ORANGE CITY, Iowa – Never before has Concordia University, Nebraska Competitive Dance performed better at the conference championships. The Bulldogs narrowly missed out on second place before landing in third at the 2026 GPAC Championships hosted by Northwestern in Orange City, Iowa, on Saturday (March 7). Concordia earned scores of 87.68 in the preliminary round and 88.09 in the finals for a total score of 87.99. The top two teams were Midland (95.41) and Doane (88.85).
Head Coach Mandi Maser had previously led the program to fourth-place GPAC finishes three separate times. The Bulldogs are hopeful their efforts will yield a bid to the national championships.
“I’m incredibly proud of this team,” Maser said. “They poured their hearts and souls into every performance this season and today was no different. Finishing third at the GPAC Championships is a testament to their hard work, resilience and commitment to one another … Having eight dancers earn all-conference recognition is something our entire program is proud of. It speaks to the commitment these athletes bring to their craft and the standard of excellence they continue to set for our team.”
Ten Bulldogs represented Concordia at the conference championships. Maser’s team performed third in the prelims and resided in second place heading into the finals. The score of 88.09 in the finals marked the squad’s second best of the entire 2026 season. The strong score allowed Concordia to hold off fourth-place Morningside (87.16). With the GPAC Championships in the books, the Bulldogs rank 11th nationally in scoring average.
The eight GPAC All-Conference award winners from Concordia include first teamers in junior Hanna Bitner, senior Taylor Larsen, sophomore Bianca Romshek and freshman Lana Tillman and third teamers in freshman Sienna Kelly, senior Elise O’Neill and freshmen Cameron Ottersberg and Addison Sample. All-conference individuals are judged based on videos submitted prior to the GPAC Championships. Larsen and O’Neill have served as team captains this season.
2026 GPAC Championships Competition Roster
· Hanna Bitner (Valentine, Neb.)
· Brynley Cooper (Lincoln, Neb.)
· Sienna Kelly (Lincoln, Neb.)
· Taylor Larsen (Ravenna, Neb.)
· Elise O’Neill (North Platte, Neb.)
· Cameron Ottersberg (Pawnee City, Neb.)
· Kaylee Powell (Central City, Neb.)
· Bianca Romshek (Bellwood, Neb.)
· Addison Sample (Pleasant Dale, Neb.)
· Lana Tillman (Battle Creek, Neb.)
2026 Competitions
Jan. 21 – Def. CSM in dual (83.66)
Jan. 24 – Placed 3rd/8 (85.21) at Dordt Invite
Jan. 30 – Placed 3rd/9 (87.7) at KWU Classic
Feb. 6 – Placed 1st/14 (87.33) at York Crown Classic
Feb. 7 – Placed 1st/8 (93.33) at Concordia Invite
Feb. 13 – Placed 5th/10 (87.70) at Northwestern Invite (Day 1)
Feb. 14 – Placed 3rd/9 (87.87) at Northwestern Invite (Day 2)
Feb. 21 – Placed 2nd/7 (87.79) at Midland Invite
March 7 – Placed 3rd/9 (87.68-prelims; 88.09-finals) at GPAC Championships
The NAIA has scheduled a selection show (NAIA YouTube) at 6:30 p.m. CT on March 16 to announce the 2026 national qualifiers. Ranked second in the NAIA’s ARC 2 in the most recent ratings release, the Bulldogs have positioned themselves for a potential at-large berth. Should Concordia receive the invitation, it would then compete at the NAIA National Championships in Topeka, Kan., March 27-28. The program has not previously qualified for the national championships.
Added Maser, “This team has put together an incredible season, showing resilience, passion and dedication every step of the way. They’ve continued to raise the bar with each performance, and I’m so proud of what they’ve accomplished together. We remain hopeful that the NAIA selection committee will see the strength of our schedule, scoring ranges and competition placements and give them a chance to keep their season alive with an at-large bid.”