Bulldog Athletic Association Member (BAAM) Athletes of the Week
Male: Tristan Smith, Basketball
A senior from Elizabeth, Colo., Tristan Smith was named the MVP of CIT after leading the Bulldogs to wins last week over Concordia Chicago, 90-71, and Concordia Ann Arbor, 88-45. Over the two CIT wins, Smith totaled 6 points, 17 rebounds, eight assists, four blocked shots and four steals and made 15-of-17 shots from the floor.
Female: Makynna Robbins, Basketball
A freshman from Houston, Texas, Makynna Robbins earned CIT MVP honors after spurring the Bulldogs to wins last week over College of Saint Mary, 100-53, Concordia Chicago, 108-67, and Concordia Ann Arbor, 66-60. Over those three victories, Robbins tallied 44 points, 25 rebounds, six assists and five steals.
2024-25 BAAM Athletes of the Month
December – Gabi Nordaker (volleyball) / Tristan Smith (basketball)
November – Austin Jablonski (football) / Kristin Vieselmeyer (basketball)
October – Carson Fehlhafer (football) / Kierstynn Garner (soccer)
September – Mark Arp (football) / Gabi Nordaker (volleyball)
2024-25 BAAM Athletes of the Week
Jan. 21 – Megan Belt (basketball) / Tristan Smith (basketball) / Abi Wohlgemuth (track & field)
Jan. 14 – Raelyn Kelty (basketball) / Tristan Smith (basketball)
Dec. 17 – Adrianna Rodencal (track & field) / Tristan Smith (basketball)
Dec. 10 – Creighton Baughman (wrestling) / Gabi Nordaker (volleyball)
Dec. 3 – Vaughn Hendrickson (cross country) / Kristin Vieselmeyer (basketball)
Nov. 19 – Daylon Henson (football) / Addie Kirkegaard (volleyball)
Nov. 12 – Keegan Beisel (cross country) / Vaughn Hendrickson (cross country)
Nov. 5 – Angela Banks (soccer) / Austin Jablonski (football)
Oct. 29 – Kierstynn Garner (soccer) / Devin Harris (shooting sports)
Oct. 22 – Taylor Hedke (weightlifting) / Austin Jablonski (football)
Oct. 15 – Kierstynn Garner (soccer) / Hugo Garrote (soccer)
Oct. 8 – Carson Fehlhafer (football) / Kaylee Hinton (shooting sports)
Oct. 1 – Carter McKenna (shooting sports) / Kya Scott (volleyball)
Sept. 24 – Ishane Derman (tennis) / Daylon Henson (football)
Sept. 17 – Mark Arp (football) / Ella Waters (volleyball)
Sept. 10 – Hannah Beintema (cross country); Trey Robertson (cross country)
Sept. 3 – Nolan Fuelberth (soccer); Gabi Nordaker (volleyball)
Aug. 27 – Martin Herrera (soccer); Ashley Keck (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.
72nd Concordia Invitational Tournament wrap-up: The 72nd Concordia Invitational Tournament unfolded this past weekend in Ann Arbor, Mich., where both Bulldog Basketball teams reigned supreme. Coaches Drew Olson and Ben Limback led their respective sides to CIT championship game wins over host Concordia Ann Arbor (66-60 in the women’s game and 88-45 in the men’s game). MVP awards went to freshman Makynna Robbins and senior Tristan Smith. As part of CIT, the Bulldogs placed second in cheer and third in dance. For more details, check out the game/event recaps posted to each teams’ respective homepages on the Concordia Athletics website.
Spring seasons on the horizon: The beginning of spring sport seasons is rapidly approaching at Concordia. Both the softball and tennis programs are slated to play official competitions this Saturday (Feb. 1) with baseball to get underway the following weekend (Feb. 8-9). For season previews, check the links below. Competitions this week for tennis and softball will take place indoors.
Seasons Previews: Softball | Baseball | Tennis (coming soon)
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 completed 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 with the 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 on the Concordia Sports Network.
Wrestling
· Current dual record: 3-2, 3-2 GPAC.
· Last week:
o Placed sixth out of 53 teams at the Missouri Valley Invitational on Jan. 24-25.
· Links: 2024-25 Schedule | Roster | Statistics | NAIA National Rankings
· Notable: The Bulldogs opened some eyes this past weekend at the Missouri Valley Invitational while placing sixth amongst a field of more than 50 NAIA men’s wrestling programs. Concordia’s 12 wrestlers at the annual showcase event for NAIA wrestling combined to score 100 points and notch four place finishes. Those place finishers were Creighton Baughman (second at 141), Hagen Heistand (sixth at 149), Hunter Weimer (fifth at 184) and Torrance Keehn (seventh at 197). Baughman put together an impressive tournament with two wins over NAIA nationally ranked opponents: No. 16 Randy Frailey of Siena Heights University (Mich.) and No. 3 Hartwell Taylor of University of Saint Mary (Kan.). Baughman stands at 17-2 on the season. The team’s top five performers based on team points were Baughman (19.5), Keehn (16.0), Hunter Weimer (15.5), Heistand (14.0) and Mason Garcia (12.5). In placing sixth as a team, Head Coach Josh Watts’ squad finished above GPAC rivals Dakota Wesleyan (30th), Hastings (32nd), Midland (33rd), Morningside (35th), Northwestern (37th), Briar Cliff (41st) and Waldorf (46th). Concordia nipped at the heals of Doane, which placed third with 121.5 points. Select Bulldogs will take part in this Saturday’s Golden Norsemen Open hosted by Northeastern Oklahoma A&M. It will mark the final tournament of the regular season.
· For additional news and notes on the wrestling program, click HERE.
· Up next:
o Saturday, Feb. 1 – Golden Norsemen Open (Miami, Okla.), 9 a.m.
Men’s Basketball
· Current record: 17-4, 10-3 GPAC.
· Last week:
o Won vs. Concordia Chicago, 90-71, on Jan. 24.
o Won at Concordia Ann Arbor, 88-45, on Jan. 25.
· Links: 2024-25 Schedule | Roster | Statistics | NAIA Coaches’ Poll
· Notable: While taking a break from conference play, Head Coach Ben Limback’s squad took the 72nd Concordia Invitational by storm. The Bulldogs ventured to Ann Arbor, Mich., and earned wins over Concordia University Chicago, 90-71, and host Concordia University Ann Arbor, 88-45. The win streak now stands at 10 dating back to the second game of CUNE’s foray in Arizona just prior to Christmas. Tristan Smith took home CIT MVP honors after he averaged 18.0 points (15-for-17 from the floor), 8.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.0 blocks and 2.0 steals over the two games. Noah Schutte was also named to the CIT All-Tournament Team thanks to his combined 25 points and 11 rebounds on the weekend. The Bulldogs won the CIT title for the 31st time in program history. Defense continues to be a key factor for CUNE, which held its CIT opponents to a combined shooting percentage of 41.4 (to go along with 38 turnovers). GPAC play will resume on Wednesday with a visit to Midland before the Bulldogs return home on Saturday to host Waldorf. CUNE sits two games behind first-place Dordt (20-1, 12-1 GPAC) and is tied with Northwestern for second in the league standings.
· For additional news and notes on the men’s basketball program, click HERE.
· This week:
o Wednesday, Jan. 29 at Midland (10-12, 5-9 GPAC), 7:45 p.m.
o Saturday, Feb. 1 vs. Waldorf (3-18, 2-12 GPAC), 3:45 p.m.
Women’s Basketball
· Current record: 11-10, 6-9 GPAC.
· Last week:
o Won at College of Saint Mary, 100-53, on Jan. 22.
o Won vs. Concordia Chicago, 108-67, on Jan. 24.
o Won at Concordia Ann Arbor, 66-60, on Jan. 25.
· Links: 2024-25 Schedule | Roster | Statistics | NAIA Coaches’ Poll
· Notable: A 3-0 week has pushed the overall record above .500 as the Bulldogs begin what they hope is a successful late season surge. In last week’s action, CUNE walloped both College of Saint Mary, 100-53, and Concordia Chicago, 108-67, before holding off host Concordia Ann Arbor, 66-60, in the Concordia Invitational Tournament Championship Game. It was a major breakout week for freshman Makynna Robbins, who was named the MVP of CIT. She posted 19 points and six rebounds in the win over CUC and 17 points, seven rebounds and four steals in the victory over CUAA. Robbins was joined on the all-tournament team by senior Abby Krieser. Head Coach Drew Olson led the program to its 10th-straight CIT championship (33rd overall in program history). With seven games remaining in the regular season (all GPAC contests), CUNE is aiming to better position itself for postseason play. The Bulldogs currently reside in eighth place in the GPAC standings. Up next, CUNE will be headed to Midland on Wednesday before welcoming Waldorf to Friedrich Arena on Saturday. Only three home games remain in the 2024-25 regular season.
· For additional news and notes on the women’s basketball program, click HERE.
· This week:
o Wednesday, Jan. 29 at Midland (3-18, 3-12 GPAC), 6 p.m.
o Saturday, Feb. 1 vs. Waldorf (5-15, 3-12 GPAC), 2 p.m.
Cheer / Dance
· Cheer Season Scoring Average: N/A
· Dance Season Scoring Average: 80.9
· Last week:
o Cheer – Placed 2nd at CIT on Jan. 25.
o Dance – Placed 3rd at CIT on Jan. 25.
· Cheer Links: 2025 Schedule | Roster
· Dance Links: 2025 Schedule | Roster
· Notable: Coaches Mandi Maser and Emilie Ashenbach traveled with their teams to the 2025 Concordia Invitational Tournament this past weekend in Ann Arbor, Mich. When the dust settled, Bulldog Cheer placed second while Bulldog Dance placed third at CIT. The scores in the cheer competition were as follows: CUAA (65.82), CUNE (57.80), CUC (55.15) and CUW (33.17). The max score possible was 90 on the adapted scale for CIT cheer. In dance, the scores were as follows: CUC (57.70), CUW (55.37), CUNE (55.27) and CUAA (54.63). The max score possible was 70 on the adapted scale for CIT dance. It should be noted that the CIT scores do not count towards the official NAIA scoring average. The Bulldogs will have this week off from competition while preparing for a major weekend of Feb. 7-8.
· For additional news and notes on cheer and dance programs, click the following links: Cheer | Dance.
· Up next:
o Feb. 7-8: The Bulldogs will compete at the York Invitational on Feb. 7 and then host the Concordia Day of Duals on Feb. 8.
Indoor Track & Field
· Number of 2024-25 Meets: 4.
· Last week:
o Hosted the Concordia Classic (Jan. 24-25).
· Links: 2024-25 Schedule | Roster | TFRRS Performance Lists
· Notable: The third of four home meets this indoor season took place this past Friday and Saturday as the Bulldogs welcomed athletes from 14 institutions for the Concordia Classic. The returns for Concordia included three new automatic national qualifying standards and seven event championships. The new ‘A’ marks were turned in by the women’s 4x400-meter relay (3:53.71), Abigail Gerber in the shot put (46’ 4 ¾”) and Jonny Jurchen in the 3,000-meter race walk (14:12.41). In addition, Mayson Ostermeyer cleared a personal best in the pole vault (16’ 4 ¾”) and remains the NAIA national leader in the event. The women’s 4x4 broke the Fieldhouse record thanks to the efforts of Adrianna Rodencal, Trinity Tuls, Isabelle Salters and Kayla Kirchner. Among other highlights, Rodencal and Easton Fries made for a Bulldog sweep of the 60-meter hurdle races and Harper Boche (shot put) and Brittni Kinne (weight throw) put NAIA ‘B’ standard throws on the board. Overall this season, Concordia athletes have combined for six NAIA auto standards. Others who have booked their tickets to nationals are Ostermeyer in the pole vault, Rodencal in the 60 hurdles and Abi Wohlgemuth in the weight throw. Meanwhile, Carson Fehlhafer continues to rank inside the top five nationally in the men’s weight throw. Head Coach Matt Beisel’s squads will continue action this Saturday with the Fred Beile Classic hosted by Doane.
· For additional news and notes on the track & field programs, click HERE.
· This week:
o Saturday, Feb. 1 at Fred Beile Classic (hosted by Doane), 11 a.m.