SEWARD, Neb. – For their performances throughout the calendar month, two standouts on the diamond, Joey Grabanski of the baseball program and Aubriana Krieser of the softball program, have been recognized as the Bulldog Athletic Association Member (BAAM) Athletes of the Month for April 2024. The winners emerged from a vote conducted on Tuesday (April 30) by attendees at the BAAM luncheon. Both Grabanski and Krieser are preparing to lead their respective teams into GPAC tournament play this week.
A senior from Grand Forks, N.D., Grabanski went wild during the month of April as he helped the Bulldogs win the 2024 GPAC regular season championship. On April 13 in a matchup at Morningside, Grabanski became the NAIA’s all-time home run leader as he went deep for the 78th time in his career. Over 16 games in April, Grabanski batted .481 (26-for-54) with 23 runs, four doubles, 13 home runs and 38 RBIs while sporting a .580 on-base percentage and 1.278 slugging percentage. He was named the GPAC Player of the Week on both April 16 and 23. On the season, the reigning GPAC Player of the Year is hitting .398 with 22 home runs and 75 RBIs in addition to a .500 on-base percentage and .876 slugging percentage. He has increased his NAIA career home run record to 84. Grabanski’s 287 career RBIs are eight shy of another NAIA record. He is a career .382 hitter.
A Lincoln North Star High School alum, Krieser found a groove during the month of April and was a key factor in Concordia Softball going 11-3 over its final 14 games of the regular season. Over the past month, Krieser batted .449 (22-for-49) with 15 runs scored, five doubles, three home runs and 23 RBIs while posting a .453 on-base percentage and .735 slugging percentage. The three homers all occurred as part of a doubleheader sweep at Briar Cliff on April 19. On the season, Krieser is hitting .369 (24-for-65) with 16 runs, six doubles, three home runs and 23 RBIs. She came to Concordia after breaking the North Star program record for career home runs. Aubriana is the younger sister of Bulldog Women’s Basketball junior Abby Krieser. Aubriana helped her team place in a tie for third place in the GPAC.
BAAM Athletes of the Month are rewarded out of the pool of student-athletes that garner BAAM Athlete of the Week recognition throughout the month.
2023-24 BAAM Athletes of the Month
April – Joey Grabanski (baseball) / Aubriana Krieser (softball)
March – Jessie Ciezki (shooting sports) / Zach Zohner (track & field)
February – Jaidan Quinn (baseball) / Mackenzie Toomey (basketball)
January – Kendal Brigham (basketball) / Noah Schutte (basketball)
December – Evan Fukuhara (weightlifting) / Hayley Miles (track & field)
November – Creighton Baughman (wrestling) / Abby Krieser (basketball)
October – Rebecca Gebhardt (volleyball) / DJ McGarvie (football)
September – Austin Jablonski (football) / Ashley Keck (volleyball)
2022-23 BAAM Athletes of the Month
April – Jenna Esch (track & field) / Jaidan Quinn (baseball)
March – Wyatt Hambly (shooting sports) / Claire Kee (shooting sports) / Josie Puelz (track & field)
February – Noah Schutte (basketball) / Adrianna Rodencal (track & field)
January – Rylee Haecker (track & field) / Noah Schutte (basketball)
December – Adrianna Rodencal (track & field) / Gage Smith (basketball)
November – Rebecca Gebhardt (volleyball) / Noah Schutte (basketball)
October – Bree Burtwistle (volleyball) / Korrell Koehlmoos (football) / Carly Rodaway (volleyball)
September – Gabi Nordaker (volleyball) / Camryn Opfer (volleyball) / Camden Sesna (cross country)