Bulldog Booster Club Athletes of the Week
Male: Chandler Folkerts, Basketball / Andrew Schulte, Wrestling
Folkerts, a native of Milford, Neb., has been on a tear in his junior season, going for 20 or more points in six of his last eight games. In last week’s win at Northwestern, Folkerts totaled a career high 34 points to go along with 14 rebounds. It was his third-straight double. He is averaging 18.9 points and 7.9 rebounds this season.
Schulte, who hails from Corona, Calif., picked up his second-straight GPAC wrestler of the week award after dominating at the National Duals (Jan. 8-9). The 2015 All-American went 5-0 while recording three wins over opponents ranked among the top six nationally in the 141-pound weight class. Schulte has now won 12-straight matches and owns an overall record of 26-6.
Female: Mary Janovich, Basketball
Janovich, a native of Gretna, Neb., has averaged 11.9 points over her last five games while serving as a defensive menace to opponents. She racked up a season high 19 points in the 77-75 victory over then No. 4 Briar Cliff on Jan. 2. The 2014-15 GPAC freshman of the year is the team leader in steals per game (2.0) and assists per game (2.5) for a Bulldog squad currently ranked 10th nationally.
News and notes:
Make plans for CIT: The 65th annual Concordia Invitational Tournament is locked in for Jan. 29-30. Concordia University Chicago will play host to the 65th annual event. The Bulldog men’s and women’s basketball programs have both won 25 CIT titles all-time – most among any of the Concordias. For more on the 2016 CIT, check out CUC’s tournament webpage HERE.
Women’s hoops reloads with balanced approach: After losing several key pieces from the 2014-15 team that made a run to the national title game, the Bulldogs have reloaded with a balanced approach in 2015-16. “I think it would be hard,” says sophomore Mary Janovich of preparing for Concordia. “They have to be ready for anyone to go off. We don’t have a single player that’s going to just take over the game at any time so they have to prepare for a lot of different players.” For more on how head coach Drew Olson’s squad continues to win, click HERE.
Indoor track opens season on Friday: Following an impressive 2015 season, 24th-year head coach Kregg Einspahr’s men’s and women’s track and field programs are set to begin the 2016 indoor season this weekend with two events: the Holiday Inn Invitational (Jan. 15-16) and the Nisely Invite hosted by Doane (Jan. 16). The program held its annual Blue-White meet on Dec. 11. For insight on what to expect from the Bulldogs in 2016, read our season preview HERE.
Update to football records: Interested in football all-time records? Last week we provided an update of where current Bulldogs such as Bryce Collins and Jared Garcia rank on the program’s career and single-season statistical lists. Find out HERE.
Bulldog Coaches Show airs every Thursday at 4 p.m. CT: New this year is the Bulldog Coaches Show, which runs for a half hour every Thursday beginning at 4 p.m. CT on KAWL 1370-AM. The show can also be heard live via 104.9 Max Country’s website or by downloading the TuneIn Radio app and then searching “KAWL.” This week’s broadcast schedule for live radio coverage on Max Country will include men’s basketball at York College on Wednesday (6 p.m.) and then Saturday’s home basketball doubleheader with Dakota Wesleyan (2/4 p.m.).
Concordia Sports Network: Live webcasts for most home varsity contests can be accessed by visiting http://www.cune.edu/csn at game time. Check team schedules/results pages for webcast dates. Scrimmages, exhibitions and junior varsity events are not broadcasted.
Men’s Basketball
- A week on the road in the GPAC concluded with a split for the Bulldogs. After nearly coming all the way back from a 25-point deficit in a 78-75 loss at Midland on Jan. 6, Concordia responded with a stellar offensive performance in its 87-81 victory at Northwestern on Jan. 9. Led by huge production from junior Chandler Folkerts, the Bulldogs shot better than 50 percent in both games. The second GPAC road win for head coach Ben Limback’s squad pushed Concordia to 11-6 overall and 5-6 in league action (seventh place). To read recaps of recent action, click HERE.
- Named GPAC player of the week on Dec. 22, Folkerts has been on a tear. The native of Milford, Neb., is averaging 26.3 points and 13.0 rebounds over his last three games. The 6-foot-8 post went off for a career high 34 points and 14 rebounds in the triumph at Northwestern. He now has recorded three-straight double-doubles, to give him six double-doubles on the season and 15 for his career. He continues to move up the ladder on program all-time lists, currently ranking 20th in scoring (1,131) and 12th in rebounding (499).
- Few players in the nation have been more efficient at scoring in the low post than Folkerts. He punctuated the victory at Northwestern with an emphatic slam in the final minutes and finished 14-for-19 from the field. Among qualifying NAIA Division II players, Folkerts ranks fifth in field goal percentage (.630). Within the GPAC, Folkerts ranks first in field goal percentage (.630), second in double-doubles (6), fourth in rebounds per game (7.9), fourth in blocks per game (1.24), seventh in scoring (18.9) and 15th in free throw percentage (.728).
- Last week senior Robby Thomas joined Folkerts as the 28th member of the program’s 1,000-point club. Thomas (1,006 career points) reached the four-digit threshold with a 3-pointer early in the second half at Northwestern. He finished with 19 points and three rejections in the victory. He continues to chase Glen Snodgrass’ career school record of 188 blocked shots. Thomas stands at 176 denials with 12 regular-season games remaining on the schedule. The native of Shawnee, Kan., ranks ninth among all NAIA Division II players with an average of 2.35 blocks per game.
- Since the start of the second half of last week’s game at Midland, Concordia has shot 59.2 percent (48-for-81) from the field. The Bulldogs shot a sizzling 57.4 percent (31-for-54) at Northwestern on the way winning in Orange City, Iowa, for the second-straight year. Folkerts went 23-for-33 (.697) from the field during a dominant week. The Bulldogs rank 11th nationally in field goal percentage (.493).
- Concordia will be on the road once more before making its return to Walz Arena on Saturday. Since the start of last season, the Bulldogs have been solid when venturing into opposing gyms. They are 4-4 away from home this season after going 11-7 in road/neutral contests during the 2014-15 campaign. Concordia has won three of its last four games outside of Seward.
- Micah Kohlwey, a senior from Seward, often draws the assignment of defending the opposition’s top scorer. Kohlwey played that role impressively at Northwestern. His work helped limit the Red Raiders’ Colton Kooima to seven points – well below his season average of 20.6 – on 1-for-10 shooting from the field. Three days earlier Kooima exploded for 34 points in Northwestern’s 102-96 upset of No. 13 Dakota Wesleyan.
- While Limback consistently goes six deep off the bench, Concordia has relied heavily upon its starters this season. All five average more than 25 minutes per game: Eli Ziegler (32.2), Thomas (30.4), Jamie Pearson (29.9), Folkerts (26.4) and Kohlwey (26.1). The team’s “big three” of Pearson (20.3), Folkerts (18.9) and Thomas (14.0) has produced an average of 53.2 points per game. All three rank inside the top 20 among GPAC players in scoring.
- The Bulldogs will step outside the conference on Wednesday to take on nearby York College (13-6) in a game set to get underway at 6 p.m. from the Freeman Center. Concordia won last year’s meeting in Seward, 76-71. Then on Saturday, the Bulldogs will try to end a series drought against No. 13 Dakota Wesleyan (13-6, 5-4 GPAC). Tipoff from Walz is slated for 4 p.m. The Tigers have won eight-consecutive matchups with Concordia.
Wrestling
- A busy weekend saw eighth-ranked Concordia compete at the prestigious National Duals (Jan. 8-9) as well as the Hastings College Cusatis Open (Jan. 9). Fourth-year head coach Dana Vote’s squad won three of five contests at the National Duals on the way to a seventh-place finish, marking the program’s first-ever top-eight placement at the event. The Bulldogs concluded the National Duals by knocking off 14th-ranked Lindsey Wilson College (Ky.), 19-15, in the seventh-place match. Meanwhile, two Bulldogs earned individual place finishes at the Hastings Open. Vote’s squad now sits at 7-4 overall in dual action. To read recaps of recent competition, click HERE.
- Vote has put his group up against an exceedingly difficult dual schedule. Of the team’s first 11 duals, nine opponents were ranked among the nation’s top 15 teams at the time of the competition. Concordia is 5-4 in those matchups having defeated No. 8/10 University of Great Falls (Mont.) (twice), No. 11 York College, No. 12 Midland and No. 14 Lindsey Wilson. Three of the Bulldogs’ four losses have come at the hands of top 10 teams: No. 4 Oklahoma City University, No. 5 Montana State University-Northern and No. 6 Life University (Ga.). Concordia has one nonconference dual left on the schedule – Feb. 3 vs. Bethany College (Kan.).
- Reigning GPAC wrestler of the week Andrew Schulte continued his dominance by going a perfect 5-0 at the National Duals. The junior from Corona, Calif., won three of five matches against opponents with higher rankings. Ranked eighth at 141 pounds, Schulte twice defeated Lindsey Wilson’s sixth-ranked Daniel Leonard, a 2015 NAIA All-American. He also pummeled Ottawa’s fifth-ranked Tyler Hinton by major decision (15-4). Schulte has not lost since the Battle of the Rockies Open on Dec. 5. At 26-6 overall, Schulte tops the Bulldogs in wins.
- Schulte was one of 12 Bulldogs to see action in the five matchups at the National Duals. Jr Lule, ranked sixth nationally at 157 pounds, also put together a solid weekend in winning four of five bouts. Included in those victories were three by technical fall. A 2015 national qualifier, the native of Blythe, Calif., is 19-6 overall and 9-2 in dual meets.
- Collectively, Concordia wrestlers went 27-23 against top-notch competition at the National Duals. Nine of the 12 Bulldogs to compete in Fort Wayne notched at least two wins. Matt Atwood (184) and Dmitri Smith (125) both went 3-2. Five others picked up exactly two wins: Tommy Bailey (2-3), Ken Burkhardt Jr. (2-1), Foster Bunce (2-3), Kyle Carey (2-3) and Austin Starkey (2-1).
- Vote’s roster sports eight individuals with 10 or more wins on the season. Freshman Alexander Reimers (9-7 at 197 pounds) and Smith (9-12) are just one victory away from joining the club. Schulte took over the team wins lead at the Viking-Warrior Open and distanced himself further with his huge performance at the National Duals. Burkhardt Jr has now eclipsed the 20-win mark in each of his three seasons as a Bulldog. He owns a 75-46 career record.
- Andrew Schulte (141/149) – 26-6
- Ken Burkhardt Jr. (197) – 21-10
- Jr Lule (157) – 19-6
- Ceron Francisco (285) – 19-13
- Tommy Bailey (165) – 19-15
- Matt Atwood (184) – 17-4
- Travian Cooke (174) – 15-10
- Daniel Melcher (149) – 13-8
- Another 12 Bulldogs traveled to the Hastings Open on Jan. 9. Walker Fisher (second place at 165 pounds) and Chad Skokowski (fourth place at 125 pounds) both reached the medal stand for Concordia. The Hastings Open was just the second outing of the season for Fisher, a native of Ashland, Neb. The freshman went 3-1 on the day and made his way to the 165-pound championship bout where he fell to John Crowley of the Colorado School of Mines. Skokowski, also a freshman, went 3-2 while recording his second pin of the season. Overall, Concordia’s 12 wrestlers were a combined 21-23 at the Hastings Open.
- This week’s schedule includes one event – the Missouri Valley Invite on Friday and Saturday. At last year’s Missouri Valley Invite, the Bulldogs placed sixth out of 24 teams in the field. Six individuals earned place finishes for Concordia – Schulte (second at 141), Burkhardt Jr. (fourth at 197), Emilio Rivera (fourth at 133), Lule (fifth at 149), DJ McIntyre (fifth at 285) and Kodie Cole (seventh at 133).
Women’s Basketball
- A stretch of three-straight GPAC road games began last week with trips to Midland (7-10, 5-5 GPAC) and Northwestern (10-6, 5-5 GPAC) last week for 10th-ranked Concordia. The Bulldogs held off a late rally by Midland and won, 59-57, on Jan. 6. Three days later Concordia fell at Northwestern, 99-80, in a contest it trailed by just five midway through the fourth quarter. Tenth-year head coach Drew Olson’s squad is now 12-4 overall and 7-4 in league play. To read recaps of recent action, click HERE.
- The 59 points at Midland marked a season low scoring output for the Bulldogs, who rank eighth nationally in points per game (80.6). On the plus side, the game marked the fifth time this season that Concordia has held an opponent below 60 points. The Bulldogs limited the Warriors to 38.0 percent shooting (19-for-50) and forced 19 turnovers on the way to their 15th-straight series victory over Midland.
- Last season’s 83-57 win at Northwestern ended a winless drought of 10 years in the town of Orange City, Iowa. This time around, the Red Raiders snapped Concordia’s eight-game winning streak. This is the fifth-straight season that the Bulldogs have put together a win streak of at least eight games. The longest winning streak by an Olson-coached team was the 23-game stretch by Concordia by last year’s national runner up. The 2011-12 squad, a national semifinalist, enjoyed a 21-game win streak.
- Last week brought 20 more 3-point field goals for the Bulldogs, who rank third among all NAIA Division II teams with an average of 10.4 made 3-pointers per contest. Concordia used the long ball to mount a comeback at Northwestern. During a 17-5 run that got the Bulldogs within five (81-76) midway through the fourth quarter, Concordia connected on four treys – two by Aubrio Bro and one apiece by Brenleigh Daum and Jade Gottier. Daum triggered 22 3-point attempts last week, making eight of them.
- After a rough 4-for-14 (.286) free throw shooting performance at Midland, the Bulldogs nailed 11-of-12 (.917) shots from the charity stripe at Northwestern. Under Olson, Concordia has consistently been a strong free throw shooting team, posting percentages of 70.9 in 2015-16, 70.6 in 2014-15, 71.2 in 2013-14, 70.3 in 2012-13, 74.0 in 2011-12, 73.9 in 2010-11, 70.3 in 2009-10 and 74.7 in 2008-09. The Bulldogs have hovered above 70 percent every season since 2007-08.
- A three-year starter, senior Becky Mueller eclipsed 900 career points by scoring 10 in the win at Midland. With 903 points for her career, the Elkhorn, Neb., native needs 97 more to become the 24th member of the program’s 1,000-point club. Olson has coached six players who reached that plateau, including the school’s all-time leading scorer Bailey Morris (2,054 points). Three others in the top 10 played for Olson: Whitney Stichka (No. 4 – 1,765), Kristen Conahan (No. 7 – 1,656) and Melissa Tinkham (No. 10 – 1,452).
- A decidedly balanced team, Concordia’s highest ranked scorer among GPAC players is freshman Quinn Wragge at 24th (11.2 ppg). She is followed on the leaderboard by Mueller (30th – 10.4), Mary Janovich (31st – 10.3), Daum (39th – 9.3), Shelby Quinn (49th – 7.6) and Sydney Feller (54th - 7.1). Wragge is vying to become the first freshman to lead the Bulldogs in scoring since Sarah Harrison in 2001-02.
- Janovich pilfered a steal in both games last week, giving her at least one theft in seven-straight games. She is averaging 2.0 per game this season and has already racked up 106 steals in her first 51 games as a Bulldog. That pace puts her well on her way to cracking the program’s top-20 list. TaLisa Krejci is currently 20th with 153 steals. Olson has coached four the program’s top seven steals leaders: Morris (2nd – 394), Tracy Peitz (5th – 306), Conahan (6th – 291) and Katie Rich (7th – 265).
- The run of consecutive road games will conclude on Wednesday when Concordia travels to play suddenly red-hot College of Saint Mary (9-8, 3-7 GPAC) in a contest set to begin at 6 p.m. The Flames have won three-straight games, including last week’s 74-72 upset at No. 5 Dakota Wesleyan (15-2, 8-2 GPAC), Concordia’s opponent on Saturday. The Bulldogs and Tigers will get underway at 2 p.m. from Walz Arena. Concordia went a combined 3-0 versus College of Saint Mary and Dakota Wesleyan last season.