2025-26 Winter Sport NAIA Scholar-Athletes
SEWARD, Neb. – Eight Bulldogs from Concordia University, Nebraska Competitive Dance were honored on Tuesday (Feb. 24) as 2025-26 Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athletes, as announced by the NAIA National Office. Repeat award winners from last season include Hanna Bitner, Taylor Larsen, Elise O’Neill and Kaylee Powell.
In order to be nominated by an institution’s head coach or sports information director, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum cumulative 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.
As standout student-athletes, Bitner, Larsen and O’Neill also garnered Academic All-District awards (College Sports Communicators) in 2024-25. While performing at a high level academically, Head Coach Mandi Maser’s squad is setting new standards this 2026 competition season. The Bulldogs won championships at both the York Crown Classic and Concordia Invite earlier in February.
Concordia University, Nebraska ranks as the NAIA’s all-time leader in number of Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes with 2,739 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.
2025-26 Concordia Competitive Dance NAIA Scholar-Athletes
• Hanna Bitner (Valentine, Neb.)
• Kaitlyn Hamilton (Lincoln, Neb.)
• Emma Hershberger (Milford, Neb.)
• Taylor Larsen (Ravenna, Neb.)
• Elise O’Neill (North Platte, Neb.)
• Kaylee Powell (Central City, Neb.)
• Bianca Romshek (Bellwood, Neb.)
• Grace Weber (Sidney, Neb.)