At a time when the Concordia University Volleyball team was struggling to get over the hump, six-year-old Brady Boldt delivered the Bulldogs a message via sticky note. Scrawled on the note, the message read, “Never give up.” Simple and to the point, those three words became a rallying cry for a Concordia team that had ample opportunity to get down on itself or mope about a series of close losses.
The turning point came on Oct. 23 when the Bulldogs rallied back to defeat 15th-ranked Dakota Wesleyan in five sets. They heeded the advice of Brady, the son of Head Coach Ben Boldt and top assistant Angie Boldt.
Said Ben at the close of the regular season, “I was just really proud of our team’s growth from the beginning of the year until the end of the regular season. This thing could have unraveled a million different times having gone 0-7 in five-set matches. We find our grit and we find our ownership and then we go 2-0 in five-set matches and are playing well towards the end of the season. It’s a testament to their focus being in the right place.”
Grit and resilience were needed back in early October when Concordia sat at 4-6 in conference play and in a fight to even qualify for the conference tournament. Just over a month later, the Bulldogs celebrated a GPAC semifinal victory over fifth-ranked College of Saint Mary – a win that clinched a berth in the NAIA national tournament for the third year in a row. Concordia had taken on its share of heartbreaking moments, navigated what one source judged to be the NAIA’s most difficult schedule and came out on the other side playing its best volleyball at the right time. The journey culminated with a run all the way to the NAIA national quarterfinals.
Of course the 2021 Bulldogs had talent while led by the likes of First Team All-GPAC selections in Gabi Nordaker and Camryn Opfer and second team all-league setter Tara Callahan. In the case of Callahan, she returned to the program for a fifth year, hoping to be part of one last run to Sioux City, Iowa, final site of the NAIA National Championship. This past fall, Callahan became the program’s all-time assists leader during the modern era of rally scoring and was instrumental in helping pull the team out of its five-set funk.
Said Boldt, “I wasn’t 100 percent sure what this team would look like at the beginning of the year. Going through that whole evolution has been quite a ride. I’m very happy about how the team bought in and owned their roles and really played for each other. It was fun to see.”
The ’21 Bulldogs clicked with the help of a key strategical adjustment that involved inserting Bree Burtwistle into the setter spot for specific rotations. Burtwistle also helped solidify a back row that broke in plenty of newcomers this fall. Opfer and Nordaker also raised their games down the stretch. Among the highlights, Nordaker produced 17 kills and 12 blocks in the GPAC semifinal win at CSM and Opfer went wild for 25 kills, 20 digs and five blocks in the win over Dakota Wesleyan that played a role in shifting the season in a positive direction. Opfer then went off for 21 kills in the national tournament upset of No. 2 Viterbo.
The postseason awards streamed in for Opfer, who was named to the NAIA National Championship All-Tournament team for the second year in a row and was recognized as an Honorable Mention All-American. Her play in the win over Viterbo will be remembered for many years to come.
“That was one of the best matches I’ve seen a player play,” Boldt said. “She does everything for us. That match she was getting kills for us almost at will. Every time we set her the ball, something good is going to happen. That’s what we train our players to do – be big in the big moments. We’ve had that mindset for the entire year. It was awesome to see them embrace that when it really mattered.”
Opfer paced the team in both kills (394) and digs (389). Concordia had plenty of other major contributors on a squad with five others who totaled at least 100 kills: Nordaker (347), Erica Heinzerling (274), Carly Rodaway (196), Kalee Wiltfong (151) and Arleigh Costello (124). Five of Opfer’s teammates also collected at least 150 digs: Callahan (310), Rebecca Gebhardt (295), Cassidy Knust (233), Burtwistle (162) and Kennedy VanScoy (155). Each of them took turns grabbing the spotlight in big moments.
The Bulldogs can take satisfaction in knowing they are one of four NAIA volleyball programs to advance to bracket play at the national tournament in each of the past three seasons. Callahan served as a rock on all three of those squads.
“To come back for a fifth year when you still have eligibility, I think she’s the poster child for that now,” Boldt said. “She would tell you that if you have the opportunity, go ahead and do it. She said similar things to our team in the locker room after our final match. This team was different from her previous year senior team. She really complimented how mentally tough this team was. I’m really glad she was able to lead us through that and leave that legacy to the players coming behind her.”
The program will say goodbye to Callahan and a senior group that featured the likes of Costello and Heinzerling. The story for Heinzerling was one of perseverance. She remained committed over four years and took advantage of her chance for increased playing time in 2021. With her work and the determination of her teammates, memories were made in a season that tested the program’s mettle.
By the campaign’s end, Concordia became a team capable of beating just about anyone. The conference tournament wins over CSM and Midland (both ranked fifth in the NAIA at the time) were especially satisfying in that they avenged two regular season defeats to both opponents. Said Ben Boldt following the Midland match, “I’m happy that we’ve gone through all the evolutions of our team. We’re here. I’m just really proud of the team. Stats and talent aside, they love each other. It’s an awesome team to be a part of.”
Due to the way COVID-19 impacted the 2020-21 season, the Bulldogs actually made two trips to the final site of the national tournament in a span of nine months. Boldt and the program are looking forward to a return to a normal offseason. Said Boldt, “We are fired up for it. To go through a full season all the way through May and start it up again in August is tough. Our team got tough through that, but it’s going to be nice to have some recovery and reflection time and be able to focus on individual games and getting better. That’s what we’re going to focus on in the offseason here. We’ll get ready to be our best team next August.”
The 2022 team will have a tough act to follow. The ’21 Bulldogs earned a final national ranking of sixth in the NAIA, marking the program’s best national finish ever. What made this group successful was its insistence upon never giving up. Sometimes it simply takes a motivational sticky note.