2025 Softball Schedule/Results
27-20 overall | 12-10 GPAC (5th) | Season Stats | Roster
| Date | Opponent | Location | Result | Record |
| American State Bank Classic: Feb. 1-2 | ||||
| Feb. 1 | Mayville State University (N.D.) | Sioux Center, Iowa | W, 5-0 | 1-0 |
| Feb. 1 | University of Sioux Falls (S.D.) | Sioux Center, Iowa | L, 3-4 | 1-1 |
| Feb. 2 | Culver-Stockton College (Mo.) - DH | Sioux Center, Iowa | W, 7-6 | W, 13-2 (5 inn.) | 3-1 |
| Feb. 16-17 (American State Bank Sports Complex) | ||||
| Feb. 16 | Bellevue University | Sioux Center, Iowa | L, 0-6 | 3-2 |
| Feb. 16 | (18) Benedictine College (Kan.) | Sioux Center, Iowa | W, 4-3 (9 inn.) | 4-2 |
| Feb. 17 | Bellevue University | Sioux Center, Iowa | W, 9-4 | 5-2 |
| Feb. 17 | (18) Benedictine College (Kan.) | Sioux Center, Iowa | L, 3-7 | 5-3 |
| USM Top Gun NAIA Invite: Feb. 28-March 2 | ||||
| Feb. 28 | MidAmerica Nazarene University (Kan.) | Shawnee, Kan. | L, 6-7 | 5-4 |
| Feb. 28 | Peru State College (Neb.) | Shawnee, Kan. | W, 4-1 | 6-4 |
| March 1 | (18) Benedictine College (Kan.) | Shawnee, Kan. | L, 0-9 (5 inn.) | 6-5 |
| March 1 | (24) Baker University (Kan.) | Shawnee, Kan. | L, 0-3 | 6-6 |
| March 2 | Graceland University (Iowa) | Shawnee, Kan. | W, 2-0 | 7-6 |
| March 2 | Park University (Mo.) | Shawnee, Kan. | W, 4-2 | 8-6 |
| Tucson Invitational: March 9-13 | ||||
| March 9 | William Penn University (Iowa) | Tucson, Ariz. | W, 5-2 | 9-6 |
| March 9 | Franklin and Marshall College (Penn.) | Tucson, Ariz. | W, 9-7 | 10-6 |
| March 10 | Viterbo University (Wis.) | Tucson, Ariz. | W, 11-3 (5 inn.) | 11-6 |
| March 10 | Mayville State University (N.D.) | Tucson, Ariz. | W, 9-0 (5 inn.) | 12-6 |
| March 12 | Westcliff University (Calif.) | Tucson, Ariz. | L, 5-14 | 12-7 |
| March 12 | Valley City State (N.D.) | Tucson, Ariz. | W, 8-3 | 13-7 |
| March 13 | Salve Regina University (R.I.) | Tucson, Ariz. | W, 6-2 | 14-7 |
| March 13 | Simpson University (Calif.) | Tucson, Ariz. | W, 8-4 | 15-7 |
| March 22 | *Dakota Wesleyan University - DH | Mitchell, S.D. | L, 2-3 (8 inn.) | W, 10-8 | 16-8, 1-1 |
| March 26 | *Hastings College - DH | Hastings, Neb. | L, 0-4 | W, 11-5 | 17-9, 2-2 |
| March 28 | *Briar Cliff University - DH | Seward, Neb. | W, 7-6 | W, 8-3 | 19-9, 4-2 |
| April 2 | *(22) Midland University - DH | Seward, Neb. | W, 2-0 | L, 0-1 | 20-10, 5-3 |
| April 4 | *(7) Northwestern College - DH | Sioux Center, Iowa | L, 0-9 (5 inn.) | L, 2-6 | 20-12, 5-5 |
| April 8 | *Morningside University - DH | Sioux City, Iowa | L, 0-8 (5 inn.) | L, 1-7 | 20-14, 5-7 |
| April 11 | *Doane University - DH | Crete, Neb. | L, 0-2 | W, 5-4 | 21-15, 6-8 |
| April 12 | *Waldorf University - DH | Seward, Neb. | W, 8-0 (6 inn.) | W, 2-1 | 23-15, 8-8 |
| April 15 | *Dordt University - DH | Seward, Neb. | L, 6-9 | W, 13-3 (5 inn.) | 24-16, 9-9 |
| April 19 | *Mount Marty University - DH | Seward, Neb. | L, 1-2 | W, 4-3 | 25-17, 10-10 |
| April 23 | Bellevue University - 1x7 | Seward, Neb. | L, 2-9 | 25-18 |
| April 26 | *College of Saint Mary - DH | Omaha, Neb. | W, 6-3 | W, 4-0 | 27-18, 12-10 |
| GPAC Softball Tournament Pod Play: April 30-May 1 | ||||
| April 30 | Dakota Wesleyan University | Orange City, Iowa | L, 1-6 | 27-19 |
| April 30 | Northwestern College | Orange City, Iowa | L, 0-6 | 27-20 |
2025 Softball Roster
| No. | Name | Pos. | Ht. | Yr. | B/T | Hometown | Previous School |
| 1 | Tobi Topp | OF | 5-5 | Jr. | R/R | Lloydminister, Canada | Lloydminster HS / Iowa Central CC |
| 2 | Aubrey Wright | UTL | 5-2 | Jr. | R/R | Sterling, Colo. | Sterling HS / Northeastern JC |
| 4 | Grace Maguire | C | 5-4 | So. | R/R | Papillion, Neb. | Papillion La Vista South HS |
| 5 | Kylie Shottenkirk | 1B/SS | 5-8 | Sr. | R/R | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln North Star HS |
| 6 | Avery O'Boyle | C/INF | 5-6 | Fr. | R/R | Grand Island, Neb. | Grand Island Central Catholic HS |
| 7 | Megan Eurich | P | 5-10 | Sr. | R/R | Gretna, Neb. | Gretna HS |
| 8 | Aaliyah Arias | 3B/C | 5-2 | Sr. | R/R | Fillmore, Calif. | Fillmore HS |
| 9 | Kaylei Denison | P | 5-7 | So. | R/R | Waverly, Neb. | Waverly HS |
| 10 | Laycee Josoff | SS | 5-6 | So. | R/R | Yutan, Neb. | Yutan HS |
| 11 | Aubrey Bruning | OF | 5-4 | Sr. | L/L | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Southeast HS |
| 12 | Grace Zaugg | C/3B | 5-5 | Jr. | R/R | Watkins, Iowa | Xavier HS / Kirkwood CC |
| 13 | Jayden Fernau | C/3B | 5-11 | Jr. | R/R | Seward, Neb. | Seward HS |
| 14 | Piper Seidl | OF | 5-5 | So. | R/R | Newton, Kan. | Newton HS |
| 16 | Brooke Moore | P/OF | 5-7 | Fr. | R/R | Wellington, Colo. | Poudre HS |
| 17 | Landri Loos | OF | 5-6 | So. | L/L | Loup City, Neb. | Loup City HS |
| 18 | Alexia Sanchez | 3B/INF | 5-2 | Fr. | R/R | Ulysses, Kan. | Ulysses HS |
| 19 | Addy Dean | UTL | 5-5 | Jr. | R/R | Madrid, Iowa | Madrid HS / Iowa Central CC |
| 20 | Alyvia Hardy | P/OF | 5-2 | Fr. | R/R | Cheyenne, Wyo. | East HS |
| 21 | Delanie Voshell | OF | 5-7 | Sr. | R/R | Shenandoah, Iowa | Shenandoah HS / DMACC |
| 22 | Zoie Isom | P/1B | 5-10 | Sr. | R/R | Fillmore, Calif. | Fillmore HS |
| 23 | Aubriana Krieser | 1B | 5-8 | So. | R/L | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln North Star HS |
| 24 | Emma Kirby | C/OF/3B | 5-4 | Jr. | R/R | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Southeast HS |
| 25 | Jennifer Katz | P/OF | 5-9 | Sr. | R/R | Omaha, Neb. | Louisville HS / Southwestern CC |
| 26 | Piper Whited | UTL | 5-2 | Fr. | R/R | Ord, Neb. | Ord HS |
| 27 | Kate Lichti | C | 5-8 | Fr. | R/R | Omaha, Neb. | Millard North HS |
| 28 | Jordan Head | P/1B | 5-7 | So. | L/R | Hastings, Neb. | Hastings St. Cecilia HS |
| 29 | Keira Farritor | 1B/UTL | 5-10 | Fr. | R/R | Malcom, Neb. | Malcom HS |
| 30 | Isabella Wolter | P/UTIL | 5-5 | Jr. | R/R | Benson, Minn. | Benson HS |
| 31 | Lillian Loghry | UTL | 5-2 | Fr. | R/R | Elkhorn, Neb. | Elkhorn North HS |
| 32 | Hanna Bowers | UTIL | 5-5 | Sr. | R/R | Surprise, Ariz. | Willow Canyon HS |
| 34 | Mazie Beister | UTL | 5-3 | Fr. | R/R | Albion, Neb. | Boone Central HS |
| 35 | Taryn Ganstrom | P/UTIL | 5-4 | Jr. | R/R | Seneca, Neb. | Nemeha Central HS / Southwestern CC |
| 36 | Montgomery Berner | C/3B | 5-2 | Jr. | R/R | Elk Grove, Calif. | Elk Grove HS |
| 37 | Trinity Stephens | OF/UTL | 5-3 | Fr. | R/R | Frisco, Texas | Centennial HS |
| 38 | Makayla Peterson | OF/P | 5-7 | Fr. | R/R | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Southeast HS |
| 39 | Nevara Yocom | C/UTL | 5-7 | Fr. | R/L | Wellington, Colo. | Fort Collins HS |
| Krystal Carter-Russ | OF | 5-3 | Fr. | R/R | Gretna, Neb. | Gretna HS | |
| Elena Shipley | OF/UTL | 5-5 | Fr. | R/R | Elkhorn, Neb. | Elkhorn HS | |
| Bethany Thomas | SS/2B | 5-2 | Sr. | R/R | Libby, Mont. | Libby HS |
STAFF
Brock Culler, Head Coach (3rd Year)
Melissa Martinez, Assistant Coach
Jenessa Jarvis, Assistant Coach
Aaron Glause, Assistant Coach
Season Preview: 2025 Concordia Softball
Jan. 17, 2025
Head Coach: Brock Culler (38-55, 3rd season)
2024 Record: 23-25, 13-9 GPAC (T-3rd)
Key Returners: Hanna Bowers (2B); Aubrey Bruning (OF); Kaylie Denison (P); Megan Eurich (P); Laycee Josoff (SS); Jennifer Katz (OF); Aubriana Krieser (1B); Kylie Shottenkirk (1B/3B); Delanie Voshell (OF).
Key Losses: Taylor Glause (C); Julia Van Wey (1B/3B).
2024 GPAC All-Conference: Megan Eurich (First Team); Aubrey Bruning (Second Team); Taylor Glause (Second Team); Aubriana Krieser (Second Team); Kylie Shottenkirk (Second Team); Jennifer Katz (Honorable Mention); Laycee Josoff (Honorable Mention); Julia Van Wey (Honorable Mention); Delanie Voshell (Honorable Mention).
Outlook
It’s been a process, but the transformation of Concordia University, Nebraska Softball under Head Coach Brock Culler has entered another phase. The Bulldogs leveled up in 2024 when an April surge pushed them into third place in the final GPAC standings, just one year after they placed in a tie for 10th. The quantum leap forward has Concordia thinking big heading into 2025. The program graduated just three seniors from last season’s team and brings in a strong recruiting class meant to further fortify the roster.
Above all else, the Bulldogs needed to experience the success they got a taste for last spring. It was an injection of confidence for a group of upperclassmen that has navigated its share of ups and downs over the past few seasons. Culler has brought stability and an overwhelmingly positive voice to the dugout.
“Coaches and players are all on the same page,” Culler said. “The players are self-running a lot of things. The communication between the players and coaches is great. A lot of the conversations that are taking place gear more towards the potential of this season and what we have to do. They are owning it. They’re really buying into this whole thing. It gives me a lot of confidence – it really does … The confidence was the biggest thing – yeah, we can do this. Once they felt it themselves, it was really a big deal.”
The 13 GPAC wins the 2024 team posted were nine more than the total accumulated by the ’23 squad. Last April, Concordia reached a crossroads when it sat at 12-20 overall (2-6 GPAC) before showing its mettle. As part of a stretch of 10 wins in 11 games, ace pitcher Megan Eurich locked up opposing hitters and the likes of Kylie Shottenkirk and Aubriana Krieser caught fire at the plate. Looking forward to this spring, the Bulldogs believe they have put those past struggles behind them.
Culler and lead assistant coach Melissa Martinez welcome back seven of the team’s nine GPAC All-Conference award winners from 2024, including the Gretna, Neb., native Eurich, primed for a stellar senior season. That group of returning all-conference honorees includes second teamers in Krieser, Shottenkirk and outfielder Aubrey Bruning and honorable mention performers in outfielders Jennifer Katz and Delanie Voshell and shortstop Laycee Josoff. Bruning, Eurich, Katz, Krieser, Shottenkirk and Voshell make up a significant portion of the nine-member senior class.
That senior group is determined to set the tone for a 2025 team that believes it can compete with anyone in the GPAC. Said Eurich, “I think the senior class is outstanding. We’ve been through so much since our freshman year. It’s amazing how we’ve all stuck together, went through it and fought it out. Even though there have been some tough times we’ve had to go through along the way, I feel like we all kind of connected in that bond in helping us get to that next level. It’s an amazing ride that we’ve been on, and I can’t wait for this season.”
As someone who logged 196.2 innings in 2024, Eurich plays as important of a role as anyone on the team. Her meteoric rise to stardom has served as an incredible success story and a testament to what is possible for those who have the right kind of attitude and work ethic. Eurich even broke the program’s single season strikeout record with 194 last season. She will headline a pitching staff that also features junior Taryn Ganstrom and sophomore Kaylei Denison, among others.
A transfer from Southwestern Community College, Ganstrom developed into the team’s No. 2 pitcher in 2024 and posted a 3.72 ERA in 64 innings. As a freshman, Denison hinted at her vast potential. With all the key pieces back in place in this area, Culler feels strongly that pitching and defense will again be a strength in 2025. When times get tight, Culler will turn to Eurich, who relishes the big moments when the game is on the line.
“When her career’s all over, it’s going to be a really cool story,” said Culler of Eurich. “She’s had an outstanding journey. Really good work ethic. Great head on her shoulders. She’s really become more of a student of the game and understands more of the strategic side of pitching. I think that was a big reason for her success last year. This year, she’s got a lot of personal goals and team goals. She’s going to build on the momentum from last year. She really wants to close out her career and have a really good season this year for her team. “
As Eurich has trended upward, so too has Concordia’s offensive lineup. Three returners hit better than .300 in 2024: Krieser (.389), Bruning (.323) and Shottenkirk (.310). A senior with 123 career hits to her credit, Shottenkirk became so scalding hot in April that she was honored as the NAIA National Player of the Week. As of mid-January, Krieser (first base) and Shottenkirk (third base) project to hold down the corner infield spots. Meanwhile, the immensely talented sophomore Josoff will start at short and senior Hanna Bowers has her sights set on reclaiming the second base spot. At catcher, returners such as Montgomery Berner and Jayden Fernau bring experience while Avery O’Boyle is a freshman to watch.
In the outfield, Culler will have no shortage of options as all three starters return: Bruning, Katz and Voshell from left to right. The slap-hitting Bruning owns a career .313 batting average, 101 hits and 37 stolen bases in 129 games played as a Bulldog. Meanwhile, Katz (Southwestern CC transfer) collected 11 extra-base hits as the team’s center fielder and Voshell played a strong right field. There are also newcomers pushing for time in the outfield. With Krieser expected to play first base, the designated player spot is there for the taking for someone who can prove to be a productive hitter.
Considering the offensive talent, Concordia will expect to increase its average of 4.0 runs per game in 2024. Said Culler, “At one point we were in ninth place in the conference last year. We look around in our meeting room and there’s tons of talent on this team. We had to get our offense going. Our pitching has been really good with Megan and our defense was playing at a high level. We just needed our offense to match that. Once we got it going, you saw what happened. We went on that run. That momentum is going to be big going into this year.”
Added Culler of Krieser and Shottenkirk, “They’ve picked up right where they left off – even a bit better. They’re just a little bit smarter as far as their approach to the plate. They’re very talented offensively. Our hitting lineup is going to be very deep.”
The key in 2025 will be getting out of the gates faster. The 2023 and 2024 teams both struggled at the outset of conference action. But the Bulldogs believed they have learned from those experiences and are now better off. Picked fifth in the GPAC (according to the conference ranking posted to NAIA.org), Concordia is preparing and talking like a team that knows it can do some damage.
“I think this year is going to be an amazing year for us,” Eurich said. “My sophomore year we struggled. We had to fight our way back my junior year to try to get back to the GPAC tournament, and we did. We made it to the GPAC tournament and that was very eye-opening for all of us. Even though it felt a little bit short, we were able to experience what it’s like to be in the tournament. I feel like we have a very good team that’s ready to get out there and go play some games. I’m excited to see where we can go this year.”
Said Culler when asked about competing with the best of the GPAC, “I’m an optimistic person. I feel real good about this season and how we’re going to match up with those top teams in our conference. Our players feel the same way. They’re not overly confident, there’s just that feel. The way they conduct themselves gives me a lot of optimism.”
The 2025 season will get started immediately as the calendar flips to February. The weekend of Feb. 1-2, the Bulldogs are slated to play four games at the indoor American State Bank Sports Complex in Sioux Center, Iowa. Concordia will remain on the road for the entire month of February and for most of March. The complete 2025 schedule can be viewed HERE.
Concordia Softball lands at No. 5 in 2025 GPAC preseason poll
Jan. 23, 2025
SEWARD, Neb. – After Concordia University, Nebraska shot up the standings last year, the 2025 GPAC Softball Preseason Coaches’ Poll showed Head Coach Brock Culler’s squad trending upward. The league office announced the Bulldogs were slotted fifth with 84 total points compared to last preseason’s 50 (ninth place) on Thursday (Jan. 23).
The Seward dugout will look to surpass the 3rd place finish (tied) and return to the postseason in May. Concordia will bring back seven of its nine 2024 All-GPAC honorees with the lone first-teamer Megan Eurich returning to the pitcher’s circle. Aubrey Bruning, Aubriana Krieser, Kylie Shottenkirk, Jennifer Katz, Laycee Josoff and Delanie Voshell will return to the lineup, having a slew of veterans running out on the field. The Dawgs have graduated multiple year starters Taylor Glause and Julia Van Wey.
The Bulldogs are slated to get the 2025 season started on Feb. 1 with a doubleheader versus Mayville State University (N.D.) and University of Sioux Falls (S.D.) at the ASB Sports Complex. The complete ’25 schedule can be found HERE.
2025 GPAC Softball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
--First-place vote in parentheses
1. Northwestern – 120 (10)
2. Midland – 110 (1)
3. Dordt – 94 (1)
4. Morningside – 89
5. Concordia – 84
6. Doane – 63
7. Mount Marty – 60
8. Briar Cliff – 50
9. Dakota Wesleyan – 45
10. Hastings – 35
11. College of Saint Mary – 30
12. Waldorf – 12
Bulldogs split on opening day as Denison shines in the circle
Feb. 1, 2025
SIOUX CENTER, Iowa – A much anticipated 2025 season arrived on Saturday (Feb. 1) morning as the Concordia University, Nebraska Softball team displayed a strong 1-2 punch in the pitching circle. In contests that took place inside the American State Bank Sports Complex in Sioux Center, Iowa, the Bulldogs earned a 5-0 win over NAIA foe Mayville State University (N.D.) before dropping a 4-3 decision at the hands of NCAA Division II opponent University of Sioux Falls. Sophomore Kaylei Denison tossed a two-hit shutout in the victory.
Head Coach Brock Culler’s squad enters ’25 with high expectations after surging to third place in the final 2024 GPAC standings. Culler liked plenty of what he saw on Saturday.
“I had a pretty good idea of what our pitching was going to be like,” Culler said. “The pitching looked good, and we’re really good defensively. It’s going to be about our hitting. Against Sioux Falls, their pitcher threw well today, and we didn’t make any adjustments the first five innings. We got on our team a little bit about the outside pitch. We made that adjustment and had the tying run on second base (in the seventh). There’s a lot to be excited about. We needed these first two games to get a read on where we’re at. If they could go play another game today, they would.”
Very little run production was needed against the Comets as Denison dealt pellets in the circle. The Waverly, Neb., native surrendered a single in the second and a bunt hit in the third as the only hits in what amounted to Denison’s first career shutout. Denison also worked around four walks while fanning eight Mayville State batters. The defense behind her committed just a single error. That defense included Taryn Ganstrom at shortstop.
Offensively, Concordia did its damage in the third and sixth innings when it scored three and two runs, respectively. In the third, Hanna Bowers and Aubriana Krieser delivered an RBI single apiece and another run came home thanks to some aggressive base running. Three frames later, Jennifer Katz added insurance with a rocket of a two-run homer (third of Bulldog career) to left. As part of the attack in game one, Aubrey Bruning and Delanie Voshell both doubled.
Ace pitcher Megan Eurich then took the ball in game two and worked all six innings. The Cougars managed to push across a run apiece in the first and second frames and then two more in the fourth. Trailing 4-1 after fiving innings, Concordia made a late push. Tobi Topp drove in a run with a ground out in the sixth and Krieser doubled home a run in the seventh. With the potential tying run at second base and two outs in the seventh, Sioux Falls pitcher Maddie Duncan coaxed a grounder to second to end the game.
Eurich tightened the screws by throwing scoreless fifth and sixth innings against Sioux Falls. She allowed four runs on five hits and two walks to go along with five strikeouts. At the plate, the Bulldogs were limited to five hits (only one extra-base hit) by Duncan, who went all seven innings. Opposing pitchers faced a Concordia lineup largely featuring established returners, but two players made their Bulldog debuts as starters on Saturday: freshman Avery O’Boyle at catcher (game one) and Topp at designated player (game two). O’Boyle notched her first collegiate hit in her first collegiate at bat.
The work of Denison stood out as an overwhelming positive of the season’s first day. Said Culler, “One of the things I really wanted to see was how Kaylei would perform. She threw really well today. She showed a lot of confidence, good energy and she commanded her pitches well. She controlled the hitters and did a great job. That’s a big thing for us.”
The Bulldogs will be right back to action at the ASB Sports Complex on Sunday for a doubleheader with Culver-Stockton College (Mo.). First pitch is set for 2 p.m. CT. Live stats will be available via the Concordia Softball team’s GameChanger account. Follow @cunebulldogs on X/Twitter for updates.
Bats come alive in Sunday sweep of Culver-Stockton
Feb. 2, 2025
SIOUX CENTER, Iowa – Following a substandard first five innings of action on Sunday (Feb. 2), Concordia University, Nebraska Softball ramped up offensively in time to power a doubleheader sweep of Culver-Stockton College (Mo.). Grace Maguire delivered a walk-off RBI single to lift the Bulldogs to a 7-6 win in game one, leading into an 13-2 blowout victory in game two. Kylie Shottenkirk collected multiple hits in both ends of the twin bill played inside the American State Bank Sports Complex in Sioux Center, Iowa.
Head Coach Brock Culler’s squad went 3-1 in its opening weekend of the 2025 season. Concordia also earned a 5-0 win over Mayville State University (N.D.) on Saturday.
“Culver-Stockton came out very aggressively and they were all over us,” Culler said. “Then Jordan Head came in and changed the pace and slowed their offense down. Offensively, we weren’t aggressive enough and that’s how we got in a hole. Jordan did a great job and Grace Maguire coming up with that hit was huge. It was just a great at bat. I’m happy for our team. That really took the wind out of their sails and we kept that momentum going.”
It took a dramatic comeback in game one for Concordia to prevail. Down 5-0 after five innings, the Bulldogs chipped away with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth thanks to consecutive hits by Grace Zaugg (single), Aubriana Krieser (double) and Shottenkirk (two-run double). Krieser then kickstarted the rally in the seventh with a two-run single that was followed by an RBI double from Shottenkirk and a game-tying RBI single from Taryn Ganstrom. That set the stage for Maguire. With two on and two out, Maguire singled to left center, chasing Jennifer Katz home for the walk-off run.
While the Papillion, Neb., native Maguire emerged as the hero at the plate in game one, Hastings, Neb., native Jordan Head shined in the circle. In relief of Megan Eurich (five runs allowed in two innings), Head worked five frames and surrendered just one run on three hits (one strikeout). In retiring 15 of the 18 batters she faced, Head picked up the first win of her collegiate career.
Game two was a drama-less affair. Concordia removed all doubt by exploding for eight runs in the second inning, four runs in the fourth and one in the fifth in the process of enacting the run rule. Shottenkirk carried over her hot hitting from last season by rocketing five doubles on Sunday. In game two, four Bulldogs notched multiple hits: Katz (2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs), Aubrey Bruning (2-for-2 with a double, a run and an RBI), Shottenkirk (3-for-3 with three doubles) and Delanie Voshell (2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs). Zoie Isom also produced a two-run double in the fourth inning.
In Sunday’s game one, four Bulldogs also rapped out at least two hits: Krieser (3-for-4 with two RBIs), Zaugg (2-for-2), Ganstrom (2-for-4) and Shottenkirk (2-for-4 with three RBIs). Concordia hitters burned Wildcat pitching for a combined 29 hits in the doubleheader. Culver-Stockton slipped to 0-6 with all six defeats coming at the hands of GPAC opponents.
In the circle, Kaylei Denison earned her second win of the weekend. The sophomore from Waverly, Neb., covered all five innings of game two and limited the damage to two runs on seven hits and two walks to go along with two strikeouts. Denison fired a seven-inning, two-hit shutout versus Mayville State on Saturday.
Said Culler, “When we’re swinging the bats, this team is going to be tough. It seemed like every time Kylie put the ball in play it was a double. Kylie and Jen were rolling. We have a lot of good players and good depth. We can plug kids in where we need them. It was a full team effort … We really liked what we saw from Kaylei Denison this weekend.”
The Bulldogs will return to action next weekend with road doubleheaders at Ottawa University (Kan.) on Feb. 8 and at No. 18 Benedictine College (Kan.) on Feb. 9. Ottawa is a member of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference while Benedictine competes in the Heart of America Athletic Conference.
Featured Story
Eurich's rise to stardom: 'a really cool story'
Feb. 11, 2025
Nov. 11, 2020: Megan Eurich officially signs with Concordia
An impressionable young Megan Eurich watched Gold Medal Olympian Jennie Finch whiz softballs past flummoxed hitters and wanted to be just like her. The Gretna native Eurich got her start when her father Tim built a tunnel in the family’s basement, specifically designed for Megan to hone her pitching skills. In that basement sat a pitching mat signed by Finch herself. Megan was hooked.
For Megan, it wasn’t the ping of the bat or the big home run that attracted her to the game of softball. Throughout her competitive career, she’s loved nothing more than finding herself in a difficult jam and then wriggling out of it. She’s that ace pitcher that kills the opposition’s momentum, drowning out the sing-song chants from the other dugout.
“It’s the mental game,” says Eurich of what she loves most about pitching. “There are not a lot of people who can go out there and stay mentally in the game and stay focused on the game the whole seven innings. I am able to do that for the most part. There are times when I’m faced with tough situations where it can be hard to do that. One of my favorite things to do is go pitch in a tight spot because I know I have the ability to get a ground ball or flyball, or whatever we need. I just love pitching in those situations.”
It's safe to say the Concordia University, Nebraska Softball program did not know what it had when Megan arrived at the start of the 2021 fall semester. Recruited by previous Head Coach Shawn Semler and then coached her freshman year by new Head Coach Tatum Edwards, Megan had to bide her time. But as a junior in 2024, Megan seized her opportunity and forced GPAC and NAIA foes to take notice. Megan was named a GPAC First Team All-Conference award winner after posting an 18-10 record and sparkling 2.56 ERA.
This came from the right arm of someone recruited without any a lot of fanfare. Her high school team, the Gretna Dragons, tweeted her official signing on November 11, 2020, and referred to Megan as a “selfless teammate and person.” As a sign of the times, the coaches and staff standing behind Megan in her signing day photo were adorned in masks. There may have been an expectation for Megan to play varsity as a freshman, but there were no guarantees for someone whose name did not appear on any lists of all-state honorees. Nor were there any media members requesting to interview or profile her in the local news.
But those who may have doubted ‘Megs’ would become a star at the collegiate level didn’t know her or how much time and energy she had invested in her craft. Said Megan, “When I came on my tour, I saw the history board downstairs (in Walz) and I was like, ‘If I commit here, my name is going to be on that board.’ The fact that I was able to accomplish that is crazy to me. The day we were playing and I had gotten that 194th strikeout, I didn’t even know I had gotten it until the game was over. It was a crazy feeling knowing that I had done something big like that in my softball career that I never thought I’d be able to accomplish.”
That’s right, the 194 strikeouts in a single season were more than any of the other great pitchers in program history have ever produced. More than Nicole Sempek. More than Amanda Beeson. And more than the Concordia Hall of Famer Mindy Evans and the accomplished Camry Moore of recent years. In fact, Moore was someone Megan looked up to during her freshman season of 2022. At the time, it was Moore’s senior season, and she was the unquestioned leader of the pitching staff.
As someone used to starting games in the circle, Megan was forced to adapt to a role as a reliever who was typically called upon when either Moore or fellow Gretna High School alum Jerzi Rowe ran into trouble. Moore and Rowe handled the vast majority of the pitching duties for a team characterized by inconsistency. Megan wound up appearing in 17 games with a total of 42.2 innings pitched. It was a year of learning for Megan.
“I really wasn’t used to that because all through club ball and high school ball, I was always a starter,” Eurich said. “I would start game one and finish game one. Then when I got here, the roles reversed and I was a reliever. I always had this thought that I should be out there the entire game. I also feel like I learned a lot from those pitchers. Camry Moore was a great pitcher here. I learned a lot from her because she was so much higher up than me. I was able to take from her different pitches and how she used her mental game. I learned from Jerzi Rowe as well. I played with her in Gretna, so there was a bond that we already had.”
Ready or not, Megan was going to get her chance to start as a sophomore in 2023. That season, she logged the most innings (136) of anyone on the team and pitched to a 3.76 ERA in 24 games (21 starts). In perhaps her best outing, late that season, Eurich went eight innings and held Briar Cliff without an earned run on five hits and one walk. It was a step forward, but could Eurich truly carry the mail as a college team’s top pitcher?
Megan answered affirmatively last season. She fired nine shutouts, including five separate two-hitters, establishing herself as one of the league’s top pitchers. Not only has she increased her velocity, Megan has fine-tuned her control while honing the fastball and secondary pitches. Other dynamics have fallen into place with Head Coach Brock Culler providing the program stability. Culler has done nothing but instill confidence in Megan’s abilities.
“When her career’s all over, it’s going to be a really cool story,” Culler said. “She’s had an outstanding journey. Really good work ethic. Great head on her shoulders. She’s really become more of a student of the game and understands more of the strategic side of pitching. I think that was a big reason for her success last year. This year, she’s got a lot of personal goals and team goals. She’s going to build on the momentum from last year. She really wants to close out her career and have a really good season this year for her team.”
The passion for pitching is one way in which Megan has veered from her twin sister Lauren. At the same time, Lauren is a huge piece of Megan’s support system that includes her parents Tim and Amy. When Lauren attends Concordia Softball games, she’s normally taking photos of Megan.
Says Megan, “She’s amazing. She’s very supportive with everything. I always see her at games supporting me. She’s always there taking pictures with her camera that she shows me later on. Along with my parents, she is very connected with the sport because I’ve been playing it since I was a little girl. She’s a really good person to have alongside me. On senior day, I know it will be very emotional for me because I’ll be surrounded by all my teammates and coaches and my family.”
Not that Megan wants time to leap forward to senior day, but she is the type of person who has a plan for what’s coming next. A Criminal Justice major, Eurich is an NAIA Scholar-Athlete with hopes of one day becoming a detective for the FBI. As she says, “That’s kind of my dream goal.”
It’s clear Megan knows something about following and chasing down her dreams. She never stopped believing that one day she would become the pitcher and the person that she has.
As Megan described her college recruiting story, she traced the journey back to when the pitching bug first bit her. As Megs told the story, “I don’t even know where to start. I started playing softball when I was about eight years old. I remember playing for a team that needed a pitcher, so I was like, I’m going to try being a pitcher. I tried that out and I just started throwing strikes constantly. I kind of self-taught myself all the way up until high school. Here and there I had some different pitching coaches. I found my way to Concordia because I knew some players who had already graduated that played here and really wanted me to come here and take a tour of the school.”
For now, Megs will focus in on academics and on her hopes of pushing Concordia Softball to heights she and her fellow seniors have not yet experienced at the college level. There’s still plenty of time for Megan’s story to become even cooler. There just might be youngsters out there watching who see her as their Jennie Finch.
“I’m thankful for my teammates and coaches and all the hard work it took during the offseason to get me to that place,” Megan said. “My coaches and teammates are a big part of the accomplishments.”
Team effort seals walk off win versus No. 18 Benedictine; Drop game to Bruins
Feb. 17, 2025
SIOUX CENTER, Iowa – The game two clash between the Bulldogs and the 18th-ranked Benedictine College needed nine innings to decide a winner late Sunday (Feb. 16) night. With the bases loaded and one out in the ninth, Aubrey Bruning singled to left field and pushed across the game winning (4-3) runner (Aubrey Wright) in the instant classic. In game one, CUNE fell to Bellevue (6-0) in the weekend opener.
Concordia University, Nebraska Softball moves to 4-2 before turning the page quickly for tomorrow's games at the ASB Sports Complex.
“I liked our bounce back from game one,” said Head Coach Brock Culler. “We just weren’t ourselves offensively in the first game. The biggest change in the second game was the quality of our at-bats. Bellevue is a really good offensive team and that was the difference in the first game. In the second game, we faced a returning all-american pitcher and we did really well against her. We played our game and really just bounced back against a talented Benedictine team.”
Kaylei Denison (3-0) kept a potent lineup at bay allowing four hits, two earned runs and struck out four batters in nine innings pitched (over 140 pitches). The sophomore, out of Waverly, Neb., has a 1.33 earned run average through her first three starts in year two.
Seven different Bulldogs cracked the bat on the ball in the team outing that led to cheers heard across the complex. Led by Bruning (2-for-3) and Delanie Voshell (2-for-4) with two hits and one RBI apiece, the Bulldogs needed every bit of the dugout’s effort to finish on top. Hanna Bowers collected a hit and two RBIs with Jennifer Katz adding a hit and two runs. Taryn Ganstrom, Aubriana Krieser and Kylie Shottenkirk also gathered a hit versus the Ravens.
In both games combined (16 innings), the Concordia defense allowed zero errors in the field.
In game one, Bellevue had five hits and three runs in the first three innings. The Bulldogs weren’t able to get much going on offense with the return of NAIA all-american pitcher Katie Cunningham in the circle. The Bruins added three more runs as Taryn Ganstrom had the lone hit for Concordia. Shottenkirk produced three consecutive walks versus Bellevue. Megan Eurich gave up 10 hits, six earned runs, and three walks but sat down six via strikeouts.
Lead off Kaitlyn Fisher and Breanne McMurtry led the Bruins with three hits and two runs apiece. In seven innings pitched, Cunningham finished with five strikeouts and allowed one hit and three walks. All-american Benedictine pitcher Bailey Selvage surrendered nine hits, four runs, and two walks while also knocking down 12 batters from strikeouts in 8.1 innings pitched. The Ravens were led by first baseman Megan Forsman with a hit, run and RBI.
The Bulldogs (4-2) will have about 11 hours before they run it back with the same two teams on Monday (Feb. 17). First pitch is set for 10 a.m. CT versus Bellevue (4-1) and 2 p.m. CT versus Benedictine (0-1) in Sioux Center.
Dawgs split on Monday; Defeat Bruins handily
Feb. 17, 2025
SIOUX CENTER, Iowa – Concordia University, Nebraska defeated Bellevue University to punch out a win (9-4) at the ASB Sports Complex on Monday (Feb. 17). The Bulldogs mashed 15 hits taking over in the seventh inning. Facing No. 18 Benedictine College (Kan.), the Ravens got the better of CUNE in the latter frames (7-3).
After a 2-2 split this week, the Bulldogs are 5-3 early in this young campaign and the potential continues to rise with every game played.
“We played with a lot of energy today,” said Head Coach Brock Culler. “We played with a lot of grit. We never stopped competing. I really wanted to find out who we were and this weekend was a good test for that. Benedictine and Bellevue are two really good teams, but we are too. This was high level softball. Offensively, we had a lot of good things going against Bellevue. That was great to see. This made me feel really good about this team's potential this year.”
After Bellevue shut out (one hit) Concordia on Sunday, the Dawgs whipped the ball from start to finish with 15 total hits (three multi-base) and forced a pitching change after just two innings. There were many pivotal moments but in the third inning, the Bruins had bases loaded with no outs, only down 3-1. Starting pitcher Kaylei Denison responded to the charged climax with a strikeout, pop out and one hit leaving the Bulldogs still in front, 3-2.
Culler said, “That was monstrous. We called a timeout and said the only way to get out of this is one out at a time. That was a really huge moment.”
In the top of the 7th, CUNE had only a one run lead before stamping out all hope for their opponents in a five-run inning (seven singles). Delanie Voshell (two RBI), Hanna Bowers, Laycee Josoff and Aubrey Bruning all tallied RBIs in the final offensive showing. Ganstrom (1-0) entered the circle for the first time this season and pitched 3.2 innings, two strikeouts and two earned runs in her winning debut. Those with multiple hits were Bowers (3-for-4), Krieser (2-for-4), Bruning (2-for-4), Shottenkirk (2-for-4) and Ganstrom (2-5).
In game two, The Bulldogs jumped out early (2-1) on Benedictine with three early triples by Katz, Ganstrom and Shottenkirk. With the Katz three-bagger, the Louisville High alum has eclipsed 100 hits in her collegiate career. In the bottom of the fifth, the Ravens climbed to their first lead (5-2) off a RBI doubles by Amanda Waymore and by Chloe Strickland. Katz tore the cover off another ball for her second triple of the game and eventually scored in the sixth.
Ganstrom had a busy but productive day going 4-for-9, hitting two triples, a double, three runs and an RBI. The Seneca, Kan., native also pitched in both games for 4.1 innings pitched (total).
“She’s absolutely incredible right now. Everything she is hitting is squared up and solid. She is seeing the ball really well and pitching with confidence. She is a true threat in the circle and inside the batter’s box.”
The Bruins were led by Breanne McMurtry (3-for-4) with a home run, two runs and an RBI. Mariah Unverzagt pitched two innings, allowed five hits, three earned runs, one strikeout and one walk. Benedictine were led by Megan Forsman (2-4) having a game high four RBIs and a two-bag hit. Lacey Foster (2-0) gathered one strikeout, three hits, and one earned run in 3.1 innings pitched.
Concordia (5-3) is scheduled to travel to the University of Saint Mary Top Gun NAIA Invite on Feb. 28-March 2. The Bulldogs will face six different teams in six games starting with MidAmerica Nazarene University (Kan.) on Tuesday. The invite will take place at the Mid America Complex in Shawnee, Mo.
Concordia divides at Top Gun Day 1; Defeats Bobcats
Feb. 28, 2025
SHAWNEE, Kan. – The Bulldogs defeated Peru State College, 4-1, but would drop their opening game in the final full inning to MidAmerica Nazarene University, 7-6, on day one (Feb. 28) of the Top Gun Invite. Pitcher Megan Eurich hurled strikeouts (nine) past the Bobcats at the Mid-America Sports Complex. Jennifer Katz paced Concordia University, Nebraska going 4-for-7 in Shawnee, Kan.
Head Coach Brock Culler’s squad lifts to 6-4 overall with four more games left in the road trip.
“It was a breath of fresh air to see,” said Coach Culler. “The big focus for Megan was locating her lower pitches. We were missing low pitches belt high last week, so that was a big focus for her workouts. Man, when she can hit her spots like that, it sets up her other pitches so good. She was throwing with a lot of confidence today. We didn’t pitch real well in the first game. I was proud of how we came out and got the 6-2 lead, but from then on, we just underperformed.”
Eurich, out of character, started the year 0-3 but returned to the circle as the premier strikeout gunslinger scorching the opposing batters with six scoreless innings versus Peru State. The Gretna High alum would end giving in one run, four hits and three walks in 29 batters faced.
The Bulldogs broke the scoreless tie in the fourth when Jennifer Katz singled to drive in Taryn Ganstrom. They extended the lead in the fifth with a solo home run from Grace Maguire – the first of her career. The sixth inning proved decisive, as Hanna Bowers’ RBI double and Maguire’s groundout plated two more runs, pushing the score to 4-0. Peru State mounted a late rally in the seventh but would only see one runner touch the final bag.
Center Fielder Katz starred in game one going 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs, three assists and three punch outs. The Louisville High product leads the Dawgs in season slugging percentage (.773).
“Incredible day. She hit the home run and sprinkled in some hits here and there, but in game one she threw three people out at home plate. It was insane. Jen had one of the best individual game performances that I have seen in a very long time.”
In game one, Concordia started strong, jumping to a 6-2 lead by the third inning, powered by Jennifer Katz’s two-run slam and a solid offensive output with 11 hits. Aubrey Bruning (2-for-4) and Avery O’Boyle (2-for-4) also made key contributions, each scoring twice, while Taryn Ganstrom drove in a pair of runs. Pitching began couldn’t hold up late for the Dawgs as Kaylei Denison struggled, allowing five runs (three earned) over 3.1 innings, and Ganstrom (1-1), despite a decent relief effort, gave up the decisive two runs in the sixth.
MidAmerica Nazarene leaned on Kelly Stoakes, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored, including the go-ahead run in the sixth. Their 14 hits kept the pressure on, with Brie Manwarren sealing the win with an RBI single in the sixth to plate Stoakes. Mandy Brown’s relief pitching was just enough – four scoreless innings with five strikeouts.
Concordia (6-4) will hit the diamonds once again in Shawnee, Kan., as the level of competition ramps up with back to back ranked opponents. The Bulldogs will face two teams from Kansas, No. 18 Benedictine College (6-4) and No. 24 Baker University (4-7). First pitches are set for 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. CT.
CUNE drops two games on day two in Kansas
Mar. 1, 2025
SHAWNEE, Kan. – Concordia University, Nebraska Softball competed against a higher level of competition on Saturday (March 1), dropping two games to 18th-ranked Benedictine (Kan.), 9-0, and 24th-ranked Baker University (Kan.), 3-0. The Bulldogs played round two at the Mid-America Sports Complex in the Top Gun Invite.
The road Dawgs drop to .500 (6-6) and will have two more opportunities tomorrow in Shawnee, Kansas.
“We were bad in the first game against Benedictine,” said Coach Culler. “I thought our team bounced back against Baker and competed well. The pitcher Kira Baker (Wildcats) is really good. We put the bat on the ball, but the ones we hit hard were right at them. We never felt like we were out of that game, but Baker is a great team. Deni threw really well. Baker is a very disciplined offensive team. Kaylei and our defense played really well in that game. It is the type of softball that I am used to watching our team play.”
It is not often that one inning defines a game, but the second frame produced all nine runs for the Ravens in the five inning contest. Down 6-0, the Bulldogs subbed in Taryn Ganstrom to the circle and after giving up a homer, she sat down 10 straight batters (two strikeouts) in 3.1 inning pitched.
“Taryn is just…always in a competitive mode. That’s what makes her so great. She is constantly analyzing everything, when it goes good or bad, and she adds that to her tool belt. She thrives on it. She is such a good defender and leader in the circle.”
Even with Ganstrom moving past opposing hitters, Benedictine’s Lily SinghDillon pitched a no-hitter with one walk and nine strikeouts.
Facing two-time all-american Kira Baker, Concordia tried to make the most of its at-bats but came away with three total hits by Aubriana Krieser, Montgomery Berner and Tobi Topp. Baker pitched seven innings while only allowing three hits, one walk and striking out six. Topp, a Lloydminster, Canada, native swiped a bag apiece in each contest.
Pitcher Kaylei Denison gave up two earned runs in her first loss of the season (3-1) striking out three in 30 batters faced. The Waverly High product gave up seven hits and two walks in seven frames.
In hitting, the Ravens were lead by Kaelyn Fisher (2-for-2) with three RBIs and one run plus Alena Velilla (2-for-3) with three RBIs and two runs. Both had a stolen base apiece. The Wildcats were paced by Riley Phillips (3-for-3) with two RBIs and Rachel Pederson (2-for-3) adding two runs.
Concordia (6-6) will have two games on the final day of competition in the Top Gun Invite on Sunday. The Bulldogs will look to defeat Graceland University (Kan.) and Park University (Mo.) starting at 10 a.m. CT.
Eurich and Ganstrom lead in pitchers’ duals on Sunday
Mar. 2, 2025
Shawnee, Kan. – Megan Eurich and Taryn Ganstrom shut down the opposing offenses on Sunday (March 2) as the Dawgs surged to back to back wins at Mid-America Sports Complex. Concordia University, Nebraska Softball defeated Graceland University (Kan.), 2-0, in a pitchers’ dual and Park University (Mo.), 4-2. Eurich dealt out 11 strikeouts in her performance versus the Yellow Jackets.
The Bulldogs leave the Top Gun Invite with a 3-3 record and have an 8-6 overall showing through 14 games.
“Our approach to hitting in the last game was so much better than the previous three games,” said Head Coach Brock Culler. “We struggled offensively against Graceland. We had to really scrap to get those two runs. We were putting the bat on the ball against Park and our discipline was a lot better. Defensively, our team was solid. They play really well, and had three highlight plays against Park. It was good to end the weekend with two wins like that.”
With two outs in the top of the seventh and the score knotted at zero, Delanie Voshell cracked a single to right field and Jennifer Katz made the two-bag sprint to break the tie in the final inning. Grace Maguire would tack on (RBI single) for good measure and that would be enough for the game one triumph. Katz and Voshell would make those two scampers a no-play at the plate after both stole second before the RBI hits.
Eurich, the ace from Gretna, Neb., wouldn’t allow a single hit until the seventh. After her 11 Ks, the senior in the circle has 374 career strikeouts and finished the shutout with only two walks.
Coach Culler said, “She had all her pitches working really well. Her set up pitches were great and her finish pitches were solid. They didn’t square anything up all day. Megs had a great day today.”
Game two versus Park was just the opposite as Ganstrom (2-RBI) and Katz (3rd-season) blasted no-doubters past the outfield wall, jumping up 3-0 early. Katz (2-for-3), an Omaha, Neb. native, also doubled in the sixth and was pushed across home plate via Voshell again.
Ganstrom (2-1) got the start in the circle against the Pirates and pitched five scoreless innings before allowing two runs in the final. The Nemaha Central alum hurled seven frames while giving up one earned run, a walk, five hits and struck out three batters.
The defense stood tall in both games and combined for only one error in the 14 innings played. Maguire went 2-for-3 in game one plus Kylie Shottenkirk and Ganstrom each laid a sacrifice bunt. Katz (3-for-5), Maguire (2-for-5) and Voshell (2-for-6) led the day in batting average.
The Yellow Jackets Heart all-conference pitcher Sammi Bradshaw led in the circle with 15 strikeouts, one earned run and no walks in seven innings. The Pirates had five different players with one hit in the last outing of the day.
Concordia (8-6) will attend its final invitational in Tucson, Ariz., from March 9-13. The Bulldogs will play eight games in the five days at Lincoln Park, starting with William Penn University (10-4) of Iowa on Sunday.
Bowers, Eurich star as Bulldogs open Tucson Invite with two wins
Mar. 9, 2025
TUCSON, Ariz. – The hot bat of Hanna Bowers and the pitching of Megan Eurich emerged as major stories on the first day of action at the 2025 Tucson Invitational for Concordia University, Nebraska Softball. In beginning an eight-game road trip in The Grand Canyon State, the Bulldogs earned wins on Sunday (March 9) over NAIA member William Penn University (Iowa), 5-2, and over NCAA Division III Franklin & Marshall College (Pa.), 9-7. Eurich collected a win and a save as part of her day.
Head Coach Brock Culler’s squad had a week off from competition before hitting the dirt late in the morning at Lincoln Park on Sunday. Concordia has won four in a row to move to 10-6.
“Part of the conversation we had was that William Penn was 6-1 against the GPAC,” Culler said. “They were definitely a quality opponent. I’ve been saying that our offense had to get better, and I really like where our offense was at today. Our discipline at the plate was really good. I like where we’re at right now.
“Softball is a game of momentum. We didn’t have the best feeling walking out of last weekend, but that win over William Penn really swung the momentum in our favor. I’m really happy about that for our team.”
As a program, the Bulldogs are appearing in Tucson for the fourth-straight year and for the 10th time in the past 12 seasons. For seniors like Eurich, this is familiar spring break territory. The Gretna native is rounding back to form while building off a near no-hitter at the Top Gun Midwest Classic. In making her eighth start of the season, Eurich limited the Statesmen to two runs on eight hits (no walks). Eurich recorded eight punch outs and polished off the complete game by coaxing a popout with two on base in the seventh.
While Eurich did her thing in the circle, Bowers scorched in the batter’s box. She enjoyed a 5-for-5 day that included a pair of doubles. She opened the scoring versus William Penn in the second with an RBI single. Fellow senior Aubrey Bruning also added an RBI double and a run-scoring triple in the triumph. Those efforts offensively, combined with Eurich’s pitching and error-free defensive play, made the Bulldogs a winner over a Statesmen squad that entered the day with a 10-4 record.
Said Culler of Bowers, “Hanna is attacking early in the count and getting rewarded for it. She’s seeing the ball really well. She bounced one off the bottom of the fence on that last hit. I thought it was a home run.”
In the capper, Concordia appeared on its way its way to a blowout victory after it built a 7-1 lead in the third. As part of the five-run third, Jennifer Katz tripled home two runs, Laycee Josoff chased in another with a triple and Jayden Fernau executed a bunt to score a run. It got sloppy the rest of the way as the Diplomats rallied back within a run (8-7) in the sixth. In response, Bowers (3-for-3 in game two) came to the rescue with an RBI double for insurance.
In the seventh, Eurich was called upon and mowed down Franklin & Marshall by striking out the side. Kaylei Denison got the win as she fired the first 5.1 innings. She allowed six runs (three earned) on six hits and five walks (four strikeouts). Both teams committed five errors. For the Diplomats, Sunday marked opening day of their 2025 season.
The Bulldogs will get back to the diamond on Monday for another two outings at the Tucson Invite. Concordia is slated to take on Viterbo University (Wis.) at 1:30 p.m. MST / 3:30 p.m. CDT and Mayville State University (N.D.) at 3:30 p.m. MST / 5:30 p.m. CDT. Live stats for games at the Tucson Invite can be found via the softball program’s GameChanger app: https://web.gc.com/teams/5odHqUgJaGdg.
Bulldogs offense stomps competition; Win streak moves to six
Mar. 10, 2025
TUCSON, Ariz. – The Concordia University, Nebraska Softball offense scored 20 runs in 10 innings on its way to run-ruling two opponents on Monday (March 10). Jennifer Katz (4-for-5), Hanna Bowers (4-for-6) and Taryn Ganstrom (4-for-5) led the offensive assault over Viterbo University (Wisc.), 11-3, and Mayville State University (N.D.), 9-0, on day two of the Tucson Invite. Megan Eurich pitched her second shutout of the season.
Head Coach Brock Culler and the red hot offense have moved to 4-0 at the invite and won six straight on their way to a 12-6 overall showing.
“It’s so good to see us performing the way that we are capable of,” Coach Culler said. “The way the girls are enjoying this, it's fun. For our high performers, it has been the approach to the plate, discipline, and pitch selection. This last game against Mayville, we swung at maybe one pitch out of the zone the entire game. It was incredible. Megs setup pitches are so good. She is doing a great job of getting out ahead with her set up pitches. Jordan pitched really good today. She flooded the zone and kept her composure throughout the game.”
With 20 hits and 20 runs in two five inning games, the Bulldogs have stepped it up in the batters’ box and scored in every frame versus the V-Hawks. Katz started the route with an RBI double going a perfect 3-for-3 plus added a triple later in the lashing. Bowers kept it going in the third with an RBI two bagger and Maguire hit an RBI double to keep it going early. After getting up 8-0, the Bulldogs allowed three runs but responded with three of their own via a Kylie Shottenkirk RBI triple, a Delanie Voshell RBI single and a Laycee Josoff sacrifice fly.
Pitcher Jordan Head hurled 3.2 innings in her first start and rendered Viterbo scoreless in the first three. Head, on her birthday, finished allowing three earned runs, six hits and one strikeout. Ganstrom finished the job, allowing one hit in 1.1 innings.
In game two, the Arizona heat couldn’t catch up to the Concordia offense, scorching the Comets with seven runs in the opening two innings. Ganstrom went a flawless 2-for-2 batting and added two runs and RBIs to boot. Bowers (2-for-3) and Aubrey Bruning (2-for-3) seemed to be competing in numbers with both having two hits, a triple, and a double apiece.
Megan Eurich has seemed to have found her footing once again, burning in a scoreless five innings with six strikeouts and zero walks.
Everyone wanted a piece of the pie with five players swinging at least two hits, including Katz (four), Bowers (four), Ganstrom (four), Bruning (three), Maguire (two). The Bulldogs stole eight bags in the two games and 11 of the 20 hits were extra base slugs. The Bulldogs mashed with a .778 slugging percentage and a .567 on-base percentage.
Concordia (12-6) has a day off in the Grand Canyon State before taking on Westcliff University (Calif.),7-9, and Valley City State University (N.D.), 9-8, on Wednesday. The first game is set for 11 a.m. MT and 1 p.m. CT at Lincoln Park. Valley City will be a tough test having bested Northwestern (7-4) earlier in Tucson.
Eurich honored as GPAC Pitcher of the Week
Mar. 11, 2025
SEWARD, Neb. – A stretch of lights-out performances led to recognition for Concordia University, Nebraska Softball senior pitcher Megan Eurich. On Tuesday (March 11), the league office named Eurich the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Pitcher of the Week. Eurich has earned this award for the second time in her standout career.
The latest weekly award is based on games that took place during the period of March 3-9. In Sunday’s action at the Tucson Invite, Eurich earned a win and a save as the Bulldogs defeated William Penn University (Iowa), 5-2, and Franklin & Marshall College (Pa.), 9-7. The Gretna, Neb., native covered all seven innings in the win over William Penn and allowed two runs on eight hits (no walks) while striking out eight. Then in the victory over Franklin & Marshall, Eurich slammed the door by striking out the side in the seventh for her first save of the season. Eurich also fired a five-inning shutout against Mayville State University (N.D.) on Tuesday. Through 10 appearances this season, Eurich owns a 3.02 ERA, a 4-4 record and 56 strikeouts in 48.2 innings. She was named to the Top Gun Midwest College Classic all-tournament team after throwing a one-hit shutout versus Graceland University (Iowa).
A First Team All-GPAC selection in 2024, Eurich has appeared in 87 games (61 starts) in her collegiate career. She has gone 33-26 with a 3.14 ERA and 391 strikeouts in 424 innings. Her strikeout total ranks as the fifth highest in program history. Eurich also broke the program’s single season strikeout record as a junior with 194 punch outs.
Eurich and the Bulldogs (12-6) will return to action on Wednesday with two more games at the Tucson Invite. Concordia is also scheduled to play twice in Tucson, Ariz., on Thursday as a wrap up to the spring break trip.
Offense continues to roll in day three split
Mar. 12, 2025
TUCSON, Ariz. – Megan Eurich pitched eight strikeouts making way for the Bulldogs to defeat Valley City State University (N.D.), 8-3, in game two on Wednesday (March 12). Concordia University, Nebraska Softball split its competitions, falling 14-5 to Westcliff University (Calif.) in the day opener. With two games remaining at the Tucson Invite, the Bulldogs will make their way to Lincoln Park for the final games tomorrow.
Head Coach Brock Culler and the squad have moved to 13-7 overall and 5-1 in Tucson.
“We just didn’t pitch or play defense well in the first game,” Coach Culler said. “They are good hitting team. Our offense was really good all day, so it was kind of disappointing that we couldn’t put it all together. Megan, it’s kind of the same thing. Her set up pitches are just so good right now. She has been able to attack with her strikeout pitches. Defense played well behind her in that game, and I really like where we are offensively right now.”
The Bulldogs collected nine hits in each contest but were able to put three more across the final plate versus Valley City State. The usual Tucson suspects helped Concordia to get two tallies on the board with a Jennifer Katz single and a Hanna Bowers sacrifice fly. The Dawgs added four more runs from two three-baggers by Kylie Shottenkirk (4 inn.) and pinch hitter Keira Farritor (6th inn.).
On the defensive side, Eurich did what she does best, dicing the Vikings eight times in seven innings and allowed only one earned run and zero walks. The Gretna, Neb., product has moved her record above .500 (5-4) after a slow start and has 23 Ks in the Grand Canyon State. The GPAC pitcher of the week now has 399 career strikeouts.
Katz (three), Krieser (three), Ganstrom (three), Shottenkirk (three) all tied for the most hits on day three as the Louisville High alum raked in five runs batted in. Bowers joined the list of two RBI’s hitters with Shottenkirk and Farritor. Ganstrom led the team in runs (four) and in hitting percentage (3-for-5).
Concordia’s offense kept them in the game versus Westcliff but the pitching staff didn’t have its best game, giving up 14 runs and 15 hits in the first loss in Tucson. Ganstrom (5.0 IP) came in relief for Kaylei Denison (1.1 IP) with Jordan Head (0.2 IP) finishing the game off.
Concordia (12-7) is set for the final day in Tucson to face Salve Regina University (Calif.), 1-3, and Simpson University (N.D.), 11-10. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. MT / 1 p.m. CT at Lincoln Park.
Team comes together in all three phases for two triumphs; Finish 7-1 in Tucson
Mar. 13, 2025
TUCSON, Ariz. – All three phases were instrumental in the final day of the Tucson Invite as the Dawgs finished with two victories over Salve Regina University (R.I), 6-2, and Simpson University (Calif.), 8-3 on Thursday (March 13). Concordia University, Nebraska Softball leaned on Megan Eurich’s 8.1 innings pitched and exploded for 14 runs in the two contests at Lincoln Park.
Head Coach Brock Culler and the dugout have piled up a 15-7 non-conference showing and went 7-1 in the Grand Canyon State.
“I told them, I am very proud of them,” Coach Culler said. “Walking out of Kansas City, there was a different feel. The way we were able to collect ourselves and get back into the grind of softball was really good. This was a huge team effort from everyone, the whole week. Obviously, we had some performers that you can point at with some big stats. When you are playing eight games in five days, it takes all 20 in your dugout and that is exactly what we got.”
Against the Seahawks, the Bulldogs jumped out early with two runs in the second via a Grace Zaugg RBI single and a wild pitch brought the right fielder across the final plate. Salve Regina answered with a run in the bottom of the second but Abby Krieser pushed back with an RBI double. Krieser, out of Lincoln North Star, went 3-for-4 with two doubles against Salve Regina.
In the sixth, Taryn Ganstrom put the game to bed with a two-RBI single. With a 6-1 lead, the dual way player only gave up two earned runs and one walk in 5.1 innings pitched. Megan Eurich followed in relief of Ganstrom.
Following the Gretna, Neb., natives’ first strikeout of the day, Eurich reached 400 career strikeouts and finished the game allowing zero runs and walks in 1.1 innings. Totaling 408 total punch outs, Eurich eclipses Amanda Hehn (2004-07) to fourth for all-time career strikeouts in Concordia Softball history.
In game two, Eurich found some trouble in the top of the fourth as the Red Hawks cut the lead down to two (4-2) with back to back home runs. It wouldn’t take long for the Dawgs to respond as Ganstrom tripled in the lead off spot in the bottom of the frame. Hanna Bowers stepped up and clipped a homer to left field, the third in her career. Jennifer Katz, Aubriana Krieser and Kylie Shottenkirk piled on, each having doubles of their own, stretching the lead back to six (8-2).
Four Concordia softball players tagged a .500 batting average including Bowers (2-for-4), Ganstrom (2-for-4), Katz (2-for-4), and Voshell (2-for-4) against Simpson. The defense made bowed its back with a double play from both Aubrey Bruning and Laycee Josoff as the Dawgs only made two mistakes in the field in 14 innings.
Krieser (4-for-7) and Katz (4-for-8) paced the team in total hitting percentage and the team collected 12 extra base hits (out of 21). Josoff and Katz each looked like roadrunners with three stolen bases apiece.
Concordia (15-7) will finally enter GPAC play after 22 non-conference games traveling to face a talented Morningside (12-8) Friday (March 21). The doubleheader is set to start at 3 p.m. in Sioux City, Iowa. The two teams split wins in the regular season but the Mustangs got the better of the Bulldogs, 3-1 (8 inn.), in the GPAC tournament last year.
GPAC opener results in split as Bowers continues hot hitting
Mar. 22, 2025
MITCHELL, S.D. – In the GPAC opening doubleheader for Concordia University, Nebraska Softball, a strong wind gusting out to left field in Mitchell, S.D., made it a difficult day to be a pitcher. The Bulldogs were victimized by a walk-off homer in game one (3-2 loss) on Saturday (March 22) before they bounced back to win a slugfest, 10-8, over Dakota Wesleyan in game two. Concordia ace pitcher Megan Eurich put forth a strong effort against the GPAC’s highest scoring offense and second baseman Hanna Bowers collected three doubles on the day.
Head Coach Brock Culler’s squad stands at 16-8 overall (1-1 GPAC). The trip to South Dakota marked the team’s first action since returning from the Tucson Invite in Arizona, where it went 7-1.
“Megs pitched really well and our defense played really well in game one,” Culler said. “I feel like we could have won that first game. We got struck out 13 times and we left too many baserunners out there. Getting out of this with a split is not the worst thing because they’re going to cause a lot of problems in the GPAC this year. That team can swing the bats.
“Coming out in game two the way we did in that first inning was awesome. We were two outs from that being a run rule and getting out there. Their offense picked up and it took everything we had to close that one out. Kaylei (Denison) threw really well and located her pitches.”
As described by Culler, the Bulldogs blitzed the Tigers from the jump in game one. Concordia paraded around the bases for four runs in the first, two in the second, three in the third and one in the fourth while building a 10-1 lead. Bowers starred with two doubles and three RBIs while Aubrianna Krieser notched two hits (one doubles) and drove in two. Jennifer Katz, Grace Maguire and Delanie Voshell also recorded two knocks as part of a 14-hit effort for the Bulldog lineup.
But no lead can be considered safe when up against a DWU team featuring many of the leagues top hitters, such as Peyton Bagley, Ashlen Johnson and McKinnely Mull. The Tigers (24-7, 5-1 GPAC) avoided the run rule in the bottom of the fifth when Sophie Wietzema cracked a two-run homer off Denison, making it a 10-4 score. Then in the seventh, Mull produced a two-run shot to draw DWU within 10-8. Eurich doused the fire by retiring the next three hitters to end the threat. Denison threw 5.1 innings and earned credit for the win.
The Gretna native Eurich covered all seven-plus innings of Saturday’s first game. The Tigers took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third before Concordia battled back with a Voshell RBI double in the fourth and a run in the seventh via a passed ball that scored Aubrey Bruning. Ultimately, DWU celebrated a victory when Johnson emerged with a walk-off home run in the bottom of the eighth. The Bulldogs were left to wonder what could have been after leaving two runners on base apiece in the first, fourth and seventh innings.
Concordia may not leave the yard with the frequency of DWU, but it has four players with nine or more doubles in 2025. Bowers pushed her season doubles total to 10 thanks to the three she posted on Saturday. As another positive, the Bulldogs committed just one error in the doubleheader.
Said Culler of Bowers, “Seems like every time she steps to the plate it’s a double. She’s seeing the ball real well … DWU is tough. They really are. The way they swing the bats, we really wanted to end that second game as soon as we could. Their bats picked up and they got some momentum. We brought Megs in to get a different look.”
The powerful Tiger lineup wound up with five homers (two apiece from Johnson and Mull) on Saturday. Game one pitcher Alison Ernsberger piled up 13 strikeouts while managing to work out of jams in a winning performance. DWU had already swept GPAC doubleheaders from Mount Marty and College of Saint Mary.
Another conference road doubleheader is coming up Wednesday when the Bulldogs will be in Hastings to take on the Broncos (14-12, 2-4 GPAC). First pitch from the Smith Softball Complex is scheduled for 4 p.m. CT. The two sides split a twin bill in Hastings last season.
Voshell and Bruning pace Bulldogs in split versus Hastings
Mar. 26, 2025
HASTINGS, Neb. – Aubrey Bruning and Delanie Voshell’s hot hitting night led the Bulldogs to a split versus the Hastings on Wednesday night (March 26). Concordia University, Nebraska Softball defeated the Broncos in game two (11-5) but dropped game one (4-0) in a windy Smith Softball Complex. Voshell and Bruning collected four knocks apiece in the two game hitting clinic.
Head Coach Brock Culler and the Dawgs move to 17-9 overall and 2-2 in the conference early.
“We struck the ball really well, but everything seemed to go up in the air (game one),” Coach Culler said. “In the second game, we were hitting grounders and line drives. We had to make an adjustment with our stances in the box. It helps to get on the ball with a little less movement. Defensively, we were 100 percent not sharp in the first game. Credit to them, they are a good and really scrappy team.”
The bottom of the order made the difference in game two, as the six through nine hitters totaled a .636 hitting percentage (7-for-11), six runs and four runs batted in. Voshell led the pack, going 3-for-3, scoring two runs and taking a walk. In the fourth, Aubriana Krieser doubled to get the Dawgs rolling into six hits, earning four runs and jumping out to a two run lead.
In the sixth, the bottom of the order loaded the bases once again and Jennifer Katz hammered the nail in the coffin with a bases clearing single in the five-run inning to hit double digits (10-3). Hanna Bowers went 2-for-3, scoring two runs and an RBI. Kaylei Denison grabbed the win in a hitters' battle, allowing 12 hits and three earned runs in seven innings pitched.
Clubbing .352 coming into the doubleheader, Bruning went 4-for-7 with two RBIs, two stolen bases and a run in Hastings. The speedy left fielder has reached 10 stolen bases on the season. Voshell, a Shenandoah, Iowa native, went a team best .800 batting average (4-for-5). The outfield in Voshell, Bruning and Katz ran down multiple difficult fly balls with the wind affecting hits in the flat park.
Taryn Ganstrom cracked two hits and Kylie Shottenkirk totaled four walks against the Hastings’ circle.
The Bulldogs struggled offensively in game one, managing just four hits against the Hastings pitcher. Aubrey Bruning led Concordia with two hits (2-for-3) and a stolen base, while Taryn Ganstrom and Delanie Voshell each added a single, but the team couldn’t capitalize, stranding eight runners. Starter Megan Eurich took the loss, allowing four earned runs on eight hits with six putouts over six innings.
Hastings’ (15-13, 3-5 GPAC) pitcher Kiera Brack, who delivered a complete-game shutout with only three walks and two strikeouts in game one. Eight different players connected for hits in the opening contest for HC. Lauren Schneider paced the home team, going 3-for-5 in game two, piling up four total base hits.
Up next, the Dawgs (17-9, 2-2 GPAC) will make their home debut in Plum Creek Park against Briar Cliff (7-17, 1-7 GPAC) on Friday (March 28). First toss is set for 3 p.m. CT versus the Chargers. The Bulldogs defeated the GPAC foe 6-3 in both contests from a season ago.
Bulldogs unplug chargers in home opening sweep
Mar. 28, 2025
SEWARD, Neb. – The Bulldogs' offense surged towards a sweep of the Chargers in their home opener at Plum Creek Park on Friday (March 28). Hanna Bowers broke Briar Cliff’s spirit with a seventh inning walk off (7-6) and five of Head Coach Culler’s squad had multiple hits in the game two knockout blow (8-3). Taryn Ganstrom did it all for Concordia University, Nebraska Softball, coming in relief for the win in the circle.
The Bulldogs are two steps closer to a 20-win season, having posted a 19-9 overall showing and a 4-2 GPAC record. Coach Culler moves his record to 4-2 versus the Chargers.
“Anytime you get a sweep in conference play, it’s a good day,” Coach Culler said. “We were happy with that. I’m real proud of our team's resiliency in game one. Our defense didn’t help us at all, and we got down. Our team competed. To get that walk-off was huge for us, and it built momentum going into game two. Our defense didn’t help us again in game two, but we are really happy to get out of here with two wins.”
Down 6-5 in game one going into the final frame, Ganstrom doubled and Aubriana Krieser singled to put two runners in scoring position. Hanna Bowers stepped to the plate and cracked a walk off double, scoring Ganstrom and pinch runner Aubrey Wright.
After giving up an early lead, Krieser hulk smashed a homer (first season) into dead center for three total runs batted in. The Lincoln North Star product would finish batting 4-for-6 and totaled five RBIs and two runs scored.
Ganstrom relieved Megan Eurich in the 5th and calmed the storm to deliver a three inning shutout. The Seneca, Kan., native allowed only two hits and gave up zero walks while also having a team high five hits (5-for-7), five runs scored, a triple, two doubles, an RBI, and a walk.
Said Ganstrom, “It feels great. It was great having all of our fans in the stands. I liked that we could come out and win for them and show them what we are capable of. They were struggling with the same pitches and grounding out into our defense. It was really a team effort to get out of those three innings.”
In game two, Concordia did all its damage (14 hits) in the middle innings, scoring four in the third. Ganstrom (three), Krieser (two), Jennifer Katz (two), Avery O’Boyle (two) and Delanie Voshell (two) all had multiple knocks in the second contest.
The Bulldogs bullied the Chargers pitchers with 25 total base hits.
Kaylei Denison (7-1) grabbed another win, allowing seven hits, two earned runs, two walks and five strikeouts in seven innings pitched.
Concordia (19-9, 4-2 GPAC) will host Midland (21-10, 3-1 GPAC) on Wednesday (April 2). The Bulldogs and Warriors will pitch the first toss at 4 p.m. CT in Plum Creek Park. Coach Culler is 0-4 against the visitors, having lost 9-1 and 5-0 in last year’s doubleheader.
Stellar pitching leads Bulldogs to take one versus No. 22 Warriors
Apr. 2, 2025
SEWARD, Neb. – Concordia University, Nebraska softball team split a doubleheader with No. 22 Midland on Wednesday (April 2) at Plum Creek Park, winning game one, 2-0, before falling 1-0 in the second. In both pitchers’ duels, one pitcher threw a shutout in each as ace Megan Eurich kept a zero on the scoreboard in the opening contest. The Bulldogs showcased strong pitching in both contests with Kaylei Denison allowing one run in the last seven frames.
Head Coach Culler and company reach 20 wins (20-10) and have amassed a 5-3 record early on in GPAC play.
“Just challenge their batters,” Coach Culler said. “Trust our defense and yourselves. Pitching today, was outstanding. I’m happy Megs got a win and I feel like we could have got a win for Kaylei there. But overall, I’m happy with how our team performed today. Our offense got no hit on game two, but we only gave up one strikeout in each game. Our approach to the plate was good. We were putting the bat on the ball and competing hard. I just feel like in all three phases we played at a high level.”
In Game one, Concordia relied on Megan Eurich’s complete-game shutout (3rd season) to secure the victory. Eurich scattered eight hits and struck out four, improving her record to 7-6. A Gretna, Neb., native, Eurich is seven put outs away from 100 on the year.
Said Eurich, “A lot of it was just locating my pitches. We had a great defense behind me and that helped a lot. Me and Deni have been working so hard. We are complimenting each other really well, to just go out there and pitch our butts off.”
The Bulldogs scored in the second inning when Delanie Voshell singled and crossed the plate on Taryn Ganstrom’s RBI single, claiming a 1-0 lead. An unearned run in the third extended the edge, as Jennifer Katz walked, stole home, and capitalized on a Midland error. Despite eight hits from Midland, including three by Reese Floro, the Warriors stranded six runners and couldn’t solve the puzzling pitching via Eurich.
Denison (7-2) came out firing in the second game, allowing her defense to play behind her. The Waverly High alum gave up only five hits, one walk and the lone run in the fourth, facing 27 batters from Midland.
The Warriors’ Campbell Petrick would outdo Denison and the Dawg offense. She pitched a seven-inning no-hitter, collecting seemingly endless ground balls. Concordia’s offense, which managed just four hits in the opening game, was held hitless for the second time this season. The only baserunners came via walks to Voshell and Laycee Josoff, plus an error, but left three on base.
Midland (22-11, 4-2 GPAC) scored the only game’s run in the fourth. Jayce Reimers and Isabelle Pagan singled. With two on, Matti Reiling’s sacrifice fly drove in pinch runner Brie Lively for a 1-0 lead.
Concordia (20-10, 5-3 GPAC) returns to action Saturday, traveling to No. 7 Northwestern (30-5, 10-0 GPAC). First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at the NWC Softball Diamond. The Bulldogs are on a seven game losing skid, having last defeated the Red Raiders in 2022.
Dawg defense drops two games against No. 7 Red Raiders
Apr. 4, 2025
SIOUX CENTER, Iowa – With inclement weather ruling the Midwest in early Spring, the Bulldogs competed against No. 7 Northwestern, dropping both games in the doubleheader at the ASB Sports Complex. Moving to Friday (April 4) night, the Red Raiders run-ruled Concordia University, Nebraska Softball (9-0) in five innings, and then took game two, 6-2. The Dawg defense was overwhelmed, giving up four errors in the opening contest.
Head Coach Brock Culler and the dugout drop to 20-12 overall and 5-5 in GPAC play.
“They are a very good team,” Coach Culler said. “They play fast. They’re competitive. They play disciplined. They have an expectation to win, but I feel the same way about our team. The difference is that we played timid. In life and sports, you are always looking for that big opportunity. This was one of them and we just didn’t take advantage of it.”
Northwestern came out hot, hitting five knocks to score five runs in the first two frames. In a game where Concordia looked discombobulated from the start, the defensive errors (four) only aided the top-10 side. The onslaught continued in the fourth, capped by a Maddie Kvatek RBI triple to mount a nine-run lead. The Bulldogs' offensive response came in the form of three total hits (18 at-bats), two coming via Taryn Ganstrom, including a double.
Mass substitutions came from Culler, but the Red Raiders had already mounted the deciding damage. The ultra-talented Kate Kralik (16-3) claimed a game one shutout after pitching four strikeouts and one walk.
Following an opening inning run by NWC in game two, Aubrey Bruning doubled to score Delanie Voshell and Laycee Josoff to take an early lead. In response, Northwestern pushed home five unanswered runs and claimed the 6-2 lead by the end of the fourth. The two teams finished scoreless in the last two and a half frames to freeze the final score in favor of the home team.
Bruning, a Lincoln Southeast alum, went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a stolen base. The Lincoln, Neb., left fielder has 49 career stolen bags putting her in fourth all-time in swipes and one behind Stacey Miller (1997-98) in the program’s history.
Kylie Shottenkirk was the third Bulldog who collected multiple hits going 2-for-5 on the day with a double.
Northwestern (32-5, 12-0 GPAC) relied on consistent pitching from Ellie Jacobson, who allowed one earned run in five innings, and Tatum Schmalbec with zero runs in two innings. Ashtyn Billings hit a perfect 4-for-4, totaling five RBIs and two runs scored. Three players hit a 1.000 from the batters’ box in game one, including Billings, Sydney Jacobs (3-for-3) and Kvatek (2-for-2).
Concordia (20-12, 5-5 GPAC) will get back on the road next week and compete against Morningside (17-11, 5-3 GPAC) for a chance to jockey for a higher position in the standings. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. CT in Sioux City, Iowa.
Dawgs losing skid continues against Mustangs
Apr. 8, 2025
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Concordia University, Nebraska Softball traveled to Jensen Softball Complex and dropped two against Morningside on Tuesday (April 8). The Bulldogs got down early in game one, being run-ruled (8-0) in five innings, and gave up a grand slam in the fourth frame of game two, creating separation for the home team (7-1). CUNE extends its losing skid to five games and has a 5-7 GPAC record.
Head Coach Brock Culler’s squad totaled a 20-13 overall record for the 2025 season.
"We are not playing well in all phases of the game," Coach Culler said. "We let such a good opportunity slip by with these last three games. We have a lot of work to do. We are watching way too many strikes. We are timid at the plate and quiet on defense. We have to keep practicing. It's not a fundamental thing. It is a competitive thing. Our team is not competitive right now. They are expecting good things to happen, not trying to make them happen."
The bright light turned on Jennifer Katz as the three-hole hitter hit .666 (4-for-6) earning a double and an RBI. The center fielder, out of Omaha, Neb., continues to rake, popping 39 hits on the year with a .402 batting average and a .691 slugging percentage. Avery O’Boyle went 2-for-6 with eight total punchouts on defense.
In game one, Morningside swung for three hits for three runs in the opening frame. The Broncos scored four more in the fourth with Mackenzi Harrel, Josie Hernandez and Jenna Skradski doing all the damage with two RBIs apiece in the five inning game. Megan Eurich (six hits) and Taryn Ganstrom (three hits) split two innings each and the eight total runs.
The Bulldogs lost control in the bottom of the third as five runs (four unearned) scored for the Mustangs off four hits and an error in the second game. Pitcher Morgan Secora hit a homer with the bases loaded and pushed across the game-winning run in the process. Kaylei Denison took the loss, allowing only two earned runs (11 hits) to strike out five in 31 batters faced.
Concordia’s defense remains in disarray with six errors as the offense added one run in two contests. Three other Bulldogs had one hit including Delanie Voshell, Taryn Ganstrom and Aubriana Krieser.
Morningside (22-12, 10-4 GPAC) relied on two scorching hot batters in Paige Schuster (5-for-6) with three runs scored and Harrel (5-for-6) with four runs scored and four runs batted in. Adeline Fliege hurled a shutout in the opening game, striking out two and giving up four hits and a walk.
Concordia (20-14, 5-7 GPAC) will face Doane (14-18, 6-6 GPAC) on Friday in Crete, Neb. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. CT at the Doane Ballfield Complex.
Dawgs and Tigers split in Crete
Apr. 11, 2025
CRETE, Neb. – The in-state rival Bulldogs and Tigers clashed inside the Doane Ballfield Complex as the two sides split with a game apiece. Concordia University, Nebraska Softball dropped game one (2-0) and responded with a 5-4 win in game two over Doane. CUNE punched 12 hits in the two contests and Taryn Ganstrom tagged three (3-for-4) in the second outing.
Head Coach Brock Culler and company are 21-15 overall and 6-8 in conference play.
“I saw that we are competing,” Coach Culler said. “I don’t know if anyone outside of our dugout knows how much we needed that win. It was huge for our team. I’m really proud of them for staying with it and grinding. In game two, we used a lot of players. Players who were supporting each other that are used to playing and didn’t get to see the field in the second game. We got some younger players in, and we had some big moments. They came through and it was really good.”
Tied at one each (game two), Ganstrom popped a two RBI single down the right field line to score Grace Maguire and Lillian Loghry. Avery O’Boyle reached on a fielding error and Ganstrom took advantage giving the Dawgs a three-run frame. After the Tigers tied it back in the third, the speedy Aubrey Bruning crossed home plate off a throwing error by the catcher (5th). Enter relief pitcher, Megan Eurich to shut down Doane, allowing only one hit in the 2.2 shutout innings for her fourth save this year.
Kaylei Denison (8-4) earned the win and pitched 4.1 frames allowing five hits, three earned runs and one walk in the showing. Denison, a Waverly, Neb., native, has made a huge jump in ERA so far this season with a 3.35 versus 2024 (7.86).
In game one, Eurich (7-9) was dealing zeros on the scoreboard before the Tigers capitalized on two unearned runs from an error and two passed balls. Concordia had multiple chances with six runners left on base but couldn’t make lemonade, missing out on its swings. The Dawgs and Doane had four hits apiece, but the errors were costly once again for the visitors.
Ganstrom ended with two runs, two RBIs and a stolen base. Designated Player Keira Farritor went 2-for-3 in game two and pushed across a run batted in.
The Tigers (15-21, 7-9 GPAC) split both games with Faith McDonald and Faith Molina in the pitchers’ circle as the two tag teamed for a game one blanking. Molina gave up five of the 12 hits and zero earned runs. In the batters’ box, Grace Dowding went 4-for-7 scoring three runs, an RBI, a double and two stolen bases. Doane will face Bellevue University on the road on Wednesday.
Concordia (21-15, 6-8 GPAC) will have a quick turnaround facing Waldorf (3-24, 1-9 GPAC) tomorrow (April 12). First pitch is set for 1 p.m. CT at Plum Creek Park in Seward.
Superior pitching and improved defense sealed two versus Waldorf
Apr. 12, 2025
SEWARD, Neb. – Superior pitching and defense spurred the Bulldogs to a two game sweep of Waldorf as a welcome to the GPAC on Saturday (April 12). Eurich hurled a 13-strikeout blanking (8-0) in game one (6 inn.) and Kaylei Denison held on in a pitchers’ duel (2-1) in the second contest.
With a three-game winning streak starting to form, Concordia University, Nebraska Softball boasts a 23-15 overall record and returns to a .500 mark (8-8) in GPAC play.
“It feels really good,” Center Fielder Jennifer Katz said. “We definitely need the momentum going into the GPAC tournament and finishing out our games here. These wins were important. We knew we were better than this team, and we needed to start acting like it to get the hits we know we can. We have been in a bit of a slump, so we just need to remember what it feels like to patch it all together. Our communication on defense was a lot better, and that’s what we need which we have been missing.”
In the mentioned downfall of recent games, one of the steadying forces has been Megan Eurich in the circle. A Gretna, Neb., native, Eurich zoomed 13 strikeout pitches past the opposing Warrior offense, playing an instrumental part for her fourth shutout in 2025. Eurich’s 13 punch outs were a single game career record matching last year’s baker’s dozen against Peru State (March 16).
With Waldorf bats rendered virtually silent in game one, Taryn Ganstrom cracked her sixth triple of the season and found the final base. The Bulldogs created some early separation with Laycee Josoff speed and Hanna Bowers singling Delanie Voshell home. With the flood gates continuing to burst at the seams, Avery O’Boyle smashed the contest open with a two RBI single.
One batter later, Katz said goodbye, knocking the cover off the ball outside of Plum Creek Park. A Louisville high product, Katz paces the Bulldogs with four over the fence this year and the 19th of her collegiate career.
In game two, Denison leaned on her defense, producing a one-run seven frame outing and punched out four batters in the process. The field allowed zero errors in the twin bill and corralled everything within arm’s reach.
“I feel like I was just trusting my defense,” Denison said. “Pitches were going and they just cracked on them a little bit to get the one run. All in all, I feel like we put up a good defense against them.”
Kiera Farritor is gaining traction in the batter’s box, totaling 2-for-3 performances in her last two outings. Josoff, Ganstrom and Aubrey Bruning scored two runs apiece in the doubleheader.
Waldorf (3-26, 1-11 GPAC) remains with only one win in the conference, but Reagan Ridout pitched the second game allowing five hits, zero earned runs and pitched five strikeouts in seven innings. Saige Pierson went 2-for-3 and one RBI for the Warriors.
Concordia (23-15, 8-8 GPAC) will keep hosting in Plum Creek Park for the next five games and will face Dordt (17-24, 6-8 GPAC) on Tuesday (April 15). The first pitch will be thrown at 4 p.m. CT in Seward.
Dawg offense rises from the dead in split versus Dordt
Apr. 15, 2025
SEWARD, Neb. – The Dawgs unleashed 24 hits in the two games versus Dordt and found themselves in a split at Plum Creek Park on Tuesday (April 15). Concordia University, Nebraska Softball came up shy of a game one comeback (9-6) but carried the momentum into the next contest to hammer the Defenders in a five-inning run rule clobbering (13-3). Six Bulldogs had at least three hits in the twin bill.
Head Coach Brock Culler and the dugout have reached 24 wins (24-16) in the season for the first time in the program since 2021 and have a .500 (9-9) conference tally.
“The key to this team making a leap is our offense,” Coach Culler said. “Game one, we got ourselves in some trouble and couldn’t get a lead batter out. They kind of grabbed the momentum from us, and in the last two innings, we got it back. Coach Glause said to the team, ‘I don’t care if we end up winning this game or not, but these last two innings, we have to build some momentum that carries into game two.’ I like the way we made adjustments and stuck with it on offense today.”
Hitting a .200 batting average as a team in the last 10 games, the offense seemingly rose from the dead with a .421 showing in the two games.
In game two, the Bulldogs got ahead early with a 5-1 lead built by four hits that were sandwiched with a Jennifer Katz RBI single and an Avery O’Boyle RBI single. After the Defenders responded, making it a two-run ball game (5-3), the Concordia offense erupted for seven hits in the eight-run fourth. Delanie Voshell pushed the first run across (O’Boyle) and an avalanche continued to fall with Aubriana Krieser, Grace Maguire, Layce Josoff (triple), Aubrey Bruning and Ganstrom (triple) compiling six consecutive knocks.
“It was definitely huge,” Voshell said. “We knew we needed this win. We probably could have had the first one, but bouncing back is really what shows the grit in our team. It was great to have that inning. We really needed it.”
Lost in the shuffle, Kaylei Denison hit double-digit wins (10-4) and has a three-game winning streak. She struck out six and allowed nine hits, three runs and four walks, but kept her composure to get out of jams.
Ganstrom, out of Seneca, Kan., continued her clutch at-bats, clubbing 4-for-7 with two triples, four runs batted in and three runs scored. After hitting her last three-bagger, Ganstrom tied the single-season record for triples (eight), matching Stephanie Hinrichs (1982) and Celine Lassaigne (2003).
“I’m just seeing the ball,” Ganstrom said. “They are having good placement going over to right field, which is a long throw for them, and I take advantage of it.”
In game one, the home squad got down (8-2) but scored four in the last two frames and had the winning run at the plate before the final out.
The batter's box was crowded with Bulldogs that had impressive outings from the offensive side of the ball. Ganstrom, O’Boyle (4-for-8), Bruning (3-for-4), Katz (3-for-6), Voshell (3-for-7), and Krieser (3-for-7) had a spectacular day in the ballpark, hitting .520 in game two as a full team.
Concordia (24-16, 9-9 GPAC) is set to hold senior day against Mount Marty on Saturday (April 18) in Seward. First pitch is at 1 p.m. CT in Plum Creek Park.
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The Katz meow: future veterinarian follows calling to stardom in Bulldog Blue
Apr. 18, 2025
The academic and softball career of Jennifer Katz took her from Louisville High School (southwest of Omaha) to Dodge City Community College to Southwestern Community College and ultimately to Concordia University, Nebraska. In a four-year stretch, Katz wore four different softball uniforms with four different school names stitched across her jersey. This May, she’ll proudly walk across the stage to accept degrees in biology and chemistry as someone with a near spotless grade-point average.
Katz likely never planned for such upheaval as she surveyed her options coming out of high school, but she knows the journey has better prepared her for her future. Without question, Katz is someone who knows how to quickly find comfort in new surroundings.
“It was definitely difficult,” Katz said of the college transitions. “I made some really good friends at both of my JUCOs. Leaving them was hard. I had to start over with a whole new friend group and new team. It worked out really well. The transition was fairly easy. The team was great and Coach (Brock) Culler was great in helping with everything. The hardest part was leaving all my friends. Once I got here and got settled in, everything was so much better. It ended up becoming a second home.”
Katz says she considered attending Concordia out of high school before opting for the junior college route. As fate would have it, Concordia re-entered the picture. This time, the stars aligned for Katz, who stated that “coming to Concordia was one of the best decisions I have ever made.” In year two as a Bulldog, Katz has thrived while emerging as the team’s most consistent performer. The Omaha area native was selected as Concordia’s March Female Athlete of the Month after she sizzled with a .423 batting average over the time period.
In another year of adapting, Katz showed promise in 2024 when she took over the center field role for Coach Culler’s program. She started all 48 games and batted .271. Then in 2025, Katz kicked it up a few notches. The Louisville High School product is putting together a First Team All-GPAC résumé while hitting .389 with 12 doubles, four triples and four home runs to go with a .673 slugging percentage. Impressively, Katz has recorded nine outfield assists and has swiped 11 stolen bases while displaying a well-rounded game.
Culler remembers that first meeting with Katz when she arrived in his office along with her father Brian. Katz had reached out first at the urging of Dodge City teammate and best friend Alicyn O’Neill, who had played for Culler at Grand Island Central Catholic High School. After time spent at two different JUCOs, Katz was looking for the place where she could hang her hat for multiple years.
Said Culler of the recruiting visit, “When she walked in, you could see she’s tall and athletic, looks strong, speaks well and is a good student. It was kind of a no-brainer. I didn’t see her play live, but I saw video and she looked great. Then talking with her in person, I got a good sense for what she was going to bring.”
The second visit made the difference for Katz. Culler seemingly hit all the right notes in the mind of Katz. Said Katz, “I came on a visit and loved it. Everything felt right this time. Things were different. I loved the coach. I felt like God was calling me to come here. This is where I was supposed to be as far as academics, athletics and everything … The Christ-centered community made it click in my head – this is why you were called to come here. You’re going to build yourself up and become a better person. This is where you’re meant to be.”
If there were any downsides, it was simply that Katz felt she had to prove herself as a softball player all over again while getting accustomed to new teammates and a new environment. She jumped right into a large junior class that was still in the process of attempting to help rebuild the program. Thankfully, Katz found that she was welcomed into the class and into the team’s culture. She quickly made friends and managed to feel increasingly more comfortable.
From 2024 to 2025, something clicked. Culler sensed that Katz wasn’t satisfied with what she accomplished as a junior. Katz really caught fire at the Tucson Invite when she went 13-for-25 (.520) with six doubles, two triples and 10 RBIs. Ever since, Katz has flirted with a .400 season batting average while playing at a high level in center field.
“She’s a very dedicated hard-working person,” Culler said. “She’s making adjustments constantly on the field and in the classroom. She’s a 4.0 kid. She’s always looking to get better all the time. She had a decent season last year, but that wasn’t good enough for her. She went to work and identified the things She needed to work on. She did those things and here we go. This is where she’s at.”
Katz likely wouldn’t be able to recite any of her stats very specifically. Those results are the product of an approach that has clearly worked. She placed the focus on having fun this season. It’s the reason she developed a passion for the sport as a child. She says her older siblings, brother Jeffrey and sister Julie, made a big impact on her athletics career. When it comes down to it, softball’s still a kid’s game.
“Stepping into this year, I’m a senior and I want to have fun and enjoy my teammates, coaches and the sport,” Katz said. “My sole focus was not to care about how I do but be here to have fun and enjoy it. I’m definitely more focused on God and the blessings He’s given me. He’s given me these talents and allowed me to find three schools I could go play at. I think it’s amazing.”
From an academic perspective, Katz hasn’t wavered in her desire to become a veterinarian. Katz remembers loving animals all the way back to when she was in kindergarten. Following graduation, Katz will enroll in the Iowa State University-University of Nebraska Lincoln Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine. After all, her last name is Katz.
“I was one of those kids as a kindergartener who said I wanted to be a veterinarian,” Katz said. “I stuck with it all the way through. The classes I took at my junior colleges helped prepare me to come to Concordia. Dr. (Connie) Callahan has been a great help in getting me there. The classes I’ve gotten here have been extremely helpful. I’m so glad I’ve gotten to learn under many of these professors. They’re amazing. I definitely think they’ve prepared me for vet school and confirmed what I want to do with my life.”
Based on her track record, Katz will find a way to make more friends and thrive in another new situation in veterinary school. But first thing’s first, Katz will do everything in her power to make the 2025 season last as long as possible. On Saturday (April 19), Katz will be honored as one of eight seniors inside the program. The recognition will be well-deserved. For Katz, she came here simply to “enjoy it and have a good time.” She just so happened to find stardom on the softball field and a second home while growing stronger in her faith. That’s the Katz meow.
Dawgs split with Lancers on senior day
Apr. 19, 2025
SEWARD, Neb. – The Bulldogs and Lancers battled in two one-run contests that ended in a split on senior day. Concordia University, Nebraska Softball fell in game one (2-1) despite a great performance via Megan Eurich and clinched game two (4-3) with some clutch hitting and defense. Eight seniors were honored on Saturday (April 19) in Plum Creek Park.
The Dawgs move to 25-17 overall and are .500 (10-10) in the conference.
“Stay with our noses to the grindstone,” Coach Culler said. “It was important for us to stay composed and be more disciplined at the plate. I thought, Offensively, we did a good job in the second game. I love the way that it was two one-run games. We had to grind to get this thing. That’s what I like.”
In the second game, the two teams were deadlocked at three in the bottom of the fourth. Freshman Avery O’Boyle drove in Taryn Ganstrom with a three-bagger to put Concordia up one. With one out and a Lancer on first, Janeah Castro laced the ball to center field in what was sure to be an RBI double until Jennifer Katz dove for the SportsCenter top-10-like grab.
Said Culler, “That catch was monstrous. Not only was it incredible, she was completely parallel to the ground. She doesn’t make that catch, they tie the game.”
Kaylei Denison hurled seven innings and allowed three runs but struck out six Mount Marty batters in her 11th win.
In the opening frame, Senior Delanie Voshell doubled to left center to score O’Boyle and Aubriana Krieser. The right fielder, out of Shenandoah, Iowa, also tripled in game one and scored the lone run in the first contest. O’Boyle mashed a double and triple collecting an RBI and a run scored.
The Lancers used a two-hit inning to score the first run, and the Bulldogs evened the score via a Hanna Bowers sacrifice fly. Mount Marty would use the same formula to gather the eventual game-winning run from a Lilinoe Nihi RBI single.
Eurich took the loss but had an impressive outing, only giving up two runs and zero walks while striking out six in seven innings pitched.
Concordia honored eight seniors, including Hanna Bowers, Aubrey Bruning, Megan Eurich, Zoe Isom, Jennifer Katz, Kylie Shottenkirk, Bethany Thomas and Delanie Voshell.
Said Culler, “Consistency. They have stuck it out when it hasn’t been easy. We have had some tough moments and some really good moments. This group of seniors has a lot of passion. They care a lot about each other and the program. When it's all said and done, they will have left their footprint on this program for sure.”
Concordia (25-17) and Bellevue University (25-17) will play one game this coming Wednesday (April 23). The contest is set to start at 6 p.m. CT at Plum Creek Park in Seward.
Ten softball student-athletes earn NAIA Scholar-Athlete awards
Apr. 23, 2025
2024-25 NAIA Spring Sport Scholar-Athlete List
SEWARD, Neb. – A group of 10 Bulldogs represented the Concordia University, Nebraska Softball program with 2024-25 Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athlete recognition, as announced on Wednesday (April 23). The honor roll included repeat award winners in Megan Eurich, Emma Kirby and Isabella Wolter. Among the Scholar-Athletes, both Eurich and Jennifer Katz were also honored in 2024 as Academic All-District honorees by College Sports Communicators.
In order to be nominated by an institution’s head coach or sports information director, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, must appear on the eligibility certificate for the sport and have attended one full year at said institution.
Concordia University, Nebraska ranks as the NAIA’s all-time leader in number of Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes with 2,526 entering the 2024-25 academic year. The school record for number of Scholar-Athletes in one academic year is 226 achieved in 2019-20. Concordia has been a regular national leader for both Scholar-Athletes and Scholar-Teams.
2025 Concordia Softball Scholar-Athletes
· Megan Eurich (Gretna, Neb.)
· Taryn Ganstrom (Seneca, Kan.)
· Jordan Head (Hastings, Neb.)
· Laycee Josoff (Yutan, Neb.)
· Jennifer Katz (Omaha, Neb.)
· Emma Kirby (Lincoln, Neb.)
· Landri Loos (Loup City, Neb.)
· Piper Seidl (Newton, Kan.)
· Delanie Voshell (Shenandoah, Iowa)
· Isabella Wolter (Benson, Minn.)
Concordia falls to Bellevue in non-conference clash
Apr. 23, 2025
SEWARD, Neb. – Concordia University, Nebraska’s Softball team dropped a 9-2 decision to Bellevue University in a non-conference matchup at Plum Creek Park on Wednesday (April 23). The Bulldogs struggled to contain the Bruins’ potent offense, which erupted for six runs in the fourth inning, while the Bulldog bats managed just six hits against a trio of Bruin pitchers.
Head Coach Brock Culler and company are 25-18 with one series remaining before the GPAC tournament.
“We had a game plan coming in, that we were going to get a lot of players in,” Coach Culler said. “The thing is we needed kind of like a mood swing game. There was good energy tonight. That’s all we needed. The energy in the dugout was positive and that was good.”
Bellevue struck first, plating three runs in the opening frame. Concordia answered in the bottom half when Avery O’Boyle stole home after the Bruins tried to throw Jennifer Katz out at second, cutting the deficit to 3-1.
The game’s turning point came in the fourth, as Bellevue sent 10 batters to the plate, collecting six hits, including a two-run double by Breanna McMurtry and an RBI double by Sami Short. Concordia’s pitching staff, led by starter Kaylei Denison (11-5), couldn’t stem the tide, with relievers Taryn Ganstrom, Jordan Head, and Megan Eurich allowing six runs in the frame, pushing the score to 9-1.
Concordia showed fight in the fifth when Ganstrom tripled and scored on O’Boyle’s double, narrowing the gap to 9-2. Ganstrom, a Southwestern Community College transfer, surpassed Stephanie Hinrichs (1998) and Celine Lassaigne (2003) for the single season triples record (9) in the program’s history.
O’Boyle finished 1-for-2 with an RBI, a run, and a stolen base, while Ganstrom went 1-for-4 with a run. Keira Farritor added two hits, but the Bulldogs couldn’t sustain the rally against Bellevue’s reliever Madison Unverzagt (7-1), who earned the win with two scoreless innings.
Denison took the loss, allowing three runs on five hits over 4.2 innings, with five walks and one strikeout.
Bellevue’s offense, powered by Arika Sidel’s 3-for-4 day with two RBIs and McMurtry’s two RBIs, left 10 runners on base but capitalized when it mattered. The Bruins (26-17) will face Dakota State University (S.D.) in a four game series next.
The Bulldogs (25-18, 10-10 GPAC) return to action this weekend, aiming to rebound in their final regular-season series against College of Saint Mary (9-28, 7-13 GPAC) before postseason play. The doubleheader will start at 1 p.m. CT in Omaha, Neb.
Pitching, defense on point as Bulldogs sweep Flames to complete 2025 regular season
Apr. 26, 2025
OMAHA, Neb. – On the regular season’s final day (April 26), Megan Eurich starred with the pitching arm and Aubriana Krieser shined at the plate as the Concordia University, Nebraska Softball team improved its positioning for postseason play. The exploits of Eurich and Krieser combined with stellar defensive play helped pave the way for the Bulldogs to win at College of Saint Mary by scores of 6-3 and 4-0. Krieser collected five hits and five RBIs for the day.
Head Coach Brock Culler’s squad is now locked into the No. 5 seed for the upcoming conference tournament. Concordia concluded the regular season with a league mark of 12-10 (27-18 overall).
“That’s our biggest takeaway – the execution of the game plan was so big,” Culler said. “Pitching was really good and we had no errors on defense. The execution at the plate was good. We got runners on, we moved them and we got timely hits. We put together two really good softball games, offensively and defensively, and the pitching was really good.”
Pitching and defense were a major strength on Saturday as Kaylei Denison and Eurich earned wins and the Bulldogs played error-free ball behind them. A week after making a critical diving catch in the left center gap in the 4-3 win over Mount Marty, center fielder Jennifer Katz put forth another doozy. In the bottom of the fourth of game two, Katz raced all the way from center to make a sprawling catch in shallow left field to rob CSM’s Amber Kosmicki of a hit. It was one of six flyballs Katz tracked down on Saturday.
In game one in Omaha, the Bulldogs overcame a 3-2 deficit thanks to a breakout fifth inning. Keira Farritor got Concordia within a run with an RBI single that scored Aubrey Bruning. The hitting star of the day, Krieser then chased home Tobi Topp and Taryn Ganstrom with a base hit to center. The 4-3 lead grew to a three-run advantage in the sixth when Laycee Josoff knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly and Ganstrom singled home another.
The late offensive production allowed Denison to push her season record to 12-5. She surrendered three runs in the fourth before tightening the screws and recording zeroes in the fifth through seventh frames. Denison walked only two hitters. In game two, Eurich needed very little run support. The Gretna native spun a four-hit shutout with 10 strikeouts (moving her career total to 467). In the bottom of the seventh, the Flames loaded the bases with two outs before Eurich ended the threat with strikeout No. 10.
The Lincoln North Star alum Krieser led an offense featuring seven Bulldogs with multiple hits in the doubleheader. The school record holder for triples in a single season, Ganstrom keeps raking – she went 3-for-6 with two walks, three runs, a double, one RBI and two stolen bases on Saturday. As a team, Concordia went 8-for-8 on stolen base attempts. Bruning added two steals to her career total (53 – third most in school history). Additionally, Josoff supplied a late two-run single to give Eurich extra cushion in game two.
The five-hit day for Krieser emerged as a major development. Said Culler of Krieser, “We’ve been working hard on some of her swing mechanics, and it’s starting to come together for her. To have a day like this with those results is really good to see … This was a great opportunity to grab some momentum and get some good positive energy. I feel like we did that. The energy in our dugout was great today. We competed well. This is a really good sign because our big performers are performing big again.”
The slate gets wiped clean now with the postseason scheduled to get underway this coming Wednesday. As the No. 5 seed, the Bulldogs will be headed to Orange City, Iowa, for pod play at the 2025 GPAC Tournament. Northwestern and Midland earned the right to host GPAC postseason play after locking in the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds, respectively.
Bulldogs drop both games on opening day of GPAC
Apr. 30, 2025
ORANGE CITY, Iowa – Concordia University, Nebraska Softball competed in GPAC pod play in Orange City, Iowa, dropping its first two games on Wednesday (April 30). The No. 5 seed Bulldogs were defeated by No. 4 seed Dakota Wesleyan (6-1) and No. 1 seed Northwestern (6-0) at the NWC Softball Diamond. Head Coach Brock Culler and company are knocked out of the postseason with two losses.
CUNE ends its softball season with a 27-20 overall record and a 12-10 GPAC slate.
“We swung the bats well, but we just couldn’t string anything together,” Coach Culler said. “Against Northwestern, we had a couple of times we could have had a big inning, and we just couldn’t put them together. Pitching and defense were pretty good, but we misplayed a few bunts against Northwestern. The one big inning Dakota Wesleyan had, we should have gotten out of the inning a little sooner. Overall, the girls were competing out there.”
With nine hits in the two games, Concordia continued to have runners on base but couldn’t capitalize with teammates on. Jennifer Katz (2-for-5), Laycee Josoff (2-for-5) and Taryn Ganstrom (2-for-6) led the team with multiple knocks apiece in day one of the GPAC tournament.
Knotted in a scoreless contest after two and a half frames, Dakota Wesleyan pushed across four runs (three unearned) via McKinnely Mull plus a Bulldog error. After the Tigers tacked on one more, Aubrey Bruning singled and scored on a stolen base with a throwing error. Opportunities arose in the later innings, but the Tigers seemed to be able to escape unscathed.
In a similar fashion, the Bulldogs' pitching staff went into the third inning without a blemish. The Red Raiders punched in three runs in the third and fourth frames via Tatum Schmalbeck and untamed pitches. Both of Josoff’s hits would come in the contest versus Northwestern, but the offense stalled out in the end.
Bruning, Avery O’Boyle, Kylie Shottenkirk cracked a hit each, but the rest of the lineups came up empty.
Megan Eurich and Kaylei Denison graced the pitchers’ circle as both hurlers threw in the two contests. Eurich, a Gretna, Neb., native, pitched for a total of 7.1 frames and Denison 4.1. They combined for seven earned runs given up (five unearned) and six strikeouts.
The No. 8 seed Doane went 2-0 on day one putting Dakota Wesleyan and Northwestern in an elimination game in the opener tomorrow in Orange City. The two teams will compete at 12 p.m. at the NWC Softball Diamond.
Coach Culler said, “This team was capable of playing at a high level. It’s unfortunate that we weren’t playing at that high level toward the end of the season. We had some really young players who contributed toward the end, so some of those created opportunities and took advantage of them. I told the seniors to trust me, this program is going in the right direction.”
Concordia has finished with the most wins (27) under Coach Culler and will look to build on the program for the 2025-26 season.
Three Bulldogs named to All-GPAC second team; 10 total honored
May 6, 2025
2025 GPAC All-Conference Softball Teams
Second Team: Taryn Ganstrom; Jennifer Katz; Delanie Voshell.
Honorable Mention: Aubrey Bruning; Kaylei Denison; Megan Eurich; Aubriana Krieser; Laycee Josoff; Grace Maguire; Avery O’Boyle.
SEWARD, Neb. – A total of 10 Bulldogs from the Concordia University, Nebraska Softball program have been honored with 2025 GPAC All-Conference accolades, as announced by the league office on Tuesday (May 6). In leading the way from the perspective of the Bulldogs, junior Taryn Ganstrom and seniors Jennifer Katz and Delanie Voshell picked up Second Team All-GPAC accolades. Meanwhile, seven Concordia student-athletes earned honorable mention all-conference distinction: Aubrey Bruning, Kaylei Denison, Megan Eurich, Aubriana Krieser, Laycee Josoff, Grace Maguire and Avery O’Boyle.
Head Coach Brock Culler’s squad completed the 2025 season with an overall record of 27-20. The Bulldogs placed fifth in the final GPAC regular season standings.
A junior from Seneca, Kan., Ganstrom enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2025. She batted a team high .364 (55-for-151) with 38 runs, seven doubles, nine triples, one home run, 23 RBIs and 16 stolen bases. Ganstrom also recorded a .420 on-base percentage and .550 slugging percentage. Her nine triples set a new program standard for a single season. While playing three different infield spots (and pitching), Ganstrom converted 66 of 70 chances in the field. She also made 13 pitching appearances and posted a 5-2 record and 3.98 ERA in 38.2 innings.
A senior from Omaha, Katz rose to stardom in 2025. The Louisville High School product has earned All-GPAC honors in back-to-back years. As a senior, Katz batted .358 (48-for-134) with 48 runs, 12 doubles, four triples, four home runs, 26 RBIs and 14 stolen bases to go along with a .428 on-base percentage and .597 slugging percentage. In center field, Katz made only one error while notching nine assists. In her two seasons at Concordia, Katz started 92 games and achieved NAIA Scholar-Athlete and Academic All-District (College Sports Communicators) status.
Voshell put together her best season as a senior in 2025. The Shenandoah, Iowa, native hit .291 (37-for-127) with 18 runs, four doubles, one triple, 19 RBIs and seven stolen bases. She also posted an on-base percentage of .343 and slugging percentage of .339 in 45 games. In the outfield, Voshell produced a .956 fielding percentage and two assists. In three seasons as a Bulldog, Voshell tallied 94 hits and twice garnered all-conference recognition.
Eurich completed a career that puts her in the discussion with the top pitchers in program history. The Gretna, Neb., native was tabbed First Team All-GPAC in 2024. As a senior, Eurich posted a record of 9-12 to go with a 3.10 ERA and 138 strikeouts (against only 25 walks) in 137.2 innings (29 appearances). Over her four seasons as a Bulldog, Eurich went 38-34 with a 3.14 ERA and 473 strikeouts in 513 innings. Eurich rose to No. 3 on the program’s all-time strikeout list. She is also an NAIA Scholar-Athlete and Academic All-District award winner.
A Lincoln Southeast High School alum, Bruning has landed on the all-conference team for the third-consecutive year. As a senior in 2025, Bruning batted .333 (35-for-105) with 35 runs, five doubles, three triples, 14 RBIs and 17 stolen bases. She recorded a .369 on-base percentage and .438 slugging percentage. Bruning did not commit a single error in 45 chances in the outfield. In her career, Bruning batted .318 with 136 hits and 54 stolen bases (third most in program history).
A Second Team All-GPAC honoree in 2024, Krieser batted above .300 for a second-straight year. For 2025, the Lincoln North Star High School alum hit .310 (40-for-129) with 14 runs, 14 doubles, one home run and 25 RBIs in 45 games. She sported an on-base percentage of .350 and slugging percentage of .442. As the team’s primary first baseman, Krieser recorded a .985 fielding percentage. In 69 career college games, Krieser has batted .338 with 68 hits.
Among the program’s additional four honorable mention selections, Josoff is the lone repeat All-GPAC award winner. Josoff batted .225 and posted a .912 fielding percentage in 41 games this season. In the pitching circle, Denison led the team with 12 wins to go with a 3.30 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 118.2 innings. Denison made 22 appearances (21 starts) in the circle. Meanwhile, O’Boyle batted .329 in 31 games (79 at-bats) as a freshman playing both catcher and second base and Maguire batted .250 in 23 games while sharing catching duties with O’Boyle.
Five Bulldogs from Concordia Softball named Academic All-District by CSC
May 27, 2025
2025 CSC Academic All-District Softball Teams
SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University, Nebraska Softball program placed a maximum of allotment of five individuals on the list of 2025 Academic All-District award winners, as announced by College Sports Communicators (CSC) on Tuesday (May 27). The honorees from Head Coach Brock Culler’s squad include seniors Megan Eurich, Jennifer Katz and Delanie Voshell, junior Taryn Ganstrom and sophomore Laycee Josoff. In highlighting the list, Eurich and Katz are repeat Academic All-District student-athletes.
The 2024-25 Academic All-District® Softball Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the diamond and in the classroom. Student-athletes must achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher in order to be nominated for this award. Nominees also had to meet specific requirements in terms of games played and games started during the 2025 season. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA — for each gender.
2025 CSC Academic All-District Honorees – Concordia Softball
Megan Eurich | Sr. | Gretna, Neb.
Major: Criminal Justice
Notes: 3x CSC Academic All-District; 2x GPAC All-Conference (first team in 2024; HM in 2025); 3x NAIA Scholar-Athlete.
Taryn Ganstrom | Jr. | Seneca, Kan.
Major: Exercise Science
Notes: First CSC Academic All-District award; 2025 Second Team All-GPAC; 2025 NAIA Scholar-Athlete.
Laycee Josoff | So. | Yutan, Neb.
Major: Exercise Science
Notes: First CSC Academic All-District award; 2x Honorable Mention All-GPAC; 2025 NAIA Scholar-Athlete.
Jennifer Katz | Sr. | Omaha, Neb.
Major: Biology / Chemistry
Notes: 2x CSC Academic All-District; 2x GPAC All-Conference (HM in 2024; second team in 2025); 2025 NAIA Scholar-Athlete.
Delanie Voshell | Sr. | Shenandoah, Iowa
Major: Business Administration (concentration in Accounting)
Notes: First CSC Academic All-District award; 2x GPAC All-Conference (HM in 2024, second team in 2025); 2025 NAIA Scholar-Athlete.
Academic All-District® honorees were considered for advancement to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot. Student-athletes selected as CSC Academic All-America® finalists are denoted with an asterisk (in the CSC release) and will advance to the national ballot to be voted on by CSC members. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced June 17.
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Season-In-Review: Breakouts from Ganstrom, Katz push Bulldogs forward in 2025
May 28, 2025
The competitive level of Concordia University, Nebraska Softball has increased each year under the direction of Head Coach Brock Culler. The 2025 Bulldogs pushed the program a step closer to their ultimate goals as a team featuring a mix of veterans and young up-and-comers produced 27 wins, the most for Concordia since qualifying for the national tournament in 2021. When at its best, the ’25 club scored runs in bunches behind breakout stars in Taryn Ganstrom and Jennifer Katz while riding the pitching arm of Megan Eurich.
The Bulldogs put together a strong nonconference run and showed they could hang tough with national tournament caliber opponents. Unfortunately, the journey ended sooner than hoped for Culler and company. It just means there’s work to be done.
“I thought we played good, disciplined softball at College of Saint Mary in our last regular season doubleheader,” Culler said. “I was really hoping that created some momentum going into the conference tournament. We couldn’t string any hits together. We scored one run in two games. You’re just not going to win doing that. It’s unfortunate because our pitching and defense played really well. I was really proud of a lot of our young players for the way they performed down the stretch. We got them some significant innings in the last third of the season. That’s going to propel them into next season. There’s a lot to look forward to for sure.”
The two games Culler referred to took place in Orange City, Iowa, where Northwestern hosted a portion of the conference tournament. Concordia saw its season cut short on April 30 when it lost games to both Dakota Wesleyan and Northwestern, two of the league's top four seeds. During conference play, the Bulldogs never quite found the type of consistency needed to compete for a championship. They finished 2025 at 27-20 overall (12-10 GPAC) and in fifth place in the conference regular season standings. Meanwhile, Northwestern and Midland continued their reign at the top.
The most thrilling stretch of the 2025 season for the Bulldogs came over spring break. Spanning the final day of the Top Gun NAIA Invite in the Kansas City area and the Tucson Invite, Concordia went 9-1 while outscoring its opponents by a combined total of 67-37. Over that stretch, Katz became a star as she batted .500 with 10 extra-base hits and 11 RBIs. The 10-game run also saw red-hot performances from the likes of Ganstrom, Aubrey Bruning, Hanna Bowers and Aubriana Krieser. At 15-7 entering league play, the Bulldogs appeared poised for a run at a lofty conference placement.
The highlight of conference action came on April 2 when Eurich scattered eight hits and shut out then 22nd-ranked (and eventual NAIA World Series qualifier) Midland, 2-0, as part of a chilly doubleheader at Plum Creek Park. Concordia won four-straight GPAC games to get to 5-3 in league play before a rash of splits ultimately put it at 12-10.
Over the second half of April, Culler began mixing and matching in his lineups to find the best combinations. Freshmen Keira Farritor and Avery O’Boyle took advantage of increased playing time and both batted above .300 for the season. Additionally, sophomores in Krieser, Laycee Josoff, Kaylei Denison and Grace Maguire helped anchor the roster.
“What I really like about our younger players is their competitive edge,” Culler said. “That’s such a big key. It’s their preparation and the way they compete and that team-first mentality. They’re good in the classroom, they’re good in the weight room and they’re full participants at practices. They come from winning programs, both high school and club. They’re 100 percent ready. In our end-of-the-season meetings, this group talked about being ready to lead this team next year. It’s going to be a lot of fun because we’re going to have a highly competitive team. They’re going to be very competitive and hard working.”
April 19 marked senior day for the program. On that date, the Bulldogs honored a class including Hanna Bowers, Aubrey Bruning, Megan Eurich, Zoie Isom, Jennifer Katz, Kylie Shottenkirk, Bethany Thomas and Delanie Voshell. Collectively, they helped lift the program up and provide stability. As a senior, Katz batted .361 and played a stellar center field while Eurich polished off a standout career that saw her move to No. 3 on the program’s all-time strikeout list.
Four of the seniors earned GPAC All-Conference honors. Six other Bulldogs (returners for 2026) landed All-GPAC accolades.
Said Culler of the group, “Jen Katz is a first teamer. There wasn’t a better defensive outfielder in our league – and it’s not close. I just feel like she was one of the best all-around players in our league. What a great honor to have her finish her career the way she did. Same with Delanie. What a tremendous amount of progress she’s made in her career from one year to the next. Then Taryn Ganstrom, she can do it all. She’s going to play a big role on our team next year. I’m really proud of what she’s done this season. We ended up with 10 players that got recognized (on the all-conference teams), and six of them are coming back next year.”
The impact of seniors like Eurich went beyond the statistics. Said Culler of the Gretna, Neb., native, “The stats speak for themselves. She’s had an incredible career. She has a lot to be very proud of walking away from this program. One of the biggest marks she leaves is the impression she left with our younger pitchers. Kaylei Denison is going to be the face in the circle next year, and she gives a lot of praise to Megs. Megs is such a great mentor and leader for those younger players. She made a huge impact in a lot of ways. I just can’t say enough about what Megan has done.”
The 2026 team will undoubtedly have a different look to it. All three starters in the outfield were seniors and so too was the team’s ace pitcher and second baseman (Bowers). After breaking the school single season triples record (nine), Ganstrom will be viewed as a central figure in a lineup that will include multiple-year starters in shortstop Laycee Josoff and first baseman Aubriana Krieser.
The enthusiastic Culler is confident in the talent that he and his staff, including full-time assistant Melissa Martinez, have been stockpiling. Culler hasn’t wasted any time in preparing for what’s to come. The standing goal remains to compete for GPAC championships and to be playing much deeper into the month of May.
Said Culler, “The season got over and I think I took about 10 minutes off. You have to start on recruiting and you have to start getting things ready for next year. We’ve got some good recruiting trips planned for the summer. We have a lot of really good recruits were talking to. We’ve got a commitment from the No. 1 player on our board. She’s one of the best pitchers in the state of Nebraska in the ’26 class. We have a great class coming in this fall – very talented. There’s a lot to be excited about. There’s a lot of work to do. I love recruiting. It’s a lot of fun. Our board is full of excellent players and kids, and I look forward to connecting with them over the summer.”
For recruiting and other offseason updates, be sure to follow the softball program on X/Twitter @cunesoftball.
Six Bulldogs recognized by Omaha World-Herald
Jun. 30, 2025
Omaha World-Herald news article
SEWARD, Neb. – A group of six Bulldogs landed on the 2025 All-Midlands Softball Team honor roll revealed on June 29 by the Omaha World-Herald. The six All-Midlands honorable mention selections from Concordia University, Nebraska Softball included seniors Aubrey Bruning, Megan Eurich, Jennifer Katz and Delanie Voshell, junior Taryn Ganstrom and sophomore Aubriana Krieser.
The World-Herald’s All-Midlands Softball Team features the top players from Nebraska four-year colleges and universities outside of the NCAA Division I level. The 2025 team (listed at bottom) includes players from NAIA and NCAA Division II and III institutions. The six Bulldog honorees helped Head Coach Brock Culler’s squad to a 27-20 overall record and fifth-place GPAC finish.
2025 Concordia All-Midlands Team Honorees
Aubrey Bruning (HM) | Lincoln, Neb.
2025 stats: 45 G, .333 BA, 20 R, 35 H, 5 2B, 3 3B, 14 RBIs, 17 SB, .369 OBP, .438 SLG, 1.000 F%
Megan Eurich (HM) | Gretna, Neb.
2025 stats: 9-12 W-L, 3.10 ERA, 29 G, 23 GS, 16 CG, 4 SV, 137.2 IP, 153 H, 61 ER, 138 K, .280 BAA
Taryn Ganstrom (HM) | Seneca, Kan.
2025 stats: 46 G, .364 BA, 38 R, 55 H, 7 2B, 9 3B, 1 HR, 23 RBIs, 16 SB, .420 OBP, .550 SLG, .933 F%
Jennifer Katz (HM) | Omaha, Neb.
2025 stats: 45 G, .361 BA, 29 R, 48 H, 12 2B, 4 3B, 4 HR, 26 RBIs, 14 SB, .430 OBP, .602 SLG, .988 F%
Aubriana Krieser (HM) | Lincoln, Neb.
2025 stats: 45 G, .310 BA, 14 R, 40 H, 14 2B, 1 HR, 25 RBIs, .350 OBP, .442 SLG, .985 F%
Delanie Voshell (HM) | Shenandoah, Iowa
2025 stats: 45 G, .291 BA, 18 R, 37 H, 4 2B, 1 3B, 19 RBIs, 7 SB, .343 OBP, .339 SLG, .956 F%
2025 Omaha World-Herald All-Midlands Softball Team (NAIA/D2/D3)
P — Kennadi Borngrebe, Wayne State
P — Paeton Coler, Midland
P — Katie Cunningham, Bellevue
P — Campbell Petrick, Midland
*P — Elise Warneke, Nebraska Wesleyan
C — Ana Medeiros, Hastings
1B — Reese Floro, Midland
MI — Mary Chvatal, UNK
MI — Katie Fisher, Bellevue
3B — Lauren Zimmerman, Chadron State
OF — Grace Dowding, Doane
OF — Emilee Marth, Wayne State
OF — Isabelle Pagan, Midland
DP — Lyndsey Roth, Nebraska Wesleyan
U — Taylor Coleman, Wayne State
*Honorary Captain
Honorable Mention: Bellevue: Breanne McMurtry, Mariah Unverzagt, Ellie Zoucha. Chadron State: J'lyssa Martinez, Aliyah Rothstein. Concordia: Aubrey Bruning, Taryn Ganstrom, Megan Eurich, Jennifer Katz, Aubriana Krieser, Delanie Voshell. Doane: Jeryn Allen, Marisa Marquez, Faith Molina. Hastings: Kiera Brack, Lexie Mudloff, Kaylee Pinneo, Lauren Schneider. Midland: Kamdyn Barrientos, Matti Reiling, Jayci Reimers. Nebraska Wesleyan: Paige Davison. Peru State: Kloey Hamblen, Jami Mans. Saint Mary: Amber Kosmicki, Ella Watts. UNK: Alyssa Fortik. Wayne State: Samantha Felt. York: Chloe Lockhart.