creps, Joshua Hardamon, Owen Kelley, Chris Ortega, Zachary Vincent. Nebraska Wesleyan: Carter Betts, Aaron Chazin, Easton Johnson. Peru State: Antonio Benitez, Gustavo Rivera. Wayne State: Chase Douglas, Taylor Gill, Max Heard. York: JD McCown.
Quinn signs pro contract with Lake Erie Crushers of Frontier League
Jun. 30, 2025
VIDEO: Jaidan Quinn's first professional home run
SEWARD, Neb. – All-American third baseman Jaidan Quinn has become the latest Bulldog from the Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball program to sign a professional contract. On June 26, Quinn officially inked with the Lake Erie Crushers of the Frontier League. The Frontier League is made up of 18 teams and is a professional partner league of Major League Baseball. Quinn concluded his four-year Concordia career in 2025 as the program’s all-time home run king.
Quinn follows previous Bulldog standouts such as Joey Grabanski and Jason Munsch to sign pro contracts. Last June, Grabanski signed with the Windy City ThunderBolts, also of the Frontier League. Back in 2020, Munsch signed with the Milwaukee Brewers organization. He appeared in five games with the Carolina Mudcats (single A) in 2021.
Wrote Quinn in a statement, "This opportunity is a blessing. It’s the next chapter in my career and I am very grateful to be given this chance to continue the dream I’ve had since I was a kid. I have seen and even known many whose careers end after high school and college, and to continue playing is truly amazing. But this isn’t where the hard work ends. It’s times to work harder than ever and continue to grow as a player and a person. Finally I want to thank God, my family, and my coaches and really everyone else who supported me on this journey."
Said Concordia Head Baseball Coach Ryan Dupic, “Jaidan is as deserving of a professional baseball opportunity as any player I’ve coached. Anyone who has watched him play recognizes his ability to play at the next level. We’re excited to watch him take on this next challenge and are proud of the work he has put in to earn this opportunity.”
More information on the Lake Erie Crushers can be found via the team’s website: https://www.lakeeriecrushers.com/. The team’s schedule runs through the end of August. In Quinn’s first professional game on June 26 in Avon, Ohio, he belted a two-run homer in the fourth inning of a 7-2 win for Lake Erie. Quinn wears No. 19 for the Crushers.
Quinn arrived at Concordia in 2021 as a Bonner Springs, Kan., native and Olathe West High School alum. Quinn proceeded to enjoy a career that puts him in the conversation as the top hitter in Concordia Baseball history and one of the most prolific hitters in NAIA history. As a senior this past 2025 season, Quinn rose to the top of the program’s all-time home runs list while finishing his career with 98 long balls. In Bulldog history, Quinn also ranks first in walks (182), second in RBIs (278), second in runs scored (280), third in games played (227), fifth in hits (259), fifth in batting average (.360), fifth in doubles (48) and eighth in assists (319). The star third baseman posted incredible career rates with a .527 on-base percentage and .838 slugging percentage for a 1.365 OPS (on base plus slugging). The three-time NAIA All-American paced the program to considerable heights as Concordia went 163-73-1 with four GPAC championships, four national tournament appearances and three NAIA top 25 finishes during Quinn’s four-year career.
Quinn’s senior season saw him slug his way to GPAC Player of the Year accolades for the second-straight year. His NAIA All-America honors included recognition as second team in 2023, first team in 2024 and second in 2025. Also an excellent student, Quinn garnered three Academic All-District and two Academic All-America awards from College Sports Communicators. In another major achievement, Quinn was tabbed the Honorary Captain of the 2025 Omaha World-Herald All-Midlands Team, marking his fourth career All-Midlands Team award. The three-time NAIA Scholar-Athlete pulled in seven career GPAC Player of the Week honors and seized an NAIA National Player of the Week award in 2024. By season, Quinn posted respective home run totals of 19, 27, 27 and 25. His 27 home runs are tied for a program single season record. Quinn graduated from Concordia with a degree in Exercise Science.
Johnson, Quinn named to 2025 Academic All-America Team by CSC
Jul. 1, 2025
2025 CSC Academic All-America Baseball Teams
SEWARD, Neb. – A pair of Bulldogs represented the GPAC champion and NAIA national qualifying Concordia University, Nebraska Baseball program on the list of 2025 Academic All-Americans, as selected by College Sports Communicators (CSC). Both pitcher Alex Johnson and third baseman Jaidan Quinn landed on the NAIA Academic All-America Second Team in an announcement made by CSC on July 1. Quinn has earned this distinction for a second-straight year while Johnson is a first time Academic All-American.
The 2024-25 Academic All-America® Baseball Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the diamond and in the classroom. Student-athletes must achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher in order to be nominated for this award. Nominees also had to meet specific requirements in terms of games played and games started during the 2025 season. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
Named GPAC Player of the Year for a second-consecutive season, Quinn completed his collegiate career as one of the greatest players to ever wear Bulldog Blue. Over the past three seasons, Quinn has earned two Second Team All-America awards and one First Team All-America accolade. As a senior in 2025, Quinn batted .358 (59-for-165) with 66 runs scored, 11 doubles, 25 home runs and 73 RBIs and GPAC bests in on-base percentage (.559) and slugging percentage (.879). He started all 54 games at third base and drew a school record 63 walks. The native of Bonner Springs, Kan., finished his career with program all-time rankings of first in home runs (98), first in walks (182), second in RBIs (278), second in runs scored (280), third in games played (227), fifth in hits (259), fifth in batting average (.360), fifth in doubles (48) and eighth in assists (319). Quinn earned First Team All-GPAC accolades all four years and has collected a series of academic honors having twice been lauded as an Academic All-American by CSC and as an NAIA Scholar-Athlete. Quinn earned his degree from Concordia in Exercise Science. He has continued his baseball career having signed a professional contract with the Lake Erie Crushers of the Frontier League on June 26.
A Kansas City area native like Quinn, Johnson (Olathe, Kan.) returned from elbow surgery in 2025 and proceeded to claim GPAC Pitcher of the Year accolades. In what was his fifth season inside the program, Johnson made 12 starts and covered 69 innings while registering an 8-3 record, 3.13 ERA and a GPAC best 100 strikeouts. Johnson produced one of the greatest seasons ever by a Bulldog pitcher after essentially missing the entire 2023 and 2024 seasons due to injury. In his collegiate career that dates back to the 2021 season, Johnson has appeared on the mound 38 times and owns an 18-5 record, 3.34 ERA and 211 strikeouts in 169.2 innings. The Spring Hill High School product has twice earned First Team All-GPAC honors and has collected four NAIA Scholar-Athlete awards. On the program’s all-time pitching lists, Johnson ranks sixth in strikeouts, sixth in wins, sixth in ERA and seventh in games started. Johnson earned his degree in Psychology and has studied Business Administration as a master’s student.
Back on June 3, Concordia placed five student-athletes on CSC’s 2025 Academic All-District honor roll. Johnson and Quinn were joined on the prestigious list by teammates in Brad Hallock, Bronx Lewis and Ty Nekoliczak.