2025 Fall Sport NAIA Scholar-Athletes
SEWARD, Neb. – Thirteen Bulldogs from the 2025 Concordia University, Nebraska Women’s Soccer team earned recognition as Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athletes, as announced by the NAIA National Office on Wednesday (Nov. 19). Nine of those Bulldogs are repeat award winners from 2024. Among these honorees, Savannah Andrews, Niah Kirchner, Sadie Mares and Taylor Slaymaker were also Academic All-District recipients in 2024.
In order to be nominated by an institution’s head coach or sports information director, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, must appear on the eligibility certificate for the sport and have attended one full year at said institution.
Head Coach Nick Smith’s 2025 team finished at 13-2-5 overall and placed second in the GPAC regular season standings. Eight Bulldogs garnered GPAC All-Conference accolades, including first teamers Kierstynn Garner, Kirchner, Kyana Rios and Triniti Rowe.
Concordia University, Nebraska ranks as the NAIA’s all-time leader in number of Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes with 2,739 entering the 2024-25 academic year. The school record for number of Scholar-Athletes in one academic year is 226 achieved in 2019-20. Concordia has been a regular national leader for both Scholar-Athletes and Scholar-Teams.
2025 Concordia Women’s Soccer NAIA Scholar-Athletes
· Abigail Allen (Cheyenne, Wyo.)
· Savannah Andrews (Gretna, Neb.)
· Avery Black (Omaha, Neb.)
· Kierstynn Garner (Kearney, Neb.)
· Camryn Higer (Savannah, Mo.)
· Hannah Kile (Lincoln, Neb.)
· Niah Kirchner (Omaha, Neb.)
· Olivia Kohl (Springfield, Neb.)
· Sadie Mares (Scottsdale, Ariz.)
· Sierra McElhannon (Ewa Beach, Hawaii)
· Olivia Pyle (Blaine, Minn.)
· Taylor Slaymaker (Kearney, Neb.)
· Grady Smith (Richmond, Va.)