SEWARD, Neb. – Last week offered an opportunity to refresh and reassess as the Concordia University, Nebraska Volleyball team played only one match. The outing was a success as the Bulldogs defeated Mount Marty in straight sets in Yankton, S.D., this past Saturday. Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad has improved to 8-1 overall while holding down the No. 2 spot in the latest NAIA coaches’ poll. Concordia now looks forward to a return home to host College of Saint Mary on Wednesday. The Bulldogs last appeared inside Friedrich Arena on Aug. 16 when they dominated York University.
This Week
Wednesday, Sept. 10 vs. College of Saint Mary (7-4, 0-1 GPAC), 7:30 p.m. (Parents Night)
--Max Country | Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Friedrich Arena (Seward, Neb.)
By the numbers
· The first NAIA coaches’ poll of the 2025 regular season placed Concordia at No. 2 behind only top-ranked Eastern Oregon University. The rest of the current top five includes No. 3 Bellevue University, No. 4 Corban University (Ore.) and No. 5 University of Providence (Mont.). Based on the latest poll, the Bulldogs own two wins over top 25 foes: No. 7 Indiana Wesleyan University and No. 12 Viterbo University (Wis.). The No. 2 ranking equals the highest position Concordia reached during the 2024 season. Back in 2023, Concordia was tagged with the No. 1 ranking in two separate NAIA polls. Dating back to 2023, the Bulldogs have been included within the top five of 19 consecutive national coaches’ polls.
· This past Saturday, Concordia got GPAC play underway in victorious fashion. The Bulldogs earned the sweep, 25-22, 25-13, 26-24, in Yankton over an improving Mount Marty program. Concordia outhit the Lancers, .187 to .083, and held advantages in kills, 40-32, and blocks, 6-3. Per usual, Ashley Keck led Concordia offensively as she swatted 14 kills on 39 swings. Many others were key contributors as Molli Martin posted seven kills and five blocks and Sydney Jelinek emerged with seven kills. In the second set, the Bulldogs got on an 11-point roll as Kate Griess served bullets across the court. In finishing the win, Concordia came back from a 23-22 deficit in the third set. The Bulldogs have won each of their last 24 meetings with Mount Marty (6-4, 0-1 GPAC).
· Returning NAIA First Team All-American Ashley Keck continues to pace all GPAC players in kills per set at 4.14 (10th best among all NAIA attackers). The Kearney, Neb., native has hit double figures in kills in seven of this season’s first nine matches. Her career-high of 23 kills came in the Aug. 30 win over Bethel College (Kan.). In 99 career matches, Keck has tallied 1,099 kills, 1,435 service receptions, 885 digs and 89 blocks. The kill total for Keck ranks No. 9 on the program’s all-time list.
· Over the past few seasons, the Bulldogs have regularly ranked inside the top 10 nationally in the categories of hitting percentage and kills per set. The 2025 edition has strengthened its blocking efforts behind the likes of Molli Martin (1.46 blocks/set) and Ava Greene (1.14 blocks/set). Concordia has stifled its opponents to the tune of .091 hitting and 10.63 kills per set this season. The Bulldogs rank fifth nationally in blocks per set (2.66). Individually, Martin ranks third in the GPAC in blocks per set.
· The break in the action last week allowed more time for libero Emma Brueggemann to recover from the nose injury she endured at Indiana Wesleyan University back on Aug. 22. Brueggemann returned to the court at Mount Marty and posted a team high 13 digs. Emma and her twin sister Ella Brueggemann have earned immediate playing time as freshmen. When Emma was sidelined, Shandy Faalii filled the libero role. Faalii is another major contributor in the back row, which has factored into the team’s defensive success outlined above.
· Among GPAC teams, Concordia ranks first in kills per set (13.34), second in digs per set (17.69), third in blocks per set (2.66) and third in hitting percentage (.211). The Bulldogs have achieved those markers while playing the NAIA’s 17th most challenging schedule, according to Massey Ratings, to this point.
· Concordia is embarking upon a GPAC grind that it hopes will end with a championship. Counting last week’s win at Mount Marty, the Bulldogs have gone a combined 30-3 in GPAC regular season matches since the beginning of the 2023 season. The ’23 Concordia team shared the GPAC regular season title. In each of the past four years, the Bulldogs have reached the GPAC tournament championship match. In program history, Concordia has won two GPAC regular season titles (2000 and 2023) and has been the GPAC tournament runner up five times.
The opponents
College of Saint Mary aspires to get back to the national tournament after finishing last season at 16-14 overall (7-9 GPAC). Seventh-year head coach Rick Pruett has taken the Flames to the national tournament four times. His 2025 squad stands at 7-4 following a five-set home loss to No. 17 Midland. CSM’s roster is headlined by returning First Team All-GPAC middle blocker Azaria Green. An addition on the outside, Caylin Barnett (team high 108 kills) transferred in from McCook Community College. As a team, the Flames are hitting .147 while averaging 12.12 kills per set. Their opponents have hit .130 with an average of 11.67 kills per set. CSM dropped both meetings with Concordia last season.
Next week
It will be a standard two-match week (but a rivalry week!) within conference play as the Bulldogs are slated to host No. 17 Midland on Sept. 17 before playing at Doane on Sept. 20.