SEWARD, Neb. – The theme of action-packed weekend events will continue after Concordia University, Nebraska Volleyball hosted the Power Quad. The Bulldogs are slated to play three times at the College of Saint Mary Labor Day Classic inside the Lied Fitness Center Fieldhouse. The opponents include NAIA members Lindsey Wilson University (Ky.), Ottawa University (Kan.) and University of Saint Francis (Ind.). Head Coach Ben Boldt’s NAIA third-ranked squad sits at 6-2 overall after having gone 2-1 at the Power Quad.
CSM Labor Day Classic (Sept. 4-5)
Location: Lied Fitness Center Fieldhouse (Omaha, Neb.)
Live Coverage: Webcasts - BallerTV | Stats | 104.9 Max Country
--All matches covered by 104.9 Max Country.
Friday, Sept. 4
• 12 p.m. vs. Lindsey Wilson University (Ky.)
• 4 p.m. vs. Ottawa University (Kan.)
Saturday, Sept. 5
• 5 p.m. vs. University of Saint Francis (Ind.)
By the numbers
• A youthful Bulldog team has already tested itself significantly with seven of the eight matches coming against teams that qualified for the 2025 national tournament. Concordia has won five of those matches, claiming victories (in order) over Nelson University (Texas), Bethel College (Kan.), No. 7 McPherson College (Kan.), MidAmerica Nazarene University (Kan.) and Columbia College (Mo.). The two defeats have come at the hands of top five foes: No. 5 Corban University (Ore.) and No. 3 Indiana Wesleyan University. According to Massey Ratings, the Bulldogs have played the NAIA’s 24th most challenging schedule through this past weekend.
• Not a single team emerged from last week’s Power Quad unscathed. Both Concordia and Indiana Wesleyan went 2-1 while Columbia College (Mo.) and MidAmerica Nazarene University (Kan.) went 1-2. The upset of the weekend was MidAmerica Nazarene’s five-set (reverse sweep) takedown of the third-ranked Wildcats. The title of “best match” would go to the five-set pulse-pounder that occurred between Concordia and Indiana Wesleyan. Four of the five sets were decided by the slimmest possible margins with the fifth set ending at 17-15. The Bulldogs were unable to close it out after leading 13-8 in the fifth set. The loss was the first one Concordia has endured in the three years of the Power Quad. The Bulldogs are now 8-1 since the event was first held at Columbia in 2024.
• Concordia’s statistical leaders this past weekend were Shandy Fa’ali’i in kills (43), Laynee Baker in hitting percentage (.348), Myla Emery in assists (72), Kyla Griess in aces (10), Emma Brueggemann in digs (40) and Bella Hedke in blocks (13). Other top producers from a kills standpoint were Samantha Kimbell (26), Makenna Starkey (18), Danica Martin (15), Hedke (14), Maddie Paulsen (13) and Baker (11). Emery again split the setter role with Ella Brueggemann, who added 47 assists and 29 digs on the weekend. In the back row, Emery (39 digs) and Fa’ali’i (34 digs) were also major contributors.
• A Lincoln East High School product, Fa’ali’i has made the transition from defensive specialist to outside hitter (and six-rotation player) appear seamless. Fa’ali’i has hit double figures in kills in six of the season’s first eight matches. Fa’ali’i posted a career-high 22 kills in the four-set win over No. 7 McPherson on Aug. 22. She added 19 kills apiece in the matchups with Columbia and Indiana Wesleyan as part of the Power Quad. On the season, Fa’ali’i has compiled 112 kills on 323 attempts (both team highs) for a hitting percentage of .142. She’s contributed in all areas having posted 77 digs, 15 aces and seven blocks.
• With Fa’ali’i leading the attack, the Bulldogs rank fifth among all NAIA squads for kills per set (13.52). In other statistical categories, Concordia sports national rankings of 16th in aces per set (2.72), 19th in blocks per set (2.28), 68th in hitting percentage (.185) and 80th in digs per set (15.59). During the Power Quad, the Bulldogs tightened up their performance from the service line with 32 aces compared to 30 errors. Six different players notched at least three aces this past weekend: Griess (10), Ella Brueggemann (six), Clara Evert (five), Fa’ali’i (four), Emery (three) and Jenna Sladky (three).
• This will be the third straight year that Concordia has taken part in the Labor Day Classic on the College of Saint Mary campus. This weekend’s slate originally included four matches, however, William Carey University (Miss.) dropped out of the event. At the 2025 CSM Labor Day Classic, the Bulldogs won three of four matches, defeating Ottawa, No. 16 Viterbo University (Wis.) and Bethel College (Kan.). Concordia was toppled in three sets by fifth-ranked Eastern Oregon University. This year’s classic provides a rematch with Ottawa.
The opponents
Lindsey Wilson will get a good look at the GPAC this weekend as it takes on Concordia, Northwestern, College of Saint Mary and Midland. The Blue Raiders finished the 2025 season at 29-11 overall while ending the campaign in the NAIA National Championship Opening Round. Lindsey Wilson has qualified for the national tournament 13 times since 2011 and has one NAIA national title to its credit. Head Coach Josh Kreiner is in his second season leading the program. The Blue Raiders enter the CSM Classic with a 7-4 mark following a 3-1 weekend at the Vette City Classic in Bowling Green, Ky. The team’s leading attacker is junior outside hitter Luisina Sandrone Tais, who has accumulated 123 kills while hitting .200. As a team, Lindsey Wilson is hitting .189 with an average of 11.98 kills per set. Its opponents are hitting .165 with an average of 11.68 kills per set. Concordia and Lindsey Wilson met in national tournament pool play in 2020 with the result being a Bulldog win in five sets.
Ottawa finished the 2025 season at 10-14 overall. Between the 2012 and 2022 seasons, the Braves qualified for the national tournament 10 times. The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference member has begun this season with wins over Baker University (Kan.) and Stephens College (Mo.) with a loss to Oklahoma City University sandwiched in between. Now in his second season as head coach, Ashan Jordan is attempting to return Ottawa to the national tournament. The Braves can lean upon a strong middle blocker in 6-foot-1 Campbell Stark, who is averaging 1.17 blocks per set. As a team, Ottawa ranks 12th nationally in blocks per set (2.42). Last season, Concordia defeated Ottawa in four sets in Omaha.
A Crossroads League member, Saint Francis struggled to a 4-26 record in 2025. The Cougars have already equaled that win total with a 4-5 start. Saint Francis has played one GPAC team (Dakota Wesleyan) and fell in straight sets. The program’s one national tournament appearance came in 2018. Head Coach Scott Haddix is in his 12th season with the Cougars. Saint Francis has gotten a boost from the arrival of freshman outside hitter Nevaeh Plaster, who is averaging 3.42 kills per set while hitting .297. A versatile player, Teigen Fortkamp (85 kills / 140 assists) stars as a right side and setter. The Cougars are hitting .179 with an average of 12.77 kills per set.
Next week
The Bulldogs will open conference play inside Friedrich Arena as they are set to host Midland on Sept. 9 and College of Saint Mary on Sept. 12. Concordia Athletics encourages fans to wear white for a whiteout versus Midland.