SEWARD, Neb. – For their performances throughout the calendar month, fourth-year Bulldog Basketball student-athletes Kendal Brigham and Noah Schutte have been recognized as the Bulldog Athletic Association Member (BAAM) Athletes of the Month for January 2024. The winners emerged from a vote conducted on Tuesday (Feb. 6) by attendees at the BAAM luncheon. Both honorees have won this award for the first time. Schutte has earned this distinction for the fourth time over the past two seasons while Brigham is a first-time BAAM monthly honoree.
A native of Wahoo, Neb., and Wahoo High School alum, Brigham earned CIT MVP accolades and was recognized as the GPAC Player of the Week on Jan. 16 as part of her strong play in January. Over the month’s nine games, Brigham averaged 12.4 points, 3.2 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game while shooting 47.1 percent (40-for-85) from the floor, 29.4 percent (10-for-34) from 3-point range and 88.0 percent (22-for-25) from the foul line. Brigham burned GPAC rivals Doane for 24 points (Jan. 10) and Hastings for 22 points (Jan. 17) in two of the best statistical outings of her career. As a team, the sixth-ranked Bulldogs went 9-0 in January. On the season, Brigham is averaging 10.1 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game while sporting shooting percentages of 46.6 from the floor, 35.1 from the 3-point range and 87.8 from the foul line.
A native of Laurel, Neb., and Laurel-Concord-Coleridge High School alum, Schutte continues to star as one of the top players in the GPAC and in all of the NAIA. He was named the CIT MVP in late January. Over nine games that month, Schutte averaged 17.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 56.7 percent (55-for-97) from the floor, 38.1 percent (8-for-21) from 3-point range and 81.8 percent (112-for-137) from the charity stripe. Schutte’s high point total in January was 27 in the blowout win over Doane. In the CIT title game, he totaled 22 points and 12 rebounds. The GPAC-leading Bulldogs went 7-2 in January. On the season, Schutte is averaging 20.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game while sporting shooting percentages of 58.1 from the field, 40.8 from 3-point range and 82.6 from the free throw line.
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.
2023-24 BAAM Athletes of the Month
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)