SEWARD, Neb. – A new competition season got underway on Saturday (Jan. 20) for Concordia University Competitive Dance as the Bulldogs welcomed GPAC rivals Hastings and College of Saint Mary to Friedrich Arena for a triangular. Concordia rang in 2024 by earning a score of 82.0, which far exceeded the scores from Hastings, 59.0, and CSM, 57.0, during action that took place at halftime of the Bulldog Women’s Basketball game.
Head Coach Mandi Maser (Competitive Spirit Coordinator) is beginning her eighth year leading the Concordia program. After narrowly missing out on a bid to nationals in 2023, Concordia has plenty of motivation at the outset of 2024.
“We had a great start to the season this afternoon,” Maser said. “This team has worked really hard to compete a solid routine and now we can continue to increase difficulty as we move through the season. All the dancers did a great job today. We are looking forward to CIT next week!”
The competition team on Saturday was made up of seven Bulldogs (complete list below). That group features returning NAIA All-American Ryleigh Flesner. She and her teammates combined for a score that ranks as the second best from any NAIA dance squad so far in 2024. As a comparison, the school record for a single competition stands at 85.9 (occurring in 2023). Concordia finished last season ranked 13th nationally in terms of average competition score (81.97).
The roster includes not only Flesner but also returning All-GPAC award winners in Taylor Larsen and Avery Lewis. Maser added two freshmen to the mix in the form of Hanna Bitner and Kaylee Powell. Among the seven Bulldogs who took the floor on Saturday, six are Nebraska natives.
Saturday competition roster:
· Hanna Bitner (Valentine, Neb.)
· Ryleigh Flesner (Greeley, Colo.)
· Taylor Larsen (Ravenna, Neb.)
· Avery Lewis (Seward, Neb.)
· Elise O’Neill (North Platte, Neb.)
· Kaylee Powell (Central City, Neb.)
· Maddie Wittstruck (Milford, Neb.)
The competition season will continue next Saturday at the 71st Concordia Invitational Tournament. As part of the grand event that will be hosted by Concordia University Wisconsin in Mequon, the cheer competition will take place at 9 a.m. CT with the dance competition to follow at 9:45 a.m. All routines will unfold inside the R. John Buuck Field House. At the 2023 CIT, the Bulldogs won the title in dance and placed second in cheer.