Concordia University Athletics has announced its 2023-24 Concordia Senior Athletes of the Year. As voted upon by members of the athletic department, Joey Grabanski has been selected as the 2023-24 Concordia Male Senior Athlete of the Year while Camryn Opfer and Josie Puelz have been recognized as 2023-24 Co-Concordia Female Senior Athletes of the Year. As senior athletes of the year, the three standout Bulldogs will automatically be nominated for future consideration as members of the Concordia Athletic Hall of Fame.
As this year’s award winners, Grabanski, Opfer and Puelz will be invited to attend the 2024 Concordia Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony slated for the night of Sept. 27. 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 Joey, Camryn and Josie 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 and incredible achievements of all three athletes were influential in their respective programs enjoying championship seasons. Congratulations to Joey, Camryn and Josie!”
Joey Grabanski, Baseball
A native of Grand Forks, N.D., Joey Grabanski left his mark as one of the most prolific hitters in the history of NAIA baseball. He capped his four-year run as a Bulldog by being named the 2024 Co-GPAC Player of the Year while leading the baseball program to GPAC regular season and tournament championships. As a senior, Grabanski batted .397 with a .492 on-base percentage and .854 slugging percentage to go along with 59 runs scored, 13 doubles, 26 home runs and 88 RBIs. In the middle of April, Grabanski rose to the top of the NAIA’s all-time home run list when he belted career home run No. 78 in a matchup with Morningside. Grabanski completed his career with 88 home runs and 300 RBIs, both career NAIA national records. He also set a new program standard with a career batting average of .382 and a career slugging percentage of .775. In 227 career games, Grabanski also totaled 227 runs scored, 309 hits, 53 doubles, 626 total bases and 129 walks.
The accomplished Grabanski was named a First Team All-GPAC honoree all four years of his career. He was twice recognized as the GPAC Player of the Year and was twice named both an NAIA Second Team All-American and Honorary Captain of the All-Midlands Nebraska Team, as selected by the Omaha World-Herald. Throughout his career, Grabanski raked in six GPAC Player of the Week awards. He contributed immensely to Bulldog squads that combined for a four-year record of 164-65 and totaled five GPAC championships and four NAIA national tournament appearances. As a freshman, Grabanski helped power the 2021 team to the first NAIA World Series berth in program history. Following his collegiate career, Grabanski signed a professional contract with the Windy City ThunderBolts of the Frontier League. Joey graduated from Concordia with a degree in Recreation and Sport Studies with an emphasis in Sports Management.
Said Head Baseball Coach Ryan Dupic, “Joey has had a tremendous career at Concordia. He is the best hitter in the history of the program, and his numbers stack up with the best hitters in the history of NAIA Baseball. He has set a high bar for offensive excellence in our program, and his joy for the game and for Concordia Baseball showed greatly during his time here.”
Camryn (Opfer) Fehlhafer, Volleyball
A Seward native and Seward High School product, Camryn Opfer enjoyed a career that places her in the conversation with the very best volleyball players in Concordia’s history. The three-time NAIA All-American played five seasons with the Bulldogs while making using of the ‘COVID Year.’ During her time on the court, Opfer was known for contributing in all aspects of the game. In 145 career matches, she produced totals of 1,561 kills, 1,671 digs, 213 blocks and 84 aces. All the while, the program enjoyed its most successful seasons in history while rising to national prominence. The 2023 squad became the program’s first to ever receive an NAIA No. 1 national ranking. In her final season, Opfer collected 293 kills and 330 digs while hitting .227 from the outside. The Bulldogs went 25-4 (.862) for the highest single season winning percentage in school history.
Opfer often shined when the spotlight was brightest as she twice earned All-Tournament Team recognition at the NAIA National Championships. She was tabbed an NAIA Second Team All-American in 2022 and 2023 and was an Honorable Mention selection in 2021. Due to her extra season, Opfer managed to collect five GPAC All-Conference awards, including three first team and two second team awards. She was named the GPAC Freshman of the Year and the AVCA West Central Region Freshman of the Year in 2019. Also an excellent student, Opfer reeled in four NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors and was lauded by College Sports Communicators as a 2023 Academic All-American and as a two-time Academic All-District honoree. The Omaha World-Herald placed Opfer on four separate All-Midlands Nebraska Teams. Over five seasons, Opfer led Concordia to a combined record of 112-35 with five national tournament appearances (two quarterfinal advancements) and one GPAC regular season championship. Camryn earned her degree from Concordia in Accounting.
Said Head Volleyball Coach Ben Boldt, “Cam is an amazing person and a great teammate. She coined a phrase that we will use for a long time, ‘Prepare for big moments and enjoy the ride.’ She certainly accomplished those goals in her time here. She is deserving of the Female Senior Athlete of the Year not only for this past season, but for the entirety of her contribution to Concordia. We are so grateful that she became a Bulldog and we’re looking forward to building off of the example that she has lived out.”
Josie Puelz, Track & Field
A Lincoln Lutheran High School alum, Josie Puelz finished her collegiate career as arguably the greatest women’s pole vaulter in the history of the NAIA. Foremost among her many accomplishments are her five career NAIA pole vault national championships. During her tremendous career, Puelz rewrote school and GPAC conference record books as she posted personal bests of 13’ 4 ½” for indoor and 13’ 7 ¼” for outdoor. At the time of graduation, Puelz continues to own GPAC championship indoor and outdoor meet records in the pole vault. Not only a five-time NAIA national champion, Puelz collected eight career NAIA All-America awards and won six individual GPAC championships. She came up just short of a sixth national title at the 2023 NAIA outdoor meet when she placed as the runner up.
As a national champion and 4.0 student, Puelz has been honored numerous times with national awards that combined academic and athletic excellence. Puelz was tabbed the 2021-22 Academic All-America Team Member of the Year by College Sports Communicators and is a three-time Academic All-American and four-time Academic All-District award winner. In addition, she has collected three NAIA Women’s Field Scholar Athlete of the Year accolades from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. As just a sophomore, Puelz was tabbed the State College Female Athlete of the Year by the Lincoln Journal Star. She is also a four-time NAIA Scholar-Athlete and four-time GPAC Athlete of the Week honoree. Puelz’s success in the vault helped the track & field program win nine GPAC team championships and collect six NAIA national championship team trophies for top-four placements. An outgoing personality, Puelz was even voted homecoming queen. She graduated from Concordia with a degree in Elementary Education (concentration in K-12 Physical Education).
Said Head Track & Field Coach Matt Beisel, “Josie Puelz is one of the most extraordinary athletes and one of the best humans I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing. Although she has left a tremendous legacy at Concordia as a student-athlete, an even more important legacy to me is that of a supporting and caring teammate, a woman who loves Jesus and lives out that love in her every day life, and a person who always goes above and beyond finding ways to serve and help coaches, teammates, and – honestly – to anyone around her without being asked, all while excelling in the classroom. I am so thankful for her and immensely proud of all she has accomplished with God’s help.”