Bulldog Athletic Association Member (BAAM) Athletes of the Week
Female: Ella Waters, Volleyball
A sophomore (athletically) from Hickman, Neb., Ella Waters totaled 24 kills and hit .321 last week as the third-ranked Bulldogs earned four-set home wins over College of Saint Mary and No. 20 Midland. Waters is hitting .313 with 120 kills on the season.
Male: Mark Arp, Football
A senior from McCook, Neb., Mark Arp rushed 32 times for a career high 210 yards and three touchdowns in this past week’s 42-7 win at Dakota Wesleyan. With that performance, Arp rose to the top of the GPAC leaderboard with 357 yards rushing this season.
2024-25 BAAM Athletes of the Week
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.
Twenty Bulldog programs recognized with NAIA Scholar Team awards for 2023-24: In conjunction with the 2024 NAIA National Awards Day celebrated on Monday (Sept. 16), 20 Concordia University, Nebraska Athletics programs were honored with 2023-24 NAIA Scholar Team distinction. The award is earned by teams that achieve a minimum 3.0 grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) as defined by the nominating institution. For a listing of 2023-24 Concordia NAIA Scholar Teams, click HERE.
Arthur Ashe award winner Blough makes visit to US Open: As a national winner of the Arthur Ashe Award, Concordia University tennis senior Tessa Blough was invited to attend the US Open in New York City during the same week that the first semester began. Blough accepted her Arthur Ashe award as part of the visit to New York City. She discussed her experiences in the Big Apple as part of a feature published to the Concordia Athletics website. For more on Blough’s journey, click HERE.
Matchups announced for 2025 CIT in Ann Arbor: The matchups for the 2025 Concordia Invitational Tournament have been locked in place. On day one of the tournament (Jan. 24-25, 2025), both Bulldog Basketball teams will take on Concordia University Chicago. All CIT 2025 games will take place inside Cardinal Fieldhouse on the Concordia University Ann Arbor campus. The full schedule for CIT, including the cheer and dance competitions, can be found HERE.
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 ’18, 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.
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.
Shooting Sports
· Last week:
o Placed 4th/8 at the Simpson College Invite, Sept. 14-15.
· Links: 2024-25 Schedule | Roster
· Notable: The second competition of the 2024-25 season occurred this past weekend as the Bulldogs spent a couple of days in Waukee, Iowa, site of the Simpson College Invite. Head Coach Dylan Owens’ squad came away with a fourth-place team finish (out of eight) while cracking 1,577 targets towards the team leaderboard. The top three teams were William Penn University (1,660), Lindenwood University (1,659) and Midland University (1,657). After Concordia posted a trap score of 478 at the Fort Hays Intercollegiate Shoot (Sept. 7-8), the Bulldogs improved to 487 at the Simpson Invite with the help of a near perfect performance by freshman Carter McKenna. The rest of the team’s top five in trap included Brennen Stones and Mason Ward with a 98 apiece and Sam Blevins and Hannah Dean with a 96 each. As a team, the Bulldogs also totaled scores of 487/500 in skeet, 396/500 in sporting and 207/250 in super sporting. La Grange, Ky., native Sam Blevins paced Concordia from an HOA perspective by busting 315 targets. As a comparison, the top individual at the Simpson Invite, Lindenwood’s Matthew Lorio, shot 335. Blevins was followed in the Bulldogs’ top five HOA by Stones (314), Burch (310), Hinton (308), Breyer Meeks (305) and Buchannan Tietjen (305). For more details on the Simpson Invite, click HERE. The season will continue this Saturday and Sunday with the Midland Warrior Open at Lincoln Trap & Skeet.
· This week:
o Midland Warrior Open in Lincoln, Neb., Sept. 21-22.
Men’s Soccer
· Current record: 1-2-4; receiving votes in NAIA coaches’ poll.
· Last week:
o Lost vs. No. 24 Benedictine College (Kan.), 1-0, on Sept. 11.
o Tied at York University, 1-1, on Sept. 14.
· Links: 2024 Schedule | Roster | Statistics | NAIA Coaches’ Poll
· Notable: A frustrating run of nonconference results continued last week as the Bulldogs were edged at home by No. 24 Benedictine College (Kan.), 1-0, and then drew on the road with rival York University, 1-1. Head Coach Jason Weides’ squad continues to hunt for its first win since the 5-0 season opening blowout of Avila University (Mo.). The schedule has been a challenging one as Concordia has also taken on teams currently ranked No. 5 (Bellevue University) and No. 15 (Columbia College). In the loss to Benedictine, the Ravens put away the game’s lone goal via a strike from Kody Argaez in the 58th minute. In the matchup with York, the Bulldogs were on the board early (second minute) thanks to D’Andre Williams’ goal. The equalizer came in the form of an own goal in the 49th minute. Through six nonconference outings, Concordia has scored nine goals while allowing six. The slate gets wiped clean for the start of conference play this week. The Bulldogs will host Northwestern on Wednesday night before heading to Dordt on Saturday.
· For a closer look at this week’s matchups, check out the game notes linked HERE.
· This week:
o Wednesday, Sept. 18 vs. Northwestern (1-1-3, 0-0 GPAC), 8 p.m. CT.
o Saturday, Sept. 18 at Dordt (2-3-1, 0-0 GPAC), 4:15 p.m. CT.
Football
· Current record: 2-1, 2-1 GPAC.
· Last week
o Won at Dakota Wesleyan, 42-7, on Sept. 14.
· Links: 2024 Schedule | Roster | Statistics
· Notable: The Bulldogs used a dominant rushing attack to get back into the win column as they went on the road for the first time in 2024. Mark Arp piled up 210 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 32 carries while Carlos Collazo ran for 116 yards and two touchdowns on eight attempts. The performance for Arp represented a career high for rushing yards and pushed him over 1,000 (1,199) for his career. The 641 total yards for the offense represented a program best during the GPAC era (2000-present). Quarterback DJ McGarvie threw for 309 yards and a touchdown that went to tight end Daylan Russell. In addition, Austin Jablonski made nine grabs for 142 yards. Defensively, Devon Polley came up with a strip sack that resulted in the fumble being recovered by Stephen Hughes. Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad is averaging 231.7 rushing yards per game and Arp is now the GPAC leader with 357 yards in 2024. Daberkow gives plenty of credit for that to an offensive line featuring Cohen Carpenter and Blake Schlegel at the tackles, Tyler Walford and Christian Schlepp at the guard spots and Jackson Anderson at center. Another road trip is coming up this Saturday when Concordia will be headed to Briar Cliff, a program the Bulldogs have beaten five-straight times. The last time the Bulldogs won at least three of the first four games to start a season was 2020 (4-0).
· For details on this week’s matchup, check out the game notes linked HERE.
· This week:
o Saturday, Sept. 21 at Briar Cliff (1-2, 1-1 GPAC), 1 p.m. CT.
Women’s Soccer
· Current record: 3-2-1.
· Since last week:
o Lost vs. Benedictine College (Kan.), 2-0, on Sept. 11.
o Won at York University, 2-1, on Sept. 14.
o Won at Nebraska Wesleyan University, 2-0, on Sept. 16.
· Links: 2024 Schedule | Roster | Statistics
· Notable: The Bulldogs just finished a six-day stretch that featured three nonconference games as a lead-up to the start of GPAC action. Since last week, Concordia fell by a 2-0 score at the hands of Benedictine College (Kan.) before winning on the road over York University, 2-1, and Nebraska Wesleyan University, 2-0. A Hannah Haas goal and an own goal helped lift the Bulldogs to a tight victory at York this past weekend. Concordia quickly turned around and played at Nebraska Wesleyan on Monday night and triumphed with the help of a goal apiece from Kierstynn Garner and Haas. The shutout of the Prairie Wolves marked the first clean sheet of the season for the Bulldogs, who limited NWU to two shots on goal. The junior Garner increased her team leading season goal count to six (33 goals for her career). Through six games, Concordia has scored nine goals and has conceded 10. Head Coach Nick Smith’s squad will carry a winning record into its GPAC opener on Wednesday night versus Northwestern. The Bulldogs will then look forward to another Saturday road trip – this time with a trek to Dordt on the docket.
· For additional news and notes, check out the program’s homepage HERE.
· This week:
o Wednesday, Sept. 18 vs. Northwestern (0-5-1, 0-0 GPAC), 5:30 p.m. CT.
o Saturday, Sept. 21 at Dordt (4-1, 0-0 GPAC), 2 p.m. CT.
Volleyball
· Current record: 10-1, 3-0 GPAC; ranked No. 3 in the NAIA coaches’ poll.
· Last week:
o Won vs. College of Saint Mary, 25-19, 16-25, 25-14, 25-19, on Sept. 11.
o Won vs. No. 20 Midland, 25-21, 25-17, 16-25, 25-17, on Sept. 14.
· Links: 2024 Schedule | Roster | Statistics | NAIA Coaches’ Poll
· Notable: While making a return home for the first time since the Bulldog Bash (Aug. 16-17), Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad protected the home court with GPAC wins last week over College of Saint Mary and No. 20 Midland. Both of those in-state foes were pegged to finish within the top five of the GPAC by league coaches. Concordia has now defeated four teams currently ranked in the NAIA top 20: No. 7 Indiana Wesleyan University, No. 17 Viterbo University (Wis.), No. 18 Columbia College (Mo.) and No. 20 Midland. As part of last week’s action, the Bulldogs’ top attackers, in terms of kills, were Ashley Keck (26), Ella Waters (24) and Addie Kirkegaard (21). In a major statistical note, fifth-year Bulldog Gabi Nordaker surpassed 500 career blocks with nine denials in the win over CSM. Nordaker is one of three players in the program’s history with at least 1,000 kills and 500 blocks for a career. From a program perspective, Concordia has won 22 of its last 25 GPAC regular season matches and is 28-2 at home since the start of the 2022 season. The third-ranked Bulldogs will be off in the middle of this week as they prepare to host Hastings on Saturday afternoon.
· For additional news and notes on Concordia Volleyball, check out the team’s homepage HERE.
· This week:
o Saturday, Sept. 21 vs. Hastings (7-3, 1-1 GPAC), 3 p.m. CT.
Cross Country
· Most recent:
o Men – placed 8th/28 at the Augustana Twilight on Sept. 6.
o Women – placed 7th/20 at the Augustana Twilight on Sept. 6.
· Links: 2024 Schedule | Roster
· Notable: Before taking a break from competition this past week, the 2024 season opened in strong fashion for both the Concordia men’s and women’s teams at the 2024 Augustana Twilight in Sioux Falls, S.D. From an overall team perspective, the Bulldogs placed seventh out of 20 on the women’s side and eighth out of 28 on the men’s side. The field of competitors included runners from NAIA schools and from all levels of the NCAA. The 20th-ranked Bulldog women beat out all GPAC/NAIA competition while backing up their preseason national ranking. Only one fellow GPAC/NAIA opponent (Doane) managed to finish above the Concordia men. From an individual perspective, the top five runners for the women’s team in the 5k race were: Hannah Beintema (18:58.33), Keegan Beisel (18:59.89), Annika Staab (19:02.33), Rhaya Kaschinske (19:05.13) and Alison Stepanek (19:23.76). In the men’s four-mile run, the top five Dawgs were: Trey Robertson (19:22.17), Trevor Kuncl (19:40.95), Vaughn Hendrickson (19:41.50), Cole Yunker (20:20.62) and Charlie Hayden (20:22.62). Robertson was the top placing GPAC/NAIA runner in the meet. This marked the sixth time in seven years that Head Coach Matt Beisel’s programs have opened the season at the Augie Twilight. After breaking the school record for the four mile, Roberston was named the GPAC Runner of the Week on Sept. 11. Concordia will stay close to home this Saturday with the Greeno/Dirksen Invitational at Mahoney Golf Course in Lincoln. Race time is slated for 10 a.m. CT.
· For additional news and notes on the Concordia Cross Country teams, click HERE.
· This week:
o Saturday, Sept. 21 at the Greeno/Dirksen Invitational at Mahoney Golf Course in Lincoln, Neb.
Golf
· Last week:
o Men – Placed 12th/18 at the Siouxland Invitational on Sept. 9-10.
o Women – Placed 8th/8 at the Battle at Bayside on Sept. 9-10; second grouping placed 8th/10 at the Matthew Goette Fall Classic on Sept. 9.
· Men’s Links: 2024-25 Schedule | Roster | Statistics
· Women’s Links: 2024-25 Schedule | Roster | Statistics
· Notable: It was a busy start to last week as both of Head Coach Brett Muller’s squads competed in events from Nebraska state line to state line. Muller traveled with the women’s team to Brule, Neb., where the Battle at Bayside included Concordia along with seven NCAA Division II squads. The Bulldogs 383-355–738 (eighth place) for the two-day tournament. They were led by junior Emery Custer (92-80–172; T-29th), who actually equaled a career low round (round two) on perhaps the most challenging course the team will play all season. Counting the Matthew Goette Classic, the women’s team has appeared at three tournaments so far this fall. On the men’s side, the Concordia ‘A’ team shot 310-311-302–923 and placed 12th out of 18 groupings. Senior Jake Hagerbaumer turned in the best results as he carded a three-round total of 78-73-73–224 and placed in a tie for 26th out of 96 competitors. Two other Bulldogs placed in the top 50 overall: senior Gavin Buttshaw (78-73-79–230; T-47th) and junior Jake Richmond (71-81-78–230; T-47th). Both varsity teams will be off this week while looking ahead to getting back at it early next week (see below). Muller will send a select group on the men’s side to the Hastings College Invite on Thursday (considered a junior varsity event on the schedule).
· Next up:
o Men – Varsity will return to action for the Bent Tree Intercollegiate in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on Sept. 23-24.
o Women – Varsity will return to action for the Siouxland Invitational in Sioux Center/Orange City, Iowa, on Sept. 23-24.