SEWARD, Neb. – Another of the greatest seasons in Concordia University Volleyball history saw movement on the program’s all-time lists. All-Americans Camryn Opfer and Gabi Nordaker continued their rise up the charts while coaches Ben and Angie Boldt reached the 100-win mark since taking over the Bulldogs prior to the start of the 2018 season. A new high-water mark came for the program in 2022 as it reached No. 4 in the NAIA coaches’ poll, surpassing the previous best of No. 6 (entering the campaign).
Led by the likes of Opfer and Nordaker, Concordia finished ’22 at 25-6 overall and advanced to the final site of the national tournament for the fourth straight season. Below is a summary of the most significant movements on the program’s all-time lists at the conclusion of the 2022 season.
Ben Boldt has become the fourth head coach in program history to achieve 100 wins, joining Vicki Boye (167), Rachel Miller (107) and Berniece Jones. Boldt’s win percentage of .703 stands out as the best for any coach in Concordia Volleyball annals.
Notable updates from 2022:
· Team’s No. 4 national ranking is the highest in program history and its .806 winning percentage was the third highest in program history.
· Ben Boldt became the fourth coach in program history to reach 100 career wins.
· Camryn Opfer moved to No. 5 for career kills (1,268).
· Camryn Opfer moved to No. 5 for career digs (1,341).
· Gabi Nordaker moved to No. 6 for career blocks (342).
· Gabi Nordaker moved to No. 14 for career kills (893).
· Bree Burtwistle’s 1,211 assists were the sixth most in a single season.
· Rebecca Gebhardt’s 504 digs were the 14th most in a single season.
During the ’22 season, the Seward High School product Opfer eclipsed both 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs. She’s only the fourth player in program history to accomplish that feat. On the all-time kills list, Opfer ranks behind only Becky Ernstmeyer (1,740), Katie Werner (1,600), Paige Getz (1,331) and Rachel Kirchner (1,315). Meanwhile, Nordaker is on the verge of becoming the next member of the 1,000 kills club. She’ll enter 2023 with 893 career kills to her credit. Also noteworthy, Bree Burtwistle put together one of the greatest seasons ever for a Bulldog setter and ranked fourth nationally in assists per set (11.21).
Among teams with more than 20 wins in a single season in school history, the ’22 squad posted the third highest winning percentage at .806. The only higher percentages were turned in by the 1982 (.842) and 1981 (.814) teams.