Season Stats: MEN

2012-13 Men's Golf Schedule/Results

SEPTEMBER
Sept. 6-7	Siouxland Invite	Orange City, Iowa / Sioux Center, Iowa	12th out of 17
Sept. 13	GPAC Qualifier No. 1	Orange City, Iowa	10th out of 11
Sept. 17-18	Doane Invitational - Wilderness Ridge GC	Lincoln, Neb.	7th out of 11
Sept. 24	Hastings Invite	Grand Island, Neb. / Hastings, Neb.	11th out of 15
OCTOBER
Oct. 10	GPAC Qualifier No. 2	Sioux City, Iowa	11th out of 11
MARCH
March 29	Hastings Invite	Hastings, Neb.	5th out of 14
APRIL
April 8	GPAC Qualifier No. 3	Lincoln, Neb.	8th out of 11 GPAC standings
April 12-13	Blue River Invite	Crete/Seward, Neb.	2nd out of 6
April 19	Raider Classic	Columbus, Neb.	Canceled
April 25	GPAC Qualifier No. 4	Sioux Center, Iowa	9th out of 11 GPAC standings

2012-13 Bulldog Men's Golf Roster

*Name*	*Yr.*	*Hometown*	*Previous School*
Brock Colclasure	Fr.	Central City, Neb.	Central City
Sam DeFreece	Jr.	Overland Park, Kan.	Olathe South
Cody Lehmann	Jr.	Norfolk, Neb.	Lutheran High Northeast
Sam Mayhall	So.	Parker, Colo.	Lutheran High-Parker
Nicholas Milberger	Sr.	Highlands Ranch, Colo.	Parker Lutheran
Andy Nevius	So.	Pleasant Dale, Neb.	Milford
Paul Rempfer	Fr.	Blairstown, Iowa	Benton Community
Shawn Rodehorst	So.	Kearney, Neb.	Kearney Catholic
Levi Shinn	Sr.	Hannibal, Mo.
Sam Simonson	Fr.	Saint Libory, Neb.	Heartland Lutheran
Garrett Suchanek	Fr.	Grand Island, Neb.	Heartland Lutheran
Mitchell Volk	Fr.	Lincoln, Neb.	Lincoln Lutheran

2012-2013 Coaching staff

Head Coach: Brett Muller

Golf squads look to climb GPAC ladder in 2012-13

29 AUG 2012

Men at a glance:
2011 GPAC Finish: 8^th
Head Coach: Brett Muller (2^nd year)
Key Returner: Shawn Rodehorst
Key Losses: Matt Dauss, Caleb Davison, Lee Johanson, Patrick Meyer, Logan Waggy
Letterwinners lost/returning: 5/1

Women at a glance:
2011 GPAC Finish: 9^th
Head Coach: Brett Muller (2^nd year)
Key Returners: Mackenzie Deutschman, Chelsea Peck
Key Losses: None
Letterwinners lost/returning: 0/5
2011 GPAC All-Conference: Mackenzie Deutschman, Chelsea Peck

Stark contrasts in roster makeup define the most significant difference between the Bulldog men’s and women’s golf squads coming into the 2012-13 season. The women return all five letterwinners, including their two brightest stars, while the men will reload after the loss of seven seniors.

Head coach Brett Muller’s women’s team is constructed around a pair of seniors in 2011-12 GPAC All-Conference performers Chelsea Peck (Lincoln, Neb.) and Mackenzie Deutschman (North Platte, Neb.). The pair figures to be one of the top duos in the conference this season after Peck claimed ninth and Deutschman 15^th at the 2011-12 GPAC Championships. Peck (90.6 average in 11 rounds) and Deutschman (93.2 average in 11 rounds) finished Nos. 1 and 2 for Concordia at every meet last season.

“We should move up in the conference, hopefully finish in the top four or five in the conference this year,” Muller said. “I think that’s kind of the girls’ goal. Last year we had Mackenzie, Chelsea and Madison (Phillips), and then the others were basically three freshmen that golfed on varsity. So all of those freshmen kind of got thrown into the fire and had to be ready to go right away. They did a good job.”

In order to improve upon their 9^th-place showing at the GPAC championships last season, the Bulldogs will need Peck and Deutschman to be even better. Considering their natural abilities and the time each invests in fine-tuning their games, Muller has every reason to believe that will happen.

“Chelsea is just a pure golfer,” Muller said. “She’s got a great swing. She’s not very big. She doesn’t hit it very far, but she’s a great competitor and she probably has one of the best short games in the conference. That really saves her in the tournaments because she can’t get to the par 5’s in two or even three like everyone else can. But she can still make pars just because of her short game.”

As far as Deutschman, her work ethic may be her most admirable attribute as it relates to her golf game.

“The biggest thing with Mackenzie is she puts in a ton of time,” Muller said. “As soon as she gets out of class she’s out on the course and normally one of the last ones to leave practice. She’s always putting in the extra time.”

Sophomores Melissa McIntosh (103.2 average) and Jenelle Hallaert and Phillips (103.5 average), another senior, also return after each playing in 10 or more meets last season. The veteran squad will get competition for varsity spots from freshmen Gretyl Bremmer (Grand Island, Neb.) and Kristin Remm (Doniphan, Neb.).

A host of freshmen will have the opportunity to join sophomore Shawn Rodehorst (Kearney, Neb.) in the lineup on the men’s side. Of the five Bulldog golfers that saw regular action on the varsity squad last season, four depart, including Caleb Davison (led Concordia with a 78.9 season average).

Captain Logan Waggy (81.3 average) also graduated from a team that finished eighth at the GPAC Championships.

“Last year was somewhat disappointing with those seven seniors,” Muller said. “We kind of had hoped for bigger things. We got off to a pretty good start in the fall and just kind of tapered off in the spring.”

Rodehorst (79.9 average) will look to push Concordia up near the top half of the conference in 2012-13 after leading the Bulldogs with a 20^th place finish at last season’s GPAC Championships. While only a freshman last year, Rodehorst never showed it. The Kearney native is at home on the golf course, a place of work for his father who is an assistant superintendent at a local course.

“He had a great year. He came in right away and earned a varsity spot,” Muller said. “He played three-man most of the year last year, so he was a great addition to the team.

“We knew he had the potential to do it right away. It’s kind of a big jump from high school golf to college golf. Not everybody’s ready for that. He came out and established himself right away that he was ready for that. He’s definitely one of the guys we can count on.”

Senior Nick Milberger and juniors Sam DeFreece and Andy Nevius are the remaining holdovers with varsity experience. The trio combined for seven appearances in varsity action in 2011-12.

The youth movement on the men’s side is headlined by the addition of five freshmen. Newcomers Sam Simonson (Saint Libory, Neb.) and Garrett Suchanek (Grand Island, Neb.) stand out due to their experiences under pressure at the high school level. Muller hopes the pair’s advancement to the Class D Nebraska State Tournament as high school seniors pays immediate dividends.

The men begin their fall season Sept. 6-7 at the Siouxland Invite, which will be played in both Orange City, Iowa, and Sioux Center, Iowa. The women tee off Friday at the Midland Invite in Fremont, Neb.

Bulldogs shoot 323 on day one at Siouxland Invite

06 SEP 2013

ORANGE CITY, Iowa – The Bulldog men's golf squad closed out day one of the two-day Siouxland Invite with a team score of 323, placing them in a tie for 10^th among a field of 17 teams. Of Concordia’s five competitors, sophomore Shawn Rodehorst carded the lowest total on Thursday with a 76, good enough for a tie for 13^th place out of 92 individual participants at Landsmeer Golf Course in Orange City, Iowa.

“We really didn’t know where we’d be today with bringing so many inexperienced golfers,” Bulldog head coach Brett Muller said. “We really weren’t worried about what the other teams were doing. We were more concerned about how we played. A 323 was not too bad for our first time out. Certainly our expectation is to do better tomorrow.”

Junior Sam DeFreece came in next with a 78, followed by sophomore Andy Nevius’ 83. Rounding out the Concordia varsity were freshmen Sam Simonson and Brock Coleclasure, who were playing for the first time as collegiate golfers, with scores of 86 and 90, respectively. Muller was happy with the play of his freshmen, who he said calmed down after showing some nervousness in their first nine holes. Four of Concordia’s five golfers improved on their final nine holes of the day.

The Siouxland Invite field is made up of quintets from 10 Great Plains Athletic Conference schools as well as competitors from AIB (Iowa) of the Midwest Collegiate Conference and NCAA Division III Buena Vista (Iowa).

Northwestern (293) holds an eight-stroke team lead over second place AIB, which shot a 301 to close Thursday’s action. The Red Raiders were pushed to the top of the leaderboard on the strength of Neil Malenke’s one-under-par 70. Malenke owns a three-stroke advantage over a trio of golfers tied for second going into the final 18 holes.

The Siouxland Invite will continue on Friday when the field shifts to Sioux Center, Iowa, for the final round of play, which gets started at 9:30 a.m. at The Ridge Golf Club. The Bulldogs will return to Orange City on Sept. 13 for the season’s first GPAC Qualifier event.

Rodehorst-led Bulldogs finish 12th at Siouxland Invite

07 SEP 2012

SIOUX CENTER, Iowa – Head coach Brett Muller’s men’s golfers concluded their first event of the 2012-13 season on Friday with a 12^th-place finish at the two-day Siouxland Invite. After carding a 323 on Thursday, the Bulldogs posted a 328 on day two at The Ridge Golf Club in Sioux Center, Iowa.

Sophomore Shawn Rodehorst again paced Concordia by shooting a 78 in the event’s final round, following a 76 on Thursday. Rodehorst’s 36-hole total of 154 placed him in a tie for 21^st overall. Junior Sam DeFreece shot a 78-81–159 as the Bulldogs’ next-best performer.

Freshman Brock Colelasure made the biggest improvement of any Concordia participants as he shaved six strokes off his day one total in carding an 84 on Friday. Sophomore Andy Nevius posted an 83-88– 171 while freshman Sam Simonson matched that two-day total with a consistent 86-85–171 performance.

Muller was disappointed with his team’s regression on the second day of the event with the understanding that there will be growing pains for one of the youngest varsity squads in the NAIA. The Bulldog group of five featured one junior, two sophomores and two freshmen at the Siouxland Invite. The quintet combined for 17 varsity rounds in 2011-12, 13 of which came from Rodehorst.

Northwestern captured the team title among the 17-team field by shooting a 293-283–576. The Red Raiders had the top two golfers in the event as Ryan Kiewiet edged out teammate Neil Malenke by one stroke with a 73-70–143 to claim medalist honors. Northwestern’s 576 was 22 strokes better than second-place AIB (Iowa).

Concordia will return to action on Sept. 13 when they take part in the first GPAC Qualifier event of the season. It will be held in Orange City, Iowa.

Bulldogs in 10th after first GPAC Qualifier

14 SEP 2012

ORANGE CITY, Iowa – The first men’s golf GPAC Qualifier teed off Thursday at Landsmeer Golf Club in Orange City, Iowa, where the Bulldogs struggled to a 10th-place finish. Concordia’s top golfer in sophomore Shawn Rodehorst again carded the team’s best individual score, this time with an 11-over-par 82.

The Bulldogs’ team total of 338 was 56 strokes off of round one leader Northwestern, the defending GPAC champion. Following Rodehorst for Concordia was junior Sam Defreece and freshman Mitchell Volk, who both turned in an 85. Freshmen Brock Colclasure and Sam Simonson rounded out the Bulldog five with scores of 86 and 87, respectively.

“Even though we played three freshmen, a sophomore, and a junior, our goal was much lower than the score we shot today,” head coach Brett Muller said. “Mitchell Volk did a great job on the back nine to improve by five shots. The back nine is the harder nine so that was good to see from him. As a team we need more consistency and complete rounds of golf. We cannot continue to play well for 10-12 holes and blow up on the others.”

The Red Raiders’ Jay Monahan shot the top individual round on Thursday, carding a four-under-par 67. All five Northwestern golfers concluded the day among the top 15 individuals at Landsmeer. Second-place Nebraska Wesleyan sits nine strokes behind the Red Raiders.

The young Bulldogs are still striving for greater consistency. Even the skilled Rodehorst had a tough day, surprisingly going eight-over-par on par-3s.

“Shawn has set high individual goals for himself, so he was disappointed after the round,” Muller said. “He knows if he plays well the last three qualifiers his goals are still intact.”

Concordia will look to shake off Thursday’s performance when it hits the course Tuesday and Wednesday at the Doane Invitational at Wilderness Ridge Golf Course in Lincoln, Neb. The women will be in action Sunday and Monday at the Nebraska Wesleyan Invite in Lincoln.

Rodehorst spurs three-spot climb on final day of Doane Invite

18 SEP 2012

LINCOLN, Neb. – Only Morningside’s Brandon Thompson carded a lower score than Concordia sophomore Shawn Rodehorst on the second and final day of the Doane Invite on Tuesday. Rodehorst’s three-over-par 74 on day two helped push the Bulldogs into a tie for seventh place after concluding day one in 10^th at Wilderness Ridge Golf Course in Lincoln, Neb.

Rodehorst, a native of Kearney, Neb., carded a 78-74–152 to tie for third place individually, putting him six strokes off medalist winner Neil Malenke of Northwestern. Behind Rodehorst’s tremendous play, Concordia posted a 344-322–666 for a 22-stroke improvement over its first day total. Four of Concordia’s five competitors turned in lower scores on Tuesday compared to their Monday outings.

Freshman Sam Simonson (82-90–172) and junior Sam DeFreece (85-87–172) followed behind Rodehorst with identical 172 totals. Freshmen Mitchell Volk (91-89–180) and Brock Colclasure (104-79–183) came in next for the Bulldogs. Colclasure shaved 25 strokes off his Monday score, marking the biggest improvement of any of the 76 golfers in the field.

“Shawn played solid both days,” head coach Brett Muller said. “He was seven-over-par after seven holes and finished the 36-hole event at 10 over.

"Brock bounced back from yesterday and improved by 25 strokes today. We saw some glimpses of how good we can be. We need to be more consistent and keep grinding it out each and every round.”

Northwestern, last year’s GPAC champion, won the Doane Invite by posting a 308-303–611 to finish 22 strokes better than second-place Morningside. Malenke’s 71-75–146 held off Thompson’s 76-72–148 for the individual title.

Concordia returns to the course on Sept. 24 when it competes at the Hastings Invite. The fall season ends on Oct. 10 with GPAC Qualifier No. 2 in Sioux City, Iowa.

Bulldogs improve by seven strokes in second round of Hastings Invite

25 SEP 2012

HASTINGS/GRAND ISLAND, Neb. – Concordia sophomore Shawn Rodehorst continued his stellar play on Monday, finishing in a tie for 18^th place among 79 golfers at the grueling 36-hole, one-day Hastings Invite. Rodehorst carded a 10-over-par 77-75–152 in starring for a Bulldog squad that concluded the invite in 11^th place.

Concordia shot a 328-321–649 on the day, improving by seven strokes in round two compared its total from the morning session. The 649 posted over the two rounds was 17 strokes better than the Bulldogs’ 344-322–666 at last week’s Doane Invite.

Following Rodehorst for Concordia were a quartet of freshmen in Garrett Suchanek (83-78–161), Mitchell Volk (84-86–170), Sam Simonson (89-82–171) and Brock Colclasure (84-88 – 172) and sophomore Andy Nevius (97-89–186).

NCAA Division II Nebraska-Kearney won the meet with a nine-over-par 290-295 – 585 behind individual medalist Lance Lawson (72-70–142). Dakota Wesleyan, which finished in third place, was the highest GPAC qualifier with a 307-296–603.

Head coach Brett Muller’s squad will conclude the fall season on Oct. 10 with GPAC Qualifier No. 2.

Bulldogs close fall GPAC Qualifiers tied for 10th

10 OCT 2012

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – While Concordia improved by three strokes on Wednesday in comparison to its first GPAC Qualifier performance, the Bulldogs remained in a disappointing 10^th place at the close of the fall season. Led again by sophomore Shawn Rodehorst, who carded a 78 at GPAC Qualifier No. 2, Concordia shot a 335 to push its two-round total to 673.

Rodehorst’s 78 on Wednesday was just above his 77.14 18-hole average entering play and four strokes better than his round from the first GPAC Qualifier on Sept. 13. He improved from 40^th place in the first GPAC Qualifier to 20^th place on Wednesday. The Kearney, Neb., native’s scores ranged from a low of 74 on day two of the Doane Invite on Sept. 18 to a high of 82 through eight rounds.

Rodehorst sits in a tie for 30^th place individually (82-78–160) with two GPAC qualifiers in the books.

Following Rodehorst were freshmen Garrett Suchanek with an 82, Brock Colclasure’s 86 and Sam Simonson, who posted an 89. Junior Sam DeFreece rounded out the Bulldogs’ group of five with a 90.

First-place Northwestern (282-292–574) increased its lead to 17 strokes with another stellar round in Sioux City on Wednesday. The Red Raiders were four strokes better than Morningside in GPAC Qualifier No. 2 thanks to a score of 292. Northwestern’s Jay Monahan remains in first place individually after following up his first-round 67 with a 75 on Wednesday.

The second GPAC qualifier marked the end of the fall season for Concordia, which will begin action again in the spring when another two GPAC qualifier events will be held.

Rodehorst claims third in opening meet of spring

29 MAR 2013

By Taylor Mueller, Sports Information Assistant

HASTINGS, Neb. – The long-awaited beautiful weather could not have been better for the Concordia men’s golf team as it traveled to Hastings, Neb., to compete in its opening meet of the spring season at the Hastings College Spring Invite. With little time and few opportunities to prepare, the Bulldogs fared well in their season opener.

Shooting a team-high score of 73 was sophomore Shawn Rodehorst who claimed a tie-breaking third place overall finish to lead the Bulldogs.

“He played well from start to finish,” coach Brett Muller said of Rodehurst. “He did a great job keeping it on the fairways.”

Freshman Sam Simonson finished four strokes behind Rodehurst to place second on the team. After a strong opening hole, Simonson continued his solid play the rest of the day.

While Muller was pleased with the performance of his two leading scorers, he noted that there is room to improve.

“We’re really looking for some consistency from our 3-4-5 spots,” Muller said. “There are definitely areas to improve upon, but it was good to get a competition in before the third GPAC qualifier on April 8. A lot of our guys will probably play over Easter break and be ready to go for that.”

Muller noted that the lack of cooperative weather has not done much to help the Bulldogs prepare for the spring season. Concordia typically practices at the Seward Country Club.

“We had probably played only about five rounds of actual practice rounds this spring, so expectations weren’t particularly high. It was good to see Shawn and Sam come out and perform well in the first meet of the spring. We’re about a month behind where we were last spring because of the cold weather.”

Concordia took two squads of five members each to the Hastings Meet. Playing well for the ‘Concordia B’ team was senior Nick Millberger who shot an 86. Millberger’s score was good enough to finish third for the team.

The Bulldogs will next travel to Lincoln, Neb., on April 8 to participate in the third GPAC qualifying meet.

Rodehorst tabbed GPAC Golfer of the Week

03 APR 2013

GPAC Release

Concordia sophomore Shawn Rodehorst has been recognized as the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Men’s Golfer of the Week, the league announced on Wednesday.

Rodehorst carded his lowest round as a Bulldog as he turned in a one-over-par 73 at the Hastings Spring Invite on March 29. That score allowed the Kearney, Neb., native to take third-place hardware at the event.

Rodehorst led Concordia with a 77.25 average in eight rounds of golf during the fall season. His previous low score came on day two of the Doane Fall Invite when he shot a 74 on Sept. 18. He currently sits in 30th in the GPAC after the two fall conference qualifier meets with a combined score of 82-78–160.

Concordia’s top golfer will look to improve his GPAC standing when the Bulldogs take part in the third GPAC qualifier on April 8 in Lincoln, Neb.

Rodehorst, DeFreece vault up GPAC standings

08 APR 2013

GPAC Release

LINCOLN, Neb. – GPAC Qualifier No. 3 saw steady improvement across the board for head coach Brett Muller’s Bulldog men’s golfers. Concordia placed eighth with a team score of 325 on Monday as it knocked 10 strokes off its performance at the second GPAC qualifier meet. Both sophomore Shawn Rodehorst and junior Sam DeFreece skyrocketed up the individual leaderboard with stellar performances at Wilderness Ridge Golf Course in Lincoln, Neb.

As a team, Concordia remains in 10th after three GPAC rounds with a score of 338-335-325–998.

Rodehorst’s 72 put him one above par, allowing him to place third on a cloudy but warm day in Lincoln. That effort was a six-stroke improvement from his previous GPAC qualifier round and helped him leap from 30th place all the way up to 13th place, 21 strokes off the leader from Northwestern. Rodehorst owns a three-round score of 82-78-72–232 (+18).

“I’m really excited about how Shawn’s been playing, shooting a 72 today and vaulting up 17 spots,” Muller said. “He was a little disappointed with his first two rounds in the fall. His goal before the season was to be all-conference and now he has himself in position to get there.”

DeFreece, a native of Overland Park, Kan., made the biggest jump as he carded a 78 on Monday, 12 strokes lower than the 90 he recorded at GPAC Qualifier No. 2 back in the fall. DeFreece catapulted from 44th to 33rd with his three round total of 85-90-78–253.

“Sam came in in the fall and was playing pretty good,” Muller said. “Then he tapered off a bit but we knew what he was capable of. He’s another guy that improved immensely.”

Freshman Sam Simonson, Concordia’s only other golfer to participate in all three GPAC qualifiers to date, carded an 88 on Monday, just one behind teammate Sam Mayhall for third best among Bulldog golfers. Simonson sits in 37th place with a consistent three round 87-89-88–264.

Mayhall, who did not compete in either fall GPAC qualifier, posted an 87 on Thursday. Meanwhile, freshman Mitchell Volk came in next with an 89. He also carded an 85 in the first GPAC qualifier.

Freshmen Garrett Suchanek (82 at GPAC Qualifier No. 2) and Brock Colclasure (86-86–172 at first two GPAC qualifiers) have also participated in GPAC competition during the 2012-13 season. With Mayhall added to the lineup on Monday, the Bulldogs have now used seven different individuals at the three qualifier meets.

“We’ve talked about it as a team that we know we’re going to have Shawn shoot low to mid-70s,” Muller said. “We need another guy to get into the 70s and then keep everyone else below 85. We just need more consistency from our two through five spots.”

Muller says that eight guys are in competition to grab one of five varsity spots for the final GPAC qualifier to be played on April 25 in Sioux Center, Iowa.

Northwestern extended its team lead atop the standings to 26 strokes over second-place Morningside. The Red Raiders’ Neil Malenke (70-73-68–211) has a five stroke advantage atop the individual standings after turning in the best round on Monday.

The Bulldog women will take their turn at GPAC Qualifier No. 3 on Tuesday in Hastings, Neb. Concordia sits in 11th (415-392–807) in the GPAC after the first two qualifier events of the season. Meanwhile, the men continue their spring season with the Blue River Invite on both Friday and Saturday. Friday’s round will be played in Crete, Neb., before shifting to the Seward Country Club on Saturday.

“Our guys get pretty excited for the Blue River Invite with it being the only home event of the year,” Muller said.

Bulldog sophomore two strokes off lead at Blue River Invite

12 APR 2013

CRETE, Neb. – Day one of the Blue River Invite teed off on Friday from College Heights Country Club in Crete, Neb., as sophomore Shawn Rodehorst once again led the way for the Bulldogs. Rodehorst shot a one-under-par 71, two strokes off the leader. As a team, second-place Concordia (324) sits 11 strokes off of first-place Doane (313) going into the final round on Saturday.

“Shawn was outstanding once again,” head coach Brett Muller said. “He shot a two-under 34 on the front nine. He birdied 5, 6, 7 and 8 and then had one bogey in the back nine. It was another very solid performance for him.”

Rodehorst, a native of Kearney, Neb., has knocked one stroke off of his previous score in each of his last two outings. He shot a 73 at the Hastings Invite (March 29), a 72 at GPAC Qualifier No. 3 (Monday) and then a career low 71 on Friday.

Junior Sam DeFreece again came in next after Rodehorst as the Overland Park, Kan., native recorded an 82. He was followed closely by freshman Sam Simonson, who carded an 83. Sophomore Sam Mayhall (88) and freshman Brock Colclasure (90) rounded out Concordia’s “A” team.

“We should have shot a better team score,” Muller said. “Crete is one of the easier courses we play at all season so our expectations were a little bit higher. Again, we’re looking for more consistency from our two through five spots.”

The Bulldogs also brought a “B” team into competition at the Blue River Invite. Freshman Garrett Suchanek turned in the best day of Concordia’s second grouping as he shot a 91. Andy Nevius (93), Cody Lehmann (94), Paul Rempfer (99) and Nick Milberger (103) made up the rest of the “B” squad.

Four different schools were represented at the Blue River Invite on Friday. Concordia, Doane and Hastings each entered two teams into the field, while Union College (Neb.) sent a single team to the event. A total of 36 individual golfers competed on Friday.

Doane’s Ryan Harris shot a three-under-par 69 to top Friday’s leaderboard. He’ll have to play well to hold off Rodehorst on the Bulldogs’ home turf on Saturday.

“I really like Shawn’s chances,” Muller said. “He could easily shoot a number in the 60s if he plays like he did today.”

The Blue River Invite will resume Saturday at Seward Country Club for the final round of the event. The shotgun start begins at 10 a.m. All seven teams will play the nine-hole (par 35) course twice to complete the Blue River Invite.

“Our guys really look forward to it with it being the only home event in Seward,” Muller said. “We normally get a few students to support us, which is nice to see.”

Rodehorst captures first at Blue River Invite

13 APR 2013

SEWARD, Neb. – Sophomore Shawn Rodehorst overcame a two-stroke deficit after Friday’s first round and held off Doane’s Ryan Harris by a single stroke on Saturday to claim medalist honors at the Blue River Invite. In doing so, Rodehorst became the first Bulldog ever to win at the annual Blue River tournament.

“That was very exciting to see,” Concordia head coach Brett Muller said. “He took over the individual lead in the front nine while playing with Ryan Harris. Then he birdied on 2 and 3 on the back nine before hitting a rough stretch on 4, 5 and 6. He ended up shooting a 73.”

Rodehorst’s 73 (par 70) came on the heels of a 71 at College Heights Country Club on Friday. However, the Kearney, Neb., native had to come through with par on 18 as Rodehorst and Harris entered the final hole knotted at two-over-par for the tournament. Rodehorst’s two day 71-73–144 broke a Concordia school record for the lowest two-round score at a single tournament.

As a team, the Bulldog “A” grouping finished second with its 324-317–641, 24 strokes behind Doane (313-304–621). Saturday’s team total of 317 set a new season best total for Muller’s Bulldogs.

“We were a lot more consistent throughout the lineup today,” Muller said. “We were able to get everyone much closer to 80, which was good to see. We want to be able to stay in that 315 to 320 range.”

The home course advantage also played a role in Concordia’s exceptional performances on Saturday.

“Any time a team plays on its home course it’s typically a few shot advantage in the team score,” Muller said. “Just knowing the course that much better is a big advantage.”

Freshman Sam Simonson also medaled for Concordia with his two day 83-79–162, allowing him to take ninth place. Sam DeFreeece (82-84–166), Brock Colclasure (90-81–171) and Sam Mayhall (88-84–172) rounded out the “A” team for the Bulldogs.

Concordia’s “B” team was led by Andy Nevius’ 93-82–175. As a team, the Bulldogs’ second grouping shot a 377-347–724, as they chopped an impressive 30 strokes off their total from Friday.

Rodehorst has taken his game to another level after averaging a 77.25 through eight rounds of golf in the fall. His average over the first four rounds this spring is 72.25, a full five-stroke improvement per 18 holes.

Rodehorst and the Bulldogs will be back on the course April 18-19 for the Raider Classic in Columbus, Neb. The final event of the season takes place April 25 with GPAC Qualifier No. 4.

UPDATE: Raider Classic canceled

18 APR 2013

Updated: Thursday at 2:30 p.m.

Due to inclement weather, The Raider Classic men's golf tournament has been canceled. The event, originally scheduled to take place Thursday and Friday in Columbus, Neb., will not be made up.

That means the final outing of the season for head coach Brett Muller's men's golfers will be GPAC Qualifier No. 4 in Sioux Center, Iowa, on April 25.

Rodehorst breaks school record as men's golf concludes season

25 APR 2013

SIOUX CENTER, Iowa – Sophomore Shawn Rodehorst capped an incredible run this spring by breaking the Concordia school record for lowest average round in a season. On Thursday he shot a career best one-under-par 70 to climb to eighth in the GPAC individual race – good enough to earn all-conference honors. That round also allowed Rodehorst to tie for first on the day and fuel Concordia’s team total of 319.

“He played the cleanest round I’ve seen him play,” Bulldog head coach Brett Muller said.

“Shawn came in as a freshman and I knew he would be very good. He showed glimpses as a freshman of what he could be and then showed more of that in the fall. This spring he put it all together. He just doesn’t get in trouble. He is very consistent and has an exceptional mental game.”

Rodehorst collected 15 pars, two birdies and just one bogey in a round that tied Doane’s Cale Benson for the lowest score on the day. That performance came on the heels of a Blue River Invite championship less than two weeks ago for Rodehorst, a Kearney, Neb., native, who is already rewriting Bulldog record books with a full two years of eligibility remaining.

Rodehorst finished the season with an average of 75.2 in 13 rounds. He improved his average from 77.25 in the fall to a scorching 71.8 in the spring.

The Bulldogs got a solid all-around team performance with a combined score of 319 – the team’s lowest round among the four GPAC qualifiers in 2012-13. Muller’s Bulldog men finished with a four round 338-335-325-319–1,317 to place 10th in the conference.

Freshman Garrett Suchanek followed Rodehorst on Thursday with an 82. Concordia’s group of five was rounded out by two more freshmen in Brock Colclasure (83) and Sam Simonson (84) and a junior in Sam DeFreece (85) on the par-71 course.

DeFreece’s four-round total of 85-90-78-85–338 allowed him to finish 32nd overall among individual GPAC golfers, while Simonson (87-89-88-84–348) came in 34th.

The final performance of the season for Concordia left Muller satisfied with the consistent improvement for his young squad that will return its entire varsity lineup next season.

“Those five guys played most of the events all year,” Muller said. “We were really looking at improving at GPAC Qualifier No. 4 to give us something to build upon for next year. We should be able to get off to a better start next fall. We dug ourselves into too big of a hole in the first two qualifiers this season.”

That concludes the 2012-13 season for Muller’s men’s golfers. The Bulldog women will finish their season with 36 holes of action in Dakota Dunes, S.D., on Friday. They currently sit in 11th place. Concordia will tee off at 8:30 a.m. A short break will take place after the first 18 holes.

Bulldog women conclude season with two GPAC qualifier rounds

26 APR 2013

DAKOTA DUNES, S.D. – A postponement of the third GPAC qualifier event forced Concordia women’s golfers and the rest of the conference to play 36 holes on Friday to complete the 2012-13 season. The Bulldogs finished off a trying campaign with a two-round team total of 398-401–799 on Friday, placing them near the bottom of the GPAC standings.

Senior leader Chelsea Peck carded the team’s lowest score on the day with a 92-104–196, but that left her well short of all-conference honors. Peck felt the pressure to play well and move up from her 27th-place positioning entering the day. After garnering all-GPAC last season, the Lincoln native had hoped to vault into the top 10 with a solid outing to close the season.

“Chelsea got off to a great start shooting a 43 on her first nine holes,” Coach Brett Muller said. “Then she had some bad breaks and lost a little bit of confidence. She put a lot of pressure on herself to get back into that all-conference range. It just didn’t go her way.”

Sophomore Melissa McIntosh was right behind Peck after shooting 98-100–198. Sophomore Janelle Hallaert took third for the Bulldogs, shooting 101-98–199. Senior Madison Phillips (107-100–207) and sophomore Allison Schieffer (110-103–213) rounded out the Concordia lineup at the final GPAC qualifiers.

“The four (other than Chelsea) shot about what I expected they would. Chelsea had a rough day and caught some bad breaks. We needed her to play well to have a good day as far as the team score.”

The grueling two-round slate on Friday proved difficult for many fellow GPAC golfers as scores hovered a bit lower than would otherwise be expected. The circumstances tested each golfer beyond sheer talent and mental focus.

“Playing 36 holes today not only took a toll on us but on everybody,” Muller said. “The scores were higher than you would normally see even though the conditions were the best we’ve had all spring.”

Dakota Wesleyan wound up winning the GPAC team title as the Tigers posted the lowest scores in both Friday rounds to strengthen their grip on first place.

Three of the five Bulldogs who golfed on Friday will be back in the fold in 2013-14. Concordia will say goodbye to seniors Chelsea Peck and Madison Phillips.

Rodehorst named GPAC Co-Golfer of the Week

01 MAY 2013

GPAC Release

Concordia sophomore Shawn Rodehorst has received weekly honors from the GPAC for the second time in less than a month. After tying for the lowest round with a one-under-par 70 at last week’s GPAC Qualifier No. 4, the league announced Rodehorst as GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Co-Golfer of the Week along with Doane’s Cale Benson. Rodehorst garnered the same honor on April 3.

With his performance last week, Rodehorst broke the school record for the lowest season average at 75.2 in 13 rounds during the 2012-13 campaign. After shooting an average of 77.25 in the fall, the Kearney, Neb., native improved to 71.8 in five rounds this spring. His impressive spring vaulted him to eighth in the GPAC standings overall, allowing him to earn all-conference recognition.

“He played the cleanest round I’ve seen him play,” Bulldog head coach Brett Muller said after GPAC Qualifier No. 4.

Rodehorst also became the first Bulldog ever to win the Blue River Invite (April 12-13) hosted in both Crete and Seward. His two-round total of 71-73 – 144 in the Blue River Invite set a school record for the lowest two-round score in a single event in program history.

Rodehorst officially named all-GPAC

07 MAY 2013

GPAC Release

Concordia sophomore Shawn Rodehorst soared to all-conference honors by climbing into the top 10 on the GPAC individual leaderboard following the conclusion of the four conference qualifier events. On Tuesday the Kearney, Neb., native was officially named all-GPAC by the league.

Rodehorst began the spring season in a tie for 30th in the GPAC standings after shooting 82-78–160 at the two fall qualifiers. He then shot a one-over-par 72 in the spring’s first qualifier to vault up to 13th, putting him within striking distance of all-conference. Rodehorst completed his incredible spring by shooting a one-under-par 70 to finish eighth in the GPAC with his four-round 82-78-72-70–302.

On the strength of his performances this spring, Rodehorst broke the school record for the lowest season average at 75.2 in 13 rounds during the 2012-13 campaign. After shooting an average of 77.25 in the fall, the Kearney, Neb., native improved to 71.8 in five rounds this spring.

Rodehorst rises to heights never seen at Concordia

15 JUL 2013

NOTE: The following story first appeared in the summer 2013 edition of Concordia's printed Broadcasterpublication.

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By Jake Knabel, Sports Information Director

Between the fall and spring seasons, something clicked for Concordia sophomore golfer Shawn Rodehorst, who transformed from good into one of the GPAC’s elite. Merely halfway through his collegiate career, the Kearney, Neb., native is already rewriting school record books.

The calm and collected Rodehorst turned in a one-under-par 70 at the final GPAC qualifier meet on April 25 to complete a spring run that included likely the best five-round performance in Bulldog history.

“This spring he put it all together,” said Concordia head golf coach Brett Muller.

In 2012-13, Rodehorst broke school records for lowest season average (75.2 in 13 rounds), highest GPAC qualifier finish (eighth) and lowest 36-hole score at a single meet (71-73–144 at the Blue River Invite) while becoming the first Concordia golfer ever to win the Blue River Invite.

“To be able to do that over the course of a season feels pretty good,” Rodehorst said. “I had one round that I feel like I kind of let get away in the fall. Besides that I feel like I really grinded it out throughout all the rounds and got the best score I could out of it.”

Rodehorst’s spring excellence (71.8 average in five rounds) is a product of more than just a few months of hard work. He grew up fully immersed in the sport of golf. His father Rex has served as a superintendent at Meadowlark Hills Golf Course in Kearney since about the time Shawn was born.

“Pretty much as soon as I could stand I was starting to hit balls and stuff,” Shawn said. “In my backyard we put a hole back there in the grass. We put a flag there and I’d hit whiffle balls and things like that in the backyard. So pretty much as long as I can remember I’ve been playing.”

Rex’s busy schedule at the course meant Shawn often tagged along at Meadowlark. Shawn began swinging with a plastic club as a toddler, often working on his chipping and putting as he got started. He even had his own swing coach – Meadowlark golf pro Scott Bruha – at the age of five. As Rex put it, “Ever since he was born he’s had a golf club in his hand.”

At a gathering at a family friend’s pool when Shawn was two years of age, the toddler showed no interest in swimming. He just wanted to swing his plastic club. He was hooked on the game his proud papa had introduced to him.

Through the game of golf, Shawn and his father grew closer. They continue to play rounds together whenever Shawn makes it back to Kearney and every year they compete together in a Father’s Day scramble.

“It got a lot stronger through the sport,” Rex said of their relationship. “It gives us five hours of one-on-one time on the course to talk about different things going on in life. Shawn is typically a quiet kid so I really cherish that one-on-one. It has really helped build our relationship.”

At the same time, Rex understands his role as father and not as coach. He often attends Shawn’s meets and simply remains in the background most of the time. He once attempted to calm his son down when he got flustered on the course in high school, but Shawn’s mental approach has matured considerably.

“He’s not really a coach,” Shawn said. “He’s never been like that. When I was really young he taught me a few things to kind of get me going. He’s never pushed me to go play. It’s always been like, ‘hey dad, let’s go play.’ We just go play and have fun. He’s not trying to fix anything.”

There hasn’t been much lately that’s needed fixing as it pertains to Shawn’s well-rounded game. Only GPAC medalist Neil Malenke of Northwestern posted a lower two-round total among the field of competitors at GPAC Qualifiers Nos. 3 and 4. The Kearney native seemed to boost his mental focus so high that he almost never found himself in murky situations on the course.

“Shawn did a great job of staying out of trouble off the tee,” Muller said. “His accuracy with his driver has improved, allowing him to be more aggressive with his approach shots. He has come to understand that you do not have to hit a perfect shot every time. How you respond is what makes the difference.”

While Shawn earns high praise for his work on the course, his coach and his father gush about his personality and character. He was voted the team captain as just a sophomore and is noted for his exemplary sportsmanship and for shying away from the headlines.

“He always wants to do well individually but he’s not boastful,” Rex said. “He is embarrassed by the spotlight. He wants it to be about the team, not him as an individual.”

The business administration major and former Kearney Catholic prep standout also achieves high marks in the classroom. Muller feels blessed to have the opportunity to coach Shawn and not just because of his continually plummeting golf scores.

“Shawn is an outstanding young man and the type of student-athlete every coach wants on his team,” Muller said. “He was selected as team captain at the beginning of the fall season and he embraced this role. Shawn defines a leader by example both on and off the course.”

Shawn possesses the modesty and sense of humor to smile now about his score of 82 at the first GPAC qualifier held this past Sept. 13. He then posted a 78 in the second qualifier, putting him in 30th place as his goal of reaching the top 10 looked like a longshot.

How did he improve so much, so quickly?

“Well I can tell you how the 30th happened,” Shawn said. “I started off with an 82 the first one, which I think was like 40th. Then the next one was a 78, so it was a little bit better. I knew coming into the spring that I had to play well to reach my goal. I had my goals and I really tried hard to reach them.”

What will Shawn do for an encore with two full seasons when he’s already established himself as an all-time great at Concordia? Well, he’d like to someday be the GPAC medalist and golf at the national championships, but everything will be just fine even if he falls short of that aim. He’s found the right place for him.

“When I visited Concordia there was something telling me that this is where I was supposed to be,” Shawn said. “It’s just some kind of feeling that I can’t really describe. When I visited here I just knew I was supposed to be here.”

That comfort and assuredness as a sophomore helped Rodehorst etch his name into Bulldog record books. Considering how far he came in just one season, the prospect of what he can do over the next two years is in a word: tantalizing.