2026 NAIA Competitive Dance National Qualifiers
SEWARD, Neb. – The 2025-26 Concordia University, Nebraska Competitive Dance team has blazed a new trail in the program’s history. On Monday (March 16) evening, the Bulldogs celebrated when they heard their name called as one of 12 national qualifiers for the 2026 NAIA National Championships. Concordia was chosen as an at-large qualifier by the national selection committee and will compete on the national stage in Topeka, Kan., March 27-28.
Head Coach Mandi Maser’s squad received the at-large bid based on a season of high achievement throughout nine official competitions. The team’s season average of 87.57 is a school record, dating back to the program’s first season as a varsity sport in 2016-17. As Maser said to her team shortly after the announcement, “Oh my gosh, we’re going to nationals. First time ever.”
The thrills this season have included championships won at the York Crown Classic and the Concordia Invite (events that occurred on back-to-back days). Of the eight invites the Bulldogs have competed in in 2026, they have placed third or better in all but one of them. They produced a school record single routine score of 93.33 at the Concordia Invite and have scored at least an 87.0 in eight of 10 routines this season.
At the GPAC Championships on March 7, the Bulldogs’ competition roster included senior captains Taylor Larsen and Elise O’Neill, juniors Hanna Bitner and Kaylee Powell, sophomores Brynley Cooper and Bianca Romshek and freshmen Sienna Kelly, Cam Ottersberg, Addison Sample and Lana Tillman. Eight of those Bulldogs garnered GPAC All-Conference awards, including first team honorees in Bitner, Larsen, Romshek and Tillman.
As the NAIA detailed of the qualifying process: six automatic qualifiers advanced by winning conference qualifying tournaments, while the six at-large berths were selected by the NAIA Competitive Dance Selection Committee. Midland and Doane also qualified from the GPAC. For additional information on the NAIA National Championships, visit the NAIA’s home page for competitive dance linked HERE.