Bulldog Athletic Association Member (BAAM) Athletes of the Week
--Note: Athletes of the Week are based on performances since Feb. 27; the BAAM luncheon was not held on March 4 due to spring break at Concordia.
Female: Megan Eurich, Softball
A junior from Gretna, Neb., Eurich pitched masterpiece after masterpiece at the Tucson Invite. As part of the event, Eurich recorded a 0.24 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 29.2 innings and went 4-0. She went 6-0 over the past two weeks and sports a 2.42 ERA for the season.
Male: Zach Zohner, Track & Field
A senior from Battle Creek, Neb., Zohner won the 2024 NAIA pole vault national title while clearing a personal best of 17’ 2 ¾” in the competition in Brookings, S.D. Zohner took him his third career All-America award. Zohner ranks No. 4 on the program’s all-time indoor pole vault list.
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. 27 – Jaidan Quinn (baseball) / Mackenzie Toomey (basketball)
Feb. 20 – Jenna Esch (track & field) / Tristan Smith (basketball)
Feb. 13 – Brad Bennett (basketball) / Jenna Esch (track & field)
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.
NAIA Basketball National Championship tournaments begin Friday: 64-team brackets for both NAIA men’s and women’s basketball were released on March 7. Seeded third in their bracket, the Concordia women will have the honor of hosting first/second round national tournament games inside Friedrich Arena. The Bulldogs will take on No. 14 seed Benedictine College (Kan.) at 6 p.m. CT on Friday. Should Head Coach Drew Olson’s squad emerge victorious, it will play at 4 p.m. on Saturday with a trip to the final site on the line. On the men’s side, Concordia earned a No. 4 seed and will play 13th-seeded Indiana University Northwest in Salina, Kan., at 6 p.m. on Friday. For more details on the tournaments, including ticket information, check out the team web homepages: MBB | WBB.
Cheer-Dance teams compete at GPAC Championships: The 2024 GPAC Cheer & Dance Championships took place March 8-9 in Crete, Neb. Dance went first and placed fifth in the GPAC and sixth in the region as part of the championship competition. Head Coach Mandi Maser’s dance team earned a total score of 81.89 (25 percent prelims score + 75 percent finals score). All-GPAC awards were earned by freshman Hanna Bitner and sophomore Ryleigh Flesner. The next day, Concordia Cheer earned a total score of 80.73 and placed fifth in the GPAC. Head Coach Emilie Ashenbach’s squad was led by all-conference honorees in senior Shelby Timmerman and freshman Bri Hoyle. The Bulldogs are hoping to be in consideration for an at-large bid to the NAIA National Championships in dance. For those who qualify, the season will continue with the 2024 NAIA Competitive Cheer and Dance National Championship in Ypsilanti, Mich., March 29-30.
Fukuhara wins 67kg national title as one of six Bulldogs to compete in Columbus, Ohio: The list of accomplishments keeps growing for Concordia University sophomore Evan Fukuhara. The Sacramento, Calif., native rose to the top of the podium at the 2024 National University Championships held in Columbus, Ohio, Feb. 29 – March 3, and sponsored by USA Weightlifting. Fukuhara captured the national title in the 67kg weight class as one of six Bulldogs to represent the Concordia Weightlifting program at the national meet. Fukuhara was joined in the national qualifying field by teammates Michael Davidge (89kg), Nolan Graupmann (102kg), Adrian Hernandez (109kg), Gracy Johnson (71kg) and Cody Monsevais (89kg). The national competition concluded the 2023-24 season for Head Coach Freddie Myles’ Bulldogs. For more details on the national meet, click HERE. Meanwhile, Concordia Powerlifting will look forward to its national championship coming up April 11-14 in Atlanta, Ga.
Shooting sports resumes 2023-24 season by placing fifth HOA at Doane Invite: The first action for Concordia University Shooting Sports since this past November occurred over the weekend (March 9-10) as the Bulldogs competed alongside athletes from 11 other institutions at the Doane Invitational held at Lincoln Trap & Skeet Club in Lincoln, Neb. From a high overall (HOA) perspective, the Bulldogs placed fifth while knocking out a total of 1,330 targets towards the team leaderboard. Out of the three disciplines, skeet, sporting clays and trap, Concordia did its best work in skeet as it posted the second-best team total in the field. The 98s in skeet for Concordia were turned in by Ames Andelt and Jack Nelson while Devin Harris, Kaylee Hinton, Claire Kee and Breyer Meeks each busted 97 targets of a possible 100. The team total of 487/500 in skeet placed the Bulldogs behind only Midland in that category. For more details on the Doane Invite, check out the event recap HERE.
Men’s Golf opens spring at Desert Classic: Justin Webert made waves on the second and final day of the Maverick Desert Classic hosted by NCAA Division II Minnesota State University, Mankato. The top-10 individual finish for Webert helped the Concordia University Men’s Golf team move into a tie for ninth place as the tournament concluded on Tuesday (March 5) from Palm Valley Golf Club in Goodyear, Ariz., where 93 golfers navigated the course. As a team, the Bulldogs carded a score of 313-304–617 while putting themselves up against a field loaded with NCAA Division II competitors. For a recap from the tournament, click 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.
Women’s Basketball
· Current record: 25-6, 17-5 GPAC; ranked No. 7 in the NAIA coaches’ poll.
· Most recent outings:
o Won vs. Morningside, 86-65, on Feb. 28 in GPAC quarterfinals.
o Won vs. Briar Cliff, 87-74, on March 2 in GPAC semifinals.
o Lost at No. 2 Dordt, 79-71, on March 5 in GPAC championship.
· Links: 2023-24 Schedule | Roster | Statistics | NAIA Coaches’ Poll
· Notable: Following a run to the GPAC tournament title game, the Bulldogs earned an automatic bid to the NAIA national tournament and were tagged with a No. 3 seed. For the first time in program history, Concordia will have the opportunity to host national tournament action. Head Coach Drew Olson’s squad will be joined inside Friedrich Arena by sixth-seeded Columbia College (Mo.), 11th-seeded Wayland Baptist University (Texas) and 14th-seeded Benedictine College (Kan.). The program will appear at the national tournament for the 23rd time in history and for the 16th time during Olson’s tenure. Following the conference tournament, the GPAC announced All-GPAC selections. The honor roll for the Bulldogs includes Taysha Rushton (first team), Sadie Powell (first team), Abby Krieser (second team), Kendal Brigham (honorable mention) and Mackenzie Toomey (honorable mention). Rushton has earned first team accolades all four years during her remarkable career. Rushton and company will take on Benedictine at 6 p.m. CT on Friday in NAIA national tournament first-round play. The winner will advance to take on either Columbia or Wayland Baptist at 4 p.m. on Saturday. The winner from that contest will move on to the round of 16 and the final site, Sioux City, Iowa, for play from March 21-26.
· For additional statistics and details, check out the Concordia Women’s Basketball homepage HERE.
· This week (NAIA National Championship):
o Friday, March 15 vs. Benedictine (20-11), 6 p.m. CT – NAIA First Round.
o Saturday, March 16 vs. Columbia (27-4) or Wayland Baptist (22-8), 4 p.m. CT – NAIA Second Round; with win on Friday.
Men’s Basketball
· Current record: 23-7, 15-5 GPAC (T-1st); ranked No. 20 in the NAIA coaches’ poll.
· Most recent outings:
o Won vs. Dordt, 87-83, on Feb. 28 in GPAC quarterfinals.
o Lost at Hastings, 82-78, on March 2 in GPAC semifinals.
· Links: 2023-24 Schedule | Roster | Statistics | NAIA Coaches’ Poll
· Notable: Head Coach Ben Limback’s squad reached the semifinals of the GPAC postseason before being eliminated from the bracket. The loss in the semis came by an 82-78 score at Hastings on March 2. Despite that result, Concordia knew it was a lock to receive an at-large bid to the NAIA national tournament. On March 7, the Bulldogs learned that they had been rewarded with a No. 4 seed as part of the Duer Bracket. Concordia will take on Indiana University Northwest at 6 p.m. CT on Friday in the first round. This will mark the program’s 13th all-time appearance at the national tournament and fourth during Limback’s coaching tenure. Two-time First Team All-GPAC honoree Noah Schutte has averaged 20.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per outing in five career national tournament games. Schutte was joined on the 2024 GPAC all-conference list by teammates Tristan Smith (first team) and Brad Bennett (second team). Concordia will enter the national tournament at 23-7 overall and with an RPI of No. 15 in the NAIA. Morningside is the GPAC’s highest seeded team at No. 3. Northwestern was granted a No. 5 seed, Hastings is a No. 7 seed and Dordt is a No. 12 seed. The final 16 teams left standing will advance to play at the final site, Kansas City, Mo., in action that will run March 21-26.
· For additional statistics and details, check out the Concordia Men’s Basketball homepage HERE.
· This week (NAIA National Championship):
o Friday, March 15 vs. IU Northwest (21-10), 6 p.m. CT – NAIA First Round.
o Saturday, March 15 vs. Kansas Wesleyan (23-8) or LSU Shreveport (22-8), 6 p.m. CT – NAIA Second Round; with win on Friday.
Track & Field
· Final NAIA placements (indoor nationals finishes) – No. 3 women | No. 8 men.
· Most recent meet:
o Competed at the 2024 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships on Feb. 29 – March 2; women placed third (42 points) and men placed in a tie for eighth (24.5 points).
· Links: 2023-24 Schedule | Roster | TFRRS NAIA indoor qualifying list
· Notable: Things came together in thrilling fashion at the 2024 indoor national meet as 15 individuals earned All-America awards in one or more events. That group included pole vault national champion Zach Zohner and the national title winning 4x800-meter relay that featured Jenna Esch, Rylee Haecker, Julie McIntyre and Kylahn Freiberg. National runner-up plaques were claimed by Chris Wren in the weight throw and by Freiberg in the mile. Meanwhile, Rylee Haecker placed third in the 1,000 meters with a school record of 2:52.88. The 4x8 also set a new program standard while running 9:06.48 in the finals. Esch took home All-America awards in the 4x8, 4x4 and 800 meters. Other not previously mentioned All-Americans were Abby Gerber (shot put), Kayla Kirchner (4x400m relay), Jordan Koepke (4x400m relay), Mayson Ostermeyer (pole vault), Josie Puelz (pole vault), Calvin Rohde (mile), Trinity Tuls (4x400m relay), Zoey Walker (high jump) and Abi Wohlgemuth (weight throw). The women’s program has placed No. 3 in the NAIA in three of the past four indoor national meets. The top-four team finishers each earn a trophy. On the men’s side, the eighth-place finish marked the program’s best at indoor nationals since placing as the runner up in 2017. The Bulldogs traveled 32 athletes to the national meet in Brookings, S.D. Attention now shifts to outdoor season for Head Coach Matt Beisel and company.
· Keep up with Concordia Track & Field throughout the indoor and outdoor seasons by visiting the team’s homepage HERE.
· Up next:
o The 2024 outdoor season will begin with the Viking Relays hosted by Grand View University on March 23.
Wrestling
· Final dual record: 8-7, 3-5 GPAC (6th); placed fifth in the GPAC tournament.
· Most recent outing:
o Placed T-35th at the 2024 NAIA Wrestling National Championships (Feb. 29 – March 2).
· Links: 2023-24 Schedule | Roster | Statistics | NAIA Coaches’ Rankings
· Notable: The 2023-24 season is in the books for Head Coach Chase Clasen’s squad, which qualified three individuals for the 2024 NAIA National Championships: Creighton Baughman (141), Tommy Wentz (165) and Mason Garcia (197). Baughman picked up two victories on the national stage before being eliminated by second-ranked Logan Wagner of Marian. Baughman finished two wins shy of reaching the All-America podium. Meanwhile, Wentz and Garcia both went 0-2 in their first experiences at the national tournament. The 4.5 points scored by Baughman put the Bulldogs in a tie for 35th place in the NAIA. As part of the ’23-24 campaign, Concordia also placed fifth at the GPAC tournament and finished sixth in the GPAC dual standings. Baughman went 33-8 on the season and won 58 matches in his two seasons as a Bulldog. As another major highlight, Barret Brandt set a new school record for a single season with 24 pins. In many areas, Clasen’s program made strides this winter while laying a foundation for future success. Concordia will say goodbye to a senior class that includes TJ Allen, Baughman, Stephen Duffy, CJ Laabs, Dontario Norwood, Anthony Perez and Jeaven Scdoris.
· For additional statistics and details, check out the Concordia Wrestling homepage HERE.
Baseball
· Current record: 16-5; receiving votes in the NAIA coaches’ poll.
· Spring break:
o Went 8-2 during Florida tour (March 1-9), claiming wins over Keiser University (Fla.) (two), Mount Vernon Nazarene University (Ohio), Valley City State University (N.D.), Calumet College of St. Joseph (Ind.), Lawrence Technological University (Mich.), Siena Heights University (Mich.) and Warner University (Fla.).
· Links: 2023-24 Schedule | Roster | Statistics | NAIA Coaches’ Poll
· Notable: The Bulldogs got on a nice roll during their stay in Florida as they rattled off an eight-game winning streak while making stops in West Palm Beach, Auburndale and Lake Wales. Over the 10 games in Florida, Concordia outscored its opponents by a combined total of 73-49. The home run binge for Jaidan Quinn continued during the series with Keiser when he hammered four homers. Quinn is the NAIA national leader with 13 home runs on the season. Among regulars, Jay Adams led the Bulldogs in Florida with a .400 batting average (14-for-35) to go along with his three doubles, four home runs and 10 RBIs. This past week, Adams overtook Jesse Garcia for the most doubles in program history with 60. In addition, Joey Grabanski batted .382 (13-for-34) with three homers and 12 RBIs in Florida. From a pitching perspective, Maverick Wylder did not surrender a single run in his five appearances while earning two wins and three saves. In his two starts in Florida, Christian Gutierrez logged 14.1 innings and allowed five earned runs on 12 hits and a walk. The bullpen has emerged as a strength. Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s squad will open league play by hosting Doane on Saturday. Concordia will then be at Briar Cliff on Sunday.
· For additional statistics and details, check out the Concordia Baseball homepage HERE.
· This week:
o Saturday, March 16 vs. Doane, 1 p.m. DH.
o Sunday, March 17 at Briar Cliff, 12 p.m. DH.
Softball
· Current record: 8-12.
· Spring break:
o The spring break slate began at the Friends Invite (March 1-2) and continued with the Tucson Invite (March 5-8). The Bulldogs went 6-4 during that stretch with wins over Missouri Valley College, Park University (Mo.), Dickinson State University (N.D.), Tabor College (Kan.), Graceland University (Iowa) and Valley City State University (N.D.).
· Links: 2023-24 Schedule | Roster | Statistics
· Notable: Many positives emerged over the past 10 games of spring break action for Head Coach Brock Culler’s squad. The Bulldogs went 6-4 while up against nonconference NAIA competition. Unfortunately, Concordia’s final two games scheduled at the Tucson Invite were wiped out due to inclement weather. Most impressively during the month of March thus far has been the dominance of ace pitcher Megan Eurich. Over her past nine appearances, Eurich has gone 6-0 with a 1.77 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 47.1 innings. On March 5, Eurich fired two complete game shutouts as the Bulldogs blanked Dickinson State, 7-0, and Tabor, 8-0. From a hitting perspective, Omaha native Jennifer Katz has emerged in a major way. In the month of March, she has batted .433 (13-for-30) with six runs, a double, two triples, two home runs and 12 RBIs to go along with an .800 slugging percentage. Five other regulars have also batted .300+ this month as the offense has come to life: Aubrey Bruning (.385), Zoie Isom (.364), Laycee Josoff (.346), Julia Van Wey (.313) and Taylor Glause (.300). In its return to Nebraska, Concordia is set to play a doubleheader at Nebraska Wesleyan on Wednesday before hosting Peru State for two games on Saturday.
· For additional statistics and details, check out the Concordia Softball homepage HERE.
· This week:
o Wednesday, March 13 at Nebraska Wesleyan, 3 p.m. DH.
o Saturday, March 16 vs. Peru State, 2 p.m. DH.
Men’s and Women’s Tennis
· Current men’s record: 4-7, 0-1 GPAC.
· Current women’s record: 6-4, 1-0 GPAC.
· Recent action – Men:
o Won vs. Sterling, 4-3, on March 2.
o Lost vs. Iowa Central CC, 7-0, on March 3.
o Lost vs. Mount Marty, 5-2, on March 5 (Lincoln, Neb.).
· Recent action – Women:
o Lost vs. Sterling, 5-2, on March 2.
o Won vs. Iowa Central CC, 4-3, on March 3.
o Won vs. Mount Marty, 7-0, on March 5 (Lincoln, Neb.).
· Links: Men’s 2024 Schedule | Men’s 2024 Roster | Women’s 2024 Schedule | Women’s 2024 Roster.
· Notable: Since the start of spring break, the men’s squad has gone 1-2 while the women have won two of three matches. The men picked up a 4-3 home win over Sterling College (Kan.) while the women claimed wins over Iowa Central Community College, 4-3, and over Mount Marty, 7-0. The matchups with the Lancers marked the beginning of conference play for Head Coach Lisa Hart’s squads. Through 10 matches this season, the women’s team has gone a combined 31-29 in singles and 14-15 in doubles. The team singles wins leader is Alana Lopez Pagan (7-3) with Mariana Molano (6-2) right behind her. On the men’s side, the Bulldogs have gone 18-48 in singles and 12-21 in doubles through 11 matches. Michael Bedrosian paces the team with five singles wins while Santiago Abadia and Manuel Rodriguez have both picked up four wins. The men have experimented in doubles play while using 12 different doubles combinations. This weekend will be a test to see how much Concordia has improved as it takes on Midland, the defending men’s and women’s GPAC champion. The men will also play NCAA Division III Central College (Iowa) on Friday.
· For additional statistics and details, check out the Concordia Tennis homepages here: MEN | WOMEN.
· This week – Men:
o Friday, March 15 vs. Central, 2 p.m.
o Saturday, March 16 at Midland, 11 a.m.
· This week – Women:
o Saturday, March 16 at Midland, 11 a.m.