Bulldog Athletic Association Member (BAAM) Athletes of the Week
Male: Brad Bennett, Basketball
A junior from Elkhorn, Neb., Bennett came through with a career-high 26 points in Sunday’s 95-79 win at Dakota Wesleyan. Bennett made 10-of-14 shots from the floor, including 6-of-8 from 3-point range. On the season, Bennet is averaging 11.5 points while shooting 40.9 percent from beyond the arc.
Female: Jenna Esch, Track & Field
Esch, a junior from Hastings, Neb., continued a sterling indoor season while running a Concordia Invite winning time of 2:15.68 in the 800 meters. That performance put Esch at No. 2 in the NAIA in the event and qualified her for nationals in a sixth event (three individual races and three relays).
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 – Becca Gebhardt (volleyball) / DJ McGarvie (football)
September – Austin Jablonski (football) / Ashley Keck (volleyball)
Previous BAAM Athletes of the Week
Feb. 6 – Barret Brandt (wrestling) / Kylahn Freiberg (track & field)
Jan. 30 – Kendal Brigham (basketball) / Tristan Smith (basketball)
Jan. 23 – Kylahn Freiberg (track & field) / Zach Zohner (track & field)
Jan. 16 – Kendal Brigham (basketball) / Noah Schutte (basketball)
Jan. 9 – Abby Heemstra (basketball) / Tristan Smith (basketball)
Dec. 12 – Evan Fukuhara (weightlifting) / Hayley Miles (track & field)
Dec. 5 – Noah Schutte (basketball) / Kristin Vieselmeyer (basketball)
Nov. 28 – Creighton Baughman (wrestling) / Kylahn Freiberg (cross country) / Abby Krieser (basketball)
Nov. 14 – Austin Jablonski (football) / Maddie Paulsen (volleyball)
Nov. 7 – Sara Huss (volleyball) / Kyle Sterup (football)
Oct. 31 – Kierstynn Garner (soccer) / Michael Owens (soccer)
Oct. 24 – Rebecca Gebhardt (volleyball) / Julie McIntyre (cross country) / Michael Owens (soccer)
Oct. 17 – Kierstynn Garner (soccer) / DJ McGarvie (football)
Oct. 10 – Rylee Ladd (powerlifting) / Jack Nelson (shooting sports) / Camryn Opfer (volleyball) / D’Andre Williams (soccer)
Oct. 3 – Austin Jablonski (football) / Grace Soenksen (soccer)
Sept. 26 – Ashley Keck (volleyball) / Mason Ward (shooting sports)
Sept. 19 – Savannah Andrews (soccer) / Carter Hinman (soccer)
Sept. 12 – Katie Welker (shooting sports) / Devin Zeigler (football)
Sept. 5 – Bree Burtwistle (volleyball) / Carter Hinman (soccer)
Aug. 29 – Isaiah Shaddick (soccer) / Gabi Nordaker (volleyball)
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.
Video commemorating 100 years of Concordia Men’s Basketball: In commemorating 100 years of Concordia Men’s Basketball, a group of Bulldogs described what made their experiences unique and special. Their thoughts are included as part of a 100-year men’s basketball video that can be viewed HERE. The video was created by Chase Benton of the Concordia Athletic Communications department. Dozens of alums returned to campus this past weekend for an event that celebrated the program’s history.
Cheer and Dance teams go 2-0 while hosting Day of Duals: Perhaps the largest cheer and dance competition in the nation unfolded on Feb. 10 as the Bulldogs hosted the Concordia Cheer & Dance Day of Duals. The event featured 15 cheer and 15 dance teams for two rounds of competition inside Friedrich Arena. In cheer, Concordia defeated Columbia College (Mo.), 80.47 to 49.87, and William Woods University (Mo.), 84.13 to 61.28. In dance, the Bulldogs topped William Penn University (Iowa), 80.43 to 79.37, and Benedictine College (Kan.), 81.03 to 76.4. The 84.13 represented a school record. Coaches Mandi Maser and Emilie Ashenbach will take their squads to the Dordt Invitational on Saturday. That event will precede the GPAC Championships slated for March 8-9.
Haecker the ‘gamer’: Energetic and intensely competitive, Rylee Haecker has been described by coaches as "a gamer." Beyond athletics, Haecker is caring and outgoing, is a positive encourager of her teammates and is devout in her faith. The eight-time NAIA All-American is still writing her Concordia Bulldog story. In discussing her career, Haecker said, “I’m super, super thankful because a lot of people don’t get the same opportunity.” For more on Haecker’s journey, click HERE.
Meet Concordia’s colossus of clout, Joey Grabanski: The school’s all-time home run leader, Joey Grabanski has never stopped hitting since the day he arrived on campus. A native of Grand Forks, Neb., Grabanski is the type of player who makes people turn their heads to watch. He’s on the verge of becoming the NAIA’s sultan of swat. Read more about Joey and his journey HERE.
Bulldog Coaches Show airs every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. CT: The Bulldog Coaches Show is underway in its ninth 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 2023-24 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 ninth season calling Concordia volleyball. The Max Country broadcast schedule for the fall semester of 2023 can be found HERE.
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 has partnered with Hudl/BlueFrame 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.
Track & Field
· Current NAIA rankings (USTFCCCA) – No. 3 women | No. 14 men.
· Last week:
o Hosted the Concordia Indoor Invite (Feb. 9).
· Links: 2023-24 Schedule | Roster | TFRRS NAIA indoor qualifying list
· Notable: It was a fruitful final home meet of the 2023-24 indoor season as the Bulldogs put on the Concordia Invite on Feb. 9. Most significantly, Concordia athletes combined for six fresh automatic national qualifying standards courtesy of Jenna Esch (800 meters), Kylahn Freiberg (1,000 meters), Rylee Haecker (800 meters), Jordan Koepke (400 meters), Calvin Rohde (1,000 meters) and Darien Semedo (shot put). In addition, Adrianna Rodencal broke her own school record in the 60-meter hurdles with a finals time of 8.55 and Joel Rathe achieved an indoor personal best of 23’ 9” in the long jump. Esch, Freiberg and Haecker are each qualified in at least three individual events as part of impressive indoor seasons. There were also event titles claimed by Julie McIntyre (mile), Hayley Miles (long jump), Trey Robertson (3,000 meters), Abi Wohlgemuth (weight throw) and Zach Zohner (pole vault). NAIA best marks continue to be held down by Zohner in the pole vault and by the women’s 4x800 meter relay. Meanwhile, No. 2 national rankings are owned by Esch in the 800 meters, Freiberg in the 1,000 meters and Rohde in the 1,000 meters. Next up are the 2024 GPAC indoor championships, which will be hosted by Mount Marty on Friday and Saturday. The women hope to extend their string of nine-straight GPAC championships while the men look to build upon 2023 conference meet finishes of third for both indoor and outdoor.
· Keep up with Concordia Track & Field throughout the indoor and outdoor seasons by visiting the team’s homepage HERE.
· This week:
o Friday/Saturday, Feb. 16-17 – 2024 GPAC Indoor Track & Field Championships. View the meet schedule HERE.
Men’s Basketball
· Current record: 19-5, 12-4 GPAC.
· Last week:
o Won vs. Dordt, 89-84, on Feb. 5.
o Won at Dakota Wesleyan, 95-79, on Feb. 11.
· Links: 2023-24 Schedule | Roster | Statistics
· Notable: It was a unique week in terms of how the games were laid out. The Bulldogs defeated Dordt, 89-84, on Feb. 5 before claiming a 95-79 Super Bowl Sunday victory at Dakota Wesleyan. Concordia has gotten hot at the right time and rides an eight-game winning streak into this week’s pair of road games. Head Coach Ben Limback has his squad tied with Hastings and Northwestern atop the GPAC standings. In the win at the Corn Palace, Brad Bennett went wild for a career-high 26 points on the strength of 6-for-8 shooting from beyond the arc. In addition, Tristan Smith made his return to the lineup and posted 18 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. Noah Schutte (12 points, 10 rebounds) also turned in a double-double and Lukas Helms dropped in 14 points. The current win streak dates back to the 79-78 loss to Hastings on Jan. 17. The exhilarating ride has moved the Bulldogs up to No. 17 in the official NAIA RPI rankings. Concordia likely will crack the NAIA coaches’ poll top 25 on Wednesday when it is released. The victory over Dordt marked Limback’s 200th during his Bulldog tenure. He also won 115 games in his time as head coach at Concordia Ann Arbor. Limback’s crew will hit the road this week for games at Doane and Dordt. The Bulldogs will aim for season sweeps of both opponents.
· For additional statistics and details, check out the Concordia Men’s Basketball homepage HERE.
· This week:
o Wednesday, Feb. 14 at Doane (14-10, 9-9 GPAC), 7:45 p.m. CT.
o Sunday, Feb. 17 at Dordt (23-1, 18-0 GPAC), 5:45 p.m. CT.
Women’s Basketball
· Current record: 20-4, 14-4 GPAC; ranked No. 6 in the NAIA coaches’ poll.
· Last week:
o Lost vs. No. 1 Dordt, 84-79, on Feb. 5.
o Won vs. College of Saint Mary, 106-59, on Feb. 7.
o Lost at Dakota Wesleyan, 83-75, on Feb. 11.
· Links: 2023-24 Schedule | Roster | Statistics | NAIA Coaches’ Poll
· Notable: The 12-game winning streak came to a halt early last week as the Bulldogs fell at home, 84-79, to No. 1 Dordt. As part of a stretch of three games in seven days, Concordia then blew out College of Saint Mary, 106-59, at home and tripped up at Dakota Wesleyan, 83-75. The aim down the stretch of the regular season will be to lock up second place in the GPAC standings. Dordt is alone at the top with 18-0 league mark while Concordia (14-4), Dakota Wesleyan (13-5) and Briar Cliff (12-6) are next in line. In last week’s action, the Bulldogs equaled a school record with 20 treys in the win over CSM. Four 3-point field goals apiece came from Megan Belt, Sammy Leu and Reece Snodgrass. Star guard Taysha Rushton has elevated her game of late while putting up 13 points versus CSM and 19 at DWU. Rushton has pushed her career point total to 1,779 and has vaulted up to No. 4 on the program’s all-time scoring list. Last week, she passed Whitney Stichka (1,765), Kari Saving (1,773) and Quinn Wragge (1,776). Meanwhile, Sadie Powell (947 career points) is making a push to join the 1,000-point club. The victory over CSM pushed Concordia to 20 wins for the 15th time during Head Coach Drew Olson’s 18-year tenure. From a ratings perspective, the Bulldogs sit second in the North-Central region ARC rankings and possess the NAIA’s No. 8 RPI while having played the nation’s 52nd-ranked schedule (according to the official analytics released on Feb. 4). Concordia will be on the road this week for games against Doane and No. 1 Dordt.
· For additional statistics and details, check out the Concordia Women’s Basketball homepage HERE.
· This week:
o Wednesday, Feb. 14 at Doane (14-10, 9-9 GPAC), 6 p.m. CT.
o Sunday, Feb. 17 at No. 1 Dordt (23-1, 18-0 GPAC), 4 p.m. CT.
Wrestling
· Current dual record: 8-7, 3-5 GPAC.
· Last week:
o Idle.
· Links: 2023-24 Schedule | Roster | Statistics | NAIA Coaches’ Rankings
· Notable: The 2023-24 dual schedule is complete (Concordia was idle this past week). Head Coach Chase Clasen’s program celebrated seven seniors prior to taking on Colby Community College on Feb. 2. Five of those seniors were part of the dual lineup that dominated Colby by a score of 48-6. Every weight class was decided with bonus points as the Bulldogs got a pin apiece from Jeaven Scdoris (157) and Barret Brandt (165) and tech falls from Bryson Bussinger (133), Creighton Baughman (141), TJ Allen (149) and Stephen Duffy (174). In addition, CJ Laabs won by major decision at heavyweight. A freshman from Syracuse, Neb., Brandt broke the program single season pins record (22) in the dual victory. Among other major highlights of the final weekend of duals, Baughman completed a spotless 15-0 dual record and sophomore Grant Wells collected his 20th win of his sophomore campaign. The final dual of the season resulted in a 44-8 loss to No. 7 Doane. The two Concordia wins came from Wells at 133 and Baughman at 141. The team’s final dual record settled at 8-7 overall (3-5 GPAC). The Bulldogs now gear up to host the GPAC Wrestling Championships for the first time since 2016. The conference tournament serves as a qualifier for the national tournament. Concordia sent four wrestlers to the 2023 national tournament. That group included Baughman, who was the 2023 GPAC runner up at 141 pounds.
· For additional statistics and details, check out the Concordia Wrestling homepage HERE.
· This week:
o 2024 GPAC Wrestling Championships (Feb. 16-17) hosted by Concordia. Session I will get underway at 2 p.m. CT on Friday while session II will get underway at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
Baseball
· Current record: 1-2; receiving votes in the NAIA coaches’ poll.
· Last week:
o Lost at Oklahoma City, 6-5, on Feb. 9.
o Lost vs. No. 7 Bellevue, 12-7, on Feb. 9.
o Won at Oklahoma City, 11-1, on Feb. 10.
· Links: 2023-24 Schedule | Roster | Statistics | NAIA Coaches’ Poll
· Notable: The 2024 season got started this past weekend in Oklahoma City, Okla., where the Bulldogs played host Oklahoma City twice and No. 7 Bellevue University once. After falling twice on opening day, Concordia responded with an 11-1 thumping of Oklahoma City on day two. It was a solid first few games for a lineup that’s expected to again be a potent one. There were five home runs hit by Bulldogs in OKC with two apiece coming from newcomers Bradley Hallock and Matt Rhoades and one from Jaidan Quinn. Four Concordia batters notched at least four hits for the weekend: Quinn (5-for-11), Jay Adams (5-for-12), Hallock (4-for-6) and Rhoades (4-for-9). From a pitching perspective, Caden Bugarske got the best results as he fired five innings and limited the damage to one run on seven hits and a walk while striking out six. Bugarske picked up the win at Oklahoma City. Blake Benson and Caden Johnson also made starts over the weekend. Among the Bulldogs who made their debuts in Concordia colors, transfer Jimmy Blumberg has been installed as the shortstop. His arrival has pushed Ty Nekoliczak to second base and Adams to right field. The Bulldogs began this season receiving votes in the NAIA coaches’ poll. They were ranked No. 13 by Perfect Game. Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad will be headed to Joplin, Mo., this weekend for four nonconference games (see below).
· For additional statistics and details, check out the Concordia Women’s Basketball homepage HERE.
· This week (all in Joplin, Mo.):
o Saturday, Feb. 17 vs. Dakota State, 12:30 p.m.
o Saturday, Feb. 17 vs. Graceland, 5:30 p.m.
o Sunday, Feb. 18 vs. William Penn, 11 a.m.
o Sunday, Feb. 18 vs. William Penn, 2 p.m.
Softball
· Current record: 0-2.
· Last week:
o Lost at No. 17 Ottawa, 8-0 (6 inn.) and 10-2 (5 inn.), on Feb. 10.
· Links: 2023-24 Schedule | Roster | Statistics | NAIA Coaches’ Poll
· Notable: The 2024 campaign got underway this past Saturday as the Bulldogs traveled to Kansas to take on No. 17 Ottawa University. The host Braves moved to 6-0 while defeating Concordia twice by the run rule – 8-0 in six innings and 10-2 in five innings. The Bulldogs were limited to a combined seven hits with two coming from freshman shortstop Laycee Josoff. A native of Yutan, Neb., Josoff was one of five players to make their Concordia debuts over the weekend. Notably, four-year starter Julia Van Wey put herself within one hit of 100 for her career. Starts were made in the circle by Megan Eurich and Kaylei Denison. Head Coach Brock Culler returned three All-GPAC players to the roster: Hanna Bowers, Aubrey Bruning and Kylie Shottenkirk. The Bulldogs will put the opening doubleheader behind them with four games this weekend at the NAIA Kansas City Invite hosted by Avila University.
· For additional statistics and details, check out the Concordia Women’s Basketball homepage HERE.
· This week (NAIA Kansas City Invite):
o Saturday, Feb. 17 vs. Evangel, 12 p.m.
o Saturday, Feb. 17 vs. Bethel (Kan.), 4 p.m.
o Sunday, Feb. 18 vs. Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, 12 p.m.
o Sunday, Feb. 18 vs. Benedictine, 2 p.m.
Men’s and Women’s Tennis
· Current men’s record: 1-4
· Current women’s record: 2-1
· Last week – Men:
o Lost at Mount Marty, 7-0, on Feb. 9.
o Won vs. Baker, 5-2, on Feb. 10.
· Last week – Women:
o Won at Mount Marty, 6-1, on Feb. 9.
o Won vs. Baker, 6-1, on Feb. 10.
· Links: Men’s 2024 Schedule | Men’s 2024 Roster | Women’s 2024 Schedule | Women’s 2024 Roster.
· Notable: The spring season picked up in earnest over the weekend as both the men’s and women’s teams took on Mount Marty (nonconference match) and Baker University (Kan.). The women won twice by 6-1 scores while the men bounced back from a 7-0 loss at Mount Marty with a 5-2 victory over Baker. The three combined wins were the first victories for Lisa Hart as head coach of the Bulldog programs. Sophomore Mariana Molano enjoyed a strong weekend that saw her go 2-0 at No. 2 singles. Three matches into the season, Alana Lopez Pagan owns a 2-1 singles record. As for the men, Michael Bedrosian leads the way with two singles wins. The bulk of the season is yet to come for Concordia, which plays a small portion of the slate during the fall. This week, the Bulldogs will play twice on the women’s side and once on the men’s side (see below). The first home matches of the spring semester will take place Saturday as Concordia hosts Tabor inside the Fieldhouse.
· For additional statistics and details, check out the Concordia Women’s Basketball homepage HERE.
· This week – Men:
o Saturday, Feb. 17 vs. Tabor, 12 p.m.
· This week – Women:
o Friday, Feb. 16 vs. Ottawa, 12 p.m. (Lawrence, Kan.).
o Saturday, Feb. 17 vs. Tabor, 12 p.m.