Major strides were made offensively from 2025 to 2026 by a Concordia University, Nebraska Softball program that has shown incremental progress over recent seasons. The Bulldogs reconvened this fall, starting fresh with a high overall talent level and healthy team culture. From a leadership perspective, Head Coach Brock Culler has put his trust in the 2026-27 senior class, a group that represents his first full recruiting class after his hiring in June 2022.
In the fall semester, Concordia continues to lay the groundwork for a 2027 season with plenty of promise. As Culler explains, “For us, the fall is all about evaluating players and getting them together so they can spend time with each other and get to know each other. We're kind of killing two birds with one stone. We're getting a good evaluation as coaches, and the players are getting to spend time together and build relationships.”
Throughout the month of September, the Bulldogs used a format that included structured practice Monday through Wednesday, Thursday intrasquad scrimmages, Fridays off and then scrimmages with outside opponents on Saturdays (although rain sometimes intervened). Concordia tested itself against competition from the NAIA, NCAA Division II and junior college divisions while getting a feel for the depth of the roster. On Sept. 5, the program hosted family and friends of Bulldog Softball for an intrasquad gathering that included a lavish postgame meal.
The Plum Creek Park four-plex again served as the fall training site for Culler’s squad. Meanwhile, members of the team can’t help but notice the progress that continues to be made on the ballfield that will soon occupy a piece of land on the far east part of Concordia’s campus. For those interested in supporting the ongoing project, please visit the Shine Forth campaign website HERE. The initiative is a regular topic within the Concordia community.
Said Culler of the player reaction, “They love walking by and seeing that. They can see the vision and know it's coming, and it's talked about a lot. There's a lot of excitement around that. I'll tell you what, that's a game changer. Not to be able to just show them the renderings now – but then when they get on campus – to actually see machinery out there moving dirt, that's huge. It's well-received on the recruiting side, too.”
As the state-of-the-art field comes to fruition, the Bulldogs hope to put themselves in position to host GPAC tournament and NAIA Opening Round contests on the new diamond in the years to come. Concordia wasn’t satisfied with how it ended up this past spring – 23-20 overall and in sixth place in the final GPAC standings. However, Concordia competed intensely at the conference tournament with national qualifiers Morningside (5-4 loss) and Dordt (6-4 loss).
Culler is convinced that all of the pieces will eventually fall into place. It starts with a strong player-led culture the team has continued cultivating this fall. Seniors like Laycee Josoff set the standard.
Said Culler, “It's always interesting because you're bringing in new players and players have left the program. Everybody's trying to find out what their niche and role are, both athletically on the playing surface and in terms of leadership. We have some great leaders. Everybody is just kind of feeling their way around, but our culture and team chemistry are really good. They get along really well, so that's an absolute blessing.”
Among the senior class of seven members, Aubriana Krieser became the first to commit after Culler took the reins of the program. Krieser (first base) and Josoff (second base) are expected to be rocks for a lineup that will also feature fellow 2026 GPAC All-Conference honorees in DP Keira Farritor, outfielder Mary Beth Hart and catchers Grace Maguire and Avery O’Boyle. The ’26 Bulldogs posted markers the ’27 team will attempt to surpass – a .339 team batting average and 5.43 runs scored per game. Defensively, Concordia ranked second in the conference in fielding percentage (.961).
Based on the fall, Culler sees potential for the Bulldogs to elevate themselves across the board.
“I think offensively we're going to be better,” Culler said. “Pitching has definitely taken a big step forward. It's not that any one of those areas wasn't good last year. It's just that from what I've seen so far this fall, there's reason to believe we'll be better in those two areas. Defensively, we're still trying to find some pieces. We're going to have some very young players contributing, so it's a matter of getting our top hitters in the lineup and then figuring out how that shakes out defensively.”
Concordia has begun replacing two critical up-the-middle positions with shortstop Taryn Ganstrom and center fielder Tobi Topp having graduated. A .400 hitter as a freshman, Hart slid from left field to center this fall and is likely to start there in the spring. The shortstop position could wind up being held down by a freshman. Waverly High School product Jill Hind has impressed the coaching staff in fall ball.
Also from Waverly, senior Kaylei Denison has improved each season in the circle. She recorded a 3.56 ERA in 155.1 innings last season. Denison headlines what figures to be a deeper pitching staff. Out of Beatrice High School, freshman Laylo Boyko is primed to play a significant role after turning in stellar results in fall scrimmages. As Culler said of Denison, “She's out in front of them and leading them. Deni’s outstanding.”
The only negative Culler sees is that there’s now a long wait before his team gets to play another opponent again. Come the spring of 2027, Concordia will be headed to Texas and will also take part in an NAIA softball showcase event in Oklahoma City. As of October, the full ’27 schedule is yet to be announced.
Offseason preparation continues through Nebraska’s colder months. Concordia will make regular use of the hitting center while finding time for work on the turf as the season draws nearer. The players will continue to work with Culler and a staff that includes Melissa Martinez, Jenessa Anderson and Aaron Glause.
Of the months ahead, Culler says, “We've just got to continue developing our younger players at the college level. They're doing an awesome job. Our freshman class is loaded with talent. Then it's getting our seniors to kind of drive this vehicle that we have. I think it's just a matter of getting used to playing with our RPMs up. If we can play very fast and with a lot of energy, which I know we will, we'll be in a good spot … It's a matter of getting our best hitting lineup in there and then shuffling things around from there.”
For more offseason news, visit the Concordia Softball homepage HERE.