SEWARD, Neb. – With the regular season coming to a close, the thrilling win-or-go-home postseason play has arrived. The No. 4 Bulldogs earned a host spot and will face No. 5 seed Briar Cliff on Wednesday (Feb. 25) in the GPAC tournament. Concordia University, Nebraska finished the scheduled slate with a 22-6 overall record and a 17-5 GPAC showing.
This Week
GPAC Quarterfinals – Wednesday, Feb. 25 vs. Brair Cliff (19-9, 13-9 GPAC), 6 p.m.
--104.9 Max Country | Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Friedrich Arena (Seward, Neb.)
GPAC Semifinals – Saturday, Feb. 28 vs. No. 1 Dordt/Mount Marty, time TBA
--Admission: $10 for adults; $3 for students (K-College); GPAC students with ID are admitted free; season passed are not allowed (NAIA issued passes are allowed).
By the numbers
· Concordia is rated 28th in the newest release from Monday (Feb. 23). The RPI has the Bulldog’s strength of schedule slotted at No. 74. Other GPAC teams in the top-25 are Dordt (6th) and Dakota Wesleyan (21st). Hastings (37), Briar Cliff (50) and Northwestern (66) are in the first 75 squads. The Red Raiders (27) and the Defenders (43) have the hardest slate of top GPAC schools. The newest ARC rating (released Feb. 17) has the GPAC with three of the top-5 in the Midwest including Dordt (1), Dakota Wesleyan (3) and Concordia (5). The Bulldogs have three quad one wins (3-5 record) and are 7-0 in quad two in the top of the NAIA as released on Feb. 16.
· In the six-game win streak before the final regular season game, the Bulldogs defeated Waldorf (111-43), Doane (84-59), Morningside (84-62), CSM (88-42), Briar Cliff (83-77) and Mount Marty (75-56). Concordia has fired 45.83 percent, while allowing 36.3 percent to their opponents. The average margin of victory is 31.0 points per game, with the Bulldogs scoring 87.5. Four players have averaged at least 10 points including Sammy Leu (10.8), Kristin Vieselmeyer (10.7), Ayla Roth (10.7) and Bree Bunting (10.0). The trap defense has forced 184 turnovers and 127 steals. Bunting (22), Roth (17), Leu (16) and Gabrielle Wagner (12) have hit double figure swipes in the surge.
· The Vieselmeyer watch for a 1,000 career points has begun with the senior having 949 in her career. With her highest total in a season (314) already, the Holyoke, Colo., native has averaged a team-high 11.2 points per game. A forward who has played in 121 games, Vieselmeyer is shooting her best percentage, 50.8, in her time as a Bulldog. The veteran leader prepares for her final games trying to affect every level posting 5.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game this season.
· In the first meeting with the Chargers, the starting five delivered in a big way scoring 80 of Concordia’s 89 total points to seal the home win, 89-70. Roth (20), Kelty (19), Leu (17), Bunting (13) and Vieselmeyer (11, 11 rebounds) outperformed the visitors on the offensive end. On Feb. 14, the Bulldogs traveled to Sioux City, Iowa, pulling out a road victory (83-77). Roth stuffed the stat sheet with 17 points, five rebounds, four steals and three assists. Concordia shot 50.8 percent in the first meeting in Friedrich Arena.
· The Bulldogs have shot from a 43.4 clip on the floor while only allowing a 37.4 percentage. Putting up 10.3 treys per game, the beyond the arc offense makes 33.0 percent. Dishing out 18.4 assists, Concordia makes 71.2 percent from the charity stripe. The most efficient shooters have been Vieselmeyer, Wagner (48.9), JJ Jones (48.5), Abbie Kromarek (47.5), Kelty (46.4), Makynna Robbins (46.0), Bunting (45.6) and Leu (40.5).
· Once Concordia gets to the GPAC tournament stage, the small town college seems to find glory under the lights as the conference watches for one to become victorious. With seven tournament titles since the GPAC began in the 2000-01 season, the Bulldogs have flourished in post-season play under Coach Drew Olson, who has six titles under his belt (one under Todd Voss). From the 2016-17 campaign to 2019-20, Concordia won four straight and followed with a runner up finish the following year. What might be considered most impressive is they have qualified every year since the conference began.
· Top swipers in the conference, the Bulldogs have forced their opponents to relinquish 763 turnovers, while seizing 473 steals in their 28 games played. A pack of ball hawks, Concordia’s defense makes its opponents submit 27.3 turnovers and pressures its opposition with relentless traps to collect 16.9 steals every 40 minutes. Stone-faced Sammy Leu only cracks smiles when she gives her opponents the business, taking the rock 80 times (second in GPAC) this season (2.9 spg). She leads the deviant thieves with Bunting (2.0), Roth (1.7), Wagner (1.6) and Kelty (1.4).
· Dordt has claimed a berth in the national tournament after winning the GPAC in the regular season. The Defenders will host No. 8 seed Mount Marty in the quarterfinals of the GPAC tournament. On the other side of the bracket, third-seeded Hastings will face No. 6 seed Northwestern in Hastings. Second-seeded Dakota Wesleyan will welcome the other No. 7 seed Tigers into the Corn Palace on Wednesday. The top four squads are projected for the national tournament, but the others may need wins to make it in the last dance.
Probable Lineup
G – Bree Bunting, 5-9 (9.5)
G – Ayla Roth, 5-9 (10.7)
G – Sammy Leu, 5-10 (8.7)
F – Raelyn Kelty, 5-11 (8.0)
F – Kristin Vieselmeyer, 6-2 (11.2)
The Opponents
The Chargers have won two out of their last three games with an 19-9 overall record and a 13-9 GPAC showing. Firing a 43.2 percent from the hardwood, Briar Cliff swishes 33.0 percent from 3-point land, making 8.4 a contest. The Dawgs will have their eyes posted for Mallie McNair (18.5) and Abby Lee (19.1) on defense. A star in the making, Lee rebounds 7.7 per game and takes 2.3 steals. McNair rebounds 4.3 per game and dishes out 2.9 assists. Outrebounding their opponents by a +2.0 margin (38.3), the Chargers force 20.0 turnovers a game averaging 20.9 points off steals per 40 minutes.
Briar Cliff Probable Lineup
G – Mallie McNair, 5-8 (18.5)
G – Brooklyn Heineman, 5-7 (9.3)
G – Kenna Mongan, 5-8 (9.6)
G – Mallory Leerar, 5-11 (4.5)
F – Abby Lee, 6-0 (19.1)
2026 GPAC Tournament
Quarterfinals – Wednesday, Feb. 25
(8) Mount Marty at (1) Dordt, 7 p.m.
(5) Briar Cliff at (4) Concordia, 6 p.m.
(6) Northwestern at (3) Hastings, 7 p.m.
(7) Doane at (2) Dakota Wesleyan, 7 p.m.
Semifinals – Saturday, Feb. 28
1/8 winner vs. 4/5 winner, time TBA
2/7 winner vs. 3/6 winner, time TBA
Championship – Tuesday, March 3
Semifinal winners, time TBA