2025 Men's Soccer Schedule/Results
12-9-1 overall | 7-3 GPAC (3rd) | Season Stats | Roster
| Date | Opponent | Location | Result | Record |
| Aug. 23 | Columbia College (Mo.) | Seward, Neb. | L, 0-1 | 0-1 |
| Aug. 28 | William Woods University (Mo.) | Fulton, Mo. | L, 0-2 | 0-2 |
| Aug. 30 | Missouri Baptist University | St. Louis, Mo. | L, 1-2 | 0-3 |
| Sept. 3 | Benedictine College (Kan.) | Atchison, Kan. | L, 0-2 | 0-4 |
| Sept. 6 | Central Christian College (Kan.) (Senior Day) | Seward, Neb. | W, 3-1 | 1-4 |
| Sept. 10 | (9) Bellevue University | Bellevue, Neb. | L, 0-1 | 1-5 |
| Sept. 17 | York University | Seward, Neb. | W, 3-1 | 2-5 |
| Sept. 20 | *Northwestern College | Orange City, Iowa | L, 1-2 | 2-6, 0-1 |
| Sept. 27 | *Briar Cliff University | Seward, Neb. | W, 1-0 | 3-6, 1-1 |
| Oct. 1 | *Mount Marty University | Seward, Neb. | W, 3-0 | 4-6, 2-1 |
| Oct. 4 | *Morningside University | Sioux City, Iowa | L, 1-3 | 4-7, 2-2 |
| Oct. 8 | *Hastings College | Hastings, Neb. | W, 3-1 | 5-7, 3-2 |
| Oct. 11 | *Waldorf University (Homecoming) | Seward, Neb. | W, 5-0 | 6-7, 4-2 |
| Oct. 15 | *Midland University | Fremont, Neb. | L, 0-3 | 6-8, 4-3 |
| Oct. 18 | *Dakota Wesleyan University | Mitchell, S.D. | W, 2-1 | 7-8, 5-3 |
| Oct. 25 | *Dordt University | Seward, Neb. | W, 2-0 | 8-8, 6-3 |
| Oct. 29 | *Doane University | Seward, Neb. | W, 3-2 | 9-8, 7-3 |
| GPAC Tournament | ||||
| Nov. 1 | Hastings College (GPAC Quarterfinals) | Seward, Neb. | W, 1-0 (OT) | 10-8 |
| Nov. 7 | Briar Cliff University (GPAC Semifinals) | Seward, Neb. | W, 3-2 | 11-8 |
| Nov. 11 | Morningside Univ. (GPAC Championship) | Seward, Neb. | W, 2-1 | 12-8 |
| NAIA National Championships | ||||
| Nov. 20 | (24) Eastern Oregon University (1st Round) | Olathe, Kan. | T, 0-0 | 12-8-1 |
| Advanced on PKs, 4-2 | ||||
| Nov. 22 | (2) MidAmerica Nazarene (2nd Round) | Olathe, Kan. | L, 0-3 | 12-9-1 |
*indicates GPAC game
2025 Roster
| No. | Name | Pos. | Ht. | Year | Hometown | Previous School |
| 00 | Carter Wiebusch | GK | 5-10 | Fr. | Omaha, Neb. | Millard North HS |
| 0 | Gabriel Cobian | GK | 6-0 | Fr. | Seward, Neb. | Seward HS |
| 1 | Inigo Chavarria | GK | 6-1 | Sr. | Jaca, Spain | Harding U |
| 3 | Ryan Brown | D | 5-9 | 5th | Omaha, Neb. | Mount Michael Benedictine |
| 4 | Adrian Wambua | D | 6-3 | Sr. | Nairobi, Kenya | Brookhouse International School |
| 5 | Michael Wyvill | D | 6-0 | Jr. | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Pius X |
| 6 | Oliver Balazs | MF | 5-7 | Fr. | Budapest, Hungary | Ujpesti Konyves Kalman Gimnazium |
| 7 | Milo Hegarty | F | 5-10 | Fr. | St. Albans, England | Verulam School |
| 8 | Hugo Garrote | MF | 6-1 | Sr. | Jerez De La Frontera, Spain | Monroe College |
| 9 | Kai Olbrich | F | 6-0 | Jr. | Bennington, Neb. | Bennington HS |
| 10 | Ricards Busmeisters | F | 5-11 | So. | Riga, Latvia | Iowa Western CC/Riga Distance Learning SS |
| 11 | Joe McCarroll | MF | 6-1 | Fr. | Prestwick, Scotland | Prestwick Academy |
| 12 | Slade Leicht | MF | 5-9 | Sr. | Sachse, Texas | Faith Lutheran HS |
| 13 | Sam Hamilton | MF | 5-10 | So. | Perth, Australia | Camden CC/Swan Christian |
| 14 | Brody Haynie | D | 5-6 | Fr. | Gretna, Neb. | Gretna HS |
| 15 | Cleme Suarez | F | 6-2 | Fr. | Santiago, Chile | Colegio Everest |
| 16 | Niko Nareike | D | 6-5 | Jr. | Frankfurt, Germany | Schoolcraft College |
| 17 | Kondwani Mtawali | D | 5-11 | Sr. | Lilongwe, Malawi | North Iowa Area CC |
| 18 | Karlo Rodriguez | F | 6-0 | Fr. | Omaha, Neb. | Millard South HS |
| 19 | Kyle Eck | D | 6-3 | Fr. | Omaha, Neb. | Skutt HS |
| 20 | Jasper Hofland | MF | 6-0 | Jr. | Papendrecht, Netherlands | Blue Mountain Christian |
| 21 | Noah Rakowsky | MF | 5-8 | Fr. | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Southwest HS |
| 22 | Oliver Benson | F | 5-9 | Sr. | Bennington, Neb. | Iowa Western CC |
| 23 | Mattis Hollnagel | D | 6-1 | Jr. | Bad Segeberg, Germany | Städtisches Gymnasium Bad Segeberg |
| 24 | Connor Robbins | D | 5-10 | Fr. | Omaha, Neb. | Millard North HS |
| 25 | Lance Kiango | D | 5-10 | Sr. | McKinney, Texas | Faith Lutheran HS |
| 27 | Sean Stratman | D | 5-11 | So. | Omaha, Neb. | Creighton Prep |
| 29 | Santiago Abadia | F | 5-9 | Sr. | Bogotá, Colombia | Colegio Nueva York |
| 31 | Nolan Fuelberth | GK | 6-0 | Sr. | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Southwest / Northern Illinois |
| 32 | Jason Payne | GK | 5-10 | Jr. | Bettendorf, Iowa | Pleasant Valley HS |
| 36 | Caleb Ethridge | MF | 6-3 | Fr. | Fulda, Minn. | Fulda HS |
| Damion Montoto | M | 5-10 | Fr. | Miami, Fla. | Westwood Christian HS | |
| Caleb Babisak | M | 6-0 | Sr. | Fate, Texas | Faith Lutheran HS | |
| Spencer Kaufman | SC | 5-8 | 5th | Omaha, Neb. | Westside HS |
STAFF
Jason Weides, Head Coach (18th season)
Haakon Utesch, Graduate Assistant Coach
Brennan Lamson, Graduate Assistant Coach
Nick Holmes, Assistant Coach
Season Preview: 2025 Concordia Men's Soccer
Aug. 14, 2025
Head Coach: Jason Weides (171-108-46, 18th season)
2024 Record: 8-3-9 overall; 6-0-4 GPAC (2nd)
Key Returners: F Oliver Benson; D Ryan Brown; GK Nolan Fuelberth; MF Hugo Garrote; D Mattis Hollnagel; MF Slade Leicht; F Kai Olbrich; D Sean Stratman; D Adrian Wambua; D Michael Wyvill.
Key Losses: D Iker Casanova; D Ferdi Hagen; F Youseff Heggy; D Jarrod Henson; F Martin Herrera; F Carter Hinman; MF Spencer Kaufman; D Michael Lindberg; GK Gabriel Mendoza; F Aidan Nachi; MF Okan Erkocu; MF Braden Spath; F D’Andre Williams; F Ryan Wokutch.
2024 GPAC All-Conference: Iker Casanova (Defensive Player of the Year; First Team); Ferdi Hagen (First Team); Martin Herrera (First Team); Nolan Fuelberth (Second Team); Sean Stratman (Second Team); D’Andre Williams (Second Team); Ryan Wokutch (Second Team); Michael Wyvill (Honorable Mention).
Outlook
There’s been no time to waste this preseason for Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer, which is in the process of breaking in 16 newcomers to a roster characterized by transformation. But make no mistake, the Bulldogs are not rebuilding. Head Coach Jason Weides refuses to use such terminology for a program that has placed no lower than sixth in the GPAC in any of the previous 12 seasons. A model of consistency since Weides took the reins beginning in 2008, Concordia expects to compete at the top of the GPAC on an annual basis.
In other words, this is nothing new for Weides (entering year 18), who now must replace GPAC Defensive Player of the Year Iker Casanova, star midfielder Ferdi Hagen and leading goal scorer Martin Herrera, among others. The Bulldogs are confident they have the right amount of talent and the right young men in place to meet the challenge.
“We come in with the belief and the mindset as a coaching staff and as players and collectively as a team, we don’t have rebuilding years,” Weides said. “We have reloading years. I think that’s kind of what this is for us. We graduated a really large class and a lot of significant impact players. I think maybe that’s a little scary for the team initially. There are so many new guys, and you don’t know what that looks like with the personalities and skillsets and bringing that all together. We have an opportunity to take a step forward from a really good team last year and the year before. We really like what we’re seeing so far, not just on the field, tactically or technically, but I like the culture. I feel like it’s a tight-knit group.”
Since winning the GPAC tournament title at Hastings in dramatic fashion in 2022, Concordia put itself right in the thick of conference regular title races in 2023 and 2024. The Bulldogs carry a 26-game GPAC regular season unbeaten streak (16-0-10) into the fall while having placed in the top three of the GPAC standings in each of the past three seasons. A hallmark of recent Concordia sides has been its ability to stifle the opposition – just 29 goals allowed over the previous 38 matches.
Weides’ program scored a major win following the ’24 campaign when goalkeeper Nolan Fuelberth (May 2025 grad) elected to use his final season of eligibility. His presence gives the Bulldogs a strong chance of repeating their success on the defensive end. Fuelberth is one of 10 returning players who saw action in at least 10 games last season. That group includes fellow 2024 GPAC All-Conference honorees in defenders Sean Stratman and Michael Wyvill.
Considering those familiar faces, Concordia has the luxury of being able to build from the back. Said Weides, “Both of those guys have taken steps forward in that (communication piece). They did that in the spring and continue to do it early on in preseason. Sean Stratman, I feel like, his communication is five times what it was last fall. Even though Mike was a sophomore last year, I think he was still coming into his own. It was his first year of a lot of minutes. Last year was his time to become an experienced player. He just looks more comfortable and confident this year. I expect big things from all those guys.”
In the act of bringing together returners and newcomers, Concordia is rallying behind the mantra of “uncommon.” The term applies to everything the team is doing on and off the field.
Explains senior midfielder Slade Leicht, “That’s from Coach Weides. It’s really simple, but it’s supposed to apply to everything we do. We’re not settling for the ordinary or settling for what everyone else would be doing. We’re supposed to be doing what’s uncommon – stay late after practice and help keep our locker room clean. That’s uncommon for us. We’re not very good at that, but we’re trying to change that this year. It’s the little things. We’re trying to do the little things well and that will sum up to the big things.”
In Weides’ mind, achieving ‘big things’ begins with a focus on the defensive side. In addition to Stratman and Wyvill, the back line returns Adrian Wambua and his 49 games of collegiate experience. The position also includes others with experience in the form of Ryan Brown, Mattis Hollnagel and Kondwani Mtawali. In the midfield, Leicht will attempt to earn playing time along with holdovers such as Hugo Garrote.
From an attacking standpoint, Weides will be looking for productive goal scorers to emerge in place of departed strikers in Herrera (11 goals), D’Andre Williams (four goals, six assists) and Ryan Wokutch (six goals). The team’s top returning goal scorer is Bennington, Neb., native Oliver Benson, who found the back of the net four times in 2024. A fellow junior, Kai Olbrich seeks an increased role after notching three goals last season.
“We have the opportunity for one person to score a lot of goals, but I think this could be a team where there are a lot of guys scoring goals,” Weides said. “I hope we can get a few guys to that 10-goal mark. I think that’s where you start to see really successful seasons when you see three-plus guys hitting that 10-goal mark. We’re going to need that. As good as we might want to be defensively, at the end of the day, you have to score a goal to win that game or score a goal to make it 2-1 instead of 1-1. It’s those little details that we’ll work hard on.”
Without question, the newcomers will have a say in just how far this squad advances late in the fall. Of the new transfers, two arrived ahead of this past spring semester, Ricards Busmeisters and Sam Hamilton. A transfer from Iowa Western Community College, Busmeisters will have an opportunity to factor into the team’s goal scoring exploits. At 6-foot-5, Niko Nareinke of Frankfurt, Germany, brings size and a big personality to the team. Bulldog fans should also watch out for midfielder Jasper Hofland and goalkeeper Inigo Chavarria. Once again, Weides likes the depth he has at keeper, a position that includes Jason Payne.
There also may be opportunities for some of the 11 freshmen who have entered the program – seven of whom are Nebraska natives. A midfielder from Lincoln, Noah Rakowsky continued the pipeline from Lincoln Southwest High School, the alma mater of Fuelberth and recent alums in Matt Schultz and Isaiah Shaddick. Weides and his staff are still in the process of vetting the skills and talents of the class of newcomers.
As Weides joked, “I couldn’t name them all because we have like 17 of them. I would struggle. I would need a list in front of me to name them all. I really like the class as a whole. Everybody we brought in is either at our level or raises our level. That’s a good thing because it adds depth. There are certainly guys who are going to be in the lineup and might start the first game – or at some point are going to be starting. There are other guys we feel like are going to contribute. Others might need a little time, but they’re going to get there. We’ve been really impressed with everyone.”
Regardless of the names and faces on the roster, Concordia’s GPAC rivals will expect a difficult battle when up against the Bulldogs. There’s no taking this program lightly. Not surprisingly, league coaches have pegged Concordia second (tied with Hastings) in the GPAC preseason poll. After back-to-back years of coming up agonizingly short or reaching the national tournament, the Bulldogs have their sights set on getting back to that stage. For all the program has achieved under Weides, it remains in search of its first conference regular season championship.
The early exit from the 2023 GPAC tournament was a lesson that was not lost on veterans such as Leicht. Says Leicht of expectations, “We want to win the regular season. We want to win the tournament. There’s no two ways about it. We want both. I think we can do it if we keep focused and the injury bug doesn’t strike us too bad. We have the ability; we have the work rate. The new guys have done a great job coming in and working hard and really fitting into the team culture we’ve established.”
Weides has similar thoughts. The standing goal is always to win the GPAC.
Said Weides, “Expectations are that we’re a team that’s competing for a conference championship. I say that not lightly. That’s not easy. We have a really challenging road ahead of us even though we’ve seen some promising things these first weeks. We haven’t kicked a ball against an opponent yet, and our opponents are going to cause us challenges. There are going to be unforeseen challenges that we face throughout the season. Some are under our control and some aren’t. We’re excited about this group’s desire, commitment and resiliency in achieving those goals. What we’re seeing right now is a very competitive environment. Even in our intrasquad scrimmage, there’s this little extra competitive nature that we’re seeing within this group.”
The Bulldogs will officially kick off their 2025 season on Aug. 23 with Columbia College (Mo.) slated to make a visit to Bulldog Stadium. Concordia will begin the season with seven-straight nonconference opponents before GPAC play gets underway in mid-September. The complete schedule can be found HERE.
Cougars use early goal to best Dawgs in opener
Aug. 23, 2025
SEWARD, Neb. – Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer welcomed powerhouse Columbia College (Mo.) and went toe to toe before falling 1-0 on Saturday night (Aug. 23). The Bulldogs looked dazed in opening minutes gathering their bearings in the second half but couldn’t find the final touch in the box. CUNE had eight new faces hit the field for the lineups’ 2025 debut.
“We grew into the game a little bit,” said Coach Weides. “We struggled the first 20 minutes of the match. Uncharacteristically, we had our blinders on and were panicking a bit on the build. We weren’t seeing the options. We talked about beating the first line of confrontation. We came out and had a few chances in the second half. It just galvanized the team a bit. The guys responded well.”
Early game jitters came out for the Bulldogs as the Cougars fired off shots in the first 22 minutes and connected on the fourth. Columbia’s Harry Stephen put the shot in the back of the net after a failed set piece fell at his feet. The visitors were held to two more for the rest of the half.
Concordia ended the first frame with shots fired off by Hugo Garrote and newcomer Jasper Hofland. Kondwani Mtawali had the most dangerous shot for the Dawgs, putting a header just above the bar with the goalkeeper for the Cougars out of place. The senior out of Lilongwe, Malawi delivered the chance in the 75th minute playing the most significant minutes of his career.
The Bulldogs ended the second period with three boots towards the goal via Sam Hamilton, Milo Hegarty and Sean Stratman but came up shy in the final minutes.
The Seward side totaled six shots, while giving up 11 to Columbia. Filled with six cards and given and 32 total fouls (13 by CUNE), the match was chippy throughout the entire contest.
Concordia boasted newcomers and players with bigger roles such as captain Slade Leicht, Ryan Brown, Kai Olbrich and Mattis Hollnagel. The newcomers who gave us a first look were Hegarty, Hamilton, Brody Haynie, Cleme Suarez, Jasper Hofland, Noah Rakowsky and Connor Robbins.
Columbia relied on Stephen’s unassisted goal to win the game and pushed for 13 corners to Concordia’s six. Goalkeeper Caden Hof tallied one save in the 90 minutes between the posts. The Cougars will face Missouri Valley College on the road on Tuesday.
Concordia will battle William Woods University (Mo.) in Fulton, Missouri on Thursday (Aug. 28). The Dawgs kick off at 1 p.m. at the North Campus Athletic Complex.
Bulldogs can’t find final touch in loss to Owls
Aug. 28, 2025
FULTON, Mo. – The Bulldogs are on a two-game trip to Missouri and kicked off versus William Woods University, dropping the contest 2-0 on Thursday (Aug. 28). Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer was able to make a push in the second half but came up empty in the net.
Head Coach Jason Weides’ squad moves down to 0-2 and is searching for its first goal of the season.
“Guys came together and tried to respond, but we weren’t great in the opening minutes,” said Coach Weides. “It was frustrating to not start our game on the front foot. We made a few adjustments and got a little bit better in the second half, but we lacked energy and commitment to things. Outside of a few moments, we got beaten in the areas that don’t require talent. We got beat to 50-50 balls. We got beat in transition. We struggled to do the basics well and just overcomplicated things.”
The Owls came out going for goals and Miles Andrews (9’) scored early to put the home team off their heels and in a comfortable position. Andrews shot for William Woods after a deflection and found the back of the net. While Concordia possessed the ball for the majority, it was unable to sustain builds in the attacking third and would have to brace for the many counterattacks of the Owls.
Out of the break, the Bulldogs made their move, pushing three of their six shots, but nothing was made of the effort. Another counterattack proved true for WWU as Mortiz Schafer linked up with Andrews for the team’s second frame score.
Concordia Goalkeeper Iñigo Chavarria Beunartea took his first starting role and made six saves in his highly contested opener. The Jaca, Spain, native played all 90 minutes in goal.
The Bulldogs had six shots from five different players, including Hugo Garrote (two), Milo Hegarty, Karlo Rodriguez, Cleme Suarez, and Mike Wyvill.
William Woods (1-1) shot 20 times with 10 on goal as Andrews led with seven (three SOG) of his own. Charlie Williams had three total shots and keeper Matthew Dworak grabbed two saves in the 90 minutes. The Owls will face Columbia College on Monday.
The Bulldogs (0-2) will face Missouri Baptist University (0-1) on Saturday (Aug. 30). The two teams will take the field at 12 p.m. CT at Spartan Field.
Bulldogs make strides in loss to Spartans
Aug. 30, 2025
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer went toe-to-toe with Missouri Baptist University before coming up shy (2-1) in the final on Saturday (Aug. 30). The Bulldogs pushed to make a comeback in the waning minutes but were unable to punch in an equalizer. Kai Olbrich notched the first goal for CUNE of 2025.
Head Coach Jason Wiedes’ side starts the campaign 0-3 in an early tough non-conference schedule.
“Overall, it was a much improved performance for us,” said Coach Weides. “We took a huge step forward in our pressing and our intensity. We created more chances and it was night and day difference. I think the frustrating thing is that it comes in a loss. We don’t have a win to show that progress, unfortunately, we didn’t convert on those chances today. Early on, I felt like we controlled the match and came out with good energy then they settled in, and it was kind of back and forth.”
Down two in the second, Concordia was awarded a penalty kick after Connor Robbins was fouled inside the box. Kai Olbrich swung around the ball and buried the score in the near bottom corner to put the Bulldogs within striking distance.
Making advances to the opposing box, the side from Seward couldn’t get the lucky bounce in the final minutes.
Controlling the pace in the opening frame, Concordia opened with a shot from Niko Nareike. Despite a first and second half flurry of shots, the Bulldogs couldn’t find the back of the net. Leading in shots were: Milo Hegarty (three), Nareike (two) and Slade Leicht (two). Goalkeeper Nolan Fuelberth grabbed five saves and has six in the first two games.
In a physical contest, CUNE had 12 fouls, five more than the opponents, but the Spartans had four yellow cards to the visitors' nil.
Missouri Baptist’s Anthony Coppotelli scored (40’) breaking the tie in the first half via an assist by Jake Champion. Craig Moore would score the eventual game winner from a pass through teammate Matthew O’Reily. The Spartans had an advantage in one category for corner kicks (11-3). MBU (1-1) will take on Harris-Stowe State University (Mo.) this coming Wednesday.
Concordia (0-3) will go back out on the road, this time to Kansas, and compete against Benedictine College (2-0-1) on Wednesday. The Bulldogs will be on the field at 7:30 p.m. CT at Legacy Field. The Ravens bested CUNE in a 1-0 match in 2024.
Dawgs fight till end in loss to Ravens
Sep. 3, 202
ATCHISON, Kan. – The Bulldogs and Ravens clashed at Legacy Field on Wednesday (Sept. 3) with Benedictine College (Kan.) taking the upper hand (2-0) tonight. Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer continued to fight until the end of the match with multiple corner kicks coming to nil on the scoreboard in the final minutes.
CUNE is searching for its first win of the year after starting 0-4 in the non-conference schedule.
“We are disappointed,” Head Coach Jason Weides said. “It is pretty rare that our program has been in this position. It was a pretty important moment at halftime for us to respond, and after the match, we felt like we did. Sometimes you can respond and not get the result you want. We can feel proud of our response, but the first goal never quite came. We are growing and learning tough lessons. I am confident of our team’s ability to have an uncommon response in this moment and continue to get better, and that is what we will do.”
Scoreless after the first 32 minutes, the Ravens’ Zachary Pedersen turned just inside the box and bent the go-ahead score in the near top corner. Looking to finish out the first frame, the Bulldogs made a bad pass, and with the goalie out of position, Benedictine scored three seconds before the half closed.
Back and forths were played between the two teams as they totaled 36 shots in the 90-minute bout. With the Ravens having a 2-0 lead, the Dawgs piled on four corner kicks starting in the 86th minute and couldn’t find the back of the net. Looking to be dangerous in the second 45, the great effort led to Concordia besting the home squad in total corners (9-8) and a slight edge in shots (9-8) in the second half.
The Bulldogs rained flurries of shots with 14 total as Benedictine shot 22. Oliver Benson (three), Mike Wyvill (two) and Mattis Hollnagel (two) paced the side in shots fired. Concordia keeper Nolan Fuelberth garnered nine saves of the 11 shots on goal.
Benedictine was led by Pedersen (three shots) and Juan Piratova’s (four shots) last second score on the offensive end. Four players had at least three shots, which also included Nicholas Rowe (four) and Kody Argaez. Hernan Burdiles filled a clean sheet and made four saves in the net for BC. The Ravens (3-0-1) will face Missouri Baptist University on Saturday.
Concordia (0-4) will celebrate eight seniors on Saturday in its home match versus Central Christian College (0-2-1). The Bulldogs will host the graduates at Bulldog Stadium and plan to kick off at 12 p.m. CT in Seward. CUNE defeated the Tigers (2-0) in the last meeting in 2012.
Busmeisters powers Bulldogs to senior day bell ringing
Sep. 6, 2025
SEWARD, Neb. – In a clash between two sides seeking their first victories of 2025, the Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer team got on the board with the result it needed. Newcomer Ricards Busmeisters wreaked havoc up top while propelling the Bulldogs to a 3-1 win over Central Christian College (Kan.) on cool but sun-soaked Saturday (Sept. 6) from Bulldog Stadium. Following the victory, Concordia honored a class of eight seniors.
Head Coach Jason Weides’ squad has earned its first win if five outings this season. The strong performance is something for the Bulldogs to build upon as conference play draws nearer.
“The winning vibes are nice and the energy is nice,” Weides said. “The message for us though is if we were 4-0 right now, would we play this game any different? That’s the mentality we wanted to have – not to put added pressure on ourselves but to give our best in this moment. We need to focus on the now, and I think our guys did a good job of that. We came out flying.”
A sophomore from Riga, Latvia, and Iowa Western Community College transfer, Busmeisters made his Concordia debut at Benedictine College (Kan.) on Wednesday and has helped spark an attack that is suddenly creating more chances. If not for a close call on an offside, Busmeisters would have had a hat trick in the opening 20 minutes of Saturday’s contest. His first goal as a Bulldog occurred in the fourth minute when he robbed the keeper of the ball and tapped it in. Roughly 10 minutes later, Concordia teammates were mobbing Busmeisters once again as he put a away a corner that came off the foot of Oliver Benson.
Eventually, the Bulldogs put the game to bed as another transfer in Jasper Hofland found the back of the net and made it a three-goal advantage in the final six minutes. Hofland was assisted by Milo Hegarty, who put his teammate one-on-one with the keeper. The late goal supplied a more fitting margin based on Concordia’s thorough advantage in possession. Three Bulldog goals were disallowed due to offside calls.
As for Busmeisters, he starred on Saturday despite feeling under the weather. Said Busmeisters, “I haven’t playing much due to injuries and stuff like that, so I’m just grateful for this opportunity to be back on the field and doing what I love to do … We’re like a family. Everybody loves each other and welcome everyone with open hands. There’s no tension on the team. Everyone’s all together. I’m loving it.”
There will be teaching points that come out of the win. Concordia lost focus a bit in the closing minutes when it conceded a goal (88th) minute and nearly surrendered another one. Overall, it was a solid day for goalkeeper Inigo Chavarria (six saves) and the back line. Chavarria was one of four seniors to start as he was joined in the first 11 by Benson, Slade Leicht and Adrian Wambua. Benson just missed out on a goal late in the first half when the Tiger keeper emerged with a fine save. Wambua came up with a notable denial in the box in the 77th minute. Central Christian (0-4-1) was outshot, 13-10.
The game featured 11 total cards. Both teams played a large portion of the second half with 10 men. Ultimately, the Bulldogs earned the right to ring the bell. Each of the seniors did the honors, including not previously mentioned seniors Santiago Abadia, Caleb Babisak, Lance Kiango and Kondwani Mtawali.
Said Weides, “Sometimes it’s the only opportunity we get to see those families. We have a lot of Nebraska guys and local guys, but we have a lot of guys from out of state and out of the country. They don’t always get a chance to see their parents very often. We know they’re supporting us from afar. It’s fun to celebrate that. We get to see the growth of individuals as they turn from young men into men by the time they graduate. They just hope they love this experience.”
The Bulldogs will get back on the road for a short trek to Papillion, Neb., on Wednesday for a clash with ninth-ranked Bellevue University (3-1-1). The Bruins took last season’s meeting by a 2-1 final score. The previous year (2023), Concordia got the upper hand by the same score.
Concordia draws short straw in strong in-state showing versus No. 9 Bellevue
Sep. 10, 2025
BELLEVUE, Neb. – Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer had an impressive number of offensive chances but failed to convert against No. 9 Bellevue University in a 1-0 loss. The Dawgs hounded the Bruins’ box for 17 total shots but lacked the final boot to equalize with their in-state foes on Wednesday (Sept. 10).
CUNE drops to 1-5 in the high-end effort at the new Renner Dennis Outdoor Athletic Complex.
“We played well overall, and it was a competitive game,” Head Coach Jason Weides said. “We changed our shape and the guys responded really well to that tactical switch. One of the big things when playing Bellevue, who puts a lot of pressure on you through direct play, is to be able to pick up second balls. I think we did a great job of that. The next step for us is to turn more shots into goals. We showed we can not only hang with a team like this but own the play of the game.”
The Bulldogs came out smashing the first five of six chances at the net. After minutes of backlash from the home squad, Hugo Garrote and Ricards Busmeisters shot one ball apiece to end the first half at nil. Garrote, out of Jerez De La Frontera, Spain, would notch the game high in sent balls toward the Bellevue net.
Less than two minutes into the second half, the former Bulldog Okan Erkocu sent a bending corner kick into the net for the eventual game-winning goal. With time starting to become thin, the Bulldogs shot eight out of the last nine shots in the last 18 minutes, coming out on the unlucky side of the contest.
With 17 total chances, 10 different players sent their strike toward the opposing keeper but fell shy on the scoreboard. Garrote (five), Connor Robbins (three) and Busmeisters (two) all had multiple tries for the visitors.
The Bulldogs held a talented Bellevue squad to 10 total shots (four SOG) and tied each other in fouls (12). Concordia Goalkeeper Inigo Chavarria collected three saves before leaving the game.
The Bruins led in corners (7-3) and were paced by Jeremiah Hteh (three) and Adam Sherwood (two) in shots. Goalkeeper Jaxson Staples earned the shutout and one save in the 90 minutes played. Bellevue (5-1-1) is set to play Briar Cliff on Saturday at home.
Concordia (1-5) will have a weekend break before taking on York University (3-1) next Wednesday (Sept. 17). The Bulldogs will host the Panthers at 5:30 p.m. CT in Bulldog Stadium. The two teams met last season and left in a deadlock (1-1) with a goal apiece in the contest in September.
In-state rivalry won by Bulldogs in nonconference finale
Sep. 17, 2025
SEWARD, Neb. – Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer has kept the belief that the results will eventually come. The Bulldogs will take positive vibes into conference play after seeing out a 3-1 victory in a rivalry renewal with York University in Seward on Wednesday (Sept. 17) night. Concordia got an 18th-minute goal from Hugo Garrote and never trailed, fending off a spirited effort from the Panthers.
Head Coach Jason Weides’ squad concluded nonconference play at 2-5 overall. The results lately, including last week’s 1-0 loss at No. 9 Bellevue University, have been mostly encouraging. However, Weides will take away some teaching points from the latest outing.
“Wins are nice, but we have to look at our performance too,” Weides said. “I think there were some really good things that happened in this match and then there were some things that we need to learn and grow from and be a lot better.”
For a team seeking a breakout from a goal scoring perspective, the frozen rope delivered by Garrote provided a shot in the arm. His strike, contacted from just outside the 18, came on a free kick that curled inside the left post. Garrote and his teammates took their chances well in converting half of their shots on goal. A backbreaker for York occurred in the 25th minute when Oliver Balazs intercepted a pass and deposited an uncontested shot into the back of the net.
The latter stages of the game became intense when York finally got on the board in the 82nd minute via Kaden Ogle’s penalty kick goal. At that point, both teams were playing with 10 men after a player apiece was sent away. The Bulldogs finally put the game to bed in the 87th minute thanks to Ricards Busmeisters’ third goal of the campaign. The Panthers (3-2) fell for only the second time this season despite statistical advantages in shots, 18-8, and corners, 9-3. Notably, York was whistled for 20 fouls.
Concordia overcame some early turnovers in the back that could have proved costly. Veteran goalkeeper Nolan Fuelberth helped cover up for the miscues with three saves in the first half. The Academic All-American Fuelberth finished with seven denials. A hand ball in the box led to the lone Panther goal, preventing the shutout. After the early hiccups, the back line settled in while led by veterans such as Adrian Wambua and Mike Wyvill.
Through the completion of nonconference play, the program’s hallmark for strong defensive play remains in place. None of the seven non-league foes managed to score more than two goals. The Bulldogs now hope to find the finishing touch in the attacking third as GPAC play arrives.
Said Weides, “We wanted to put the ball in the box and have more wide play, more crosses and more shots. There were definitely some good moments for us moving forward, especially in the first half – until we went down to 10 men. Ultimately, we’re still not threatening the box enough. I think there are another couple levels for us to get.”
The Panthers’ co-head coach Benny Hanaphy served as a graduate assistant under Weides. Entering Wednesday night, York had been 3-1 against GPAC opponents.
The slate gets wiped clean on Saturday as GPAC play gets underway with a road trip to Orange City, Iowa. Concordia and Northwestern (4-1-1, 0-0 GPAC) will kick things off at 1 p.m. CT. The Bulldogs clipped the Red Raiders twice last season by one-goal margins, including a matchup that occurred in the GPAC semifinals.
Concordia falls in GPAC opener to Northwestern
Sep. 20, 2025
ORANGE CITY, Iowa – Starting on the road for the conference opener, the Bulldogs and Red Raiders couldn’t surmount many quality shots on goal with slippery conditions on Saturday (Sept. 20) at the NWC Soccer Complex. Northwestern edged out Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer (2-1) as both teams tallied three shots in front of the net apiece. The two teams totaled 33 fouls with the home team having the majority (22).
Head Coach Jason Weides’ squad moves to 2-6 in the season and 0-1 in the GPAC.
“Overall, we just didn’t play well enough,” Coach Weides said. “In the first half, there was not a lot for either team in high quality chances. Northwestern probably adapted to the long slow surface better than we did. Our back-to-goal is an area we can improve on a lot. We lost too many possessions back-to-goal. This is a moment for us to show our character and our resolve. You know, we were really excited about our second season. The non-conference play being over and GPAC starting. We didn’t get what we wanted in the first match and we have to respond like champions.”
As the time went down, the Bulldogs were looking for a score to put the side in striking distance for an equalizer. Concordia took a corner, and Joe McCarroll brought the ball down off his chest toward Kai Olbrich. The forward buried the goal in the 89th minute tallying his second score of the season. This led to a scramble in the last 90 seconds to try and find a game-tying score, but the visitors were unable to find the chance.
Both squads went into the locker rooms scoreless, making the first goal pivotal for the potential outcome. The Red Raiders’ Jannes Keuhn broke the game open with a score in the 47th minute via Daniel Lindahl.
The quality shots went cold once more for the next 23 minutes, as only one shot on goal was had in the passed time. Drew Darnold gave Northwestern an insurance score with an assist by Gonzalo Domingo and Diego Quintero putting the Bulldogs down two late in the second frame.
Concordia tallied nine total shots with Ricards Busmeisters pacing the team, marking five total. Hugo Garrote followed with two. Veteran goalkeeper Nolan Fuelberth gathered one save.
The Red Raiders (5-1-1, 1-0 GPAC) led in corner kicks (7-2) and Darnold had a team-high four shots. Goalie Edoardo Alessandrini grabbed two saves in the win. Northwestern will travel to Forest City, Iowa, and compete against Waldorf on Wednesday.
Concordia (2-6, 0-1 GPAC) will have the midweek off before hosting Briar Cliff (3-3-1, 0-0-1 GPAC) in Seward. The first whistle is set for 1 p.m. CT next Saturday. The Bulldogs tied the Chargers but moved on in an electric penalty kick shootout (5-4) to the GPAC tournament semifinals in 2024.
Dawgs shutout Chargers in first GPAC triumph
Sep. 27, 2025
SEWARD, Neb. – Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer claimed its first conference triumph in its shutout (1-0) of Briar Cliff on Saturday (Sept. 27). The Dawgs were a force in the attacking third striking 24 shots at the Chargers yet were just shy of the insurance goal. Nolan Fuelberth claimed his clean sheet with six saves.
CUNE earns a 1-1 GPAC record and a 3-6 showing through the first nine contests.
“We just needed to respond positively,” Head Coach Jason Weides said. "You can’t put too much pressure on yourself. We performed so much better. It was like two different teams from our last performance to this. We had a great week of practice and we wanted to respond like champions. It was a huge step in the right direction. We wanted to get more numbers forward and get our outside backs higher. We did a good job putting them under pressure. We were a bit unlucky or unfortunate that we didn’t convert a second one. We trust if our guys get more chances like that, they are going to put it away.”
The difference tally came as the minutes started to fade in the opening frame. Oliver Balazs rocketed a ball off his foot splitting two defenders and the opposing keeper made a blocking save. Oliver Benson sprinted to the ball for the game-winning header and his first notch of the season. Benson, a Bennington, Neb., native, has scored five goals in his career for Concordia.
“It is a big motivator,” Oliver Benson said. "It motivates this team for what we are hungry for in the GPAC. We come in hungry for every game and make an impact in every moment. Honestly, that’s what is all about. We are ready.”
The offense continued to gnaw on the Charger defense in the second frame with 13 shots fired and 13 total on goal. Pacing the Bulldogs in chances were Ricards Busimeisters (seven), Jasper Hofland (five) and Joe McCarroll (four). Nine different athletes took a shot at the opposing goal.
Hofland, in a different position, made himself dangerous in the attacking third but also was back with the final line and midfielders such as Salde Leicht, Balazs and Hugo Garrote. With the strikers humming, Concordia bested the visitors in corner kicks (8-3) and shots on goal (13-6).
Fuelberth has amassed nine career complete shutouts, and his first this season. The back line helped keep the clean sheet intact with big stops coming from Adraian Wambua, Mike Wyvill, Sean Stratman and Benson.
Briar Cliff (4-4-1, 1-1-1 GPAC) was led by Gabriel Hernandez Les and Angjelos Arapi with two shots on target apiece. The Chargers will take on Midland next Saturday at Faber Field.
Concordia (3-6, 1-1 GPAC) is expected to host Mount Marty (2-2-1, 0-1-1 GPAC) on Wednesday night. The Bulldogs will walk out at 5:30 p.m. CT at Bulldog Stadium
Late breakout propels Concordia to second-straight shutout win
Oct. 1, 2025
SEWARD, Neb. – Visiting Mount Marty held the leaks from springing for the first 60 minutes before the dam exploded. Three Bulldogs registered in the goal scoring column as Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer emerged with a comfortable 3-0 victory inside Bulldog Stadium on Wednesday (Oct. 1). The Bulldogs equaled a season high in goals while earning their second consecutive shutout home win.
Head Coach Jason Weides’ squad bumped its overall mark to 4-6 (2-1 GPAC). As a program, Concordia has dropped only one conference regular season game since the middle of the 2022 season.
“You get back-to-back shutouts – that’s what you need,” Weides said. “That’s how you grow. We conceded and bled too many goals over the first nine games. Ultimately, if you want to be champions, you can’t bleed goals and you can’t make mistakes as often as we had. It’s really good to see two clean sheets in a row. We had a lot of subs in today too. I’m really pleased to see the guys keep a clean sheet with so many changes. We didn’t give them many good opportunities.”
In their latest GPAC outing, the Bulldogs dominated possession and ruled the stat sheet. At long last, in the 63rd minute, Concordia cracked the ice when midfielder Slade Leicht pushed the ball forward to Hugo Garrote, who then found Ricards Busmeisters for a 1v1 opportunity with the keeper. The Riga, Latvia, native chipped the ball into the back of the net for his fourth goal this season.
Over the next eight minutes, the Bulldogs put this one to bed as freshmen Milo Hegarty (69’) and Conner Robbins (70’) got on the board with the first goals of their careers. Assists were credited to Leicht on goal No. 2 and to Garrote and Kai Olbrich on goal No. 3. Suddenly, the scoreline more accurately reflected Concordia’s superiority. The Bulldogs finished with advantages of 22-6 in shots and 9-2 in corner kicks.
The second half breakout helped alleviate some of the early frustration. Two minutes after kickoff, Olbrich hit the left post. Two minutes later, a prime chance for Olbrich went over goal. Those near misses were a harbinger of things to come as close calls were the theme of the first half. In making his first career start, Lancer keeper Esteban Gomez made a sprawling save to his left on a Garrote free kick late in the first half. Gomez gave Mount Marty a fighting chance with his seven saves.
On the opposite end, an impressive save by Inigo Chavarria on a free kick at the 73-minute mark preserved the shutout. It was the only shot the Lancers (2-3-2, 0-2-2 GPAC) put on frame all evening. The ball spent most of the evening on Concordia’s attacking half.
Said the Millard North High School product Robbins following the win, “Everyone believes in each other. We have each other’s back. It feels pretty good to score my first goal, but I’m just as happy when anyone scores a goal.”
Added Weides of his team’s second half attacking, “We’ve expected that the whole season. We have the capability for that, both with guys who start and guys who come on and make an impact. We’re in that spot where everybody wants ownership of their roles and responsibilities. Part of the role of a striker or attacking mid is to score goals. They have a lot more responsibility than that. I think we want it so bad that we’re getting a little tense in those moments. When we can get those guys they’re first goals, now I think we’re going to see them at ease.”
Noteworthy, the Bulldogs played without All-GPAC defender Sean Stratman and forward Oliver Benson. Concordia’s depth helped pick up the slack. Weides used 21 players in the win.
The second road trip of the GPAC regular season is coming up on Saturday when the Bulldogs will be headed to Sioux City, Iowa, for an evening clash with Morningside (3-6, 1-2 GPAC). Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. CT. Concordia drew, 1-1, last season with the Mustangs, who went on to win the 2024 GPAC regular season title.
Bulldogs drop road match to Morningside
Oct. 4, 2025
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The Seward side put in a late goal via Ricards Busmeisters but dropped the contest to Morningside (3-1) on Saturday night (Oct. 4). After a stalemate of rare shots in the first half, the Mustangs found a groove late to find two goals in the final minutes.
Head Coach Jason Weides and company move to 4-7 overall and break even in the conference (2-2).
“We didn’t have sustained possessions,” Coach Weides said. “We possessed in the defensive half and had great counter-attacks. The past two games had been better about getting our outside backs forward. In the first half, we struggled with individual ball retention. Morningside was able to out-physical us in every 50-50 ball and second-ball scenarios. We lost the ball in moments that we have to retain possession. We kept on battling and unfortunately, we made a big-time error on the second goal for Morningside. We are just bleeding too many goals right now.”
With a free kick inside the box, the Bulldogs’ Mike Wyvill was on the receiving end and drew a foul inside the 18-yard area. Busmeisters was given the 1-on-1 chance with the Morningside keeper and buried it in the bottom left corner. An Iowa Western transfer, Busmeisters notched his fifth goal of the season, which leads Concordia in 2025.
The Mustangs’ offense came alive in the final 10 minutes with 10 shots and two goals to show for it. Jordan Bickel and Javier Ruchelli tallied three shots apiece in the onslaught. Bickel scored two, with his second coming in the 89th minute, via a penalty.
In the first half, both teams could only muster three shots but one hit the back of the net for Morningside’s Guilherme Mota.
With the shot count even after the first half, the Mustangs would have a big advantage with 16- shots in the second frame to the Bulldogs’ 6. Morningside led in corner kicks (5-2) and fouls (15-11). Oliver Benson and Hugo Garrote were the two teammates to pace the visitors with two shots apiece.
Nolan Fuelberth punched out five saves but couldn’t keep the home team from scoring three inside Elwood Olsen Stadium. Timon Koerber grabbed five saves as well but was unable to perform a shutout of Concordia in the 90 minutes played.
The Mustangs’ Bickel had a game high four shots and scored his fourth and fifth goals of the campaign. Ten different Morningside players fired a shot as the squad moves to 4-6 overall and 2-2 in the conference. The Mustangs will host Dordt this upcoming Wednesday.
Concordia (4-7, 2-2 GPAC) will travel to Hastings (5-2-4, 1-1-2 GPAC) on Wednesday (Oct. 8). The Bulldogs will take the field at 5:30 p.m. CT. The two teams faced off last in the 2024 GPAC tournament championship as the Broncos took the final (1-0).
Dawgs score hat trick; Defense slams door shut after opening minutes
Oct. 8, 2025
HASTINGS, Neb. – After an early score by in-state rival Hastings, the Bulldogs grew stronger on both sides as time ticked off scoring three unanswered in the road triumph (3-1) over the Broncos. On Wednesday (Oct. 8), Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer tied its game high in scores having mounted a hat trick four times in 2025. Oliver Benson notched a score and the assist that served up the game winner on a platter for Kai Olbrich.
The road Dawgs climb to 5-7 overall and 3-2 in conference play winning three of their last four.
“It was a big win for us in kind of an important moment of the season,” Head Coach Jason Weides said. “For me, the biggest highlight was the bench energy. It is really fun to see guys who didn’t play one second, during and after the match act like they scored four goals. They scored on their very first true attack. I thought our guys responded well to the first goal. We were able to get our second and third goal and see out a match.”
With five Broncos directly in front of him, Hugo Garrote found the ball at his feet, tagging a pass through a small seam to a blistering Olver Benson. The Bennington, Neb., native drew out the opposing keeper and dealt a sneaky assist to Kai Olbrich with an empty net for the go-ahead score. Olbrich tallied his third goal of the season.
After a corner kick stop, Olbrich tried for a brace but was saved. Benson finished the job for the third and final goal of the match. Hastings took the initial 45-minute shot count (7-2), and the Bulldogs seemingly made every shot count in the second half with a 6-4 edge.
As the game went on, the Concordia defense didn’t allow a shot on goal in the second half. Adrian Wambua, Mike Wyvill and Mattis Hollnagel anchored much of the back line and the midfield led by Slade Leicht cut off much of the opposing attack. Inigo Chavarria was aided by the defense as he grabbed two saves for the team win.
After a Hastings corner, the Bulldogs’ counterattack delivered the ball to Connor Robbins as the freshman looked for green grass and saw a streaking Jasper Hofland. Out of Papendrecht, Netherlands, Hofland unloaded from 29 yards out and scored the equalizer in the bottom right corner.
The Broncos (5-3-4, 1-2-2 GPAC) scored in only the 8th minute due to Juan Rubio goal and a David Maqueda assist. Hastings shot 11 times but three total were on target. The home squad collected all five of the games yellow cards.
Concordia (5-7, 3-2 GPAC) is set to host Waldorf (3-9, 0-4 GPAC) for Homecoming this Saturday (Oct. 11). The Bulldogs will challenge the Warriors at 5:30 p.m. CT inside Bulldog Stadium. CUNE defeated Waldorf (10-0) in a shutout last year.
Dawgs pounce on Warriors at Homecoming
Oct. 11, 2025
SEWARD, Neb. – Clad in the new navy and pin striped kits, the Bulldogs put the Waldorf defense in a pressure cooker for all 90 minutes of the 5-0 shutout on Homecoming night (Oct. 11). Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer dialed up five goals from five different players and suffocated the Warriors’ attack to zero chances taken in the route on Saturday in Bulldog Stadium.
Head Coach Jason Weides continues to climb in the GPAC ranks with a 4-2 conference record and a 6-7 overall showing. The score contest represents the most in a single game this season.
“We started well and ultimately, we wanted to play simple and move the ball fast,” Coach Weides said. “We got an early goal, which is nice. The guys came out with hunger in the second half and did what we asked them to do at halftime. It is not easy to hold a team to zero shots. The guys did a really good job of limiting Waldorf’s attacks. It is really fun to see a lot of guys play. Guys who have been training really well and just haven’t had as many opportunities.”
Joe McCarroll took a corner kick as Milo Hegarty flicked the pass back to break the early tie. Hugo Garrote created some space scoring in the 40th minute.
Coming out of the break up 2-0, the Dawgs piled on with three more scores in the second half including Oliver Benson, Jasper Hofland and Kai Olbrich.
The Concordia offense was relentless in the attacking third with 25 shots taken and 19 total corners to the opponent's zero. As seemingly each Bulldog had eyes up in the final third, Ryan Brown made his impact in the last 45, dropping two dishes with a chef’s kiss ball that ended in an Olbrich header goal.
“We went into the game with a mentality that we need to work our hardest,” Brown said. “Every chance we got, we were looking to score. It was a no-brainer to try to put the ball in the back of the net. I tried to clipping it in the back, but thankfully, Kai was there. Every day, I just look to help the team out anyway I can. If all I have to do is put the ball in the box, I’ll take it.”
Oliver Benson notched a goal and an assist, plus McCarroll tallied two assists of his own. Inigo Chavarria (47 minutes), Jason Payne (22) and Carter Wiebusch (22) combined for a clean sheet.
The Warriors’ keeper Dickson Phoon grabbed eight saves. Waldorf (3-10, 0-5 GPAC) will host Dakota Wesleyan for senior day in Forest City.
Concordia (6-7, 4-2 GPAC) will travel to Fremont, Neb., facing No. 25 Midland (10-2-2, 4-1-1 GPAC) on Wednesday (Oct. 15). The Bulldogs will take the pitch at 5 p.m. on Heedum Field.
Late flurry buries Bulldogs in otherwise competitive clash in Fremont
Oct. 15, 2025
FREMONT, Neb. – The Wednesday (Oct. 15) matchup between in-state GPAC rivals was an evenly-played clash until a laser of a shot by prolific attacker Hugo Garcia-Rosado Duran gave Midland the upper hand. His strike opened the floodgates as all Warrior goals came in the closing 18 minutes in what amounted to a 3-0 victory for the home team. The Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer team was shut out by a GPAC opponent for the first time this season.
Head Coach Jason Weides’ squad fell to 6-8 overall (4-3 GPAC) after a 2-0 previous week within league play. Both Midland and Concordia entered the evening situated inside the top four of the GPAC standings.
“It was a good college game, minus seven minutes,” Weides said. “We had an awful seven minutes and they had a really good seven minutes. Unfortunately, during that time, we looked discombobulated and made some mistakes. Good teams punish you for that, and they did. It went from a battle that could have gone either way to losing 3-0. It doesn’t quite feel like a 3-0 loss. Hopefully that’s an example to us. I think our guys fought hard to try to get one towards the end. Their keeper made some amazing saves. Overall, it was a good performance.”
Midland executed its counter attacks to perfection in the latter stages of the contest. Duran scored the game’s first goal on a frozen rope of a shot from well outside the box in the 73rd minute. The Warriors proceeded to break down Concordia’s back line with a goal from Pau Vivas in the 77th minute and another from Tsubasa Abe in the 80th minute.
Each of the three goals were difficult chances for Bulldog goalkeeper Nolan Fuelberth, who finished with four saves. Fuelberth had preserved a 0-0 score in the 59th minute with a quick reaction save of a header from just a few yards in front of him. In the midfield, the likes of Oliver Balazs and Slade Leicht continue to put forth strong minutes. The sidelining of defender Adrian Wambua (later returned) during part of the nightmare stretch hurt the cause for the visitors.
Concordia had chances of its own on its attacking end. The shot count was nearly even (19-17 in Midland’s favor) while the Warriors led in corner kicks, 8-5. Midland keeper Sean Beatty turned in a fine night between the pipes as he made seven saves. In the 67th minute, he denied a 1v1 chance for Karlo Rodriguez, who got free of the back line while running down the right side. Hugo Garrote led the Bulldogs with three shots (one on goal).
Midland (11-2-2, 5-1-1 GPAC) began October ranked No. 25 in the NAIA coaches’ poll and rested at 23rd in the official RPI released on Monday. The Warriors effectively bounced back from their 2-1 home defeat endured this past Saturday at the hands of Dakota Wesleyan. Duran (11 goals this season) had been held to just one shot by Concordia through the game’s first 70 minutes. Duran also assisted his team’s second goal.
Said Weides, “We had a really good opportunity and we didn’t take it, but there’s more opportunity in front of us. We want to play our best soccer over the next couple of weeks and into November. Ultimately, the path to achieve what we want is through the conference tournament. Our goal is to win as many games as we can on the way there. We want to become stronger while suffering this loss together.”
A road trip of significant distance is coming up on Saturday when the Bulldogs will be headed to Mitchell, S.D., to take on Dakota Wesleyan (7-6-1, 5-1-1 GPAC) at 4 p.m. CT. The much-improved Tigers pummeled Waldorf, 6-1, in Wednesday’s action and are tied with Midland for second place in the GPAC standings. DWU has surpassed its GPAC win total from last season when it went 4-6 in league play.
Bulldogs hold on in gritty win over Tigers
Oct. 18, 2025
MITCHELL, S.D. – In an effort to keep position in the GPAC standings, Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer executed on its quality chances to defeat Dakota Wesleyan (2-1) on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 18). Keeper Inigo Chavarria stalled the Tiger offense with his nine saves between the posts. Mike Wyvill booted in the game winner at the Pepsi-Cola Soccer Complex.
The Dawgs have gathered 16 conference points with a 5-3 record and a 7-8 overall showing in 15 games.
“The second half had a little bit of a playoff game feel,” Head Coach Jason Weides commented. “Early on we created a couple of good chances and got a goal. We knew it was going to be a gritty game, and fortunately, we were able to get the second goal on a set play. We put in a quality service in that moment. It was very windy for both teams. In the second half, it wasn’t pretty, but it doesn’t matter the style you want. It’s just find a way to defend, find a way to protect the ball, and find a way to keep them out of the back of the net.”
On a set play after the halftime break, Hugo Garrote tagged an in-swinging kick into the box and Mike Wyvill buried the corner toward the back post. Wyvill, a Lincoln Pius X High alum, found the back of the net (55’) for the first time this season and Garrote marked his third assist this year.
In the 12th minute, Connor Robbins pushed a low cross into the box to the feet of Ricards Busmeisters. The sophomore out of Riga, Latvia, faked right and finished with his left to drill home a lead in the early going. The Iowa Western transfer has a team high six goals through his 11 games played.
With the Tigers only down one late, centerback Niko Narieke cleared a game-tying shot with the net open at the beginning of the 90th minute. This sealed the team road victory as it would be the last quality chance for the home squad.
Goalie Chavarria would have to deal with 18 total shots (10 on target) with a consistent presence on the defensive end for Concordia. The Jaca, Spain, native grabbed his single-game high for the year and tied Nolan Fuelberth.
Said Weides, “He played really well overall. He came up with some important saves. Ultimately, some were routine and some were really big in really important moments. Some were coming out in one-v-ones. He’s a veteran and had a veteran performance.”
Dakota Wesleyan leaned on Lukas Adamhuber’s goal with an assist from AJ Bowman. Adamhuber, Bowman and Evan Bolster led the Tigers with three shots apiece in their attacking half. DWU will face Briar Cliff next on Wednesday.
Concordia (7-8, 5-3 GPAC) will have next Wednesday off before hosting Dordt (4-5-6, 1-3-4 GPAC) on Saturday (Oct. 25). The Bulldogs will take the field at 1 p.m. CT in Seward, Neb.
Dawgs roll Defenders in second half surge
Oct. 25, 2025
SEWARD, Neb. – Inigo Chavarria locked down the Dordt attack finding quality attempts but couldn’t respond to the two scores by the Bulldogs in the second frame on Saturday (Oct. 25). Jasper Hofland slid in the game-winner just after the halftime break and the Seward side would never surrender the lead following the go-ahead.
Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer has won four of its last five, with a 6-3 conference showing and reaches .500 (8-8) with one game remaining.
“It was good to put the ball in the back of the net,” Head Coach Jason Weides said. “We didn’t do it in the first half but I thought the first 15 minutes were good. We caused ourselves some problems in the first half. It was a good start to the second half to get a goal early on and we just never looked back.”
After a flurry that would come to nothing for the Defenders at the end of the first half, Mattis Hollnagel pushed the ball forward with a Karlo Rodriguez touch to keep the ball in play for Hofland. The Papendrecht, Netherlands, native outran his defender and buried the side-shot score for his fourth of the season.
Oliver Balazs found a ricochet off the keeper and streamlined the insurance score into the back of the Dordt net. The midfielder, out of Budapest, Hungary, notched his second on the scoresheet this year.
Goalie Chavarria and the Bulldog defense spurned every Dordt offensive try with two big rounds of shots coming in each half. The Harding University transfer sealed off the posts and saved three just before the midway point and two after the first goal for Concordia. Making impressive stops, the Spaniard earned his first clean sheet and has totaled a 5-2 record in his seven games.
Said Weides, “There were a couple of those that were double saves. It was really important moments where a keeper makes a save and has to get up and make another save. He was big and came out and did what we needed him to do, especially in moments where we made mistakes. What we need to get results sometimes is for a teammate to cover up for another’s mistake and he came through in those moments.”
Multiple saves were made not just by Chavarria but by Niko Narike, Adrian Wambua, Mike Wyvill and Slade Leicht as the net was in danger in different parts of the contest. The Dawgs had a slight shot disadvantage, 14-12, (5-5 SOG) with Cleme Suarez (four) and Hofland (three) taking the majority of the chances, constantly looking for more final strikes. CUNE earned a 7-6 corner edge.
The Defenders’ midfielder Pablo Martin Domingo led the team in shots and goalkeeper Shad Jaeger had three saves. Dordt (4-6-6, 1-4-4 GPAC) will finish its regular season with rival Northwestern in Sioux Center on Wednesday.
Concordia (8-8, 6-3 GPAC) will also face its in-state rival Doane (2-9-4, 1-4-4 GPAC) on Wednesday. The two teams will step into Bulldog Stadium at 5:30 p.m. CT.
Bulldogs fend off rival Doane, finish regular season in third place
Oct. 29, 2025
SEWARD, Neb. – Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer took rival Doane’s best shot in Wednesday (Oct. 29)’s regular season finale for both sides. After surrendering a 2-0 lead, the Bulldogs found the deciding goal in the 79th minute via penalty kick. The 3-2 victory on a chilly fall evening at Bulldog Stadium locked Concordia into the GPAC’s No. 3 seed. Ricards Busmeisters put away the game winner.
Head Coach Jason Weides’ squad ended the regular season at 7-3 in conference play (9-8 overall). Whatever the result on Wednesday, the Bulldogs (10-0-4 versus Doane since 2012) were guaranteed to host a GPAC tournament game.
“No matter where the team’s sit in the table, it’s always a tough game,” Weides said. "They were in a position where minimally they needed a point but likely needed a win to advance to the next (quarterfinal) round. We knew we were going to get the best of them and we knew this game mattered a lot. Their season was on the line, and it’s really hard to equal that in terms of what you’re willing to give. I thought it was a gritty performance. It was a shame we surrendered a two-goal lead like that, but we found a way to get it done.”
Weides could have done without the type of drama that had not been foreseen early in the second half when Concordia went up 2-0. Doane managed to loosen the Bulldogs’ grip when Guillermo Hamue’s strike in the 62nd mark. The ball got redirected, making for an exceedingly difficult chance for Concordia keeper Inigo Chavarria. Eight minutes later, the visitors roared back into a tie when Mateo Jelicich set Mateo Garcia D’Eletto up with an uncontested look at the goal.
In the game’s most critical moment, a streaking Jasper Hofland was upended on a slide tackle from behind in the 79th minute. A penalty kick was awarded and Busmeisters calmly slotted the ball to the right of Tiger keeper Curtis Oberg for his team leading seventh goal of 2025. In one final close call, Chavarria reacted quickly to a header at the 84-minute mark, preserving the victory. Doane ended its season at 2-10-4, 1-5-4 GPAC.
In the first half, sophomore Sam Hamilton got on the board with his first goal as a Bulldog after the ball pin-balled back to him. From roughly 20 yards out, Hamilton drilled a shot inside the left post. The strike came soon after a corner kick off the foot of Oliver Benson. The speed of Hofland also led to Concordia’s second goal (47’). A well-executed ball from Hugo Garrote facilitated Hofland, who played a touch past the Tiger keeper and deposited the ball into the back of the net for his fifth goal of the season.
The Bulldogs enjoyed the advantage in possession overall and held a 13-11 shot advantage (with corners in Doane’s favor, 10-4). Concordia fouls on the outer edges of 18 gave the Tigers multiple strong chances they let slip through their fingers. The reigning GPAC Defensive Player of the Week, Chavarria made six saves in another sterling effort.
A native of Jaca, Spaine, Chavarria has the benefit of two experienced center backs, Adrian Wambua and Michael Wyvill, directly in front of him. Chavarria entered the night leading all GPAC keepers in goals against average. The Bulldogs hope they can lean on strong defensive play in the postseason.
Said Wambua, “We have an amazing set of keepers and an amazing set of defenders. We’ve grown together. Me and Mike have been together at center back two years now. The relationship we have means a lot. Inigo came in and bonded with everyone. He bonded with Nolan (Fuelberth) … We worked everything out to get the win.”
Said Weides of the upcoming postseason, “We want to get back there (to the GPAC final). It’s a fun place to be. Before we get back there, we’ve got to play really well in a quarterfinal match. That’s our focus. Ultimately, we have to defend like champions and we have to transition like champions. We have to take our chances and put it in the back of the net. These are the moments where all the lessons you’ve learned through the season – you can apply them.”
The season begins anew with postseason play opening on Saturday. As part of the GPAC quarterfinals, the third-seeded Bulldogs will welcome sixth-seed Hastings (8-4-5, 4-3-3 GPAC) to Bulldog Stadium for a 6 p.m. CT kickoff. Concordia won the regular season meeting by a 3-1 score.
Garrote free kick ends overtime bout versus Hastings; Move to host semis
Nov. 1, 2025
SEWARD, Neb. – The electric Hugo Garrote struck the match that would fire off a celebration in front of Bulldog nation after his golden goal free kick ended the GPAC quarterfinal bout (1-0) versus Hastings on Saturday (Nov. 1). The overtime triumph took 94 minutes as both teams ended regulation without finding the back of the net, but the junior out of Jerez De La Frontera, Spain, seized his first game winner in Bulldog blue.
Head Coach Jason Weides and company defeated Hastings twice in the same year for the first time in the program’s history and climbs another rung to a 10-8 record. The No. 3 seed Bulldogs are the highest seed remaining after the first round of play.
“It was relief and joy for the guys,” Coach Weides said. “There is no better feeling than a golden goal when you win and there is probably no harsher thing when you conceded it. It was an incredible game. Either team could have won it. We were fortunate to put away a free kick and it was a great free kick. We are getting closer to the team we thought we could be all season. It was nice today to give our best and be on the good side of it.”
After a foul 10 yards out of the penalty area, Garrote kicked a swirling bender into the top left corner leaving the Hastings keeper and the visiting side seemingly stunned. The second year Monroe College transfer ran to the Concordia fans in excitement of the contest-ending drive. The midfielder scored his third goal of the season and the fourth in his two years.
“It was the best feeling ever,” Garrote said. “Honestly, I practice for that. I went with confidence and it went in, thankfully. I thought it was a good chance to finish the game there. I took a deep breath, I saw the keeper on the right, and said I’m going to go left. It went in and we won.”
Dawgs use late penalty to soar past Briar Cliff; return to GPAC championship
Nov. 7, 2025
SEWARD, Neb. – Knotted at two scores apiece, Ricards Busmeisters smashed in a game-winning penalty kick in the 84th minute and closed the 2025 book on seventh-seeded Briar Cliff (3-2) on Friday (Nov. 7). For the second consecutive season, the Bulldogs will host the GPAC tournament final on Tuesday. The story of the Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer team continues as the side has five straight.
Head Coach Jason Weides and company are now 11-8 overall and 7-1 in the last eight contests as the front man will look for his third conference tournament title (2015, 2022).
“It’s where you want to be at the start of the season,” Coach Weides commented. “You want to put yourself in the GPAC championship. Especially, in our league, to have the only one automatic birth through the GPAC championship. I’m really proud of this team, especially when you think about the start for us. We went against a tough schedule and didn’t stand up the way we needed to but we learned a lot of lessons along the way.”
Lessons learned have turned into winning important games late as the Busmeisters called game late after Jasper Hofland drew a foul in the box. A sophomore out of Riga, Latvia, Busmeisters got the offense going early, earning a tally in the first half as well via Oliver Benson. The Iowa Western transfer extends his lead as the top-finisher with his eighth and ninth goals of 2025.
“It feels amazing,” Busmeisters said. “I knew I had to step up this game. I am glad the coaches trusted me. I’m just happy to move forward and host a final here at home. I already know where I am going to go before. You just, be in the moment, take a deep breath and do what you know you can do.”
In the 59th minute, Benson found an open lane to send a through ball to the feet of Cleme Suarez. The freshman from Santiago, Chile, created space from the defender and sent his first collegiate score into the far bottom corner. With Benson’s two assists, he has mounted five total, which leads the Bulldogs in dishes.
Inigo Chavarria grabbed three saves and earned his eighth win in goal. The two teams were similar in shots (14-13) and shots on frame (5-4) with the visitors edging out the home squad. Suarez (four), Busmeisters (four) and Hugo Garrote (three) led the team in chances taken. Mike Wyvill headed out many dangerous tries keeping Briar Cliff at bay in multiple moments.
Every time Concordia tried to slip away, the underdog Chargers would answer and the first ball was a screamer from about 37 yards out by Finlay Skilling. After the Suarez goal, David Sauter found a score only two minutes later to tie the contest back at two. Briar Cliff ends its season at 8-8-3.
The Bulldogs will host the GPAC championship on Tuesday (Nov. 11) inside Bulldog Stadium. The challenger is yet to be determined but will be between No. 4 seed Morningside and No. 8 seed Mount Marty.
Dawgs reign as GPAC tournament champions; defeat Morningside in final
Nov. 11, 2025
SEWARD, Neb. – No. 3 seed Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer reigns as the 2025 GPAC tournament champions. After starting the season 2-6, the remarkably uncommon Bulldogs finish with a 2-1 triumph over No. 4 seed Morningside to take the conference playoff title for the third time in the program’s history. With the win, CUNE claimed the lone NAIA automatic bid for the GPAC after three wins in the single-elimination tournament.
Head Coach Jason Weides has won three tournament finals, including 2015, 2022, and 2025. The Bulldogs now have a 12-8 overall record and are on a six-match win streak.
“It's amazing,” Coach Weides said. “Its really fun to see the joy in the team and ultimately, we sacrificed a lot. This has been a unique season, starting off not great for us. Well below our expectations. We were 2-6 and really turned it around. It’s a testament to these guys staying resolute, staying on the path we wanted to go and believing internally. People didn’t believe outside of our group. But these guys just continued to work and put their trust in the team. It’s fun to see them get to celebrate that.”
With less than 12 minutes remaining, Ricards Busmeisters poked possession away from the visitors to Hugo Garrote, who passed through to Oliver Benson. The Bennington, Neb., native drove the cross to Busmeisters and sent a banger into the top near corner, leaving the Morningside goalkeeper no chance for a save.
In the 21st minute, a chipped ball from Ricards Busmeisters led to a one-v-one race as Cleme Suarez, with his defender on his right, tapped the potential score ahead, switching positions in the sprint. Suarez looked up with open space and struck a low rolling cross to Oliver Benson, who buried the one-touch just below the crossbar.
“It is a big deal,” Benson said. “It is great for the program. We pushed through and all stepped up to do our job today. It was resilience from every player and the coaching staff to help kind of enforce that on us. Make sure we kept up our heads, even though it was a good learning experience at the beginning of the season. Worked out a couple of kinks to make our team better, we excelled then today.”
Concordia played with 10 men behind the ball trying to neutralize an offense that had scored 45 goals coming into tonight’s matchup. The back line was almost like a stone wall with nothing on goal for the first 70 minutes with the help of big time headers from Mike Wyvill and Adrian Wambua that silenced any center attack for a majority of the 90 minutes. Chavarria had one save and the win adding to his record.
Slade Leicht used his speed to keep the Mustangs off the ball as Garrote and Oliver Balazs continued to help maintain possession. Nineteen players made an impact to win the championship, including Milo Hegarty, Kai Olbrich, Joe McCarroll, Sam Hamilton, Niko Nareike, Karlo Rodriguez, Jasper Hofland, Mattis Hollnagel, Connor Robbins and Sean Stratman.
In their first shot on goal, the Mustangs swung a cross as Concordia keeper Inigo Chavarria blocked it out to the feet of Bennet Buchwald with a virtually empty net to equalize in the 71st minute. Morningside ends its season at 12-7-2.
Concordia (11-8) will wait for Friday (Nov. 14) as the NAIA will announce the qualifiers for the national tournament in the selection show at 5 p.m. CT.
Dawgs silence No. 24 Mounties in penalties; move to NAIA second round
Nov. 20, 2025
OLATHE, Kan. – For the first time in Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer history, the Bulldogs move on from round one of the NAIA national tournament after defeating Eastern Oregon University in penalty kicks (4-2) on Thursday (Nov. 20). The two sides were scoreless in the 110-minute defensive battle but Inigo Chavarria denied the unbeaten Mountaineers twice in the shootout. Ricards Busmeisters buried the game-winner to move on to the second round of the final dance.
Concordia (12-8-1) ties for the first time in 2025 but will face host No. 2 MidAmerica Nazarene University in less than 48 hours.
“It’s huge, you know,” Head Coach Jason Weides said. “It’s just a stepping stone for us. We have been fighting hard to do this for a while. Every program every year is kind of building on the back of the ones before you. These guys have worked hard. It has been a challenging but fun season. It’s just great to see it culminate in a tournament win.”
After regulation and both overtime periods, neither team could find the back of the net in the final third to force penalties to decide who would move to the next round.
In the 12-yard duel, Hugo Garrote and Mattis Hollnagel punched in back-to-back tallies but the Mounties responded with two of their own. Niko Nareike put the Bulldogs ahead in the race and Inigo Chavarria blocked out the third chance taken by EOU. After a Concordia miss, Chavarria stonewalled another kick to put the Dawgs one penalty away from going to the next stage.
Up walked the Riga, Latvia finisher, Busmeisters, as he took a deep breath and punched the winning ticket for his teammates as they ran to him in celebration of the final triumph.
“By the way they started them, we knew where they were going,” Chavarria said. “Everything is about getting into their minds. I was lucky and I could save it. All the team and the defense did a great job and I think they didn’t have many shots on target. We did a good job defending.”
The two teams had extremely close chances to end the match in overtime with both having four shots in extra time. Both were the best tries of the game and Oliver Benson owned the take for Concordia.
Chavarria clinched the shutout with two saves, his 5th of the season. The back line and midfield didn’t make it easy to get quality shots only firing two on frame in the 90 minutes. The team wall included the likes of Mike Wyvill, Adrian Wambua, Slade Leicht, Oliver Balazs, Sean Stratman, Joe McCarroll, Hollnagel and Garrote. The offense continued to press and counter-press continually throughout the game.
Garrote and Busmeisters were the only two with multiple shots as both defenses locked down their own halves.
Eastern Oregon finished with a 17-9 shot advantage after a nine-chance second half. The Mountaineers end their season unbeaten with a 13-0-6 record.
Concordia (12-8-1) will face off against the Olathe side MidAmerica Nazarene (13-2-5) on its home pitch at Pioneer Field. The two teams will take the field at 1 p.m. CT on Saturday with a trip to the NAIA National Championship final site on the line.
Dawgs drop second round match to No. 2 Pioneers
Nov. 22, 2025
OLATHE, Kan. – The No. 5 seed Bulldogs put forth a valiant effort but fell (3-0) to host No. 1 seed MidAmerica Nazarene University in the second round of the NAIA national tournament on Saturday (Nov. 22). Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer held off the Pioneers until the home side scored the eventual game winner late in the first frame.
The Bulldogs’ (12-9-1) season run ends in the second round for the first time in the history of the program after besting Eastern Oregon University in penalty kicks (4-2).
“It was a really good college soccer game overall,” Head Coach Jason Weides said. “When you look at the first half, the guys really executed our game plan. We caused them some challenges. Look, the odds were stacked against us. No. 2 team in the nation. No. 1 seed. They had rest, whereas we had to go to double overtime, but our team didn’t use that as an excuse. We were ready. Mentally, we were dialed into the match on a really short turnaround. Ultimately, some set plays were the difference in the match. They were a little bit better on set plays than us.”
In a great defensive battle, both sides fired two chances apiece in the first 34 minutes of the match. With MNU earning a corner, Nestor Reyes delivered a near post assist to Ferdi Hagen for the tap in score. Hagen, a former Concordia player, knocked in what would be the eventual contest-deciding goal.
The back line including captain Slade Leicht, Mike Wyvill, Mattis Hollnagel and Adrian Wambua continued to make it difficult for the MidAmerica Nazarene attack to get going as the No. 2 team in the nation only had four shots on goal in the 90 minutes. Inigo Chavarria blocked out an early potential goal.
With three shots taken in the first half, the Bulldogs began to take more in the second 45 minutes with seven (10-9 total) to the home squad’s four. Oliver Benson (three) and Hugo Garrote (two) paced the team in chances fired. Ricards Busmeisters, Kai Olbrich, Karlo Rodriguez, Milo Hegarty and Connor Robbins put offensive pressure on MNU at different moments.
Trying to cut the lead in half, Concordia’s Garrote took one of the better shots but the Pioneer keeper was able to get a paw on in it to push it just above the crossbar in the 67th minute.
The Pioneers’ Reyes would be on the front end of another set play score as Thomas Giraudo put the ball in the back of the net for insurance in the 61st minute. One more tally was added for MNU via Jeremie Pelade in an unassisted goal.
Concordia ends its season 12-9-1 and in the second round of the final playoffs after starting 0-4 in 2025. The Bulldogs won the GPAC tournament championship for the third time in history.
Said Weides, “It was important for our guys to see when we are coming off a double overtime game, and we are exhausted mentally, physically and emotionally, that we can come out here and play with a top team in the nation. We can compete really well. It just shows this team is capable of taking the next steps. Next, we want to be at the final site. We will come back stronger and try to find our way there next year.”
Season-In-Review: 2025 Concordia Men's Soccer
Dec. 11, 2025
Those who followed Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer team through its 2025 journey are well aware of the rough start. While up against a challenging nonconference slate, the Bulldogs scored just one goal over the season’s first four games and stood at 0-4. It’s a testament to the team’s character and resolve that, instead of going off the rails, the campaign finished with a historic achievement. The ’25 team became the first in program history to advance past the first round of the national tournament.
In dramatic fashion, the Bulldogs bounced No. 24 Eastern Oregon University from NAIA national championship play on Nov. 20. It came down to penalty kicks, which resulted in a 4-2 advantage for Head Coach Jason Weides’ squad. It will forever be an unforgettable moment in the program’s history.
“This team showed its mental resilience,” Weides said. “We had one of the worst starts we’ve ever had and then won a conference tournament title and got to nationals. To win in the first round and be in position to possibly advance to the final site against all odds – I’m just really proud of them. Whether it’s our leadership council or all the newcomers really growing into the season and the returners helping to cultivate and build our culture, it’s a season I’ll always remember. It’s a very resilient group that was fun to work with.”
Out of the despair of the 0-4 start, Weides’ 2025 team experienced the thrill of winning the GPAC Championship Game in front of the home fans at Bulldog Stadium before then traveling to Olathe, Kan., for NAIA National Championship tournament action. In other words, this edition of Concordia Men’s Soccer soaked up two of the most meaningful results in program history. It took some time, but eventually the Bulldogs discovered their winning formula. A squad that remained below .500 until late October finished at 12-9-1 overall while going 10-3 against GPAC competition (including the postseason).
That winning formula revolved around stingy defensive play and an offensive attack that grew more potent as the fall wore on. The addition of Ricards Busmeisters, a First Team All-GPAC honoree, proved critical. The Riga, Latvia, native led the team with 10 goals and clinched the PK shootout for Concordia with the strike that sunk Eastern Oregon. The GPAC All-Conference honor roll for the Bulldogs also included second teamers in Oliver Balazs, Hugo Garrote and Slade Leicht and honorable mention selections in Inigo Chavarria, Nolan Fuelberth, Adrian Wambua and Mike Wyvill.
The roster was revamped considerably from the previous year as Weides welcomed in one of the largest recruiting classes during his 18-year tenure. There were growing pains in the beginning, and almost nothing came easy, as exemplified by the postseason run. In the GPAC tournament, the Bulldogs won all three games by one-goal margins: 1-0 (overtime) over Hastings, 3-2 over Briar Cliff and 2-1 over Morningside in the conference final. Concordia embraced the tight moments.
“There’s a lot of luck involved when you get to PK’s, but it’s about your preparation and your confidence,” said Weides in breaking down the first round of the national tournament. “I think we’ve won five out of six PK shootouts in our time. We feel really confident when we get to those moments. Even though it could go either way, our guys are prepared. They did the job. Inigo our goalkeeper is another reason we feel confident. He’s been amazing in those situations. He came up with two big saves. It was an important national tournament win for us. It’s a great step for our program to be able to go deeper into national tournaments. We’ve been there before, but we weren’t able to get past that first round. It was a really important moment for us.”
The season ended one win shy of reaching the national tournament final site, Orange Beach, Ala. In round two played in Olathe, the Bulldogs were defeated, 3-0, by site host MidAmerica Nazarene University in a contest that was more competitive than the final score indicated. In a unique twist, Concordia went up against a former ally in Ferdi Hagen, who scored one of the Pioneers’ three goals. The Bulldogs were beaten despite a 10-9 edge in the shot category. Even in defeat, Weides came away encouraged by how his side showed it belonged on the same field as an opponent ranked No. 2 in the NAIA coaches’ poll.
Said Weides, “I thought it might be a tough match with us coming off double overtime and being pretty fatigued. It was the second time all year where we went: game, day off, game. I thought we might get caught defending most of the game, and it really wasn’t that way. Our guys handled their press really well and were able to build and get forward and create chances. Possession was pretty even. The difference in that match was set plays … It showed we can play with the top teams and compete at this level. It’s unfortunate we’re not down in Orange Beach, but I think our team got one step closer to being prepared to get there in the future.”
Over 22 games in 2025, Concordia outscored its opponents by a combined total of 34-28 and won its final 10 home games of the season. The team’s top goal scorers outside of Busmeisters were Jasper Hofland (five), Oliver Bneson (four), Kai Olbrich (four) and Hugo Garrote (three). Benson paced the Bulldogs with six assists, one of which came on Busmeister’s game-winning goal in the GPAC tournament final. Garrote also produced one of the season’s most critical goals as he scored on a free kick to defeat Hastings in the GPAC quarterfinals.
At the keeper position, Chavarria eventually became the full-time starter after transferring from Harding University. He split time earlier in the season with an accomplished keeper in Fuelberth. Among GPAC keepers, Chavarria ranked second in goals against average (1.02) and third in save percentage (.778). He had a strong back line in front of him thanks to the likes of All-GPAC honorees in Leicht, Wambua and Wyvill.
The initial struggles made it all the more rewarding when the Bulldogs hoisted the GPAC championship trophy and celebrated with the conference championship banner. No matter the personnel departures from the previous year, Concordia expects to be a factor every fall in the conference championship race. In 2025, nothing changed. The route to a championship was an “uncommon” one. The word ‘uncommon’ happened to be the team’s theme. It was an apt descriptor considering where the Bulldogs stood in September.
For the seniors who are moving on, they can take pride in what has been accomplished in recent years. Back on senior day (Sept. 6), the program honored eight seniors: Santiago Abadia, Caleb Babisak, Oliver Benson, Inigo Chavarria, Lance Kiango, Slade Leicht, Kondwani Mtawali and Adrian Wambua. The four-year seniors were part of GPAC tournament title runs in 2022 and 2025 and helped the 2023 team reach as high as No. 18 in the NAIA coaches’ poll. The ’24 squad also hosted the conference final and was the runner up.
That veteran group helped hold things together during moments of doubt. That doubt transitioned into belief and gave way to a championship season.
“We suffered together,” Weides said. “If you’re willing to endure and suffer together, sometimes you can have that reward at the end. It was a great joy to see them have that reward. After the first four, five or six games, I can’t imagine there were many people that thought we were capable of doing that. Sometimes it’s about proving yourself wrong and proving others wrong along the way. It was fun to have this playoff run in front of Bulldog Nation and be able to host all three rounds and have the GPAC final at home for the second year in a row. Those are special moments. This was the first championship that we won at home. That made it really special.”
For an inside look at the GPAC title run, check out our feature from Nov. 16 titled, “An uncommon journey: from 0-4 to GPAC championship glory.” That feature can be found HERE.