SALINA, Kan. – Concordia University, Nebraska Competitive Dance will bring some hardware back to Seward. The Bulldogs earned the third-place trophy at Friday (Jan. 30)’s Coyote Classic hosted by Kansas Wesleyan University. Concordia broke a school record with a score of 87.7 as part of the invitational that included nine NAIA dance teams in Salina, Kan.
Head Coach Mandi Maser’s squad has improved its score in each outing in the early portion of the competition season. The latest performance came on the heels of a third-place claim at last week’s Dordt Invite.
“KWU was a great opportunity to compete in another area of the NAIA against nationally competitive teams we don’t normally see, and we were right there with them,” Maser said. “Our team cam together, performed with confidence, and truly enjoyed being on the floor together. This is a special group, and they continue to impress me in so many ways.”
The Bulldogs placed behind only Oklahoma City University (92.9) and Baker University (Kan.) (90.4) at the Coyote Classic. Both of those teams finished in the top seven of the 2025 NAIA National Championships. Meanwhile, Concordia out-danced the likes of Kansas Wesleyan University, Bethel College (Kan.), Graceland University (Iowa), Friends University (Kan.), University of Saint Mary (Kan.) and Missouri Valley College.
Maser’s squad took the floor at roughly 7:20 p.m. on Friday. The competition roster (included below) was made up of 10 Bulldogs. Collectively, they put together a new program standard that outdid the previous high of 86.00 achieved in the finals of the 2025 GPAC Championships. Concordia’s captains are seniors Taylor Larsen and Elise O’Neill. All three of the team’s scores this season have eclipsed the 2025 squad’s season average of 82.27.
KWU Classic Competition Roster
· Hanna Bitner (Valentine, Neb.)
· Alexis Carlen (Staunton, Ill.)
· Brynley Cooper (Lincoln, Neb.)
· Sienna Kelly (Lincoln, Neb.)
· Taylor Larsen (Ravenna, Neb.)
· Elise O’Neill (North Platte, Neb.)
· Cameron Ottersberg (Pawnee City, Neb.)
· Bianca Romshek (Bellwood, Neb.)
· Addison Sample (Pleasant Dale, Neb.)
· Lana Tillman (Battle Creek, Neb.)
2026 Competitions
Jan. 21 – Def. CSM in dual (83.6)
Jan. 24 – Placed 3rd/8 (85.21) at the Dordt Invite
Jan. 30 – Placed 3rd/9 (87.7) at KWU Classic
An action-packed weekend is up next. The Bulldogs now look forward to competing at the York Invitational on Feb. 6 before hosting the Concordia Invitational on Feb. 7. Concordia has switched to an invite format (as opposed to duals) for this year’s event. Currently, the home competition is slated to include eight cheer and eight dance teams.