SEWARD, Neb. – For their performances throughout the calendar month, senior Mark Arp of the football program and Gabi Nordaker of the volleyball program have been selected as the Bulldog Athletic Association Member Athletes of the Month (BAAM) for September 2024. The winners emerged from a vote conducted on Tuesday (Oct. 8) by attendees at the BAAM luncheon. Arp and Nordaker have helped lead their respective teams to strong seasons heading into the middle of October.
A senior from McCook, Neb., Arp has seized the opportunity as the No. 1 running back for Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s Bulldogs. During the month of September, Arp carried the ball 102 times for 543 yards and five touchdowns while also grabbing 12 receptions for 85 yards in four games. He was named the GPAC Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 16 after he ran for a career high 210 yards and three touchdowns in the 42-7 win at Dakota Wesleyan. Arp also posted 167 yards and two touchdowns in the Sept. 21 victory at Briar Cliff. Through six games overall this season, the McCook High School alum has racked up 697 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. He currently leads the GPAC and ranks No. 3 nationally in rushing yards. Concordia stands at 4-2 (4-2 GPAC) after last week’s momentous 29-17 win at No. 2 Northwestern.
A fifth-year Bulldog out of Omaha, Nordaker has been a key factor in what is shaping up to be another special season for Head Coach Ben Boldt’s Concordia Volleyball team. The Millard West High School graduate put together a month of September that included 45 kills (1.96 per set), 28 blocks (1.22 per set) and a .297 hitting percentage in six matches. Nordaker was named the GPAC Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 17 after she recorded a combined 13 blocks in wins over College of Saint Mary and No. 20 Midland. During that stretch, Nordaker reached a career milestone of 500 blocks. In 130 career collegiate matches, Nordaker has tallied 1,298 kills and 529 blocks. The fourth-ranked Bulldogs moved to 14-2 (7-1 GPAC) after two GPAC road wins this past weekend.
BAAM Athletes of the Month are rewarded out of the pool of student-athletes that garner BAAM Athlete of the Week recognition throughout the month.
2024-25 BAAM Athletes of the Month
September – Mark Arp (football) / Gabi Nordaker (volleyball)
2023-24 BAAM Athletes of the Month
April – Joey Grabanski (baseball) / Aubriana Krieser (softball)
March – Jessie Ciezki (shooting sports) / Zach Zohner (track & field)
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 – Rebecca Gebhardt (volleyball) / DJ McGarvie (football)
September – Austin Jablonski (football) / Ashley Keck (volleyball)
2022-23 BAAM Athletes of the Month
April – Jenna Esch (track & field) / Jaidan Quinn (baseball)
March – Wyatt Hambly (shooting sports) / Claire Kee (shooting sports) / Josie Puelz (track & field)
February – Noah Schutte (basketball) / Adrianna Rodencal (track & field)
January – Rylee Haecker (track & field) / Noah Schutte (basketball)
December – Adrianna Rodencal (track & field) / Gage Smith (basketball)
November – Rebecca Gebhardt (volleyball) / Noah Schutte (basketball)
October – Bree Burtwistle (volleyball) / Korrell Koehlmoos (football) / Carly Rodaway (volleyball)
September – Gabi Nordaker (volleyball) / Camryn Opfer (volleyball) / Camden Sesna (cross country)