Bulldog Athletic Association Member (BAAM) Athletes of the Week
Male: Noah Schutte, Basketball
Schutte, who hails from Laurel, Neb., paced Concordia with 27 points in last week’s 106-69 home win over Doane. Schutte made 11-of-14 shots from the floor and added six rebounds and five assists to his stat line. Schutte is averaging 22.0 points and 8.4 rebounds per game on the season.
Female: Kendal Brigham, Basketball
Brigham, a native of Wahoo, Neb., notched a career high 24 points in last week’s 101-60 home win over Doane. Brigham went 5-for-7 from 3-point range on a night when the Bulldogs nailed 20 treys as a team. Brigham also added five assists and three steals. She’s averaging 10.2 points on the season.
2023-24 BAAM Athletes of the Month
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
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:
Concordia Invitational Tournament set for Jan. 26-27: The 71st Concordia Invitational Tournament will be held Jan. 26-27 on the campus of Concordia University Wisconsin. The event will once again include competitions in the sports of men’s and women’s basketball and cheer and dance. More specific details about CIT 2024 can be found via CUW’s website linked HERE.
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.
Cheer/Dance competition seasons set to begin Saturday at home: Head coaches Mandi Maser and Emilie Ashenbach will lead their Bulldog squads into official competition on Saturday in conjunction with home basketball versus Briar Cliff. As part of the action, dance will host a triangular with College of Saint Mary and Hastings taking place in Friedrich Arena at halftime of the women’s basketball game. At the conclusion of women’s basketball, the cheer team will go up against Hastings in the PE Center Gym. Both Bulldog squads will also compete at CIT on Jan. 27. For more details, check out the season previews linked below.
-Season Previews: Cheer | Dance.
Bulldogs earn high honors from Omaha World-Herald: A total of 33 Bulldogs from fall sports teams earned All-Midlands Team recognition, as selected by the Omaha World-Herald and announced in December. The highest honors went to Austin Jablonski (football) and Bree Burtwistle (volleyball). Both of whom were named All-Midlands Honorary Captains by the Omaha news outlet. For listings of complete award winners, check the links below.
-Football
-Men’s Soccer
-Women’s Soccer
-Volleyball
Record breakers of 2023: In capping the year 2023, we looked back at some of the most significant individual school records broken over the past 12 months. Most specifically, we highlighted incredible performances from Joey Grabanski (baseball), DJ McGarvie (football), Hayley Miles (track & field) and Noah Schutte (basketball). For a detailed look behind those records, check out this feature linked HERE.
Fukuhara wins title at North American Open Finals: Before the end of the first semester, sophomore Evan Fukuhara came through with a major accomplishment as he rose to the top of the podium in his weight class at the North American Open Finals held in Wilmington, N.C., Dec. 7. Fukuhara outlifted a field of 27 competitors (10 of college age) in the 67kg class at the prestigious event. He beat out the second-place finisher by 15kg with his total of 256kg. Fukuhara placed first in snatch (111kg) and second in clean and jerk (145kg). Roughly a month earlier, Fukuhara placed first in the 73kg class at the Iowa Championships. Said Head Coach Freddie Myles, “I’m extremely proud of Evan’s performance, winning the second most prestigious tournament in the U.S. He’s worked extremely hard in practice and outside of practice on his nutrition, recovery and mental preparation.” The season to date for Myles’ powerlifting and weightlifting programs has included a combined four main full-scale competitions. Both squads will resume action this spring semester while looking ahead to national championship events. The homepages for Myles’ programs are linked below.
--Powerlifting
--Weightlifting
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.
Women’s Basketball
· Current record: 12-2, 8-2 GPAC; ranked No. 11 in the NAIA coaches’ poll.
· Last week:
o Won vs. Doane, 101-60, on Jan. 10.
o PPD vs. No. 1 Dordt on Jan. 13 (rescheduled for Feb. 5).
· Links: 2023-24 Schedule | Roster | Statistics | NAIA Coaches’ Poll
· Notable: The slate last week included only one contest as a weekend showdown with No. 1 Dordt was put on hold (and rescheduled for Feb. 5). In the middle of the week, the 11th-ranked Bulldogs put together a fine all-around performance while routing Doane, 101-60, inside Friedrich Arena. Concordia piled up a school record 20 3-point field goals, including five from Kendal Brigham, four apiece from Megan Belt and Taysha Rushton, two apiece from Abby Krieser, Sadie Powell and Reece Snodgrass and one from Sammy Leu. The Wahoo, Neb., native Brigham notched a career high 24 points as the Bulldogs won for the 15th-straight series meeting with the rival Tigers. Concordia shot 53.4 percent overall, made 20-of-43 attempts from 3-point range and flustered Doane into 24 turnovers. The outburst moved the Bulldogs up to No. 12 nationally in scoring average at 83.9 points per game (second most in the GPAC). Concordia continues to pace the conference in turnovers forced per game (23.8) and steals per game (14.1). As for Rushton, she has boosted her career point total to 1,621, putting her nine points shy of Shelly Poppe (1,630) for 10th on the program’s all-time scoring list. In this week’s action, the Bulldogs will be on the road on Wednesday to take on Hastings before returning home to welcome No. 8 Briar Cliff to Seward. Concordia will attempt to avenge the 74-66 loss it endured at Briar Cliff back on Dec. 9.
· For additional statistics and details, check out the Concordia Women’s Basketball homepage HERE.
· This week:
o Wednesday, Jan. 17 at Hastings (8-7, 4-5 GPAC), 6 p.m.
o Saturday, Jan. 20 vs. No. 8 Briar Cliff (12-3, 7-2 GPAC), 2 p.m.
Men’s Basketball
· Current record: 11-4, 6-3 GPAC.
· Last week:
o Won vs. Doane, 106-69, on Jan. 10.
o PPD vs. Dordt on Jan. 13 (rescheduled for Feb. 5).
· Links: 2023-24 Schedule | Roster | Statistics
· Notable: Wintry weather resulted in a postponement of this past weekend’s scheduled clash with Dordt (rescheduled for Feb. 5), but Concordia played rival Doane in the middle of the week and continued its home success. It took less than eight minutes for the Bulldogs to build a double-digit lead in a game they controlled throughout the 40 minutes. Junior Brad Bennett wowed the crowd by making all six of his tries from 3-point range in the first half (finished with 19 points). Concordia owned a commanding 58-36 lead at the break on its way to cracking 100 points for the fourth time this season. The Bulldogs are 5-1 at home and are averaging 96.2 points per game in those contests. It was also an ultra-efficient performance from Noah Schutte versus Doane as he made 11-of-14 shots from the floor and finished with 27 points, six rebounds and five assists. In addition, Jaxon Stueve knocked down four treys and posted 12 points off the bench. Since dropping its first two GPAC games, Concordia has gone 6-1 in conference play and currently sits in fourth place in a close race at the top of the standings. The Bulldogs have also won seven of the past eight matchups with rival Doane. Schutte enters this week needing 13 more points to reach 1,500 for his career. Next up, Concordia will be headed to first-place Hastings on Wednesday night before welcoming Briar Cliff to Seward on Saturday. The Bulldogs outlasted the Chargers in overtime back on Dec. 9.
· For additional statistics and details, check out the Concordia Men’s Basketball homepage HERE.
· This week:
o Wednesday, Jan. 17 at Hastings (12-4, 7-1 GPAC), 7:45 p.m.
o Saturday, Jan. 20 vs. Briar Cliff (9-7, 3-5 GPAC), 3:45 p.m.
Wrestling
· Current dual record: 6-4, 2-2 GPAC.
· Last week:
o Idle; most recent outing was the Hastings College Open on Jan. 6.
· Links: 2023-24 Schedule | Roster | Statistics | NAIA Coaches’ Rankings
· Notable: Due to the postponement of the dual at No. 5 Doane scheduled for Jan. 12, the Bulldogs were idle last week. The most recent outing for Head Coach Chase Clasen’s squad was the Hastings College Open on Jan. 6. By tournament’s end, Concordia competitors combined for 28 wins, 11 pins and four place finishes. The individual place winners were Mason Garcia (second at 197), Creighton Baughman (third at 141), Barret Brandt (fourth at 165) and Garret Moser (fourth at 184). On the season, six Concordia wrestlers have notched at least 10 wins: Baughman (23-5), Brandt (23-8), Grant Wells (19-9), Hunter Weimer (13-9), Garcia (11-8) and Jeaven Scdoris (10-5). In new conference ratings released last week, seven Bulldogs appeared in the top six within their respective weight classes: Baughman (No. at 141), TJ Allen (No. 6 at 149), Scdoris (No. 5 at 157), Tommy Wentz (No. 3 at 165), Brandt (No. 4 at 165), Stephen Duffy (No. 6 at 174) and Garcia (No. 4 at 197). As a team, the Bulldogs stand at 6-4 (2-2 GPAC) in duals. They are not scheduled to compete this week. A makeup date for the dual at Doane remains in the works.
· For additional statistics and details, check out the Concordia Wrestling homepage HERE.
· This week:
o Idle; next up is the GPAC Day of Duals No. 2 on Jan. 27.
Track & Field
· Current rankings – not yet released by USTFCCCA.
· Most recent outing:
o Hosted the Bulldog Early Bird Meet (Dec. 8-9).
· Links: 2023-24 Schedule | Roster | TFRRS NAIA indoor qualifying list
· Notable: The resumption of the 2023-24 indoor season was put on hold for another week as wintry weather prevented the Bulldogs from competing at the either the scheduled Graduate Classic or the Scott Nisely Memorial Classic. Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squads last competed at the Bulldog Early Bird Meet on Dec. 8-9. The yields from that meet included 18 automatic national qualifying standards, six NAIA ‘B’ standards and 16 event championships. Most notably, sophomores Hayley Miles and Adrianna Rodencal both broke school records. Miles surpassed the previous long jump standard of 19’ ¼” by Carol Bailey (1989) with a mark of 19’ 4 ¼” at the Early Bird. That measurement currently tops the NAIA. As for the Lincoln Lutheran alum Rodencal, she bested her own record in the 60 hurdles by running times of 8.65 in the prelims and 8.57 in the finals. Other Concordia athletes with national best marks are Rylee Haecker (2:59.05 in the 1,000 meters) and Zach Zohner (16’ 7 ¼” in the pole vault). It was also a fine start for junior Jenna Esch, who turned in automatic times in the 400 meters, 600 meters and as part of the 4x400 meter relay. The 18 NAIA auto marks as a team are a big improvement from the 2022 Early Bird meet when Concordia posted four ‘A’ standards. The Bulldogs have been idle since the Early Bird while taking a break at the end of the first semester. A return to action is coming on Friday when the program will host the Concordia Polar Dog inside the Fieldhouse. The schedule for that meet can be found HERE.
· Keep up with Concordia Track & Field throughout the indoor and outdoor seasons by visiting the team’s homepage HERE.
· This week:
o Friday, Jan. 19 – Concordia Polar Dog.