Nick Velders stepped off the court on the Doane campus on April 16 having done what Nick Velders does: win. In that sense, there was nothing unusual about his performance that day. In totality, Velders had accomplished something many strive for but rarely achieve: perfection. Wire to wire, from early February through mid-April, Velders never tasted even one singles defeat while rifling through the competition in a remarkable display of consistency.
It’s been a rapid rise for Velders, who traces his elevation in the sport of tennis back to a year spent in Spain, just before he ventured to the United States for college. In the time since then, the accolades have been plentiful for the native of The Netherlands, where he was born and raised.
The road to perfection eventually led to Seward, Nebraska. Says Velders, “The town of Seward and the community is just amazing. It is a very small town, but you can always find busy places. You can go to Lincoln or go to Omaha. But the community in Seward, Nebraska, is something I really enjoy, especially the sports part, like going to different games like soccer and basketball. It brings people together.”
The environment has helped breed success for Velders, who began his collegiate career at Prairie State College, a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association located in Chicago Heights, Illinois. Velders went from 2024 NJCAA Region 4 Player of the Year to 2025 GPAC Player of the Year in a seamless on-court transition. The growth has continued in 2025-26 for Velders, who prides himself on excellence athletically and academically.
No, it’s not enough for Velders to simply be good at tennis alone. He carried a spotless 4.0 grade-point average at Prairie State while earning his associate’s degree. In just his first season as a Bulldog in 2024-25, Velders garnered recognition as an NAIA Second Team All-American and an NAIA First Team Academic All-American (College Sports Communicators), a double never before achieved by a Concordia tennis student-athlete.
Velders has no trouble with motivation. Says Velders, “I think my work ethic comes mostly from my family and from sports. Growing up, my parents always taught me to work hard and not take opportunities for granted, especially not an opportunity like this, to play tennis overseas at a University like Concordia. Tennis has also taught me a lot about discipline because if you want to improve, you have to be consistent every day, even when you are tired or do not feel like it. Coach (Lisa) Hart has taught us that very clearly. I try to bring that same mindset to school and everything else I do.”
The All-America honor for Velders came after he went 19-2 in dual matches last season. His arrival helped raise the level of the entire program. The Bulldogs improved from 8-13 in 2024 to 14-8 in 2025 and then to 16-4 so far in 2026. The 16 victories are a new school record. Individually, Velders is on the verge of resetting his own program standard for singles wins in a season.
Back in the fall, Velders did happen to slip up twice in nail-biting fashion in tournament action. But he’s a spotless 18-0 in dual matches and avenged one of those fall defeats, taking a 7-6 (7-3), 6-1, decision over Morningside’s Alexis Diaz (currently the NAIA’s 21st-ranked singles player). The results have skyrocketed Velders to No. 13 in the official Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s NAIA rankings.
Velders’ play on the court has brought much joy to Concordia Tennis alum and super fan Ryan Burger (see his social media for evidence!). Velders has also been a joy for Hart to coach. Hart appreciates Velders’ knack for rising to the occasion when times get tight.
“He’s all-around a great kid, a great student-athlete,” Hart said. “He is an excellent tennis player. He competes extremely well. I think that’s what separates him from his opponents. Big points, pressure points – he goes to a different level. He wins the majority of the important points. When matches are close or sets are close, and points become very important, he typically wins all of those.”
Over the first 18 years of his life spent in The Netherlands, Velders wasn’t exactly a tennis prodigy. He says he played mostly soccer up to 13 or 14 years of age. At 18, Nick and his family moved to Spain. That’s where the tennis bug bit him and led him down his current path. Through a recruiting agency, Velders was set up with Prairie State, where he spent three semesters. With his associate’s degree in hand, Velders was ready to find a four-year institution to complete his collegiate career.
Enter Concordia. Hart’s program stood out above the others that Velders considered (such as other GPAC institutions). Says Velders, “It was pretty clear that Concordia was the place for me, seeing what Coach Hart wanted from me and what her visions were for the team. It was a very easy decision to choose Concordia. Plus, I got a scholarship offer.”
Velders found himself in a welcoming environment. He never sensed any hard feelings despite immediately earning spots at the top of the singles and doubles lineups. As Velders stated, “I think we have about as good of team chemistry as you can find.” The chemistry has been strengthened through gatherings at the ‘tennis house’ and team dinners at Seward restaurants such as La Cocina and La Carreta. Seven different countries are represented on the program’s diverse roster.
Velders’ teammates are happy to see him earn the recognition. His success translates to team victories. “In some programs, it might be a battle immediately,” Velders said. “They took me into the team knowing that I could add a few things to the team. I think that helped a lot. It was a very warm welcome when I got here.”
Fellow Bulldogs couldn’t help but respect Velders’ game. His 18-match unbeaten dual season run began on Feb. 7 versus Sterling College (Kan.) and carried on through the regular season finale at rival Doane. Along the way, Velders has not dropped even one set, although there were some close tussles, like the 6-4, 7-6 (7-5), win he pulled out over Saint Mary (Kan.)’s Carlos Grimaldi and the 7-6 (7-3), 6-1, victory over Morningside’s Alexis Diaz. Back on March 7, Velders was leading 14th-ranked Missouri Baptist’s Strahinja Radanovic (currently No. 65 in the NAIA) in a match that was ended prior to completion.
Out of 37 completed singles sets this spring semester, Velders has won five by 6-0 scores, 12 by 6-1 scores and eight by 6-2 scores. In other words, Velders has completely overwhelmed overmatched foes. No doubt, Velders will have more postseason awards headed his way.
His many athletic and academic accolades are the satisfying byproduct for someone who understands how to balance all aspects of life as a student-athlete. As Hart says, “He’s very committed to school and to tennis. He does a great job prioritizing what’s important to him. His time management is really, really solid. He’s an achiever in life, whether on the court or off the court. He demands excellence from himself, which our team has definitely benefited from greatly. We are very fortunate that he chose Concordia.”
The Exercise Science major will stick around for the fall semester of 2026 while wrapping up his course work. Velders plans to continue to serve the tennis programs in the fall as an assistant to Hart. Before time runs out on his Bulldog career, Velders aims to finish strong and help Concordia fight to keep the season alive for as long as possible.
Says Velders of his approach to college, “Getting high grades is important to me because I know tennis will not last forever, and I want to make sure I am preparing myself for my future after college. I also think doing well in school helps me become a more disciplined and more a complete person. For me, I want to be successful both in the classroom and on the court, not just in one area as I want to grow as a person.”
Spoken like a perfectionist.