2024-25 NAIA Men’s Basketball All-Americans
SEWARD, Neb. – Throughout the 2024-25 season, senior Tristan Smith stood out as one of the nation’s top players. Appropriately, the NAIA recognized Smith as a 2024-25 First Team All-American on March 31. Smith is one of 12 players nationally to be chosen to the first team and his selection marks the first time a member of the Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Basketball program has ever been named a First Team All-American.
One of two players in the history of the GPAC to sweep the league’s player of the year and defensive player of the year awards in the same season, Smith put together one of the greatest campaigns ever by a Bulldog. This past 2024-25 season, Smith averaged 20.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.5 steals per game and was the conference leader in field goal percentage (.688). In 112 career collegiate games, Smith totaled 1,577 points, 755 rebounds, 247 assists, 135 blocks and 109 steals. Smith helped lead the program to national tournament appearances all four years and to a combined three GPAC championship.
As a senior, Smith has also been lauded with Academic All-District honors from College Sports Communicators, was named GPAC Player of the Week a total of seven times and was included on Small College Basketball watch lists for the Bevo Francis Award (top player in the nation outside of NCAA Division I) and Trevor Hudgins Award (finest overall career outside of NCAA Division I). In addition, Smith won the Dark Horse Dunker Fan Vote. Though Smith had anticipated participating in the dunk contest at the Final Four, he withdrew in order to preserve potential eligibility at the NCAA Division I level.
Head Coach Ben Limback has coached five different players that have earned All-America honors as Bulldogs: Chandler Folkerts (2015-16 and 2016-17), Carter Kent (2021-22), Noah Schutte (2022-23 and 2023-24), Brevin Sloup (2019-20) and now Smith. The program’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder, Schutte was honored as a Third Team All-American last season.
Tristan Smith career highlights
· 2024-25 NAIA First Team All-American
· 2024-25 GPAC Player of the Year
· 2024-25 GPAC Defensive Player of the Year
· Named to 2025 Bevo Francis and Trevor Hudgins Award watch lists by Small College Basketball
· Three-time All-GPAC honoree (first team twice)
· Two-time CSC Academic All-District
· Three-time NAIA Scholar-Athlete
· Program all-time rankings of fifth in blocked shots (135), seventh in rebounds (755), 11th in scoring (1,577) and 18th in assists (247).
· Owns program records for points in a single game (48) and points in a single season (677).
All-Time Concordia All-Americans
Scott Beck (2005-HM)
Porter Birtell (2012-HM)
Tyler Byrd (2011-HM)
Josh Dahlke (1999-HM)
Rick Dietze (2003-HM; 2004-2nd)
Darin Englebart (1995-2nd; 1996-2nd)
Chandler Folkerts (2016-HM; 2017-2nd)
Jason Glines (1993-HM; 1994-HM)
Jason Jisa (2005-3rd)
Carter Kent (2022-2nd)
Ben Limback (1998-HM; 1999-HM)
Drew Olson (2003-HM)
John Puelz (1992-HM)
Scott Schmidt (1997-HM)
Tim Schroeder (2000-HM)
Noah Schutte (2023-HM; 2024-3rd)
Brevin Sloup (2020-HM)
Devin Smith (1992-HM)
Tristan Smith (2025-1st)
Glen Snodgrass (1997-HM)
Bret Walter (1996-HM)
Travis Wischmeier (2002-HM)
Jon Ziegler (2007-3rd)