Bulldog Athletic Association Member (BAAM) Athletes of the Week
Female: Jessie Ciezki, Shooting Sports
A senior from Waterford, Wis., Ciezki captured an ACUI national championship in women’s open skeet by shooting 98/100 before then winning a shoot-off. Ciezki also placed third in women’s open doubles skeet and posted a national championship HOA score of 536.
Male: Carson Fehlhafer, Track & Field
A sophomore out of Utica, Neb., Fehlhafer began the outdoor season by turning in an automatic national qualifying mark of 53’ 3 ¾” in the shot put (first place at the Bethel Invite). That figure ranks No. 1 in the GPAC and No. 3 in the NAIA. Fehlhafer also threw the discus 119’ 5” last week.
2023-24 BAAM Athletes of the Month
February – Jaidan Quinn (baseball) / Mackenzie Toomey (basketball)
January – Kendal Brigham (basketball) / Noah Schutte (basketball)
December – Evan Fukuhara (weightlifting) / Hayley Miles (track & field)
November – Creighton Baughman (wrestling) / Abby Krieser (basketball)
October – Becca Gebhardt (volleyball) / DJ McGarvie (football)
September – Austin Jablonski (football) / Ashley Keck (volleyball)
Previous BAAM Athletes of the Week
March 19 – Megan Eurich (softball) / Noah Schutte (basketball)
March 12 – Megan Eurich (softball) / Zach Zohner (track & field)
Feb. 27 – Jaidan Quinn (baseball) / Mackenzie Toomey (basketball)
Feb. 20 – Jenna Esch (track & field) / Tristan Smith (basketball)
Feb. 13 – Brad Bennett (basketball) / Jenna Esch (track & field)
Feb. 6 – Barret Brandt (wrestling) / Kylahn Freiberg (track & field)
Jan. 30 – Kendal Brigham (basketball) / Tristan Smith (basketball)
Jan. 23 – Kylahn Freiberg (track & field) / Zach Zohner (track & field)
Jan. 16 – Kendal Brigham (basketball) / Noah Schutte (basketball)
Jan. 9 – Abby Heemstra (basketball) / Tristan Smith (basketball)
Dec. 12 – Evan Fukuhara (weightlifting) / Hayley Miles (track & field)
Dec. 5 – Noah Schutte (basketball) / Kristin Vieselmeyer (basketball)
Nov. 28 – Creighton Baughman (wrestling) / Kylahn Freiberg (cross country) / Abby Krieser (basketball)
Nov. 14 – Austin Jablonski (football) / Maddie Paulsen (volleyball)
Nov. 7 – Sara Huss (volleyball) / Kyle Sterup (football)
Oct. 31 – Kierstynn Garner (soccer) / Michael Owens (soccer)
Oct. 24 – Rebecca Gebhardt (volleyball) / Julie McIntyre (cross country) / Michael Owens (soccer)
Oct. 17 – Kierstynn Garner (soccer) / DJ McGarvie (football)
Oct. 10 – Rylee Ladd (powerlifting) / Jack Nelson (shooting sports) / Camryn Opfer (volleyball) / D’Andre Williams (soccer)
Oct. 3 – Austin Jablonski (football) / Grace Soenksen (soccer)
Sept. 26 – Ashley Keck (volleyball) / Mason Ward (shooting sports)
Sept. 19 – Savannah Andrews (soccer) / Carter Hinman (soccer)
Sept. 12 – Katie Welker (shooting sports) / Devin Zeigler (football)
Sept. 5 – Bree Burtwistle (volleyball) / Carter Hinman (soccer)
Aug. 29 – Isaiah Shaddick (soccer) / Gabi Nordaker (volleyball)
News and notes:
BAAM luncheons are held every Tuesday at 12 p.m. CT inside the Dog House Grill, located in the Janzow Campus Center. The luncheons feature reports from head coaches who are in season at the time. For information on how to join BAAM, click HERE. It is not a requirement to be a BAAM member in order to attend the weekly luncheons.
Shooting Sports caps 2023-24 season with seventh-place ACUI National Championships finish: A pair of Bulldogs won individual national titles and Concordia University Shooting Sports came away with a 2024 ACUI National Championships (March 19-23) place finish of seventh in the Division 2 breakdown. Head Coach Dylan Owens’ squad busted 2,784 targets (out of 3,000) and placed 15th out of all 57 teams at the national championships across the four divisions. Individual honors were captured by senior Jessie Ciezki, the women’s open skeet national champion, and senior Claire Kee, the women’s open super sporting national titlist. From an HOA perspective, the Bulldogs’ top competitor was senior Breyer Meeks, who cracked 551 of 600 targets. For a complete recap of the national championships, click HERE.
Sweet swinging Jaidan Quinn elevates performance in Bulldog Blue: There are hot streaks and then there are Jaidan Quinn hot streaks. The sweet swinging lefty found his home at Concordia and has taken off while becoming one of the NAIA's best all-around hitters. The loud, crowd-pleasing bombs and the ear-to-ear smiles that follow are a signature of Quinn’s game. All is right in the world of No. 18. Says Quinn of his entire situation as a Bulldog, “It worked out perfect for me.” For a profile of Quinn’s journey, click HERE.
Fukuhara wins 67kg national title as one of six Bulldogs to compete in Columbus, Ohio: The list of accomplishments keeps growing for Concordia University sophomore Evan Fukuhara. The Sacramento, Calif., native rose to the top of the podium at the 2024 National University Championships held in Columbus, Ohio, Feb. 29 – March 3, and sponsored by USA Weightlifting. Fukuhara captured the national title in the 67kg weight class as one of six Bulldogs to represent the Concordia Weightlifting program at the national meet. Fukuhara was joined in the national qualifying field by teammates Michael Davidge (89kg), Nolan Graupmann (102kg), Adrian Hernandez (109kg), Gracy Johnson (71kg) and Cody Monsevais (89kg). The national competition concluded the 2023-24 season for Head Coach Freddie Myles’ Bulldogs. For more details on the national meet, click HERE. Meanwhile, Concordia Powerlifting will look forward to its national championship coming up April 11-14 in Atlanta, Ga.
Bulldog Coaches Show airs every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. CT: The Bulldog Coaches Show is underway in its ninth year of existence. The show airs live for a half hour every Thursday beginning at 5:30 p.m. CT on KTMX-FM 104.9 Max Country. The weekly feature can also be heard live via 104.9 Max Country’s website or by downloading the Max Country app. Throughout the 2023-24 season, Bulldog football, men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball contests will be aired live on Max Country. Parker Cyza serves as the host of the coaches’ show as well as the play-by-play voice for football and basketball. Frank Greene is in his ninth season calling Concordia volleyball. The Max Country broadcast schedule for the fall semester of 2023 can be found HERE.
Concordia Sports Network: Live webcasts for most home varsity contests can be accessed by visiting https://www.cune.edu/athletics/watch-bulldogs at game time. Beginning this 2023-24 academic year, Concordia Athletics has partnered with Hudl/BlueFrame for live video streaming. Live webcast links for away contests are publicized in sport specific releases that preview action for that particular week. Scrimmages, exhibitions and junior varsity events are not broadcasted.
Women’s Basketball
· Final record: 27-7, 17-5 GPAC; ranked No. 7 in the NAIA coaches’ poll.
· Last week (NAIA National Tournament):
o Lost vs. No. 14 Providence, 73-66, on March 21 in NAIA Round of 16.
· Links: 2023-24 Schedule | Roster | Statistics | NAIA Coaches’ Poll
· Notable: The 2023-24 season concluded last week as the third-seeded Bulldogs relinquished a fourth-quarter lead in their 73-66 loss to No. 2 seed University of Providence (Mont.) in the NAIA National Championship Round of 16. Concordia appeared at the final site (Sioux City, Iowa), for the second time in the four seasons that the NAIA has featured only one division for basketball (two divisions existed from 1991-92 through 2019-20). In the defeat, three Bulldogs reached double figures in scoring: Kendal Brigham (18), Taysha Rushton (15) and Sadie Powell (13). The Argonauts moved on with the help of 14-for-30 (.467) shooting from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Concordia went just 4-for-16 from the perimeter. While the Bulldogs had hopes of making a run at a national title, they enjoyed a fine ’23-24 campaign that saw them ranked as high as No. 6 in the NAIA coaches’ poll. Concordia competed closely with the NAIA’s best teams as it handed No. 1 Marian University (Ind.) its only loss of the regular season and played Dordt (ranked No. 1 for the bulk of the season) down to the wire three times. Head Coach Drew Olson’s squad piled up 27 wins while residing in arguably the NAIA’s best conference. The GPAC sent five teams to the national tournament’s final site. The senior class included four key contributors in Brigham, Powell, Rushton and Mackenzie Toomey. All four have the option to return in 2024-25 and use a “COVID year” of eligibility. Either way, the program will continue to hold itself to a high standard next winter.
· For additional statistics and details, check out the Concordia Women’s Basketball homepage HERE.
Golf
· Last week (men):
o Shot 340 (placed T-3rd/8) at the Graceland Invitational (March 22).
· Last week (women):
o Shot 407 (placed 3rd/7) at the Graceland Invitational (March 22).
· Men’s Links: 2023-24 Schedule | Roster | Statistics
· Notable: The second event of the spring took place this past Friday as the Bulldogs battled cold and blustery conditions at the Graceland Invitational in Maryville, Mo. The conditions resulted in higher scores across the board. Concordia shot 340 as a team and tied for third place out of eight squads. Drew D’Ercole shot a 79 and placed fourth on the individual leaderboard. D’Ercole was joined at the event by teammates in Jacob Dowd (84), Brock Rogers (87), Justin Webert (90) and Josh D’Ercole (90). The men’s team resumed the 2023-24 season roughly two weeks earlier at the Maverick Desert Classic that took place during spring break. The Bulldogs will wait until the calendar flips to April before returning to action.
· Women’s Links: 2023-24 Schedule | Roster | Statistics
· Notable: Head Coach Brett Muller’s women’s squad competed in a tournament for the first time since the Nebraska Intercollegiate back in the fall. While also taking part in the one-day Graceland Invite (originally scheduled for two rounds), the Bulldogs shot 407 and placed third out of seven teams in the field. It was a challenge to simply break 100. Custer’s 98 was good enough to put her fifth on the individual leaderboard. The effort marked the first top-five placement of the season for the Broken Bow, Neb., native. She was followed in the Concordia lineup by Logan Eschliman (101), Jennifer Gillotti (104), Maddie Lewis (104) and Mya Nurse (107). Next up, the Bulldogs will host the Concordia Spring Invite on April 2-3.
· This week:
o Men: Idle until the SCC-Beatrice Invite on April 1.
o Women: Idle; will host the Concordia Bulldog Spring Invite on April 2-3.
Men’s and Women’s Tennis
· Current men’s record: 5-10, 0-2 GPAC.
· Current women’s record: 6-6, 1-1 GPAC.
· Recent action – Men:
o Lost at Morningside, 7-0, on March 22 (South Sioux City, Neb.).
o Lost at Nebraska-Kearney, 7-0 on March 24.
· Recent action – Women:
o Lost at Morningside, 6-1, on March 22 (South Sioux City, Neb.).
· Links: Men’s 2024 Schedule | Men’s 2024 Roster | Women’s 2024 Schedule | Women’s 2024 Roster.
· Notable: Both teams played an indoor GPAC match last week as conference play continued in South Sioux City, Neb., where Morningside got the best of the Bulldogs for both men and women. The women fell by a 6-1 final score while the men were beaten 7-0. The men’s team also dropped a 7-0 contest at NCAA Division II University of Nebraska-Kearney this past Sunday. The lone point for the women’s team at Morningside came via Alexa Richert’s victory at No. 5 singles. The women’s team slipped to 1-1 in GPAC play. Leaders for the Concordia women from an individual perspective are Alana Lopez Pagan and Mariana Molano with seven singles wins apiece. On the men’s side, freshman Michael Bedrosian paces the team with six singles wins. Overall this season, the women have gone 34-38 in singles and 14-21 in doubles while the men have gone 24-66 in singles and 15-30 in doubles. Head Coach Lisa Hart’s squads will be idle this week while gearing up to hose Northwestern on April 5 on the women’s side and on April 6 on the men’s side.
· For additional statistics and details, check out the Concordia Tennis homepages here: MEN | WOMEN.
· This week – Men:
o Idle; next match will be April 6 versus Northwestern.
· This week – Women:
o Idle; next match will be April 5 versus Northwestern.
Softball
· Current record: 10-16, 0-2 GPAC.
· Last week:
o Lost at No. 13 Midland, 9-1 (6 inn.), on March 21.
o Lost at No. 13 Midland, 5-0, on March 21.
· Links: 2023-24 Schedule | Roster | Statistics
· Notable: There was just one doubleheader on last week’s schedule as the Bulldogs opened GPAC play at 13th-ranked Midland, a 2023 NAIA World Series qualifier. Concordia dropped both ends of the twin bill, falling by scores of 9-1 (six innings) and 5-0. The Bulldogs got their lone run of the day on Taylor Glause’s RBI single in the fourth inning of game one. In the circle, Warrior pitchers Aliyah Rincon and Paeton Coler threw complete games as part of dominant outings. Offensively, Midland managed to get to Concordia ace pitcher Megan Eurich, who allowed nine runs on 10 hits and two walks (four strikeouts) in five innings. Taryn Ganstrom then got the start in game two for the Bulldogs and threw all six innings with five runs allowed on eight hits and no walks (one strikeout). Through 26 games, Zoie Isom paced the team with a .345 batting average. Three other regulars are batting above .300: Glause (.314), Julia Van Wey (.313) and Aubrey Bruning (.313). Head Coach Brock Culler’s squad has postponed the home doubleheader with College of Saint Mary that had been scheduled for today (March 26). Next up will be Friday’s home twin bill versus Doane.
· For additional statistics and details, check out the Concordia Softball homepage HERE.
· This week:
o POSTPONED (makeup date TBD) – Tuesday, March 26 vs. College of Saint Mary (7-11, 0-0 GPAC), 4 p.m. DH.
o Friday, March 29 vs. Doane (7-11, 0-0 GPAC), 1 p.m. DH.
Baseball
· Current record: 19-8, 3-3 GPAC; ranked No. 13 in NAIA coaches’ poll.
· Last week:
o Lost at Briar Cliff, 10-7, on March 19.
o Won at Briar Cliff, 3-0, on March 19.
o Won vs. Northwestern, 12-0, on March 21.
o Lost vs. Northwestern, 3-1, on March 21.
o Lost vs. Northwestern, 11-7, on March 22.
o Won vs. Northwestern, 4-1, on March 22.
· Links: 2023-24 Schedule | Roster | Statistics | NAIA Coaches’ Poll
· Notable: After a couple of postponements, the 13th-ranked Bulldogs got the GPAC slate started last week with a doubleheader at Briar Cliff and a four-game home series with Northwestern. Concordia came away from all three days with splits. The entire series with Northwestern was affected by cold and blustery conditions. While the Bulldogs went 3-3 on the week, they outscored their opponents by a combined total of 34-25. The victory to open the series with Northwestern marked the 300th of Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s tenure leading the program. The next day, Jay Adams collected five hits and became the first player in program history to record 300 career hits. Concordia ended the week on a positive as Christian Gutierrez fired a seven-inning complete game while surrendering one run on six hits with no walks (four strikeouts). As part of the week, Joey Grabanski notched the 68th and 69th home runs of his career. According to the official NAIA record book, only two players in the history of the NAIA have reached 70 career homers. In addition, Alec Blakestad homered twice last week and Jaidan Quinn belted a grand slam in the 12-0 win over Northwestern. If the schedule holds, the Bulldogs will host No. 8 Doane on Wednesday before beginning a four-game series at Dordt on Friday.
· For additional statistics and details, check out the Concordia Baseball homepage HERE.
· This week:
o POSTPONED (makeup date scheduled for Tuesday, April 2) – vs. No. 8 Doane (20-4, 6-0 GPAC).
o Friday, March 29 at Dordt (6-21, 0-6 GPAC), 2 p.m. DH.
o Saturday, March 30 at Dordt (6-21, 0-6 GPAC), 1 p.m. DH.
Track & Field
· Current NAIA National Rankings (According to USTFCCCA) – no rankings released for 2024 outdoor season.
· Most recent meet:
o Grand View Viking Relays scheduled for March 23 were canceled due to cold temperatures.
o 20 throwers competed at the Bethel Invitational on March 23.
· Links: 2023-24 Schedule | Roster | TFRRS NAIA outdoor qualifying list
· Notable: Following a break at the conclusion of the indoor season, Concordia is ramping things back up for the start of the 2024 outdoor track & field season. Unfortunately, the start of the outdoor season was delayed for most Bulldog athletes due to the cancellation of the Grand View Viking Relays that had been scheduled for March 23. In lieu of that meet, 20 throwers went to the Bethel Invite this past Saturday. Automatic national qualifying standards were notched by Matthew Boyer (javelin), Carson Fehlhafer (shot put), Abby Gerber (shot put), Darien Semedo (shot put) and Chris Wren (hammer throw). Looking back, Head Coach Matt Beisel’s programs enjoyed a successful 2023-24 indoor season that saw the women turn in place finishes of first in the GPAC and third in the NAIA while the men placed third in the GPAC and eighth in the NAIA. Fifteen Concordia athletes earned All-America awards in at least one event. Zach Zohner won the NAIA pole vault national title and the women’s 4x800 meter relay sped to a national championship of its own. A recent feature profile on Zohner can be read HERE.
· Keep up with Concordia Track & Field throughout the indoor and outdoor seasons by visiting the team’s homepage HERE.
· Up next:
o Central College Dutch Invite on Thursday (March 28) at 12 p.m. CT.