Folkerts garners GPAC and national player of the week honors
SEWARD, Neb. – After leading the Concordia University men’s basketball team to a 3-0 record last week, sophomore Chandler Folkerts has been named the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball National Player of the Week and the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Player of the Week, as announced on Tuesday. Folkerts is the first Bulldog men’s basketball player to garner the GPAC weekly award since Porter Birtell received the same honor on Jan. 9, 2012.
Folkerts has served as a major reason for Concordia’s current three-game winning streak. During the stretch that included victories over No. 3 Northwood University (Fla.), Concordia University Canada and Dordt, Folkerts averaged 18.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.33 blocks while going 24-for-38 (.632) from the field. The native of Milford, Neb., recorded a career high 25 points versus Dordt on Jan. 3.
A rising star, Folkerts sports averages of 14.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.41 blocks over the season’s first 17 games. A GPAC honorable mention all-conference selection last season, Folkerts posted 19 points and 11 rebounds to extend his conference-leading double-double total to five. Among GPAC players, he also ranks second in field goal percentage (.577), third in rebounding (7.4), fourth in blocks (1.41) and ninth in free throw percentage (.808).
A Bulldog men's basketball player had not earned national player of the week honors since February 2007 when Jon Ziegler received the award. The announcement came on the heels of Ziegler's school record 47-point performance in a win over Sioux Falls, then a member of the GPAC.
Folkerts and the Bulldogs (10-7, 5-5 GPAC) will attempt to extend their winning streak when they host No. 8 Midland (13-3, 6-1 GPAC) at 8 p.m. on Wednesday (Jan. 7). Concordia also welcomes Northwestern (10-5, 3-4 GPAC) to Walz Arena on Saturday for a 4 p.m. tipoff.