2020-21 Women's Golf Schedule/Results

3rd place in the GPAC (368-359-327-339–1,393) | Season Stats

Date	Event	Location	Results
Sept. 10-11	Mount Marty University Invite	Fox Run GC \| Yankton, S.D.	7 of 13
Sept. 18-19	Lila Frommelt Classic (Briar Cliff)	Two Rivers GC \| Dakota Dunes, S.D.	4 of 14
Sept. 22	Matthew Goette Fall Classic (CSM)	River Wilds \| Blair, Neb.	1 of 6
Sept. 26	Buena Vista University Fall Invite	Lake Creek CC \| Storm Lake, Iowa	2 of 9
Oct. 5-6	GPAC Women's Golf Championship	Dakota Dunes CC \| Dakota Dunes, S.D.	4 of 12

March 8-9	Texas Intercollegiate	Hawks Creek GC \| Westworth Village, TX	6 of 8
March 29-30	Kansas Wesleyan Coyote Invite	Salina CC \| Salina, Kan.	Results
April 6-7	Concordia Bulldog Invite	Highlands GC \| Lincoln, Neb.	5 of 15
April 11-12	Wayne State Wildcat Classic	Wayne CC \| Wayne, Neb.	5 of 8
April 23-24	GPAC Women's Golf Championship	Bent Tree GC \| Council Bluffs, Iowa	3 of 12

2020-21 Women's Golf Roster

Name	Year	Hometown	Previous School
Logan Eschliman	Fr.	Lincoln, Neb.	Lincoln Lutheran HS
Ashley Gerczynski	Fr.	Elizabeth, Colo.	Elizabeth HS
Lauren Havlat	Fr.	Lincoln, Neb.	Norris HS
Emily Jensen	Fr.	Kearney, Neb.	Kearney Catholic HS
Mia Martin	Jr.	Brisbane, Australia	Concordia University (Ore.)
Mya Nurse	Fr.	West Des Moines, Iowa	West Des Moines Valley HS
Andrea Peterson	Jr.	Rochester, Minn.	Concordia College (Minn.)
Kendra Placke	So.	Seward, Neb.	Seward HS
Joanna Sherrill	So.	Lakewood, Colo.	Bear Creek HS

STAFF

Brett Muller, Head Coach (10th Year)

Kaitlyn Howe, Graduate Assistant Coach

Season Preview: 2020-21 Concordia Women's Golf

September 3, 2020

Head Coach: Brett Muller (10th year)
2019-20 GPAC Finish: 3rd (336-345–681)
Key Returners: Lauren Havlat (Fr.); Andrea Peterson (Jr.); Kendra Placke (So.).
Key Newcomers: Emily Jensen; Mia Martin.
Key Losses: Britney Jepsen; Murphy Sears.
2019-20 GPAC All-Conference: Kendra Placke (6th); Murphy Sears (14th).

Season Preview:

Perhaps no team’s season was flipped upside down in 2020 more than women’s golf. Due to COVID-19, the Concordia Women’s Golf team saw no action during the spring 2020 season.

“Obviously, it was very disappointing last year,” Head Coach Brett Muller said. “Our men’s team has just returned from a spring break trip down in Arizona, we got back on a Thursday, and basically on Friday the whole NAIA had shutdown. We did not have much closure as far as meeting with the team face to face, we did the best we could over zoom. We had team meetings via zoom throughout the rest of the second semester. It was pretty unfortunate.”

It has been almost a full year since the Concordia women have competed at their last official meet back on September 30, 2019. It is an understatement to say they are eager to return to the links.

The Bulldogs finished their shortened season third in the GPAC standings. The best finish for a Concordia squad in recent memory. Despite losing Murphy Sears to graduation, the Bulldogs are looking to replicate that finish for 2020-2021.

“We were sitting in third after fall, and I think we can be there again this year,” sophomore (junior academically) Kendra Placke said. “The younger girls have been practicing a lot this summer and you can tell it is showing. I am excited to see what the team can do this year.”

Concordia will be led by Placke, who recorded four top-ten finishes in five tournaments last fall. Placke currently holds a career scoring average of 81.65. The Seward native won the Nebraskan Wesleyan Fall Classic last fall by carding an 8-over par 79. The performance helped Concordia take home the team title as well. Other vital returners expected to provide a spark include freshman Lauren Havlat and junior Andrea Peterson. Key newcomers for the Bulldogs include junior transfer Mia Martin and freshman Emily Jensen.

Martin is a byproduct of the Concordia System as she spent her previous two years at Concordia University-Portland, which closed permanently this past spring. Looking for a new home, the Brisbane, Australia native, was referred to Concordia by a friend.

“She has a friend that is competing on our track and field team that was her connection to Concordia University,” said Muller. We are very fortunate to have her here. She will fit in great with the girls. She is a very solid player and we're looking forward to her helping us continue to rise.”

Coach Brett Muller believes his Bulldogs can build off last fall’s performance and replicate their success in 2020.

“Last year, we had some freshmen that improved in the spring,” Muller said. “Coach Berner does a fantastic job in the weight room. We had some girls who had not really been in a weight room before add some yardage. Lauren Havlat had a great offseason. She played a lot of golf this summer and I am really looking forward to her taking that next step.”

The Concordia women will begin their fall slate on Thursday, Sept. 10, as they travel to the Yankton, S.D., to compete at the Mount Mary University Invitational.

Placke, Bulldogs open up season with 366 at Mount Marty Invite

September 20, 2021

YANKTON, S.D. – Out of action since the fall of 2019, the Concordia University Women’s Golf Program returned to the scene on Thursday (Sept. 10). Day one of the Mount Marty Fall Invite marked the opening of the 2020-21 season for the Bulldogs. They shot a total of 366 and are in eighth place amongst the 13 groups of five that navigated Fox Run Golf Course in Yankton, S.D.

Head Coach Brett Muller’s Bulldogs placed third in the GPAC last season and enter the new campaign with expectations of again contending near the top of the league. The 366 was significantly higher than last season’s season average of 348.1.

Kendra Placke (a sophomore eligibility-wise) figures to again be the team’s lead performer. The Seward High School native shot an 85 (+13) on Thursday, putting her in 10th place out of the 72 golfers at the Mount Marty Invite. Next in line was Lauren Havlat, who equaled a career low with an 89 (tied for 21st).

Concordia was also represented by Logan Eschliman (95; T-38th), Emily Jensen (97; T-45th) Ashley Gerczynski (100; T-52nd) and Mya Nurse (105; T-60th). Jensen and Nurse both made their collegiate debuts.

The action will continue on Friday with golf resuming at 10 a.m. CT from Fox Run. The Mount Marty Invite is one of four events (six total rounds) on the schedule prior to the GPAC Championships (Oct. 5-6). To follow results on Friday, visit golfgenius.com and use 20MMUINVITE as the “GGID.”

Havlat shoots career best, Dawgs place seventh

September 11, 2020

YANKTON, S.D. – This was more like it. Spurred by the efforts of Lauren Havlat and Kendra Placke, the Concordia University Women’s Golf Team shot a score right in line with its season bests from 2019-20. By carding a 339 on day two of the Mount Marty Fall Invite (Sept. 10-11), the Bulldogs moved up a spot to seventh place in the final team standings (out of 13 total squads). The tournament field featured 72 golfers.

Concordia turned in a two-day score of 366-339–705 (+129) while competing both days at Fox Run Golf Course in Yankton, S.D. The event marked the first time out in 2020-21 for Head Coach Brett Muller’s squad, which placed third in the GPAC last season.

“Yesterday we struggled on the greens putting – a lot of three-putts,” Muller said. “That really hurt our team score. Today in much tougher weather conditions I thought we did a great job of refocusing. We played a lot better and it really showed in our team score.”

Havlat, a Norris High School alum, seems poised for a stellar season. In Friday’s round she topped her previous best 18-hole score by seven strokes and moved up to 14th on the individual leaderboard (89-82–171). Her average last season sat at 95.3. Meanwhile, Placke recorded a top 10 finish thanks to her total of 85-78–163. The seventh-place claim signaled Placke’s 12th career top 10 tournament placement (out of 14 events).

“She’s really improved since the fall of last year,” Muller said of Havlat. “She’s really worked hard on her game and in the weight room with Coach (Todd) Berner. She’s gotten stronger and is hitting the ball a little farther. She put in a lot of time on her game this summer and it’s great to have her see the results.”

Next in line for the Bulldogs were Emily Jensen (97-88–185; 36th), Logan Eschliman (95-91–186; T-37th), Mya Nurse (105-92–197; T-53rd) and Ashley Gerczynski (100-103–203; 62nd). Jensen, Nurse and Gerczynski each made their collegiate debuts at the Mount Marty Invite.

Though Concordia placed seventh, it was not far off the teams that placed second through sixth – Dakota Wesleyan (678), Briar Cliff (691), College of Saint Mary (699), Jamestown (700) and Northwestern (701). Muller believes his squad can compete for a top-two spot in the GPAC.

The season will continue next Friday and Saturday (Sept. 18-19) at the Lila Frommelt Classic hosted by Briar Cliff. The event will take place at Two Rivers Golf Course in Dakota Dunes, S.D.

Placke in lead after day one of Lila Frommelt

September 18, 2020

DAKOTA DUNES, S.D. – With the first of two rounds in the books, Seward High School product Kendra Placke leads a field of more than 80 golfers at the annual Lila Frommelt Fall Classic. The event hosted by Briar Cliff got underway on Friday (Sept. 18) and will continue from Two Rivers Golf Club in Dakota Dunes, S.D., on Saturday. The Concordia University Women’s Golf team will attempt to move up from its current positioning of sixth place (out of 14 squads).

Head Coach Brett Muller’s group shot an 18-hole team score of 350 (+66), which sits between the two rounds the Bulldogs shot last week at the Mount Marty Fall Invite (366-339–705). Eighteen strokes separate the teams in second through sixth place at the Lila Frommelt Classic.

Placke will take a six-stroke lead into Saturday’s round. The one-over-par 72 on Friday represented a career best score for the two-time All-GPAC performer. Placke’s day included 13 pars and two birdies as part of a steady, consistent round. The Seward native will take aim at her second career tournament victory. She also came out on top at the Nebraska Wesleyan Classic last fall.

Concordia will hope for improvement behind Placke on Saturday. The rest of the lineup included Logan Eschliman (90; T-35th), Andrea Peterson (93; T-40th), Lauren Havlat (95; T-51st) and Emily Jensen (97; T-59th). Two Bulldogs competed as individuals: Mya Nurse (100; T-65th) and Ashley Gerczynski (104; T-70th).

The tournament field is heavy on GPAC teams and also includes Buena Vista University, Iowa Western Community College and University of Northwestern-St. Paul. Based on the current leaderboard, the biggest threats to Placke’s lead are three individuals tied for second (each shot a 78 on Friday): Samantha Knight of Morningside, Seira Kubo of Iowa Western and Victoria Suto of College of Saint Mary.

Action will get started at 9:30 a.m. CT with a shotgun start from Two Rivers. Results can be followed by visiting https://www.golfgenius.com/ (or use the Golf Genius app) and typing 2020LILA as the “GGID.”

Placke takes individual title, Dawgs place fourth

September 19, 2021

Dakota Dunes, S.D. – Sophomore Kendra Placke earned her second career individual title after shooting a 7-over par 77 on the final day of play at the Lila Frommelt Classic. Placke's performance boosted the Bulldogs two spots as they finished the tournament in fourth place.

Placke, an alum of Seward High, carded a 9-over par 149 overall, finishing seven strokes ahead of runner-up Sam Knight from Morningside. The 2019 All-GPAC performer was one stroke shy of tying the single-round school record of 71 during day one. Through two events, Placke’s single-round average sits at a 78. The hometown product will be a major contender for the GPAC individual title this spring.

“I am proud of the way Kendra played the last two days,” head coach Brett Muller said. “Yesterday she had a chance to tie the school record at 71. Her mindset was great today. Being out in front by six shots and being favored to win adds a little extra pressure. With the windier weather today, she played well.”

Concordia turned in a two-round score of 350-337–687 (+104) while competing both days at Two Rivers Golf Course in Dakota Dunes, S.D. The Bulldogs played their best round of golf this season, carding a 337 during the final round of play.

“Overall, I am proud of the way our team battled back today,” Muller said. “Moving up to fourth in the team standings was good to see. As a team, we need to start better on day one.”

Next in line for the Bulldogs were Andrea Peterson (93-79–172; T21st), Logan Eschliman (90-91–181; T38), Lauren Havlat (95-90–185; T45th) and Emily Jensen (97-94–191; T57th). Peterson finished one stroke shy of the top-20 in her season debut.

“Andrea Peterson played very well shooting a career-low of 79,” Muller added. “Due to ack surgery, today was only her third round of the 18 rounds since GPAC play last fall.”

Concordia was in the ballpark of a third-place team finish as they were 15 strokes behind Jamestown. Morningside ran away with the event as they carded a 628, finishing 51 strokes ahead of runner-up Iowa Western Community College.

The Bulldogs will be back in action Tuesday (Sept. 22) at the Matthew Goette Fall Classic hosted by the College of Saint Mary. The event will take place at River Wilds Golf Course in Blair, Neb.

Three top 10 finishers power Bulldogs to Goette Classic title

September 22, 2020

BLAIR, Neb. – For the second time in roughly a year’s span, the Concordia University Women’s Golf program has claimed a tournament title. The Bulldogs out-paced a field of six squads at Tuesday (Sept. 22)’s Matthew Goette Fall Classic hosted by College of Saint Mary. The Bulldogs shot a team score of 357 while in action at River Wilds Golf Club in Blair, Neb.

Head Coach Brett Muller’s program also won the Nebraska Wesleyan Fall Classic in September of last year. With Muller accompanying the men’s golf team in Kansas, graduate assistant coach Kelly Daniels oversaw Tuesday’s round.

Said Muller, “Our goal is definitely to finish top two in the conference. We took care of business today. I’m proud of the way the women played. Just talking to Coach Daniels it sounded like a pretty tough setup today with the scores across the board a little bit higher. Having the low individual at 81 shows how tough the course was playing, but I’m proud of the ladies. Any time you have three players in the top 10 you have a pretty good chance to do well on the team side.”

Just a few days removed from seizing the individual title at the Lila Frommelt Classic, Kendra Placke tied for second with an 11-over-par 83 (two strokes off the tournament champion). Placke and teammates Andrea Peterson (tied for fourth) and Lauren Havlat (tied for ninth) each earned tournament medals for placing in the top 10. Peterson shot an 88 while Havlat carded a 90. Placke has placed in the top 10 in 14 of 16 career tournaments.

Four additional Bulldogs were part of the field of 40 golfers: Logan Eschliman (96; 13th), Emily Jensen (102; T-20th), Ashley Gerczynski (106; T-24th) and Mya Nurse (107; 27th).

Concordia will have one final outing prior to the fall portion of the GPAC Championships (Oct. 5-6). The Bulldogs will be at Lake Creek Country Club in Storm Lake, Iowa, on Saturday for the Buena Vista University Fall Invite. The first tee time is set for 11 a.m. CT.

Placke earns GPAC award following tournament title

September 23, 2020

GPAC Release

SEWARD, Neb. – The tournament title at last week’s Lila Frommelt Classic has led to Kendra Placke being named the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Women’s Golfer of the Week, as announced on Wednesday (Sept. 23). The Seward High School product also garnered the GPAC weekly award in September of last year.

A two-time All-GPAC honoree, Placke continues to trend on a path towards becoming of the top performers in program history. Her two-round total of 72-77–149 (+7) broke a school record for lowest 36-hole score at a single event. The previous record was held by former GPAC champion Amy Ahlers (151). Placke’s one-over-par 72 on day one of the tournament put her one stroke off Ahlers’ program standard for 18 holes. Placke’s season average through five rounds stands at 79.0 (school record is 80.79 by Ahlers in 2015-16).

A sophomore athletically (junior academically), Placke has two career tournament victories. On Tuesday (Sept. 22) in Blair, Neb., she placed second with an 83 while leading the Bulldogs to a team title at the Matthew Goette Fall Classic hosted by College of Saint Mary. Placke has placed inside the top 10 in 14 of 16 career tournaments played.

Placke and her teammates will return to action on Saturday for the Buena Vista University Fall Invite in Storm Lake, Iowa. The fall portion of the GPAC Championships is coming up Oct. 5-6.

Placke hot streak continues, Bulldogs place second at BVU

September 26, 2020

STORM LAKE, Iowa – Seward’s own Kendra Placke is on a roll. The reigning GPAC Golfer of the Week ventured into new surroundings in Northwest Iowa and emerged with a first-place finish in a field of 57 golfers at the Buena Vista University Fall Invite on Saturday (Sept. 26). Placke’s performance helped lead the Concordia University Women’s Golf team to a second-place claim among the nine squads present at Lake Creek Country Club in Storm Lake.

It’s been a busy stretch for Head Coach Brett Muller’s squad. Four days earlier, Placke placed second individually as the Bulldogs won the Matthew Goette Classic hosted by College of Saint Mary.

“Kendra is playing some really solid golf right now,” Muller said. “The biggest difference in her game is her touch around the greens. She’s getting up and down a lot more and her score is reflecting that.”

Placke shot a five-over-par 77 to take the title in Storm Lake. Concordia shot a team total of 343, putting it 13 strokes off of team champion Wartburg College (Iowa), an NCAA Division III institution. The Bulldogs managed to cut 14 strokes off their score from four days ago. Meanwhile, Placke keeps doing her thing. Over the past three tournaments, she’s placed first, second and first, respectively.

Seven Bulldogs navigated Lake Creek. Following Placke, Andrea Peterson (87; T-11th), Lauren Havlat (88; T-14th), Logan Eschliman (91; 26th) and Emily Jensen (94; T-32nd) came in next in line. Peterson just missed a second top-10 finish in a row. Placke, Peterson and Havlat each placed inside the top 10 at the Goette Classic. The final two Bulldogs in the mix were Mya Nurse (102; T-47th) and Ashley Gerczynski (114: 55th).

“We started on hole 10 and got off to a really got start on our first nine holes,” Muller said. “We put ourselves in position to make a run at the team win. Unfortunately, we didn’t play as well on the back nine. I think mentally we wore down a bit. We are off until next Monday (Oct. 5), and we are all looking forward to that.”

Dordt (eighth place) was the only other GPAC squad at the event. Concordia defeated several NCAA D-III foes such as Central College, Buena Vista, Nebraska Wesleyan and Simpson College.

As Muller mentioned, the Bulldogs have a break in their schedule. The fall season will conclude Oct. 5-6 at the GPAC Championships, set to take place at Dakota Dunes Country Club in Dakota Dunes, S.D. Concordia placed third in the GPAC last season.

Placke hot streak continues, Bulldogs place second at BVU

September 26, 2020

It’s been a busy stretch for Head Coach Brett Muller’s squad. Four days earlier, Placke placed second individually as the Bulldogs won the Matthew Goette Classic hosted by College of Saint Mary.

Dordt (eighth place) was the only other GPAC squad at the event. Concordia defeated several NCAA D-III foes such as Central College, Buena Vista, Nebraska Wesleyan and Simpson College.

GPAC Championships coming Monday-Tuesday for women’s golf

October 1, 2020

Follow live: https://www.golfgenius.com/ (GGID = 2021WGPAC)

SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University Women’s Golf team will finish their fall slate at the 2020-21 GPAC Championships. The two-round conference tournament will unfold next Monday and Tuesday (Oct. 5-6) at Dakota Dunes Golf Course in Dakota Dunes, S.D. Tee-time is scheduled for 10 a.m. CT both days.

Head Coach Brett Muller’s squad is six rounds deep into the fall 2020 season. In their last outing, the Bulldogs finished as runner-up while shooting a 343 at the Buena Vista Fall Invite on Sept. 26. Sophomore Kendra Placke carded a five-over-par 77 to take home the individual title. The team 18-hole average currently stands at 348.7.

Placke has been the top performer from an individual standpoint for Concordia this season. The Seward, Neb., native, has recently been on a hot streak, winning two out of the last three tournaments while also recording a runner-up finish. Through six rounds, Placke currently holds a 78.7 season stroke average. The school record for season stroke average is 80.79, which was accomplished by former GPAC champion Amy Ahlers back in the 2015-2016 season.

In terms of season average, the other top performing Bulldogs have been Andrea Peterson (86.8), Lauren Havlat (89.0), Logan Eschliman (92.3) and Emily Jensen (95.3). Both Peterson and Havlat had some of their best individual rounds during the Buena Vista Fall Invite. Peterson placed 11th and Havlat finished 14th. Peterson (87), Havlat (88) and Eschliman (91) were each within four strokes of each other during the single-round event.

Concordia will attempt to move up from its third-place GPAC finish in 2019-20. Last season, the conference did not hold its spring conference championship rounds due to the pandemic. The conference lineup last season featured Placke (78-84–162; 6th), Murphy Sears (83-86–169; 14th), Peterson (83-89–172; 188th), Britney Jepsen (92-86–178; 26th) and Havlat (94-89–183; 39th). The top 15 finishers automatically earn All-GPAC honors.

The GPAC Fall Championships is the last tournament of the fall season. The spring 2021 schedule is yet to be announced.

Concordia GPAC finishes all-time:

Tightly-grouped Bulldogs in fourth following GPAC round one

October 5, 2020

DAKOTA DUNES, S.D. – Round one of the 2020-21 GPAC Women’s Golf Championship finished up as darkness set upon Dakota Dunes Country Club in Dakota Dunes, S.D., on Monday (Oct. 5). With 18 holes in the books, the Bulldogs are in fourth place and just seven strokes out of second in the GPAC standings. The vast majority of the field of 59 golfers carded scores 90 and above on a challenging course.

Head Coach Brett Muller’s squad shot a team score of 368 on Monday. Concordia hopes to move up a peg from its third-place GPAC finish from 2019-20.

Kendra Placke had been on a roll this fall having shot in the 70s in four of the season’s first six rounds. She would have expected better than the 90 (+17) she turned in Monday, but will have a chance to quickly turn things around on Tuesday. Placke has placed fifth and sixth, respectively, in the GPAC over the previous two seasons. She currently is tied for 11th place.

The next three Bulldogs to count towards the team score were Emily Jensen (92; T-17th), Logan Eschliman (93; T-21st) and Andrea Peterson (93; T-21st). In other words, Concordia has four players knocking on the door of the top 15 on the individual leaderboard. Lauren Havlat resides in 53rd place (110).

Placke (sixth place in 2019-20), Peterson (18th place) and Havlat (39th place) were also part of the GPAC lineup a year ago. Meanwhile, Eschliman and Jensen made their first career appearances at a conference event.

It would likely be a surprise for anyone to catch first-place Morningside (316 on Monday) this season, but there will be a battle for second place. Concordia will attempt to leapfrog Dakota Wesleyan (361) and Jamestown (363) before wrapping things up this fall.

The conference championships will pick back up for round two on Tuesday from Dakota Dunes. The first tee time for the Bulldogs is scheduled for 10:40 a.m. CT.

Placke, Dawgs hold at fourth in GPAC as fall season concludes

October 6, 2020

DAKOTA DUNES, S.D. – Despite an improvement on the second day at the GPAC Women’s Golf Championship, the Concordia University Women’s Golf team held steady at fourth place in the conference standings. That’s where the Bulldogs will remain until the final two rounds of GPAC golf are contested in the spring of 2021. Head Coach Brett Muller’s squad carded a 36-hole score of 368-359–727 while in action at Dakota Dunes Country Club in Dakota Dunes, S.D., Monday and Tuesday (Oct. 5-6).

Concordia placed third in the GPAC last season. Currently, Muller’s group is looking up in the standings at Morningside (316-313–629), Jamestown (363-352–715) and Dakota Wesleyan (361-359–720).

“As a team, our goal is to finish second in the GPAC,” Muller said. “Obviously we are not there, but only 12 shots back (of second) isn’t a terrible place to be. Dakota Dunes is a national championship caliber golf course. We were plagued with big numbers. We need to sharpen our short game on and around the greens. The greens were firm and fast the last two days. We struggled with our speed control and lag putting.”

Two-time All-GPAC performer Kendra Placke (two tournament titles this fall) returned to form on Tuesday by shooting a nine-over-par 82 on the challenging course in Dakota Dunes. Placke moved up on the individual leaderboard from 11th place after day one to 10th place (90-82–172) after day two. Placke carded 11 pars on Tuesday while shooting the sixth lowest overall individual score of the day.

Said Muller of Placke, “Kendra struggled her first eight holes of the championship. She played her final 28 more like what we expect from her. If she puts two solid rounds together in the spring she can definitely move up the leaderboard.”

Andrea Peterson also took a solid step forward on Tuesday and is currently in 12th place (93-86–179). All Bulldogs other than Placke are shooting for their first career all-conference placements (top 15 are automatic). The final three spots in the conference lineup were held down by Logan Eschliman (93-96–189; T-23rd), Emily Jensen (92-97–189; T-23rd) and Lauren Havlat (110-95–205; 50th). Havlat, Peterson and Placke each had prior conference tournament experience while Eschliman and Jensen made their debuts on this particular stage.

The 2019-20 GPAC Women’s Golf Championship included only two rounds of play with the spring rounds being wiped out due to the coronavirus pandemic. Placke (sixth place) and Murphy Sears (14th) were named to the all-conference team in representation of the Bulldogs.

The spring 2021 schedule has not yet been announced. Rounds three and four of the GPAC Championships will take place at Bent Tree Golf Club in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on dates that are to be determined.

Schedule release: 2021 Women’s Golf

December 15, 2020

SEWARD, Neb. – The 2021 Concordia University Women’s golf schedule has been announced as of Tuesday (Dec. 15). The campaign's official start will be on March 8 as the Bulldogs travel to Westworth Village, Texas, to compete at the Texas Intercollegiate Open. Tee time is set for 8:30 p.m. CT.

The 2020 season will mark Head Coach Brett Muller’s tenth season at Concordia. He guided the women’s program to a third-place finish at the 2019 GPAC Championships. The Bulldogs did not compete in the spring portion of their schedule in 2020 due to COVID-19. Concordia returns an All-GPAC performer in sophomore Kendra Placke who won two individual tournament titles this past fall,

Concordia will compete in four official regular-season tournaments (prior to the GPAC Championships). The lone home tournament will take place April 6-7, as the Bulldogs host, the Concordia Bulldog Invite at Highlands Golf Course in Lincoln.

The GPAC Championships will take place at Bent Tree Golf Course in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on April 23-24. The NAIA National Championships will conclude the spring slate. Times for the NAIA National Championships have yet to be announced.

2021 Spring Schedule
3/8-9 – Texas Intercollegiate
3/29-30 – Coyote Invite – Kansas Wesleyan
4/6-7 – Concordia Bulldog Invite
4/11-12 – Wildcat Classic-Wayne State
4/23-24 – GPAC Championships

Placke, Martin top Dawgs as golf season resumes in Texas

March 8, 2021

WESTWORTH VILLAGE, Texas – While teeing up for the first time this spring semester, the Concordia University Women’s Golf team navigated 36 holes at Hawks Creek Golf Club in Westworth Village, Texas, on Monday (March 8). The Bulldogs made their way south for the two-day, three-round Texas Intercollegiate featuring eight institutions and a total of 45 individuals.

Concordia shot a two-round score of 365-352–717 while just barely finishing before darkness set in. Two of the eight teams in the field will complete the second round on Tuesday morning.

Head Coach Brett Muller’s women’s squad last competed back on Oct. 5-6 when the GPAC Championships were held in Dakota Dunes, S.D. The Bulldogs enter the spring with a current standing of fourth place in the GPAC.

Seward High School product Kendra Placke tore it up in the fall when she claimed two tournament championships. Placke carded a score of 86-80–166 (+8) on Monday in narrowly edging Mia Martin (82-85–167) for the top spot on the team. A native of Brisbane, Australia, Martin is a transfer from the now closed Concordia University, Portland. This tournament marks the Bulldog debut of Martin, who could help push Concordia up the GPAC standings this spring.

Placke and Martin are joined in Texas by teammates Andrea Peterson (100-90–190), Lauren Havlat (98-97–195), Emily Jensen (101-95–196) and Logan Eschliman (99-100–199). Peterson played at the No. 2 position in the fall while averaging an 18-hole score of 89.0. Placke, Havlat, Eschliman and Jensen competed in all eight rounds during the fall, contributing to an average team score of 352.4.

The first tee time will be at 8 a.m. CT on Tuesday as the field of competitors finish off the 54-hole event. Concordia first arrived in the Dallas area on Saturday and played a practice round on Sunday. There is no live scoring for the event, but final results will be updated promptly via Golf Stat.

Martin shoots team low as Texas Intercollegiate wraps up

March 9, 2021

WESTWORTH VILLAGE, Texas – The third and final round of the Texas Intercollegiate concluded early on Tuesday (March 9) afternoon for Concordia University Women’s Golf, which took advantage of an opportunity to travel south for spring break. In a strong field of eight squads, the Bulldogs placed sixth while being led by junior Mia Martin and sophomore Kendra Placke at the top of the lineup.

Head Coach Brett Muller’s squad turned in a three-round score of 365-352-347–1,064. Concordia beat out fellow NAIA member Grand View University (1,148) and Seminole State Community College (1,242).

“Coming down here, we hadn’t really been outside to hit on the range,” Muller said. “As far as actually playing holes, this was the start of the spring for a lot of them. I’m definitely proud that we showed improvement in each of the rounds in the team score.

“It’s absolutely great to add Mia to the lineup. She’s someone who can push Kendra. They got to ride with each other in the same cart these last two days – there will definitely be a friendly rivalry there. They want the best for each other. It’s like the competition Murphy (Sears) had with Kendra and Amy (Ahlers) had with Murphy. Now it’s Kendra and Mia.”

Martin and Placke finished within one stroke of each other while both placing inside the top 20 of the individual leaderboard. A transfer from Concordia University, Portland, Martin carded a score of 82-85-83–250 (+34) in her Bulldog debut. The Seward High School alum Placke finished right behind Martin with a tournament total of 86-80-85–251 (20th place). The tournament champion carded a score of 75-72-77–224.

The rest of the Concordia varsity lineup featured junior Andrea Peterson (100-90-87–277; T-31st), freshman Lauren Havlat (98-97-92–287; 36th) and freshman Logan Eschliman (99-100-104–303; 43rd). Competing as an individual, freshman Emily Jensen posted a score of 101-95-103–299 (41st).

Concordia first arrived in the Dallas area on Saturday and played a practice round on Sunday. The team had plans to tour AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, on Tuesday evening.

During the fall portion of the season, the Bulldogs averaged a team score of 352.4. The 347 carded on Tuesday represented the team’s fourth lowest round (out of 11) over the 2020-21 season. Back in the fall, Concordia won the team title at the Matthew Goette Fall Classic.

Next up on the schedule is the Kansas Wesleyan Coyote Invite in Salina, Kan., March 29-30. The program also looks forward to hosting the Concordia Bulldog Invite at Highlands Golf Course in Lincoln, Neb., April 6-7.

Placke cards 84, wins day 2 match in dual with KWU

March 30, 2021

VIEW RESULTS

SALINA, Kan. – In a unique event, the Concordia University Women’s Golf team put itself up against Kansas Wesleyan University on back-to-back days. The dual event followed a tournament style format on Monday (March 29) before shifting to match play on Tuesday in Salina, Kan. The Bulldogs carded a team score of 369 (top four individuals combined) and then were defeated by the Coyotes in match play, 4.5 to 1.5.

This was the second event of the spring for Head Coach Brett Muller’s squad. The Concordia women’s team also ventured to the Dallas Area over spring break for the Texas Intercollegiate. The early results this spring reveal that the Bulldogs have a strong top two in the lineup with Kendra Placke and Mia Martin.

“I thought we improved from Monday to Tuesday,” Muller said. “We had a lot of matches very close late in the rounds. From a stroke play standpoint, we are solid at Nos. 1 and 2. We need better scores at 3 and 4, and I know we have the potential there. The team is excited to host our home invite next week at Highlands.”

Concordia was represented at Salina Country Club by eight individuals. On the first day of the event, Martin edged out Placke for the team low round with an 83. Meanwhile, Placke shot an 84. The remaining Bulldogs at the event featured Andrea Peterson (100), Lauren Havalat (102), Logan Eschliman (104), Emily Jensen (108), Ashley Gerczynski (115) and Mya Nurse (126). The top overall performer on Monday was Kansas Wesleyan’s Kristen Sayyanlinh, who shot an 81.

Placke was the lone Bulldog to emerge victorious in match play. She defeated Mikaela Johnson (2up). Martin went head-to-head with Sayyanlinh at the top of the lineup and fell narrowly, 2&1. There was a stalemate at the fifth position with Eschliman and Thalia Ramirez halving their match. The match pairings were based on stroke play from Monday’s round.

Martin’s Bulldog career began with the spring break tournament in Texas where she shot scores of 82, 85 and 83. Placke entered this week with a team low 18-hole season scoring average of 81.4.

As mentioned by Muller, Concordia will host a tournament for the first time in 2020-21 when the Concordia Bulldog Invite plays out April 6-7 at Highlands Golf Course in Lincoln, Neb. Action is set to tee off at 10 a.m. CT on both days.

Tournament info: Concordia Bulldog Invite

April 5, 2021

SEWARD, Neb. – After a year hiatus, the Concordia Bulldog Invite is back in 2021. The two-day tournament will play out Tuesday and Wednesday at Highland Golf Course in Lincoln, Neb., and feature a total of 90 golfers from 15 different institutions. Head Coach Brett Muller’s program hosted a similar one-day event in late March of 2019 before last year’s scheduled tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2021 Concordia Bulldog Invite

April 6-7 | 10 a.m. CT shotgun start (both days)
Highlands Golf Course | Lincoln, Neb.
Live Scoring: Golf Genius (GGID= 2021BulldogInvite)
--The Golf Genius app can be downloaded on mobile devices

Competing Teams
Bellevue University
Briar Cliff University
Concordia University
College of Saint Mary
Dakota Wesleyan University
Doane University
Dordt University
Hastings College
Iowa Lakes CC
Iowa Western CC
Morningside College
Mount Marty University
Nebraska Wesleyan University
Northwestern College
York College

This will mark the third outing of the spring for Concordia University Women’s Golf. The Bulldogs also competed at the Texas Intercollegiate (March 8-9) and the Kansas Wesleyan Invite (March 29-30). Muller’s team has gotten a boost this spring from the addition of Concordia University, Portland transfer Mia Martin, who has averaged an 18-hole score of 83.3 through four rounds. She has provided competition at the top of the lineup for Kendra Placke (81.6 season average). Placke captured tournament titles in the fall at the Matthew Goette Classic and the Buena Vista Invite.

In 12 total team rounds in 2020-21, the Bulldogs have averaged a team score of 354.3. They won the Matthew Goette Classic championship and placed second at the Buena Vista Invite. Beyond Placke and Martin, the team’s top five (in terms of scoring average) includes Andrea Peterson (90.3), Lauren Havlat (94.0) and Logan Eschliman (95.8).

The competition at the Concordia Bulldog Invite will be fierce. The tournament field includes GPAC frontrunner Morningside and a Dakota Wesleyan squad that currently sits in third place in the conference. In addition, perennially strong Iowa Western Community College will be present while aiming for a third tournament championship already this spring. Also notable, Bellevue University is coming off a title at the TPC Deere Run Classic.

Following action at Highlands, the Bulldogs will look forward to the Wayne State Wildcat Classic coming up April 11-12 at Wayne Country Club.

Concordia in ninth place after day 1 of Bulldog Invite

April 6, 2021

LINCOLN, Neb. – In the largest field of competitors of any event it has taken part in this season, the Concordia University Women’s Golf team resides in ninth place with 18 of 36 holes complete. The Bulldogs are in the midst of hosting the two-day Concordia Bulldog Invite (April 6-7) at Highlands Golf Course in Lincoln, Neb. Standout Kendra Placke handled the consistently strong winds nicely while shooting a six-over-par 78.

Head Coach Brett Muller’s program welcomed a field of 90 total golfers (15 teams) to Highlands. Concordia shot a team score of 354 on Tuesday, sufficient to place above five conference rivals.

Placke (tied for seventh) effectively carded her first sub-80 score of the spring season while navigating the home course. Meanwhile, teammate Mia Martin made her first career tournament appearance at Highlands and carded an 87 (tied for 29th). The highlight of Martin’s day was an eagle that she landed on hole No. 7. It came as the end result of an eight-foot putt.

The tournament roster for the Bulldogs includes eight individuals. Others who factored into the team scoring were Lauren Havlat (93; T-52nd), Andrea Peterson (96; T-59th) and Logan Eschliman (97; T-64th). Three Concordia players competed as individuals: Emily Jensen (96; T-59th), Ashley Gerczynski (98; T-68th) and Mya Nurse (105; T-79th).

The tournament team leader is Morningside with a 304. Individually, Placke is four strokes off first place Laura Gibson (74) of Iowa Western Community College. With an improved round on Wednesday, the Bulldogs could potentially move in front of the likes of York College (341), Dakota Wesleyan (342), Briar Cliff (342) and Mount Marty (352).

Day two of the invite will tee off with a shotgun start at 10 a.m. CT on Wednesday. Just like on Tuesday, live scoring will be available via Golf Genius (https://www.golfgenius.com/). The Golf Genius ID is 2021BulldogInvite.

Placke collects third career GPAC weekly award

April 7, 2021

GPAC Release

SEWARD, Neb. – Courtesy of her performance at the Kansas Wesleyan Invite, Concordia University Women’s Golf standout Kendra Placke has been tabbed the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Women’s Golfer of the Week, as announced on Wednesday (April 7). Placke also collected a GPAC weekly honor back in the fall. She owns three career GPAC Golfer of the Week awards.

In a unique dual event that included Concordia and Kansas Wesleyan, Kendra Placke put together a solid two-day effort. In tournament play on day one of the event, Placke carded an 84 and placed third out of 14 golfers. Then on day two, the Seward High School product won (2up) in match play over her opponent from Kansas Wesleyan. Entering this week’s Concordia Bulldog Invite, Placke owned an 18-hole season average of 81.6. She won individual titles at the Lila Frommelt Classic and the Buena Vista Fall Invite.

The Bulldogs will return to action at 10 a.m. CT today (April 7) for the second round of their own invite. They will also play in the upcoming two-day Wayne State Wildcat Classic (April 11-12).

School record falls as Dawgs finish fifth at own invite

April 7, 2021

LINCOLN, Neb. – Despite colder, damper conditions, the Concordia University Women’s Golf team thrived on day two of the Concordia Bulldog Invite. The Bulldogs carded an 18-hole school record 324 on Wednesday (April 7) while moving up from ninth place after day one to a final placement of fifth. The event, staged at Highlands Golf Course, welcomed 90 golfers from 15 different institutions. Morningside emerged with the team title.

Head Coach Brett Muller’s squad carded a two-day total of 354-324–678. The school record for a 36-hole event still stands at 670. Muller hopes his team can build off the momentum from Wednesday’s massive improvement.

“The girls were very excited to play on our home course and maybe put a little added pressure on themselves (on Tuesday) to go out and play well,” Muller said. “We played much more relaxed and confident today. I thought our mindset was great coming into today. We did a great job of adjusting to adverse weather conditions. One of our goals is to finish in the top two of the GPAC and we weren’t where we needed to be on Tuesday. It was awesome to see us shoot a school record and move up in the team standings.”

In Wednesday’s round, four Bulldogs shot 86 or lower. It was a rock solid tournament for star Kendra Placke, who tied for third on the overall leaderboard by way of a two-day total of 78-75–153. She finished five strokes behind tournament champion Dominika Gradecka of Bellevue University. A tournament titlist twice in the fall, Placke has earned five top-five finishes out of eight events overall in 2020-21.

Mia Martin also cracked the 70s for the first time as a Bulldog and shot 87-79–166 (tied for 14th). Next in line for Concordia was Lauren Havlat (93-86–179; T-42nd), Andrea Peterson (96-84 – 180; 46th) and Logan Eschliman (97-96–193; 65th). Another trio of individuals represented the Bulldogs: Emily Jensen (96-89–185; T-51st), Ashley Gercyznski (98-97–195; T-66th) and Mya Nurse (105-112–217; 80th).

Said Placke, “Yesterday we kind of struggled a little bit as a team. We were looking for a good confidence booster and I think we had good vibes coming into today. We could only get better from yesterday.”

Concordia wound up finishing third out of the nine GPAC teams in the field at Highlands. The addition of Martin seems to solidify the Bulldogs as one of the top teams in the conference.

“It’s great to have Mia join us for the second semester and we’ve seen great improvement from Andrea and Lauren as well,” Muller said. “For us to shoot a 324 team score we need four solid scores and that’s what we had today. The consistency at 3 and 4 is the difference for us.”

The spring season will continue this Sunday and Monday with Concordia headed to the Wayne State Wildcat Classic at Wayne Country Club. The action is slated to get started at 9 a.m. CT both days.

Bulldogs near school record again in fifth-place finish at Wildcat Classic

April 12, 2021

WAYNE, Neb. – In a two-day event at Wayne Country Club, the Concordia University Women’s Golf team flirted with the 18-hole school record once again. The Bulldogs placed fifth in the Wildcat Classic hosted by Wayne State College. The tournament was held Sunday and Monday (April 11-12) and featured five NCAA Division II schools and three NAIA squads.

Head Coach Brett Muller’s team turned in a two-round total of 326-344–670. Concordia placed in front of Bemidji State University (Minn.), York College and Mount Marty.

“It was a great experience for our team to play against some Division II competition,” Muller said. “We were paired with Bemidji State, UNK (Nebraska-Kearney) and Wayne State on Sunday. Those are schools we don’t normally get to play against and I thought our girls played very well. Sunday was the first time this year we had all of our top five shoot 89 or below. We were much more consistent at the 3-4-5 spots and were able to build off of what we did at our home invite.”

In a field of 47 golfers, both Mia Martin (tied for sixth) and Kendra Placke (tied for ninth) earned top 10 finishes. Martin posted her top score so far as a Bulldog in shooting a 77 on Sunday. The transfer from Concordia-Portland shot a two-round total of 77-82–159. Placke (tied for third at the Concordia Bulldog Invite) was right on her heels with a 36-hole score of 78-83–161.

The 326 team score on Sunday was two strokes off the program single-round record of 324 carded this past Wednesday at the Concordia Invite. In order to settle into the 320s, the Bulldogs need the solid play they got from the likes of Andrea Peterson (89-86–175; T-27th), Lauren Havlat (85-93–178; T-31st) and Logan Eschliman (86-93–179; 33rd). A Lincoln native, Eschliman carded a new career low with her 86 on Sunday.

Said Muller, “Mia played well both days and that’s her first top 10 finish as a Bulldog … we were just five shots from being in the top half so that was a pretty good performance for us. It’s always nice to beat out the NAIA competition.”

Concordia now has some time to prepare for its next event – the GPAC Championships at Bent Tree Golf Club in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on April 23-24. Back in the fall at Dakota Dunes Country Club in Dakota Dunes, S.D., the Bulldogs carded a two-round conference score of 368-359–727. They are currently in fourth place with a goal of catching Jamestown (715) and Dakota Wesleyan (720) for second place in the final standings.

Placke collects second straight GPAC weekly award

April 14, 2021

GPAC Release

SEWARD, Neb. – Another conference award rolled in on Wednesday (April 14) for Kendra Placke of Concordia University Women’s Golf. The GPAC has named the Seward High School product the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Women’s Golfer of the Week. Placke has now garnered the honor in back-to-back weeks and for the fourth time in her career.

A two-time All-GPAC performer, Placke competed in three rounds during the time period that factored into the GPAC weekly award. At the Concordia Bulldog Invite (April 6-7), Placke placed in a tie for third with a two-round total of 78-75–153. Her 75 on day two helped spark the team to a school record low score of 324 for a single round. Then at the Wildcat Classic (April 11-12) hosted by Wayne State College, Placke placed in a tie for ninth with a 36-hole score of 78-83–161. Once again, the team challenged the school record by shooting a 326 on the first day of the Wildcat Classic.

Placke leads the team with a season 18-hole average of 80.8. She won two tournament titles during the fall season. She has placed in the top 10 in eight of nine events in 2020-21.

GPAC Preview: Bulldogs aiming for second place finish

April 20, 2021

Current GPAC Standings (PDF)

SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University Women’s Golf team hopes it has found a groove at the right time. With Kendra Placke and Mia Martin leading the way at the top of the lineup, the Bulldogs have hopes of rising as high as second in the final conference standings. The final two rounds of the 2020-21 GPAC Championships will take place Friday and Saturday at Bent Tree Golf Club in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

In the fall portion of the conference tournament, Head Coach Brett Muller’s squad carded a 36-hole score of 368-359–727. Currently in fourth place, Concordia sits behind Morningside (629), Jamestown (715) and Dakota Wesleyan (720).

GPAC Spring Championships

April 23-24 | 10 a.m. (both days)
Bent Tree Golf Club | Council Bluffs, Iowa
Live scoring/tournament info: GPAC Website

By the numbers

· The 2019-20 season featured fall action only (spring canceled due to COVID-19), meaning there were only two rounds of conference championships. The Bulldogs placed third in the GPAC (336-345–681). Individually, Kendra Placke placed sixth and Murphy Sears tied for 14th while earning all-conference accolades. Placke has earned All-GPAC honors in each of her first two seasons at Concordia.

· In a span of five days this spring, the Bulldogs turned in the two lowest scores in program history – a 324 at the Concordia Bulldog Invite and a 326 at the Wayne State Wildcat Classic. The key has been to get four golfers to shoot in the 80s or lower. In the school record performance at the Concordia Invite, four Bulldogs shot 86 or lower: Placke (75), Martin (79), Andrea Peterson (84) and Lauren Havlat (86).

· Martin’s addition provides optimism that a second-place finish in the GPAC is attainable. The native of Brisbane, Australia, made her Bulldog debut on March 8 and has played in all eight rounds this spring. Her season average of 82.3 is second to Placke (80.8) for a team low. A transfer from Concordia University, Portland, Martin carded a season low of 77 at the Wildcat Classic.

· As just a freshman, Placke placed in a tie for fifth in the GPAC with a four-round score of 75-78-88-89–330. The Seward High School alum carded GPAC scores of 78-84–162 in the fall of 2019 and placed sixth in the GPAC. This season, Placke is currently sitting 10th in the GPAC (90-82–172). Her career scoring average in conference rounds is 83.0.

The GPAC team champion receives an automatic bid to the NAIA National Championships, which will be held in Ypsilanti, Mich., May 25-28. The second-place finisher in the conference would also receive if an automatic bid if ranked in the top 30 of the NAIA (unlikely to happen in 2021). The Concordia Women’s Golf program sent an individual qualifier to the national tournament in 2017 when Amy Ahlers claimed the GPAC title (first in school history).

Bulldogs move up to third entering final round of GPAC championships

April 23, 2021

SEWARD, Neb. – A fine performance on Friday (April 23) has pushed the Concordia University Women’s Golf team to third in the GPAC standings. Only one conference foe carded a better score than the Bulldogs in round three of the 2020-21 GPAC Women’s Golf Championships. Concordia turned in a total of 327 on Friday while passing Dakota Wesleyan in the conference race. The spring portion of the GPAC tournament is being held at Bent Tree Golf Club in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Head Coach Brett Muller’s squad has posted a three-round GPAC total of 368-359-327–1,054. The Bulldogs sit behind Morningside (934) and Jamestown (1,051) entering round four. Last season Concordia placed third in the GPAC with a two-round score of 336-345–681.

Two-time All-GPAC performer Kendra Placke has rocketed up to seventh on the individual leaderboard after shooting a 76 on Friday (10th place after two fall rounds). Placke has shot a three-round conference total of 90-82-76–284. The Seward High School product placed fifth in the GPAC as a freshman and sixth in the conference as a sophomore.

Concordia University, Portland transfer Mia Martin shot an 80 in her first career experience at the GPAC championships. The Bulldogs who followed Placke and Martin included Andrea Peterson (93-86-82–261; 13th), Logan Eschliman (93-96-91–280; T-27th) and Lauren Havlat (110-95-89–294; T-35th). A total of 46 individuals have qualified towards the overall GPAC individual leaderboard.

The final round of the GPAC tournament will begin at 10 a.m. CT from Council Bluffs on Saturday. Live results can be followed via Golf Genius. The Golf Genius ID is 2021WGPAC.

Bulldogs place third in GPAC; Placke claims top 10 finish

April 24, 2021

GPAC Championships Results

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – Entering the final round of the 2020-21 GPAC Championship tournament, the Concordia University Women’s Golf team had a shot at finishing as high as second place. The Bulldogs ultimately landed in third after carding a team total of 339 at Bent Tree Golf Club in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on Saturday (April 24). Concordia had passed up Dakota Wesleyan in Friday’s round and remained in front of the Tigers and eight other GPAC opponents.

Head Coach Brett Muller has led the program to back-to-back third-place GPAC finishes. Led once again by Seward High School alum Kendra Placke, the Bulldogs carded a four-round conference score of 368-359-327-339–1,393 while wrapping up the season.

“For us to finish in third place, all-in-all, we have to be pretty happy with that,” Muller said. “We were able to move up this weekend to third, which is a great accomplishment for our team. We played pretty well yesterday and thought we would have a shot at catching Jamestown and moving to No. 2 overall. We just needed another solid round like we had yesterday, but we just didn’t have that today. I’m proud of our team. We showed this spring season how much we improved. Most of our scores were in the 320s and 330s.”

Concordia’s top three players came through this weekend. Placke has placed in the top 10 of the GPAC in each of her first three collegiate seasons. She shot scores of 76 and 81 in Council Bluffs and placed seventh overall (90-82-76-81–329) out of 46 individuals who completed all four championship rounds. The rough first round prevented Placke from making a serious run at a GPAC title, but she has that type of ability looking ahead to 2021-22.

While Placke clinched all-conference honors, Andrea Peterson vaulted up to 13th on the GPAC leaderboard by shooting an 82 on both Friday and Saturday. She achieved a four-round total of 93-86-82-82–343 while finishing her collegiate golf career. Said Muller, “She had a great ending to her career today. What a great close for her.”

This was also the end for Mia Martin, who competed in the spring semester after transferring from Concordia University, Portland. Martin shot rounds of 80 and 81 this weekend. She does not appear on the overall GPAC leaderboard since she did not compete in the fall. Martin averaged an 18-hole score of 81.9 in 10 rounds as a Bulldog. Said Muller, “It would have been nice to have Mia longer, but we’re very appreciative of the time we had with her. She made a definite impact in our team score. She’s a big reason why we improved so much from the fall to the spring.”

Concordia’s lineup was rounded out this weekend by Logan Eschliman (93-96-91-100 – 380; 31st) and Lauren Havlat (110-95-89-95–389; T-36th). Emily Jensen also competed in the fall portion of the GPAC championships and turned in scores of 92 and 97.

Muller knows Placke will be a rock for the program again next season. Said Muller, “You have to tip your hat to Kendra for finishing inside the top 10 of the conference. It’s not an easy task. The conference gets tougher every year. She continues to prove that she’s one of the best players in the conference.”

Impressively, the Bulldogs shot the three lowest rounds in program history this spring – a 324 at the Concordia Bulldog Invite, a 326 at the Wildcat Classic and a 327 at the GPAC championships. The 327 represented a school record for a conference tournament round.

Placke, Martin, Peterson earn All-GPAC accolades

May 10 ,2021

Women’s Golf All-GPAC

SEWARD, Neb. – A trio of Bulldogs represented the Concordia University Women’s Golf program on the list of 2020-21 all-conference honorees. Recognition was earned by sophomore Kendra Placke and seniors Mia Martin and Andrea Peterson, as announced by the GPAC on Monday (May 10). Placke has now earned three all-conference awards in her career.

A Seward High School alum, Placke continues to make her mark as one of the top golfers in program history. In her career, Placke has turned in individual GPAC finishes of fifth in 2018-19, sixth in 2019-20 and seventh in 2020-21. This past season, she shot a four-round conference total of 90-82-76-81–329. For the season, Placke paced the team with an 18-hole season average of 80.6 through 18 rounds (nine events). Back in the fall, Placke claimed tournament championships at the Lila Frommelt Fall Classic and the Buena Vista Fall Invite. She placed inside the top 10 in eight of nine tournaments, including five top-five finishes.

Martin played only one semester as a Bulldog (after transferring from Concordia University, Portland), but made a significant impact. The native of Brisbane, Australia, carded a GPAC score of 80-81–161 this spring and closely challenged Placke atop the Concordia lineup. Over 10 rounds this spring, Martin averaged an 18-hole score of 81.9. She shot a season low score of 77 at the Wildcat Classic hosted by Wayne State College and placed sixth out of 47 golfers.

Peterson made a significant leap forward as a senior. She placed 13th in the GPAC by shooting a four-round total of 93-86-82-82–343. The Rochester, Minn., native ranked third on the team with an average score of 88.9. Her 79 at the Frommelt Classic back in the fall represented a career low. Peterson placed fourth at the Matthew Goette Fall Classic and just missed a top 10 finish at the Buena Vista Fall Invite (11th).

Head Coach Brett Muller’s women’s golf team placed third in the GPAC thanks in large part to the efforts of Placke, Martin and Peterson. During the spring season, the Bulldogs turned in the three lowest team rounds in the history of the program.

Schedule Release: Fall 2021 Women's Golf

June 24, 2021

Fall 2021 Women’s Golf Schedule

SEWARD, Neb. – The fall portion of the 2021-22 Concordia University Women’s Golf schedule has been announced (released on June 24). The fall slate features six events covering 11 total rounds. The new season will tee off Sept. 2-3 at the Mount Marty Invite in Yankton, S.D.

Head Coach Brett Muller will enter his 11th season leading the men’s and women’s golf programs. The women’s team is coming off a third-place GPAC finish in 2020-21. The Bulldogs will be strong at the top of the lineup thanks to the presence of three-time All-GPAC performer Kendra Placke. She won two tournaments last season and placed seventh in the conference.

Leading up to the fall GPAC Championships, Concordia will also take part in the Lila Frommelt Invite (Sept. 17-18), Matthew Goette Invite (Sept. 21) and the Nebraska Wesleyan Fall Invite (Sept. 25-26). Two rounds of GPAC action will be contested Oct. 4-5 at The Bluffs Golf Course in Vermillion, S.D. The fall season will wrap up with the Nebraska Intercollegiate (Oct. 8-9).

The spring 2022 schedule will be released at a later date. The NAIA sponsors its women’s golf national championship in the spring. Oklahoma City, Okla., will serve as the site for the 2022 national tournament (May 24-27).