SEWARD, Neb. – Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer will travel to Olathe, Kan., for its NAIA nationals first round game on Thursday (Nov. 20). The fifth-seeded Bulldogs are set to clash with No. 4 seed Eastern Oregon University at Pioneer Field. First-seeded MidAmerica Nazarene University (ranked 7th overall) is the host of the Olathe Bracket and will take on the winner for a chance to move on to the final site.
Olathe Bracket – Nov. 20/22
--Location: Pioneer Field | Olathe, Kan.
--Round 1 Video Stream | Round 2 Video Stream | Live Stats | Tickets
--Championship Bracket
First Round – Thursday, Nov. 20
(4) Eastern Oregon vs. (5) Concordia, 1 p.m. CT
Second Round – Saturday, Nov. 22
(1) MidAmerica Nazarene vs. first-round winner, 1 p.m. CT
The Olathe Field
(1) MidAmerica Nazarene University (Kan.)
Head Coach: Kevin Wardlaw, 22nd season
Record: 13-2-5, 8-2-3 Heart of America
NAIA National Ranking: 7th overall seed, 2nd coaches’ poll
Goals Scored/Allowed: 47/16
Top Goal Scorer: Jeremie Pelade – 12 goals
Goalkeeper: Tobias Stirl - 0.79 GAA, 53 saves (20 starts)
All-time nationals appearances: 13 (20-11-3 record), ’23 National Championship Title
(4) Eastern Oregon (Ore.)
Head Coach: Jessy Watson, 6th season
Record: 13-0-5, 10-0-2 Cascade
NAIA National Ranking: 24th coaches’ poll
Goals Scored/Allowed: 41/11
Top Goal Scorer: Marcos Bravo – 11 goals
Goalkeeper: Anthony Lemus – 0.56 GAA, 28 saves (17 starts)
All-time nationals appearances: 2 (0-1-1 record)
(5) Concordia University (Neb.)
Head Coach: Jason Weides, 18th season
Record: 12-8, 7-3 GPAC
NAIA National Ranking: Not Ranked
Goals Scored/Allowed: 34/
Top Goal Scorer: Ricards Busmeisters – 10 goals
Goalkeeper: Inigo Chavarria – 0.96 GAA, 46 saves (12 starts)
All-time nationals appearances: 3 (0-2 record)
Game Notes
· A win on Thursday would make the 2024 Bulldogs the first team in program history to claim victory at the national tournament. Concordia is 0-2 in its two previous trips to the NAIA national tournament. While making their first-ever appearance at nationals, the 2015 Bulldogs were defeated by second-ranked Oklahoma Wesleyan University, 3-0. Seven years later, Concordia ventured to play Keiser University (Fla.) and lost by a 3-0 score at the hands of the ninth-ranked Seahawks. The Bulldogs will try and break through with their first national tournament win and first score in the final run.
o 2025 – 12-8 overall (7-3 GPAC; 3rd); GPAC tournament champion
o 2022 – 15-3-3 overall (8-1-2 GPAC; 2nd); GPAC tournament champion
o 2015 – 11-7-3 overall (4-4-2 GPAC; 6th); GPAC tournament champion
· Coming in as a young first-time head coach, alum Jason Weides took over the men’s soccer program in 2008. With his 18th season coming to a close after the national tournament, Weides has an 183-116-46 overall record in his veteran tenure. Making the national tournament for the third time under his leadership, the Kearney, Neb., native has three GPAC tournament titles and two runner-up positions, all in the last 11 years. The winningest coach in program history has had many great finishes in various years as the 2023 team ended the regular season unbeaten (13-0-4) and from 2011-2020 Concordia won 10 or more games each year.
· Winning the third spot in the conference tournament, the Bulldogs needed extra time to defeat Hastings (1-0) with a golden goal by Hugo Garrote in the 94th minute of the quarterfinals. In a totally opposite semifinal affair, Concordia and Briar Cliff answered each other in goals, knotting up the score (2-2) after 61 minutes played. With a foul called inside the box, Busmeisters put away the eventual game winner in the 84th minute. In the final, Oliver Benson helped the Bulldogs jump out ahead of the Mustangs (1-0), but they would finally equalize in the 71st mark of the clock. In the 79th minute, Benson would find open space, delivering a low cross for Busmeisters to punch in the championship winner.
· Two-time First Team All-GPAC Ferdi Hagen transferred to Olathe Bracket host MidAmerica Nazarene in 2025. The former Bulldog started in 31 games (35 played) plus scored four goals and five assists in the two seasons. After making the move, the native of Berlin, Germany, Hagen has started 20 games (19 starts) for the Pioneers as a midfielder.
· A recent story was written after such a remarkable season for the Bulldogs. After starting 0-4, the 2025 Concordia Men’s Soccer team won the GPAC tournament championship. Check it out: An uncommon journey: from 0-4 to GPAC championship glory.
· A total of eight players represented Concordia on the 2025 GPAC All-Conference teams released on Monday. In highlighting the selections, Ricards Busmeisters claimed first-team honors in only 10 games played. With three midfielders taking second-team awards, the center of the pitch is strong with Oliver Balazs, Hugo Garrote and Slade Leicht. The experienced back line and goalkeepers had four total on the honorable mention list with Inigo Chavarria, Nolan Fuelberth, Adrian Wambua and Mike Wyvill being named.
· Ricards Busmeisters and the ever-improving offense have racked up 34 goals with 26 in the last 12 games. Busmeisters has been a big portion of the attack with a team-high 10 scores. He has four game winning goals for Concordia. Jasper Hofland (five), Kai Olbrich (four) and Oliver Benson (four) are behind the Riga, Latvia, native in goals scored. Benson has come on late with six total assists (team-lead) and Hugo Garrote is just behind (three).
· The emergence of Inigo Chavarria has been one for the eyes to see as the athletic keeper has allowed 11 goals in 12 games (0.96 GAA). Switching between goalies at the beginning of the season, Chavarria gained the sole starting role the last six games of the season. Since, Concordia has been 6-0 and with the Jaca, Spain native in between the posts. He has a conference high .807 save percentage and 46 saves.
· Five players in the program were on the 2022-23 roster when the Bulldogs most recently qualified for nationals: Adrian Wambua, Ryan Brown, Slade Leicht, Nolan Fuelberth and Lance Kiango. Assistant coach Spencer Kaufman was a member of the ’22 team that won the GPAC tournament title. Wambua (started) and Leicht were the only two that saw action in the postseason national first round against Keiser.
· The Mounties come into the national tournament with an unbeaten record of 13-0-5. Eastern Oregon is a part of the Cascade Collegiate Conference and tied (1-1) in the CCC quarterfinals (lost 3-1 PK’s) ending its run. Now in the final dance as a No. 4 seed, the Mounties defeated The Evergreen State College (Wash.), 3-1, taking its first regular season title. A defensive-minded side, EOU has only allowed 11 goals in 18 games, scoring 41 on the offensive attack. Firing 16.9 shots per game, Eastern Oregon has a .466 shot on frame rate and a .134 shot percentage. Marcos Bravo has 11 goals in 16 games and 49 total shots taken. Anthony Lemus has allowed nine goals in 17 games with 28 saves and a .757 save percentage.
· The Pioneers are the Heart of America Conference Champions won the title (1-1) over Baker University (Kan.) via penalties (5-4) to claim the tournament title. No. 2 in the NAIA coaches’ poll, MidAmerica Nazarene has a 13-2-5 overall record and finished conference play at 8-2-3. The No. 7 overall seed has scored 47 goals, the most in the bracket pod, and 16 allowed in the 20 games. With 15.0 shots per contest, the Pioneers are .450 on frame and at a .157 shot percentage. Jeremie Pelade is the leading goal finisher (12) and Antonio Mugica has a team high 30 points (10 goals and assists). Goalkeeper Tobias Stirl has allowed 13 goals in 13 games clinching 34 saves on a.723 save percentage.
The final site
The final team left standing in the Olathe bracket will advance to play at the final site of the national championship tournament, Orange Beach, Ala., Dec. 1-8. The 67th annual Men’s Soccer National Championship tournament will be held at the Orange Beach Sportsplex.