Concordia University Athletics has announced its 2022-23 Concordia Senior Athletes of the Year. As voted upon by members of the athletic department, Rachel Battershell has been selected as the 2022-23 Female Senior Athlete of the Year while Ben Berg has been honored as the 2022-23 Concordia Male Senior Athlete of the Year. As senior athletes of the year, the two standout Bulldogs will automatically be nominated for future consideration as members of the Concordia Athletic Hall of Fame.
As this year’s award winners, Battershell and Berg will be invited to attend the 2023 Concordia Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony slated for the night of Sept. 22. The ceremony represents one of the highlights of homecoming weekend on the Concordia University Nebraska campus.
Said Director of Athletics Devin Smith, “We are pleased to recognize Rachel and Ben for their outstanding careers as student-athletes. They have earned this distinction not only for what they achieved athletically, but also because they represent the best in Bulldog Athletics as exemplified by their Christian faith and pursuit of excellence in all areas of life. The leadership of Rachel and Ben were instrumental in their respective programs celebrating multiple championships. Congratulations to Rachel and Ben!”
Rachel Battershell, Track & Field
The honors are numerous for the faith-filled Rachel Battershell, who garnered another major award in June when she was chosen as the College Sports Communicators Academic All-American of the Year for NAIA women’s track & field. The prestigious honor is given to only one female athlete every year in the NAIA and recognizes outstanding performance academically and athletically. Since arriving at Concordia via her hometown of Wheatland, Wyo., in the fall of 2018, Battershell has helped Bulldog Women’s Track & Field win nine consecutive GPAC meet championships while placing in the top five of six NAIA national meets. Battershell achieved ultimate highs individually in 2020 and 2021 as she won back-to-back 400-meter NAIA national titles. By the time Battershell polished of her collegiate athletic career, she had collected a combined 13 NAIA All-America awards and 25 GPAC all-conference honors while winning a total of 13 GPAC event championships (seven in individual races and six as part of relays).
While starring on the track, Battershell balanced a challenging academic courseload as a triple major in Biology, Chemistry and Exercise Science. Battershell achieved a near spotless cumulative grade-point average and picked up four career Academic All-America awards from College Sports Communicators (formerly known as CoSIDA). Also an NAIA Scholar-Athlete, Battershell graduated with school records in the indoor 400 meters (54.77), indoor 4x400 meter relay (3:47.39), outdoor 4x100 meter relay (47.40) and outdoor 4x400 meter relay (3:47.26). As a fifth-year senior in 2022-23, Battershell garnered three All-America awards and was a GPAC champion in five events (between indoor and outdoor). Battershell is preparing to attend the University of Arizona and pursue her Ph.D.
Said Head Track & Field Coach Matt Beisel, “I’ve never known anyone like Rachel, and consider it a blessing and privilege to have been a part of her life during her time at Concordia. She has left a legacy at Concordia as both athlete and student that will be celebrated years from now. I’m incredibly proud of her and am filled with tremendous respect for her because her pathway to success was far from easy. God’s love, power and faithfulness has been on display in her life as she dealt with significant injuries and other setbacks. She will be greatly missed, but we are all excited to see what she will do going forward.”
Ben Berg, Baseball
Ben Berg has been a constant during the most successful run in the history of the Concordia Baseball program. A five-year Bulldog, Berg held down the catcher spot and appeared in 186 games from the 2019 through 2023 seasons. As a member of four national tournament teams and three that won GPAC championships, Berg earned three career GPAC All-Conference awards, including first team accolades in 2023. He was also recognized as the GPAC’s 2023 Gold Glove catcher and picked up second team all-conference honors in 2021 and was named honorable mention in 2022. As a Bulldog, Berg batted .321 (193-for-602) for his career with 55 runs, 39 doubles, 27 home runs, 148 RBIs and a .523 slugging percentage. Behind the plate, Berg broke school records for fielding percentage (.992) and career putouts (1,385). The native of Carroll, Iowa, played a prominent role for the 2021 Concordia squad that made a historic run to the NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho.
A four-time NAIA Scholar-Athlete who achieved a 3.98 cumulative grade-point average, Berg graduated from Concordia with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education with a focus in Secondary Education and Physical Education. This past spring, Berg was named an Academic All-American by College Sports Communicators. He saved his best season for his last as he batted .406 (79-for-192) in 2023 while adding 19 runs, 16 doubles and 50 RBIs to go along with a .486 on-base percentage, .652 slugging percentage and .995 fielding percentage. Off the field, Berg has worked as a volunteer with People’s City Mission in Lincoln, helped tutor education majors, served as a member of the Bulldog Council of Student-Athletes and was a three-year Champions of Character representative at the national tournament. He was also honored as the SHAPE Nebraska 2022 PE Major of the Year and earned status on the Concordia honors list every semester. Berg will transition into a role as a graduate assistant on Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s staff moving into 2023-24.
Said Dupic, “Ben is an excellent selection for this award. He has emphasized and shown significant growth and achievement in his faith in Jesus, his character and leadership traits, his academic achievement and his athletic pursuits. He has personified what it means to be a student-athlete at Concordia as he has achieved excellence in so many different areas. His character and leadership were strong factors in our success, and his on-field and classroom success have justifiably garnered him many awards.”