An offensive outbreak elevated the entertainment level and supplied the 2026 Concordia University, Nebraska Softball team with enough firepower to compete with anyone in the GPAC. A pair of tight postseason contests against national qualifying opponents proved the Bulldogs are moving closer to their ultimate goals. Perhaps most importantly, Head Coach Brock Culler’s program took a leap forward in establishing a culture that will carry positivity and optimism into the spring of 2027.
The overall record of 23-20 wasn’t what Concordia had hoped for, but the closing stretch of the ’26 campaign had the Bulldogs feeling like they are on the brink of turning the corner.
“You don’t want to end your season on a loss, but our team played very hard,” Culler said. “We played good, clean softball. Sometimes you just get beat. There was some high-level softball being played at the GPAC tournament. I was really proud of our team for how they played the game. I really wish we could have had a couple more timely hits because we were right there in all those games – so close.”
Someday soon, the Bulldogs would like to be able to look back on the 2026 season as one that helped nudge the program a step towards a return to the national tournament. Concordia became a dangerous offensive team that went from a .290 batting average with an average of 4.60 runs per game in 2025 to respective figures of .339 and 5.43 in 2026. Freshman Mary Beth Hart served as a catalyst at the top of the lineup and hit an impressive .401 in her first collegiate season. Hart and her teammates soaked up a journey that featured a season opening trip down to Mesquite, Texas, and several drives down to Kansas prior to the start of league play.
Among GPAC teams, the ’26 Bulldogs ranked second in both batting average (.339) and fielding percentage (.961) while striking out fewer times than any other team in the conference. Hart starred as the program’s first freshman to be named First Team All-GPAC since 2018 (Hhana Haro). Eight other position players pulled in all-conference awards, including first teamer Keira Farritor (sophomore DP) and second teamers in seniors Taryn Ganstrom (SS) and Tobi Topp (OF). Farritor grabbed the spotlight in mid-April when she obliterated three home runs in one game, making her the first Bulldog to accomplish that feat since 2010.
As part of a postseason interview, Culler was asked specifically about the impact of Farritor and Hart as blossoming young stars. Said Culler, “Mary Beth, she does it all. She’s very good defensively and brings an incredible attitude and love for the game and her teammates. She hit .400 this year. That’s an awesome accomplishment for a freshman. She steals bases – she can do it all. Keira Farritor is just a big-time threat in the batter’s box. Any moment, something big is going to happen. You just know it with her. She works so hard at her craft. We’re excited to have both of those players back.”
While there’s excitement about what players return in 2027, the program will miss its seniors. When the end of the season arrived on April 30, Culler made a point to deliver a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to the class of seven seniors. The group includes Addy Dean, Taryn Ganstrom, Emma Kirby, Tobi Topp, Isabella Wolter, Aubrey Wright and Grace Zaugg. Culler was visibly emotional when the team held its senior day on April 25. Five of those seniors were transfers who quickly found a home at Concordia.
A native of Seneca, Kan., Ganstrom was especially productive in hitting .358 with 107 career hits over three seasons as a Bulldog. She earned two second team all-conference awards and produced the second most career triples in program history. Topp seized the starting center field role and hit .333 with 16 extra-base hits (four home runs) while Zaugg (.354 BA) and Wright (.256 BA) split time in right field. In a feel-good senior day moment, Wolter struck out the final batter of the top of the sixth versus College of Saint Mary.
Culler has no doubt about the future for those seniors. Said Culler, “The message for our team after the final game was just a thank you to the senior class for everything they did. They flipped the script on the culture in this program. This was one of the best bunches of people I’ve ever been around. They are so competitive and were so bought-in to the mission. I feel like we have some really good momentum.”
Out of the junior class, pitcher Kaylei Denison, second baseman Laycee Josoff, first baseman Aubriana Krieser and catcher Grace Maguire each garnered all-conference accolades. Like Ganstrom, Krieser notched her 100th career hit this spring while serving as a force in the middle of the lineup. She batted .368 with four home runs. Meanwhile, Josoff took a major step forward offensively (career-high .315 BA) and Maguire teamed with sophomore Avery O’Boyle (both HM All-GPAC) for a productive catching duo. O’Boyle homered as part of a strong GPAC tournament.
As for Denison, she took over the role of staff ace from Megan Eurich and continued her improvement in the circle. The Waverly High School product logged 155.1 innings and pitched to a 3.56 ERA in 33 appearances (26 starts). Denison fired shutouts against Hastings and Doane and kept Concordia close with Morningside and Dordt in postseason play. The lion’s share of the remaining innings were covered by freshman Kierstyn Linn, who laid the groundwork for a strong career.
Culler will have high expectations for Denison as she enters her senior season. Said Culler, “She’s highly, highly competitive. She basically told the team (at the GPAC tournament): follow me, I’ve got this. Just get me some runs and I’ll keep these offenses at bay. Every single scouting report that we had, she executed so well. When you get somebody out there pitching like that, you want to win for her so bad. Our team really did. I can’t say enough about how hard she competed.”
Culler will add competition in the pitching circle in 2026-27. Concordia would like to continue the offensive and defensive progress it showed this spring while cutting back on the 4.86 runs per game it allowed. Another young player worth mentioning, freshman Bailey Merritt displayed stellar defense at third base. Based on this season’s lineup, the Bulldogs will have holes to fill at shortstop, center field and right field, but the roster is shaping up as perhaps Culler’s most talented yet.
It’s now offseason mode for Culler, assistant coach Melissa Martinez and the staff. Recruiting and player development will continue over the summer.
Said Culler, “We’re wrapping up player meetings and establishing some goals and things we want to start right away leading into the summer. We’ll start sending summer workouts about the first part of June. Then it’s recruiting. I’ll be on the road in a few weeks already and we’re going to hit recruiting hard and get after this ’27 class. We’ll have things that they’re going to do over the summer leading into the fall. We have an awesome class coming in this fall. There’s a lot to be excited about. You have to turn around and get right back to work.”
For continued coverage of Concordia Softball, check out the team’s online homepage HERE.