After surprising many outsiders last season, Concordia Wrestling believes it is equipped for greater successes in 2023-24 as Head Coach Chase Clasen enters his second year leading the program. National qualifier Creighton Baughman sets the tone in the room.
Despite finishing last season in third place in the GPAC, the Concordia Wrestling program landed at No. 6 in the official 2023-24 GPAC preseason poll. A total of eight Bulldogs were ranked individually at the conference level.
The GPAC Championships will return to Seward this winter as Concordia Wrestling looks to build upon a solid first season under head coach Chase Clasen. The 2023-24 campaign will get started with a visit from Midland.
For their work in the classroom, Creighton Baughman and Jose Sanchez have been recognized as 2023 NAIA Scholar All-Americans by the NWCA. Both Bulldogs contributed heavily to a 2022-23 team that tied the program record for GPAC dual wins.
Concordia Wrestling made a statement in the way that it exceeded expectations in 2022-23. In Chase Clasen's first season as head coach, the Bulldogs shrugged off their preseason GPAC placement of sixth and equaled a school record for dual wins in a season.
Faced with difficult draws, the Bulldogs gave it their best shot at the 2023 NAIA Wrestling National Championships. All four Concordia wrestlers were eliminated. As Coach Clasen stated, the results were disappointing, but the effort was not.
Due to their maintaining a cumulative grade-point average above 3.5, Henry Gaertner, Anthony Perez and Jose Sanchez have been recognized as 2022-23 NAIA Wrestling Scholar Athletes.
Four Bulldogs will represent Concordia Wrestling at the 2023 NAIA Wrestling National Championships. Creighton Baughman, Issiah Burks, Logan Davidson and Tavoris Smith will vie for spots on the podium in Park City, Kansas.
The trials, the tribulations and six years of grinding made Issiah Burks' stunningly dominant GPAC championship run that much sweeter. The Hemet, Calif., native has seized his one last chance to reach the national championships.
The Concordia Wrestling program's four national qualifiers have also been named 2023 All-GPAC award winners. All-conference accolades went to Creighton Baughman, Issiah Burks, Logan Davidson and Tavoris Smith.
Head Coach Josh Watts enters his second season with an overall more talented and deeper roster as compared to a year ago. The Bulldogs expect to build upon a strong 2024-25 season with six returning national qualifiers.
The first year of Josh Watts’ tenure proved to be an unquestionable success. Many markers reached by the Bulldogs had not been achieved since 2020. The season ended with two Concordia wrestlers reaching the podium.
The hiring of Josh Watts in July set in motion a whirlwind pre-fall semester stretch that saw Concordia Wrestling tidy up and fortify a 2024-25 roster that put the pieces together during an impressive second semester.
It's a new era for Concordia Wrestling under Head Coach Josh Watts. The program welcomes back its three national qualifiers while adding nine freshmen and seven transfers to the mix.
Unmistakable for his physical stature and larger-than-life presence, Ceron Francisco captivated the Concordia University, Nebraska campus and left a legacy that went beyond the results on the mat.
When peeling back the layers that made up the 2023-24 Concordia University Wrestling season, the program’s progress becomes more evident. The Bulldogs believe they have laid a foundation for future success.
Tattooed just above Creighton Baughman’s right knee is the word “SAVED” in all caps. Says the accomplished Baughman, "'Saved' was always the word that came to mind when I think of the transformation that finding new faith has done for me."
After surprising many outsiders last season, Concordia Wrestling believes it is equipped for greater successes in 2023-24 as Head Coach Chase Clasen enters his second year leading the program. National qualifier Creighton Baughman sets the tone in the room.
Concordia Wrestling made a statement in the way that it exceeded expectations in 2022-23. In Chase Clasen's first season as head coach, the Bulldogs shrugged off their preseason GPAC placement of sixth and equaled a school record for dual wins in a season.
The trials, the tribulations and six years of grinding made Issiah Burks' stunningly dominant GPAC championship run that much sweeter. The Hemet, Calif., native has seized his one last chance to reach the national championships.
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