SEWARD, Neb. – The 25th annual Cattle Classic is set to tip off next Friday (Nov. 1) afternoon inside Friedrich Arena. The basketball classic features a total of four men’s games and four women’s games over the course of the two-day extravaganza. The event, co-sponsored by Concordia and Cattle Bank & Trust, raises money and food for the Blue Valley Community Action's Food Pantry and other local food pantries. Pac N Save of Seward will match all canned food donations.
Fans are encouraged to bring canned goods in exchange for admission. Ten canned items will get an adult a weekend pass. Complete admission information for the Cattle Classic can be found HERE. Tickets will not be sold online for this particular event.
Live webcasts: Concordia Sports Network | Live stats: PrestoStats
2024 CATTLE CLASSIC SCHEDULE
Friday, Nov. 1
- Women: Dakota State University (S.D.) vs. Southern Oregon University, 1 p.m.
- Men: Hastings College vs. Nebraska Wesleyan University, 3 p.m.
- Women: Concordia vs. Oklahoma City University, 6 p.m.
- Men: Concordia vs. Central College (Iowa), 8 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 2
- Women: Dakota State University (S.D.) vs. Oklahoma City University, 10 a.m.
- Men: Hastings College vs. Central College (Iowa), 12 p.m.
- Women: Concordia vs. Southern Oregon University, 2 p.m.
- Men: Concordia vs. Nebraska Wesleyan University, 4 p.m.
The Men’s Field
No. 11 Concordia University Bulldogs
Head Coach: Ben Limback, 12th season
2023-24 Record: 24-8 (NAIA National Round of 32)
Conference: Great Plains Athletic Conference
Location: Seward, Nebraska
Top Player: First Team All-GPAC honorees Noah Schutte and Tristan Smith return to give Concordia one of the nation’s top frontcourts. In 115 career collegiate games, Schutte has totaled 1,827 points and 727 rebounds. Last season, Schutte averaged 20.9 points and Smith averaged 18.0 points.
Overview: The buzz has been building this preseason for a squad that returns its top nine scorers (and all five starters) from last season, including sharpshooting guard Brad Bennett. As a result, the Bulldogs landed at No. 1 in the GPAC preseason poll and at No. 11 in the NAIA preseason coaches’ poll. Schutte and Smith are the headlining returners, but Concordia also has plenty of depth and figures to improve as the sophomore class continues to grow. Sophomores Lukas Helms and Jaxon Stueve both started as freshmen. Head Coach Ben Limback has led the program to a combined four national tournament appearances and four GPAC championships over the past five seasons. After sharing the regular season title last season, the Bulldogs expect to be in the mix again this winter. For a closer look at the 2024-25 team, check out our season preview linked HERE.
Central College Dutch
Head Coach: Joe Steinkamp, 3rd season
2023-24 Record: 17-9
Conference: American Rivers Conference (NCAA Division III)
Location: Pella, Iowa
Top Player: 6-foot-10 center Joshua Van Gorp returns for a fifth season after being named the American Rivers Conference Player of the Year in 2023-24. A hometown guy from Pella, Iowa, Van Gorp averaged 23.4 points and 10.3 rebounds while shooting 64.1 percent from the floor last season. He has tallied 1,357 career points at Central.
Overview: The Dutch have turned in back-to-back winning seasons (18-7 and 17-9) over alum Joe Steinkamp’s first two seasons at the helm of the program. The 2022-23 squad won the American Rivers Conference regular season title. In its history, Central has qualified for the NCAA Division III national tournament 11 times (most recently in 2016). Star big man Joshua Van Gorp will pair with another fifth-year player in 6-foot-5 guard Kaleb Brand, who averaged 14.9 points per game last season. The Dutch played Concordia Wisconsin last season and came away with a 70-62 win in a neutral site contest. In the 2024-25 ARC preseason rankings, Central slotted in at No. 4 behind Nebraska Wesleyan University, University of Dubuque and Loras College.
Hastings College Broncos
Head Coach: Todd Raridon, 3rd season
2023-24 Record: 23-9 (NAIA National Qualifier)
Conference: Great Plains Athletic Conference
Location: Hastings, Nebraska
Top Player: All five starters are gone from last season, leaving sixth man Quinn Johnson as the top returner on the roster. The sophomore guard averaged 8.5 points per game while shooting 42.1 percent from 3-point range in 2023-24.
Overview: In his third season as head coach of the Broncos, Todd Raridon will bring a revamped roster to the Cattle Classic. GPAC Player of the Year Reggie Thomas transferred to NCAA Division I University of North Dakota. Meanwhile, the team’s other four starters last season were all seniors, including second team all-conference forward Tyrique McMurrin. Named the 2023-24 GPAC Coach of the Year, Raridon has worked wonders for a program that shared the GPAC regular season title and won the conference tournament this past season. Hastings then qualified for the national tournament for the first time since 1989. With many unknowns heading into this season, the Broncos were picked seventh in the GPAC preseason coaches’ poll.
No. 14 Nebraska Wesleyan University Prairie Wolves
Head Coach: Dale Wellman, 11th season
2023-24 Record: 26-5 (NCAA Division III Elite Eight)
Conference: American Rivers Conference (NCAA Division III)
Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
Top Player: First team all-conference guard Carter Glenn returns from last season’s NCAA Division III Elite Eight team. Glenn averaged 15.7 points, 3.7 assists and 2.5 steals per game in 2023-24. The Lincoln East High School alum has totaled 1,082 points in his collegiate career.
Overview: Nebraska Wesleyan has made waves on the national level under Head Coach Dale Wellman, who led the program to a D3 national championship in 2018. Wellman has guided the Prairie Wolves to five national tournament appearances, including one in 2024 that resulted in an Elite Eight advancement. Glenn and senior forward Jack Groeteke are the headlining returners for the former GPAC rival of Concordia. The Bulldogs and Prairie Wolves most recently matched up during the 2015-16 season, NWU’s last as a GPAC member. Wellman’s squad opens this season as the favorite in the American Rivers Conference (after winning the regular season title in 2023-24) despite the departure of leading scorer Peter Lash. In addition, Wesleyan is ranked 14th in the D3hoops.com preseason poll.