Bulldog Athletic Association Member (BAAM) Athletes of the Week
Male: Martin Herrera, Men’s Soccer
A senior from Quito, Ecuador, Herrera began the 2024 season strong while notching two goals and an assist as the Bulldogs toppled Avila (Mo.) by a 5-0 score. Herrera has collected nine goals and nine assists in his career at Concordia.
Female: Ashley Keck, Volleyball
A junior from Kearney, Neb., Keck helped fourth-ranked Concordia to a 3-0 weekend in Columbia, Mo., where wins came over No. 7 Columbia, No. 1 Indiana Wesleyan and MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.). Over those three matches, Keck produced 36 kills, 55 digs and five blocks.
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.
GPAC launches streaming network: Back in July, the Great Plains Athletic Conference announced a streaming network designed to bring webcasts from all league members together in one place. The GPAC Network can be accessed online via: https://www.gpacnetwork.com/. The network is also available via a mobile app and smart TVs. The GPAC partnered with Hudl for the creation of the network. In addition to the events that stream on the Concordia Sports Network, 104.9 Max Country will broadcast football and volleyball varsity games this fall. The broadcast schedule can be found HERE.
Concordia Athletics Hall of Fame 2024: The Concordia Athletics Hall of Fame class of 2024 was revealed to the public on July 23. The new inductees will include Audra (Nothwehr) Anderson ’01, Elizabeth (Rhoden) Dillingham ’04, Kregg Einspahr ’82, Ceron Francisco ’17, Frank Greene, Katie (Werner) Loveless ’08 and the 2004-05 men’s basketball team. The class will be officially inducted as part of a ceremony on Sept. 27 in conjunction with homecoming weekend on campus. For more details on the Hall of Fame, click HERE.
Concordia Athletics begins 2024-25 year: Athletes from most Concordia fall sports reported to campus prior to the start of classes on Aug. 26. The first official athletic event was held on Aug. 16 as the volleyball program hosted the Bulldog Bash. The majority of Concordia fall sports teams are slated to begin their 2024 seasons this week. For season previews, click the links below.
Season Previews:
--Cross Country
--Football
--Golf: Men | Women
--Men’s Soccer
--Women’s Soccer
--Volleyball
Bulldog Coaches Show airs every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. CT: The Bulldog Coaches Show is underway in its 10th 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 2024-25 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 10th season calling Concordia volleyball.
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 began a partnership with Hudl 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.
Volleyball
· Current record: 5-0; ranked No. 4 in the NAIA coaches’ poll.
· Last week:
o Won at No. 7 Columbia (Mo.), 22-25, 25-21, 25-15, 23-25, 17-15, on Aug. 23.
o Won vs. No. 1 Indiana Wesleyan, 20-25, 25-18, 19-25, 25-22, 15-10, on Aug. 24.
o Won vs. MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.), 25-20, 25-20, 25-18, on Aug. 24.
· Links: 2024 Schedule | Roster | Statistics | NAIA Preseason Coaches’ Poll
· Notable: It was an impressive weekend in Columbia, Mo., as the fourth-ranked Bulldogs toppled two top 10 teams in five sets: No. 7 Columbia College and No. 1 Indiana Wesleyan University (defending national champion). Concordia then polished off the road trip by pummeling MidAmerica Nazarene University in straight sets. For the weekend, Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad hit .220 and averaged 13.69 kills per set while its opponents hit .162 and averaged 11.23 kills per set. Hickman, Neb., native Ella Waters led the way with a combined 40 kills on the strength of a .298 hitting percentage. Three teammates added at least 24 kills: Ashley Keck (36), Addie Kirkegaard (32), Kya Scott (25) and Gabi Nordaker (25). A two-time NAIA All-American, Nordaker posted 10 blocks (18 blocks for the weekend) in the victory over Columbia. Other statistical leaders over the three matches in Columbia were Keck and Becca Gebhardt in digs (55), Lily Psencik in aces (six) and Savannah Shelburne in assists (82). The challenging nonconference slate will continue this weekend as Concordia takes on nationally ranked foes in Bellevue University and Viterbo University (Wis.). The Bulldogs are out to a 5-0 record in what is Boldt’s seventh season leading the program.
· This week (CSM/United Sports Academy Labor Day Classic – all matches in Omaha):
o Friday, Aug. 30 vs. No. 14 Bellevue University, 4 p.m. CT.
o Saturday, Aug. 31 vs. No. 5 Viterbo University (Wis.), 1 p.m. CT.
o Saturday, Aug. 31 vs. Oklahoma Panhandle University, 5 p.m. CT.
Men’s Soccer
· Current record: 1-0; receiving votes in NAIA coaches’ poll.
· Last week:
o Won vs. Avila (Mo.), 5-0, on Aug. 24.
· Links: 2024 Schedule | Roster | Statistics | NAIA Preseason Coaches’ Poll
· Notable: Head Coach Jason Weides’ squad opened up the 2024 season by thumping Avila University (Mo.), 5-0, inside Bulldog Stadium. Four different Bulldogs got in on the goal scoring: Ryan Wokutch (14’), Martin Herrera (30’ and 50’), Oliver Benson (47’) and Kai Olbrich (77’). Herrera also added an assist. Goalkeeper Nolan Fuelberth and company earned the clean sheet while limiting the Eagles to just four shots (two on goal). That stinginess continued a theme from 2023 when Concordia allowed only 13 goals over 18 games. Expectations are high for Weides’ side, which went 13-1-4 overall last season and spent nearly the entire year ranked in the official NAIA top 25. The Bulldogs received votes in this preseason’s national poll. Concordia expects to compete for a GPAC championship after coming up short in 2023. The majority of the key players in back in place, including First Team All-GPAC striker Carter Hinman. The nonconference schedule resumes this week as Concordia preps for road trips to Graceland University (Iowa) and No. 14 Columbia College (Mo.).
· This week:
o Wednesday, Aug. 28 at Graceland University (Iowa), 7 p.m. CT.
o Saturday, Aug. 31 at No. 14 Columbia College (Mo.), 7:30 p.m. CT.
Golf
· Men’s season opener: at Mount Marty Invite, Aug. 26-27.
· Women’s season opener: at Mount Marty Invite, Aug. 29-30.
· Men’s Links: 2024-25 Schedule | Roster | Statistics
· Women’s Links: 2024-25 Schedule | Roster | Statistics
· Notable: Head Coach Brett Muller’s squads get 2024-25 started this week with both the men and women playing at the Mount Marty Invite in Yankton, S.D. This marks Muller’s 14th season leading the golf programs. On day one of the Mount Marty Invite on Monday, the Concordia men’s ‘A’ team shot a 303 and stood in seventh place out of 15 teams. The top individual golfer for the Bulldogs was senior Justin Webert, who shot a two-over-par 74. Round two of the Mount Marty Invite got underway at 10 a.m. on Tuesday (Aug. 27). Both Bulldog squads are looking to improve upon ninth-place GPAC finishes in 2023-24.
Football
· Season opener: vs. Waldorf, Saturday, Aug. 31 | 7 p.m. CT.
· Links: 2024 Schedule | Roster | Statistics
· Notable: Head Coach Patrick Daberkow officially kicks off his eighth season leading his alma mater when Saturday’s clash with Waldorf gets underway. Concordia prepped for the season opener by scrimmaging at Nebraska Wesleyan this past Saturday. The Bulldogs bring back 18 starters from the 2023 squad that finished at 5-5 overall.
Women’s Soccer
· Season opener: at Graceland University, Wednesday, Aug. 28 | 4 p.m. CT.
· Links: 2024 Schedule | Roster | Statistics
· Notable: Head Coach Nick Smith returns a deep and talented roster following a 2023 season that saw the Bulldogs finish at 13-4-3 overall while placing second in the GPAC regular season standings. Concordia brings back 50 of the 51 goals it tallied last season and returns four First Team All-GPAC honorees. The 2024 season will get started on Wednesday with a trip to Graceland University (Iowa).
· This week:
o Wednesday, Aug. 28 at Graceland University, 5 p.m. CT.
o Saturday, Aug. 31 at No. 12 Columbia College, 5 p.m. CT.
Cross Country
· Season opener: Augustana Twilight, Friday, Sept. 6 | 8:30 p.m. CT
· Links: 2024 Schedule | Roster
· Notable: Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squads continue preseason training this week while looking ahead to the Augustana Twilight on Friday, Sept. 6. This past 2023 season, the Bulldogs turned in GPAC placements of second on the women’s side and third on the men’s side. The women went on to place 18th at the NAIA National Championships behind All-American Kylahn Freiberg. There are five regular season meets coming up this fall prior to the 2024 GPAC Championships on Nov. 9.
Shooting Sports
· Season opener: at Fort Hays State Fall Intercollegiate Shoot, Sept. 7-8.
· Links: 2024-25 Schedule | Roster
· Notable: Members of the team arrived back on campus along with the start of classes on Monday. Head Coach Dylan Owens is readying for his third season at the helm of the program. The Bulldogs will quickly prepare themselves for the 2024-25 season’s opening competition, the Fort Hays State Shoot on Sept. 7-8. The 2023-24 squad wrapped up the season by placing seventh out of 15 teams in the Division 2 breakdown at the ACUI National Championships.