After an unbeaten 2023 regular season, Concordia Men’s Soccer has been slotted to finish second in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) on Friday (Aug. 9). Mounted with high expectations by the coaches’ poll, the Bulldogs collected 91 points and four first place votes. Last year’s regular season champion Briar Cliff was picked to finish in the conference's top spot with 96 points and seven first place votes in the preseason poll.
Veteran Head Coach Jason Weides will enter his 17th season with a 163-105-37 career record. The Kearney, Neb., native led his squad to the program’s first NAIA national ranking in 2023. Weides will look to build on his program’s success with a mass of returning talent. Concordia returns All-GPAC selections Ferdi Hagen, Carter Hinman, Nolan Fuelberth, Jarrod Henson, Braden Spath and Gabriel Mendoza.
A little over two weeks before stepping onto the competition field, CUNE will kick off against Avila University (Mo.) on Aug. 24 for the season opener. The following week will feature two road contests: Graceland University (Iowa) and Columbia College (Mo.). The complete schedule can be found HERE .
1. Briar Cliff – 96 (7)
2. Concordia – 91 (4)
3. Morningside – 76
4. Northwestern – 73
5. Hastings – 65
6. Dordt – 52
7. Midland – 49
8. Dakota Wesleyan – 37
9. Doane – 30
10. Mount Marty – 23
11. Waldorf – 13
The 2023 Bulldogs spent the vast majority of the season situated inside the top 25 ratings. Concordia debuted at No. 25 on Sept. 20, 2023, marking the first top 25 ranking in program history. The ’23 squad peaked at No. 18 in early November while earning top 25 positions in each of the season’s final eight NAIA coaches’ polls. Prior to 2023, Weides-coached teams had appeared among “others receiving votes” nationally in 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2022.
The Bulldogs will officially open the 2024 season by hosting Avila University (Mo.) on Aug. 24. The complete schedule can be found HERE .
There is business to tend to this fall for a Concordia University Men’s Soccer program that has never been better positioned from a competitive standpoint. Fifteen players return who started at least one game for a 2023 squad that achieved the first undefeated regular season in school history and finished with a 13-1-4 overall mark. Naturally, the Bulldogs enter 2024 as one of the favorites in the race for the GPAC regular season championship.
This will be year No. 17 for Jason Weides as head coach at his alma mater. By a number of measures, Weides led the 2023 team to the most successful season the program’s ever enjoyed, but the early postseason exit hasn’t sat well with the returning veterans.
“I think it’s something that motivated us this offseason,” Weides said. “You have that bitter taste. Although it was one of the best seasons in men’s soccer history, we didn’t accomplish what we set out to do. We all have to look ourselves in the mirror, myself included about how we can get better and where we can get better. Our players have certainly done that too. It’s something we will reflect on and have reflected on. This team is a new team. We’re focused on what we’re doing now. I think this team certainly has a chip on its shoulder because of that.”
The ’23 Bulldogs were left out of the national tournament field after they were defeated in the GPAC tournament quarterfinals. That loss should not overshadow a campaign that saw Concordia stifle its opponents and rank 10th nationally for fewest goals allowed per game (0.72). From that record-setting squad, Concordia brings back six All-GPAC award winners, including first teamers in midfielder Ferdi Hagen and striker Carter Hinman. The Bulldogs did say goodbye to five-year mainstays Matt Schultz and Isaiah Shaddick, but most of the pieces are in place from a team that outscored its foes by a combined total of 43-13.
Weides says the program used this past spring practice season to double down on its defensive emphasis. The aim there is that the Bulldogs can make that area of their game truly elite on a national scale. Concordia also has the unique luxury of returning two All-GPAC goalkeepers, Nolan Fuelberth and Gabriel Mendoza. There is depth at goalkeeper and virtually every spot in the field. That will make for some tough decisions for Weides and his staff.
“It’s really good competition,” Weides said of preseason training this August. “We’ve had some tough decisions to make the past couple of years and this is going to be no different. We’re as deep, if not deeper than last year. It’s a great thing for us to have that problem. It’s going to make it hard because we’ll have some good players who are going to have a difficult time finding as many minutes as they want. Ultimately, everybody is going to play a role, big or small, and that will help us achieve what we’re trying to do and create the culture we want. I’m pleased top to bottom.”
The depth got a boost when every single fourth-year senior from 2023-24 made the decision to take advantage of the COVID exemption and return to the team for 2024. That group includes Iker Casanova, Michael Lindberg, Braden Spath and Ryan Wokutch. There were plenty of reasons for the two-time All-GPAC defender Casanova, who missed seven games last season due to injury. The native of Mexico City has appeared in 66 games in his career as a Bulldog.
Said Casanova, “To be honest, the main reason (I’m back) but not the only reason, is this sense of revenge after last season. We have improved a lot as a team, and last season we had a great regular season, but then we fell short in the tournament. I didn't want to stop there. We as a team wanted to have another go at it and see what happens.”
Casanova figures to help anchor the back line alongside the likes of Adrian Wambua. The depth of the returning nucleus continues into the midfield with impact performers such as Jarrod Henson and Okan Erkocu. The holdovers who started at least 10 games in 2023 include Wambua (16), Hinman (15), Spath (15), Erkocu (14), Henson (13), Hagen (12), Lindberg (12), Casanova (11) and Fuelberth (10). Martin Herrera (eight), Mendoza (eight) and Wokutch (seven) were close behind.
The Gretna, Neb., native Hinman is looking to build upon a breakout 2023 season in which he tallied 10 goals. Wokutch and D’Andre Williams added four goals apiece for a team that displayed plenty of balance.
“We’re excited to see what Carter can do,” Weides said. “We’ve also added guys like (Aidan) Nachi, who transferred in this past year at semester. He’s doing really well. We have tons of other attacking players, whether it’s attacking mids like Martin Herrera or wingers who are returners or newcomers. I wouldn’t be surprised if we have a number of guys with five-plus goals or a few guys that hit 10-plus. We have a lot of guys who can put the ball in the back of the net. The other thing we’re hoping to do better is to score more on set plays.”
While it’s true there are a wealth of experienced Bulldogs on the roster, Weides expects transfers and freshmen to make an impact on this team. He rattled off the names of roughly a half-dozen new players other than Nachi would are pushing for playing time. The depth should allow Concordia to persevere should the injury bug hit the way it did in the middle of last season. With a healthy roster, Weides could conceivably go more than 20 deep on his roster and feel comfortable with the level of play on the field.
Clearly this is a team capable of reigning supreme in the GPAC, but Weides wants this group to be more focused on the day-to-day and to enjoy the ride. There’s a feeling inside the program that perhaps the Bulldogs put too much pressure on themselves in 2023 to win championships. It’s easy to be let down if that’s the only motivation for putting in the long hours of training and weightroom work.
Explained Weides, “Maybe last year we became over-obsessed with our goal and lost a little bit of sight of all the things on the way to that goal. One, it’s enjoying the journey and two, it’s focusing on the things that help get you to that goal, instead of the hyper focus on that goal. I think that’s what we’re doing. We’re showing up with a professional mindset and intensity within training. We’re showing up and being coachable. We’re trying to foster a positive, winning team culture. We want our guys to enjoy coming to training and being around each other and hanging out off the field. The focus is on the day-to-day and not getting caught up in what our ranking is.”
More than any other team on campus, the men’s soccer program melds unique individuals from around the world. The camaraderie and team chemistry that builds during August will be a key factor in determining the team’s ultimate success.
Said Casanova, “I think we have an incredible group. You always come into a new season with high expectations and excitement, but in all of my five years, I am most excited to see this group on the field. I feel like we are all just happy and excited. For a lot of us it's our last year here, so it's just like this sense of let's do something great. We've done very well the last two years, but I think this year is going to be even more. We are just eager to take the step forward and make it a very good season.”
The 2024 season will kick off on Aug. 24 when Concordia is slated to host Avila University (Mo.) at 11 a.m. CT from Bulldog Stadium. The complete schedule can be found HERE .
The Concordia Men’s Soccer squad will enter its first competition of 2024. Taking the field in Seward, Neb., the Bulldogs will square off against Avila University in a Saturday morning contest. High expectations were inevitable across the GPAC and NAIA, as the team was picked to finish second in the conference and received the highest number of votes of any GPAC team in the national poll.
· Head Coach Jason Weides enters his 17th year after an impressive unbeaten showing in the 2023 regular season. His teams own the top four out of five winningest seasons with 2017 coming out on top with a 16-3-1 and 7-2 GPAC record losing in the finals of the GPAC tournament. He has won the GPAC tournament twice in 2015 and 2022 and is still looking for a regular season championship. His 2015 GPAC season was not a shiny record ending the season at 4-4-2 but the Bulldogs played together when it mattered the most. The team bested a then No. 19 Hastings (1-0) to take out the top seed for their first tournament championship. His players fill the top 10 individual awards with athletes like Nathan Douglas, Aaron Skipworth and Mark Horsburgh.
· The 2023 season was a record breaking one as the Bulldogs ended their campaign with the sour taste of their first defeat in 18 games. The team ended with a 13-1-4 overall record and a 7-0-4 going unbeaten in the regular season for the first time as a program. They allowed the fewest goals (13) by any Concordia Men’s Soccer team and strangled eight shutouts out of their competition. Concordia on Sept. 25 landed at No. 25 in the NAIA Coaches’ poll, entering the rankings for the first time in the program. The Bulldogs were a mainstay in the national poll and spent the season’s final eight weeks inside the top 25, peaking at No. 18. All season long, the Bulldogs were rated as the GPAC’s top team.
· Concordia loses two of their All-GPAC recipients in Matt Schultz and Isaiah Shaddick but has a veteran squad with 10 returning for their final tour this fall. Concordia welcomes back six 2023 All-GPAC award winners: Ferdi Hagen (First Team); Carter Hinman (First Team); Nolan Fuelberth (Second Team); Jarrod Henson (Second Team); Braden Spath (Second Team); Gabriel Mendoza (Honorable Mention). In addition, two-time second team all-league choice Iker Casanova returns to the back line entering his fifth year as a starter. Hinman (10 goals in 2023) represents the leading returning goal scorer while Ryan Wokutch will look to add to his 18 career goals this season. The team returns a long list of experienced players from last season that also includes the likes of Okan Erkocu, Youssef Heggy, Martin Herrera, Slade Leicht, Michael Lindberg, Kai Olbrich, Adrian Wambua and D’Andre Williams.
The Eagles went 3-14-1 in the 2023 season taking wins over Park University (Mo.), Evangel (Mo.) and Bethel (Kan.). Avila returned three of its top-four goal scorers (Sam Kanda, Vincent Escott, Ismaiel Cisse) and assists leader (Thaddeus Chapman) from a season ago. These two teams will meet for the first time since 2007 when the Bulldogs won (4-3) via Arturo Vega after a boot between the posts in the 86th minute.
The Bulldogs will hit the road for their next two nonconference matches on Aug. 28 and 31. The matches are listed below and will take place in Iowa and Missouri.
6 p.m. – at Graceland
7:30 p.m. – at Columbia
Bulldog Stadium saw four different Concordia Men’s Soccer players hit the back of the net in a 5-0 route over the visiting Avila University (Mo.) on Saturday morning (Aug. 24). Martin Herrera highlighted the scoresheet as he was the only Bulldog to collect multiple goals after his return from injury last season. The back line and goalkeeper Nolan Fuelberth continued their dominance from the previous season pitching a shutout, while only allowing four shots.
“We competed hard over the last three weeks. We have grown and learned some lessons. Ultimately, it was just really nice to play someone else and guys were ready”, said Head Coach Jason Weides about the season opener. “We possessed it well, but the biggest factor was we pressed really well and won the ball back quickly. We also counter pressed well and just played really simple at times.”
Herrera returned to the field with swagger as he was involved in both first half goals via an assist to Senior Ryan Wokutch and a penalty kick goal after a foul inside the box. The Quito, Ecuador, native stutter stepped before he buried the penalty in the bottom left corner. After Herrera was unable to score last season, the senior smiled when asked which type of goal was more nerve-racking.
“The penalty. You are just one v. one versus the keeper. You feel all the pressure.” Martin continued about finally getting to play the first match, “We wanted to play someone else just to feel the pressure. We are a good team and we are good with each other. We just wanted some new challenges.”
Wokutch, out of Paola, Kan., broke the ice in the 14th minute with the first goal. Coming out of halftime with a 2-0 lead, newcomer Oliver Benson scored via an assist from Ferdi Hagen less than two minutes after the break. Herrera added his second (Carter Hinman assist) and Kai Olbrich would be the final Bulldog to light up the scoreboard.
Concordia didn’t let up on either side of the pitch outshooting their opponents 14-2 (21-4 total) in the second half. Anchors like Mattis Hollnagel, Michael Lindberg, Braden Spath, and Michael Wyvill roamed the defensive half to take out any opportunities of the Eagles. Other names like Jarrod Henson, Slade Leicht, Sean Stratman, D’Andre Willams, and more show how deep this roster truly is.
Avila goalkeeper Naguib Nassir was able to collect four saves before being subbed due to injury in the 85th minute. The Eagles were unable to get many offensive chances with the home team retaining possession for a majority of the match.
The Bulldogs hit the road on Aug. 28 to face Graceland University (Iowa) and Columbia College (Mo.) on Aug. 31 in upcoming away matches. Kick off is set to start at 6 p.m. CT in the next game. Concordia bested Graceland (2-1) in its home opener from the 2023 season.
A Lincoln, Neb., native and Lincoln Southwest High School alum, Fuelberth transferred from Northern Illinois University and arrived at Concordia in the fall of 2022. In last week’s 5-0 victory over Avila University (Mo.), Fuelberth made a pair of saves to preserve the shutout, the fifth of his Concordia career. Fuelberth was named a Second Team All-GPAC award winner in 2023 while also achieving NAIA Scholar-Athlete status. Last season, Fuelberth made 10 starts in goal and posted a goals against average of 0.80 to go along with 22 saves.
Head Coach Jason Weides’ squad will return to action on Wednesday with a road trip to Graceland University (Iowa). The Bulldogs received votes in the 2024 NAIA Preseason Coaches’ Poll after finishing 2023 at 13-1-4 overall.
The Bulldogs will have their hands full with two tough tests visiting Iowa and Missouri for their next two non-conference opponents. Concordia is set to face Graceland (Mo.) on Wednesday (Aug. 28) and No. 14 Columbia (Mo.) on Saturday. In their season opener against Avila University (Mo.), the Bulldogs pitched a 5-0 shutout over the Eagles.
· It took less than 14 minutes for Concordia to get on the scoreboard for the first time this season. Martin Herrera booted a cross from right to left and a sliding Ryan Wokutch delivered the home opening score. Herrera would add on via penalty kick before the half. The Bulldogs feasted with three more scores on 14 second half shots to blow the game wide open in the second frame. Freshman Oliver Benson, Herrera and Kai Olbrich all dog piled on the Eagles via Ferdi Hagen and Carter Hinman assists. The back line collected a shutout and only allowed four shot attempts compared to Concordia’s 21.
· Martin Herrera and Nolan Fuelberth had standout showings in game one. Herrera, a Quito, Ecuador, native returned to the field in style with two goals and an assist in his first game back from a 2023 season ending injury. The ISM Academy product double pump fists after scoring his first goal against the Eagles. Fuelberth was named GPAC Defensive Player of the Week and collected a shutout and two big saves in his consistent performance.
· The 2023 season was a record breaking one as the Bulldogs ended their campaign with the sour taste of their first defeat in 18 games. The team ended with a 13-1-4 overall record and a 7-0-4 going unbeaten in the regular season for the first time as a program. They allowed the fewest goals (13) by any Concordia Men’s Soccer team and strangled eight shutouts out of their competition. Concordia on Sept. 25 landed at No. 25 in the NAIA Coaches’ poll, entering the rankings for the first time in the program. The Bulldogs were a mainstay in the national poll and spent the season’s final eight weeks inside the top 25, peaking at No. 18. All season long, the Bulldogs were rated as the GPAC’s top team.
· Concordia lost two of their All-GPAC recipients in Matt Schultz and Isaiah Shaddick but has a veteran squad with 10 returning for their final tour this fall. Concordia welcomes back six 2023 All-GPAC award winners: Ferdi Hagen (First Team); Carter Hinman (First Team); Nolan Fuelberth (Second Team); Jarrod Henson (Second Team); Braden Spath (Second Team); Gabriel Mendoza (Honorable Mention). In addition, two-time second team all-league choice Iker Casanova returns to the back line entering his fifth year as a starter. Hinman (10 goals in 2023) represents the leading returning goal scorer while Ryan Wokutch will look to add to his 18 career goals this season. The team returns a long list of experienced players from last season that also includes the likes of Okan Erkocu, Youssef Heggy, Martin Herrera, Slade Leicht, Michael Lindberg, Kai Olbrich, Adrian Wambua and D’Andre Williams.
The Yellow Jackets have collected a 2-0-1 early season record facing common GPAC foes in their first three matches. Graceland defeated Mount Marty (4-1) and Hastings (2-1) but finished the 90 minutes deadlocked with Northwestern (2-2). The team has produced eight goals on five assists averaging 14.3 shots per game. Lucas Porter has half the scores (four) on his own with four other players having one goal apiece. Graceland has a .535 shot-on-goal percentage and a .186 shot percentage. Mario Salinas has two assists and the Yellow Jackets have primarily used goalkeeper Dither Beltran through three games.
The Cougars have a win and a loss early in the season having played two quality opponents in their first bouts. Columbia bested Briar Cliff (2-1) but fell to No. 12 Missouri Valley College (3-1). The team will have Wednesday off before facing Concordia on Saturday. They have scored three goals in two games and allowed four. The Cougars average 14.5 shots per game with a .379 shots-on-goal percentage. Miguel Gonzalez, Joshua Peterson and Carter Redford all have a goal apiece. Goalkeeper Alejandro Molto Munoz has played all 180 minutes in both games and has eight saves.
The Bulldogs will come back home for a match against Bellevue University and take another non-conference away match against Grand View University (Iowa). The matches are listed below.
Wednesday, Sept. 4
8 p.m. – vs. Bellevue
Saturday, Sept. 7
5 p.m. – vs. Grand View
In venturing on the road for the first time in 2024, the Concordia University Men’s Soccer team settled for a scoreless draw. Action on Wednesday (Aug. 28) evening took place in Lamoni, Iowa, home to a Graceland University team in the midst of six-straight games against GPAC foes to open its season. The host Yellowjackets managed to limit the Bulldogs’ attacking chances while enjoying an early advantage in possession.
Head Coach Jason Weides’ squad stands at 1-0-1 with a win over Avila University (Mo.) coming this past weekend. Weides saw his team settle in after starting slow on Wednesday.
“We competed well in a challenging game,” Weides said. “Graceland tested us at times, but I think our guys played well as a team. We had a good energy and team mentality. The bench was energetic. I really can’t fault the guys. Soccer is a funny game like that. Sometimes you just don’t get that goal. At the end of the day, we didn’t give them too many chances. We defended well and had some good possession throughout the game. We weathered the storm in the first 15 minutes, settled in and got better.”
The program’s regular season unbeaten streak has reached 28 games (21-0-7 in that stretch dating back to 2022), but Concordia hoped for more than a tie in Lamoni. The Bulldogs defeated the Yellowjackets by a 2-1 score last season in Seward. This time around, Graceland fended off some late corner kick opportunities for the Bulldogs and preserved the shutout.
The lion’s share of scoring chances for the Yellowjackets occurred in the first half. Graceland missed an opportunity when Concordia was called for a foul inches outside of the box and averted trouble when a dangerous cross was played near the goal in the 27th minute. Officially, Bulldog keeper Gabriel Mendoza was credited with four saves. Concordia has yet to surrender a goal in 180 minutes of action on the season.
Afterwards, Weides lauded a backline that was led by the likes of sophomore Michael Wyvill and freshman Sean Stratman. They helped stifle a Graceland (2-0-2) side that put away four goals versus Mount Marty and two apiece on Northwestern and Hastings. On the attacking end, one of the Bulldogs’ best chances came when Carter Hinman nearly got loose while delivering a shot right of the goal in the 78th minute.
This was Graceland’s home opener after playing three contests away from home. The Yellowjackets appear primed to surpass their win total from 2023.
Said Weides, “Credit to Graceland. They competed hard. They made the 50-50 balls very challenging. Ultimately, that’s what we want. We want to be tested in this nonconference slate. We have to find a way to persevere and find results. Graceland is improved from what we saw last year, for sure. We’ll move forward and identify ways we can be better. It’s just little details.”
Another considerable road test is coming up on Saturday when the Bulldogs will be in Columbia, Mo., to take on 17th-ranked Columbia College (1-1). Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CT from R. Marvin Owens Field. In the nonconference season, the Cougars earned a 2-1 road win over GPAC preseason favorite Briar Cliff. Columbia reached the NAIA national round of 16 in 2023.
Goals were at a premium between No. 17 Columbia University (Mo.) and Concordia Men’s Soccer on Saturday night (Aug. 31). The two teams found themselves in a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes at R. Marvin Owens Field. After three games, the Bulldogs are 1-0-2 and the program’s regular season unbeaten streak has reached 29 games (21-0-8 in that stretch dating back to 2022).
Head Coach Jason Weides commented on the back and forth contest and how every position group played together.
“We came out of the gates hot and started well. It became two really good teams battling. Both teams had their chances, but Columbia tested us, and we came to play. It was disappointing to get a draw in that game because we see those games as games that we can and need to win. It was really a team performance. Our back line and midfield played well and our front three pressed through times of the match.”
The ultra-deep Concordia squad played 18 different players and came out with a majority of possession in the first half. D’Andre Williams came into the game and helped spark a goal with a connection between Aidan Nachi. The Iowa Western Community College transfer, Nachi, was able to slide towards the ball and punch in the first score of the match. With that touch, the Lincoln, Neb., native was able to score his first goal as a Bulldog.
About six minutes later (39th minute), the Cougars’ own Sidiki Kromah answered with a score to knot the contest minutes before the end of frame one. No team would break through in the second half as both defenses didn’t want to relent a game winner late.
Last week’s GPAC Defensive Player of the Week Nolan Fuelberth knocked down a career single game high eight saves to be a big proponent of the deadlocked match. The junior, out of Lincoln, Neb., has amassed 34 career saves with his time in Seward.
Many key players made an impact and Coach Weides continued to rave about his back line to keep them in the contest.
“We started with Lindberg (Michael). In the first half, I thought he looked like a first team all-conference player. Sean Stratman played at center back and he hasn’t played or trained there this year. He was outstanding. He looked really good in that role. Michael Wyvill and Kaufman (Spencer) looked good and we had some others come in a perform as well.”
Columbia was led on offense by Kromah and Carter Redford combining for five total shots, all being on goal. The Cougars outshot the Bulldogs 15-7 (9-4 on-goal) and 8-1 in corner kick opportunities. Goalkeeper Alejandro Munoz collected three saves between the posts. Columbia will move on to face No. 18 Bethel University (Tenn.) next Saturday.
Concordia (1-0-2) will host No. 7 Bellevue University (4-0) at Bulldog Stadium on Wednesday. First kick is set for 8 p.m. CT. The Bulldogs defeated the Bruins (2-1) at Papillion Landing in 2023.
The Concordia Men’s Soccer team will host their common in-state rival, No. 7 Bellevue University, before traveling to Grand View University (Iowa) on Saturday. Last week, the Bulldogs played to consecutive ties against Graceland University (0-0) and No. 17 Columbia College (1-1). With these results, Concordia's record stands at 1-0-2 for the season.
· The Yellowjackets and Bulldogs couldn’t break through to score in the contest in Lamoni. Defensively, Concordia riddled its opponents scoreless in the first two games. This time Gabriel Mendoza was in goal versus Graceland and garnered four total saves. On the attacking end, one of the Bulldogs’ best chances came when Carter Hinman nearly got loose while delivering a shot right of the goal in the 78th minute. In a game with an ultra-talented Columbia Cougars (Mo.) squad, Concordia finished with one goal and allowed one from the home team. Quality chances came at a premium in the tightly contested contest. Having possession of the ball the majority of the first half, the visitors broke through first in the 33rd minute. Transfer Aidan Nachi collected his first goal as a Bulldog via D’Andre Williams to take the lead. The Cougars would answer six minutes later, and the defenses would take over in the second frame.
· After three games, the Bulldogs are 1-0-2 and the program’s regular season unbeaten streak has reached 29 games (21-0-8). The consecutive games without a loss started with a 2-1 win over Northwestern on Sept. 24, 2022. Current Forward Ryan Wokutch scored both goals in the match and helped start the streak of dominance. During that time, the program has scored a 7-0-7 away record and a 14-0-2 home outing. The last team to beat the Bulldogs (regular season) was Dordt via an 4-3 offensive battle in Sioux Center on Sept. 21, 2022.
· The Defense has anchored Concordia thus far with two shutouts, only allowing one goal through 270 minutes and prove to contest with last season’s program low 13 goals permitted. With 27 shots taken, its opponents have only mustered up a .037 percent completion rate. The Bulldog defense is made up of veterans and newcomers through the likes of captain Iker Casanova, Mattis Hollnagel, Spencer Kaufman, Michael Lindberg, Braden Spath, Sean Stratman, Adrian Wambua, Michael Wyvill and more.
· Scoring six goals through three games, the Concordia offense has continued to spread the ball around in the final third. Martin Herrera is the only Bulldog with two scores, but four more have put the ball in the back of the net including Oliver Benson, Aidan Nachi, Kai Olbrich and Ryan Wokutch. The assists mirror the scoring as four players have one assist apiece: Ferdi Hagen, Herrera, Carter Hinman and D’andre Williams.
· The Massey ratings have ranked Bellevue (10th), Grand View (43rd) and CUNE (53rd). The strength of schedule for the opponents has the Bruins set at 120 and the Vikings at 45. The Bulldogs are tallied at 71st in strength of schedule after only three games.
Bellevue is undefeated with a 4-0 record but will be tested with a clash set for Wednesday. The Bruins have not been kind to the GPAC having a 3-0 record against the conference and a +8 goal differential through the three contests. They have bested Doane (6-0), Hastings (2-1) and GPAC preseason favorite Briar Cliff (2-1). Tack on a 2-0 shutout over Tabor College (Kan.) and Bellevue is set to face four more GPAC opponents in its season slate. The Bruins have scored 12 goals and average 15.5 shots per game and a .468 shot on goal percentage. The offense is led by seniors Matias Daniel-Doren (four goals) and Ombeni Mubake (three goals). Assists can come from anywhere (10 total) with the visitors, but Mubake and Giovani Lima Soares lead with two apiece. Concordia defeated Bellevue (2-1) at Papillion Landing in 2023.
The Vikings are 2-2-1 early and have a mixed bag of finishes with GPAC conference opponents. Grand View defeated Morningside (2-1) and Dordt (1-0) but tied Northwestern (1-1) and was defeated by Midland (4-2). They will face another GPAC foe Briar Cliff on Thursday before the Concordia matchup. Through five games, they have scored six goals while allowing nine. The Vikings average nine shots per game and have acquired a .489 shot on goal percentage. Warren Sung is the goal leader with two and Clement Scaccia has a score and an assist. Scott Penngelly has played 360 minutes in between the posts collecting 16 saves and a .727 save percentage.
The Bulldogs will come back home for a match against Benedictine College (Kan.) and take another non-conference away match against York University. The matches are listed below.
Wednesday, Sept. 11
8 p.m. – vs. Benedictine
Saturday, Sept. 14
2:30 p.m. – vs. York
Final minute PK brings heartbreak at hands of No. 7 Bellevue September 5, 2024
In a renewal of the in-state rivalry with Bellevue University, Wednesday (Sept. 4) night’s affair included all the physicality and intensity of a postseason contest. Ultimately, a penalty kick in the final minute made the difference for the seventh-ranked Bruins, who walked away a 2-1 winner in a contest that appeared destined for a draw. Matias Daniel-Doren buried the game-winning PK in the 90th minute.
Head Coach Jason Weides’ squad lost for the first time in 2024 while slipping to 1-1-2. The program’s regular season unbeaten streak has ended at 29 games (21-0-8 over that stretch dating back to 2022).
“It definitely was an intense game – I think every game with Bellevue is like that,” Weides said. “Those are fun games to play. We just have to have better composure in those moments. The red card was certainly a defining moment in the game. We didn’t lose because of that, but it made it harder. We had to defend, defend, defend, and our guys put in a good shift. We just didn’t do quite enough today.”
Concordia played down a man for the final rough and tumble 27 minutes and 31 seconds. From that point on, the Bulldogs struggled to mount much in the way of an attack. GPAC Defensive Player of the Week Nolan Fuelberth made a pair of saves over the final 17 minutes. Concordia was unable to dodge one final bullet when Bellevue was awarded a PK with only 37 ticks remaining on the clock.
That moment removed some of the good vibrations that came in the 31st minute when sophomore defender Michael Wyvill put away the first goal of his collegiate career. After the PK by Martin Herrera was saved by Bellevue keeper Taariq Ganga, D’Andre Williams managed to poke the ball away from Ganga. Wyville was Johhny on the spot and headed the ball into the back of the net. Outside of that sequence, only one other Concordia shot was placed on frame all night.
The visitors were on the board first thanks to Jose-Miguel Boggio’s goal in the 18th minute. The game settled into an ultra-competitive defensive battle (13-4 overall shot advantage for the Bruins). A total of nine cards were issued over the final 30 minutes as the action got chippier. In the end, Bellevue (5-0) stayed unbeaten and earned a measure of revenge for the 2-1 defeat it was dealt by the Bulldogs last season in Papillion. The Bruins have taken down four GPAC opponents already in 2024.
Concordia remains a side with GPAC championship aspirations. It hopes to work out the kinks before conference play opens later this month.
Said Weides, “We’ve been close. It’s a lot of the little details. I think we have to just look ourselves in the mirror. Ultimately, we’re making the mistakes and putting ourselves in the position to have to work harder. That’s really what we did tonight. We have to be more disciplined and find away to get more chances against these good teams.”
Another weekend road trip is up next as the Bulldogs now look forward to Saturday’s clash with Grand View University. Kickoff from Des Moines, Iowa, is slated for 1 p.m. CT. This is a change from the previously scheduled start time of 5 p.m. Concordia will attempt to avenge the 2-0 loss it was handed at Grand View back in 2021, the most recent matchup between the two programs.
Wyvill and company grab third draw versus Grand View September 7, 2024
Concordia Men’s Soccer traveled to Grand View University (Iowa) on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 7). The Bulldogs and Vikings collected scores in the first frame but neither team was unable to break the 1-1 draw in the second. Center back Michael Wyvill scored his second goal in two games.
Head Coach Jason Weides’ squad has earned three ties in five games completing a 1-1-3 overall record. Coach Weides commented on the early ties and slight inconsistencies.
“We have some good moments and times where we play inconsistent. It’s these little moments that are just as important as what we do in possession and how we defend. What we do in dead ball situations and throw ins are two of them. We are capable of being much better in those moments and until we are we will struggle to win those games.”
Wyvill, a defender out of Lincoln, Neb., had only one shot his entire freshman season after contributing in 10 games. The sophomore headed in a ball just a game ago and made good on yet another chance inside the box against Grand View. After a foul, Martin Herrera cracked a free kick inside the penalty area that caused a scramble in the box. Wyvill, the Lincoln Pius X Catholic High School product, kicked a low ball in the bottom left corner breaking the scoreless tie in the 13th minute.
Weides said, “We challenged him that we need to get some goals from center backs, especially on set plays and things like that. Fortunately, he is up for the challenge and rising to the occasion. He got another goal today and almost got another one in the second half.”
The home team would answer in the 35th minute. A Viking shot from the top of the box which led goalkeeper Gabriel Mendoza to move left. The ball hit the ankle of another Grand View player and made the ball go the opposite way for a score in the lower right corner.
Mendoza, a senior out of Fuengirola, Spain, grabbed six saves to total 10 in his two contests. With Mendoza and Nolan Fuelberth, the Bulldogs continue to give each capable keeper time between the posts.
The Bulldogs dominated possession in the beginning of the contest but slowed down after the goal and some dangerous chances. The Vikings came on strong in the second part of the first frame and tallied five shots on goal.
Iowa Western Community College transfer Aidan Nachi attained his first starting nod from Coach Weides. The sophomore, out of Lincoln, Neb., has made an early impact and scored in the match against No. 17 Columbia College (Mo.).
The Vikings led in shots 15-5 and shots on goal (7-3). Warren Sung scored the home goal via an assist by Jaren Obia. Grand View will face Central Methodist University (Mo.) next Saturday.
Concordia (1-1-3) will take on Benedictine College (3-1) Wednesday night at Bulldog Stadium. First kick is set for 8 p.m. CT. The Bulldogs defeated (1-0) the Ravens in last years’ contest in Atchison, Kan.
Dawgs ready to attack Ravens and Panthers in upcoming matches September 10, 2024
The final week of nonconference has arrived for the Concordia Men’s Soccer team. The Bulldogs will start with hosting Benedictine College (Kan.) on Wednesday (Sept. 11) and take a short trip to York University on Saturday afternoon. No. 7 Bellevue University stole a 2-1 road win in the final seconds and Grand View tied (1-1) with CUNE in last week’s matches on the pitch.
This Week
Wednesday, Sept. 11 vs. Benedictine (4-1), 8 p.m.
--Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Bulldog Stadium (Seward, Neb.)
Saturday, Sept. 14 at York (1-2-1), 2:30 p.m.
--Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: York Soccer Complex (York, Neb.)
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By the numbers
· Entering the final minute of play versus a talented Bellevue squad, the match looked destined to end in a draw. After a Bulldog foul inside the box, the Bruins were awarded a penalty which would ultimately be the separation needed in their road triumph. While the visitors scored first, the home team scored via a header from center back Michael Wyvill. Chances were limited for Concordia only firing off four shots (three on goal) in the 90 minutes. The defense kept Bellevue from many quality chances with only four shots on goal, including the penalty. Goalkeeper Nolan Fuelberth collected two saves in the match.
· After a gut wrenching loss, the Bulldogs faced Grand View on the road for another contest ending in a draw. Many quality chances were unable to be had once again as defenses ruled the final third for both teams. Wyvill scored on a scramble in the box, but the Vikings answered back in the first frame. Goalkeeper Gabriel Mendoza collected six saves as Grand View collected a 7-3 shots on goal advantage.
· Wyvill, a defender out of Lincoln, Neb., played in 10 games in a reserve role and collected one shot the entire season in 2023. Now, the sophomore has had goals in back to back games and has helped the Concordia offense become more dangerous on set pieces after scoring on both his shots in 2024. The Lincoln Pius X product has started all five games and has continued to grow his role in the defensive third. Head Coach Jason Weides said postgame from Saturday, “We challenged him that we need to get some goals from center backs, especially on set plays and things like that. Fortunately, he is up for the challenge and rising to the occasion.”
· Scoring eight goals through five games, the Concordia offense has continued to spread the ball around in the final third. Martin Herrera and Wyvill are the only Bulldogs with two scores, but four more have put the ball in the back of the net including Oliver Benson, Aidan Nachi, Kai Olbrich and Ryan Wokutch. The assists mirror the scoring as four players have assists: Ferdi Hagen, Herrera, Carter Hinman and D’andre Williams (two).
· The Massey Ratings have Concordia rated 60 with a strength of schedule rating of 33. Massey has the upcoming opponents slotted 18th (Benedictine) and 154th (York). The teams strength of schedule rankings select the Ravens (63) and Panthers (150) in two different areas of the list.
Benedictine
The Ravens are 4-1 overall having defeated common opponent Avila University (2-0) at home. They have also bested Friends University (4-1), Williams Baptist University (3-0) out of Arkansas and Missouri Baptist University (1-0). Benedictine had its only loss on the road but has scored 10 total goals compared to its opponents’ 2. The Ravens have three shutouts and average 12.6 shots per contest. Out of 10 goals, six have been assisted and have a .540 shot on goal percentage. Kody Argaez, Adem Aroua and Norberto Montero all lead with two goals apiece, plus Diego Acuna and Feliipe Vargas have two assists for Benedictine. The primary goalkeeper, Noah Reuscher, has played 334 minutes collecting 15 saves and a .882 save percentage.
York
The Panthers are 1-2-1 through four games and have only played Great Plains Athletic Conference opponents. York bested Mount Marty (1-0) in its home opener and tied (2-2) Dakota Wesleyan in its most recent contest. In the middle two games, the Panthers fell to Doane (0-2) and Midland (1-3). They have scored two goals to their opponents five, with Matias Madriaga and Diego Yanes shooting one apiece. Yet to acquire an assist, York averages six shots a game but a high .667 shot on goal percentage. Jamie Watt has 169 minutes between the posts and has 15 saves on a .750 save percentage.
Next Week
The Bulldogs will enter conference play versus Northwestern and Dordt. Concordia will host the Red Raiders in its GPAC opener at Bulldog Stadium and travel to Sioux Center, Iowa. The matches are listed below.
Wednesday, Sept. 18
8 p.m. – vs. Northwestern
Saturday, Sept. 21
4:15 p.m. – at Dordt
Bulldogs clipped by another top 25 foe September 12, 2024
In terms of finding results, the Concordia University Men’s Soccer team feels snakebit. For a second Wednesday in a row inside Bulldog Stadium, the Bulldogs were forced to come to grips with a one-goal defeat at the hands of a nationally ranked opponent. A 58th-minute goal by Benedictine College (Kan.) sophomore Kody Argaez lifted the visiting 24th-ranked Ravens to a 1-0 victory. Concordia was shut out for the second time this season.
Head Coach Jason Weides’ squad stands at 1-2-3 overall with one game remaining on the nonconference slate. A week earlier, the Bulldogs hung with seventh-ranked Bellevue University before conceding a 2-1 loss.
“We had good possession,” Weides said. “Ultimately, we had a lot of it in the middle of the field. We have to find a way to penetrate more and find more chances, but it wasn’t for lack of having the ball. It was two good teams battling, and we fell a little bit short today … We have to get better at that final pass, that final ball, that final shot – I think that’s the hardest thing in the game. That’s what’s going to separate us to become a better team. We have to be better in the final third and create more chances.”
In the eyes of Weides, this performance was a step in the right direction as compared to this past weekend’s 1-1 draw at Grand View University (Iowa). Concordia continues to play solidly across two-thirds of the field. It’s that final third that isn’t quite synced up. The Bulldogs put four shots on frame on Wednesday, all of which were denied by Raven keeper Noah Reuscher.
There were only a combined 14 shots (seven apiece) in a defensive battle. Eventually, Benedictine broke through when it stole the ball at midfield and played two quick touches in behind the Concordia back line. Bulldog keeper Nolan Fuelberth saved a strike from Eliah Froeyland but couldn’t regroup in time to deflect the rebound from Argaez. That one goal stood up for the Ravens, who moved to 5-1 and averaged their 2023 home loss to Concordia.
On the Bulldog attack, Aidan Nachi put two shots on frame while making his second career start. Oliver Benson and Martin Herrera also fired a shot on goal apiece. Center back Michael Wyvill put away a goal apiece in the previous two games and had one shot on Wednesday.
Despite a run of tough results against top-notch competition, the Bulldogs remain positive about where they are headed. Said Weides, “We will learn and grow from this. We put together a nonconference that’s tough, and Benedictine is certainly one of those challenging teams. It’s disappointing not to walk away with a win tonight or in some of the other contests that we’ve tied. I think we’re going to be battle-tested. Even in a loss tonight, we performed far better than the tie in our last performance.”
For the third-straight Saturday, the Bulldogs will take their act on the road as they look ahead to a weekend clash with nearby York University (1-2-1). Kickoff is slated for 2:30 p.m. CT from York Soccer Complex. The rival Panthers have played each of their first four games against GPAC competition with their lone win coming at home over Mount Marty, 1-0.
Williams early score clinches draw against Panthers September 14, 2024
The Bulldogs and Panthers found themselves in a draw after 90 minutes of play at the York Soccer Complex. Concordia found a game opening goal via D’Andre Williams, but York University would find an own goal on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 14), ending in a 1-1 tie. The Bulldogs have tied in four of their seven games this season.
CUNE is 1-2-4 after its conference schedule and will enter conference play next week.
Concordia was awarded a free kick just outside the penalty area barely into the 2nd minute of the match. Williams kicked a spinning ball over three defenders and the teardrop found its way just inside the near post for the score. The London, Ontario, native added to his scoring total (5) as a Bulldog and his two assists from this season.
After the break, a mistake by a Bulldog defender kicking the ball back to the goalkeeper costed Concordia an own goal early in the second frame. The two teams were evenly matched in the majority of the stat categories, and no one could find a goal in the final 41 minutes to break the equalizer.
The defense limited the home team in its attacking third through goalkeeper Nolan Fuelberth, Sean Stratman and Michael Wyvill, all playing 90 minutes.
The Bulldogs and Panthers were deadlocked at seven shots apiece, while the visitors edged out the home team in shots on goal (5-4) and corner kicks (3-2). Fuelberth added three saves pushing his total to 20 on the year.
Diego Yanes led York (1-2-2) in shots (3) and goalkeeper Jamie Watt punched out four saves. The Panthers had Watt, Aday Munoz, Jorge Boto and Matias Madriaga play all 90 minutes. York will face the Coyotes of Kansas Wesleyan at the York Soccer Complex on Wednesday.
Concordia (1-2-4) will enter conference play on Wednesday versus Northwestern (1-1-3). First kick is set for 8 p.m. CT at Bulldog Stadium. The Bulldogs are 15-18-4 against the Red Raiders but tied 2-2 last season in Orange City.
Concordia enters conference play versus NWC and Dordt September 16, 2024
The Bulldogs will enter GPAC play in the coming days to start towards their ultimate goal of a regular season conference championship. The trek starts with hosting Northwestern and traveling to Dordt over the weekend. The men’s soccer team fell to Benedictine College (1-0) and tied with York University (1-1) in its past two contests.
This Week
Wednesday, Sept. 18 vs. Northwestern (1-1-3), 8 p.m.
--Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Bulldog Stadium (Seward, Neb.)
Saturday, Sept. 21 at Dordt (2-3-1), 4:15 p.m.
--Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Dordt Soccer Complex (Sioux Center, Iowa)
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By the numbers
· No. 24 Benedictine got the better of the Bulldogs in a 1-0 win in favor of the visitors. There were only a combined 14 shots (seven apiece) in a defensive battle. Nolan Fuelberth was able to make five saves. On the Bulldog attack, Aidan Nachi put two shots on frame while making his second career start. Oliver Benson and Martin Herrera also fired a shot on goal apiece. Center back Michael Wyvill put away a goal apiece in the previous two games and had one shot on Wednesday.
· The Bulldogs traveled to face York and found themselves in a tie (1-1) by the end of the match. Concordia was awarded a free kick just outside the penalty area barely into the 2nd minute of the match. D’Andre Williams kicked a spinning ball over three defenders and the teardrop found its way just inside the near post for the score. The London, Ontario, native added to his scoring total (5) as a Bulldog and his two assists from this season. The Bulldogs and Panthers were deadlocked at seven shots apiece, while the visitors edged out the home team in shots on goal (5-4) and corner kicks (3-2). Fuelberth added three saves pushing his total to 20 on the year.
· Mount Marty comes into the conference with the best winning percentage (.600) and holds a 3-2 record. Three teams at a .500 win percentage: Dakota Wesleyan (2-2-2), Doane (2-2-2) and Northwestern (1-1-3). After is Concordia (.429), Midland (.429) and Dordt (.417), all in the .400 range. Morningside (.333), Hastings (.286), Briar Cliff (.188) and Waldorf (.100) occupy the bottom four slots.
· Most people around the program would never have thought the Bulldogs would march into conference play with one win. With a hardened nonconference schedule, Concordia Men’s soccer has collected four ties through seven games and has been a major part of the story early in its season. Blowing out Avila University (Mo.) 5-0 in their opening match, the Bulldogs have since tied Graceland University (0-0), Columbia College (1-1), Grand View University (1-1) and York (1-1). CUNE fell in a heartbreaker to a then-ranked No. 7 Bellevue University. The Bulldogs will welcome conference play with a wealth of experience against quality teams and look to use it against teams in the GPAC.
· The updated Massey Ratings have Concordia rated 73 with a strength of schedule rating of 48. The ratings have upcoming opponents Northwestern (80th) and Dordt (97th). The Red Raiders (85th) and Defenders (92nd) have a lower strength of schedule giving the Bulldogs a slide edge in both ratings.
Northwestern
The Red Raiders are 1-1-3 coming into the week and have faced two common opponents through their five games. Northwestern tied both teams in Graceland University (2-2) and Grand View University (1-1), which CUNE also tied. Stan van den Beld (4) and Alex Ruiz (3) pace the team in goal scoring as both hold two assists apiece. NWC has scored 10 goals while allowing eight from its competition. The Red Raiders average 14.2 shots per game and a .479 shot on goal percentage. They have eight assists and 19 corner kicks while giving up 29. Goalkeeper Rick Lammerts has played all 450 minutes between the posts. He has collected 21 saves with a .724 save percentage.
Dordt
The Defenders are 2-3-1 before going into conference play and fell (1-0) to one common opponent Grand View. They have surrendered 14 goals to their seven while averaging 1.17 goals per game. Dordt averages 8.7 shots per game and have allowed 15.8 to its competitors. The Defenders have a shot on goal percentage of .558 and have assisted all of their goals scored. Jacob Narkis and Marco Laenen pace Dordt with two goals apiece and Narkis has acquired two assists. Pol Calvo and Santiago Carvajal both have two assists as well. Mitchell Dryden has spent 530 minutes in the net with 34 saves and a .708 save percentage.
Next Week
The Bulldogs will continue conference play against Hastings and Briar Cliff. Concordia will host the Broncos and Chargers at Bulldog Stadium, and the Briar Cliff match is part of a big homecoming weekend schedule. The matches are listed below.
Wednesday, Sept. 25
8 p.m. – vs. Hastings
Saturday, Sept. 28
8 p.m. – vs. Briar Cliff (Homecoming)
Fuelberth and company deliver shutout in GPAC Opener September 18, 2024
Constantly searching and believing for a game winner, the Bulldogs hadn’t found one in six games; that is until Wednesday night (Sept. 18). Concordia Men’s Soccer shutout Northwestern (1-0) in its GPAC opener at Bulldog Stadium, bringing confidence into the rest of conference play.
CUNE has broken even at a 2-2-4 overall record and 1-0 in the GPAC. Head Coach Jason Weides spoke about opening conference play with a win versus the Red Raiders.
“Northwestern is a good team. They have been at the top of the conference for a long time. They challenged us in many ways and our guys did a great job standing up to the challenge. Ultimately, we needed to start off conference play with a win. It’s really important. We have ambitious goals, and we have to find ways to get results against tough teams like this.”
In the 68th minute, Jarrod Henson fought off two defenders for possession and split two more with a through ball. A streaking Herrera beat his defender in road runner fashion and kicked in a goal from left to right past the outstretched hands of the Red Raider keeper. The senior, out of Quito, Ecuador, paces the Bulldogs with three scores and Henson collected his first point of the year.
Coach Weides said, “That was an extraordinary moment, and we have asked our guys to do ordinary things at an extraordinary level. Overall our team did that today, but for those two guys that was an extraordinary moment to complete that goal.”
For 90 minutes, goalkeeper Nolan Fuelberth lived out what the coaches had been preaching about, doing ordinary things really well. The Lincoln, Neb., native quietly grabbed five saves and a shutout for his first of 2024. He has five clean sheets in his career at Concordia.
Fuelberth said postgame, “It was great. Especially against Northwestern, we tied 2-2 (2023). It is so important to start off the year like that. It’s a big win and carries a lot of momentum in the next few games.”
Along with Fuelberth, the back line featured many players and newcomer Sean Stratman could seem to poke away almost any opportunity by an opposing forward. Michael Lindberg, Michael Wyvill and captain Ferdi Hagen got the starting nod, but a goal line package was put in to build a wall in the final minutes that also featured captain Iker Casanova and Adrian Wambua.
Concordia immediately celebrated the victory and rang the bell as time expired as every team member was needed to clinch the win. The two teams ended with 11 shots apiece and D’Andre Williams had five of them. The bench played a huge role as if they were the 12th man on the field.
The Red Raiders (1-2-3) were able to edge the Bulldogs in shots on goal (5-4) and corner kick opportunities (5-3). Goalkeeper Rick Lammerts collected three saves while Alex Ruiz led the visitors with four shots. Northwestern will go back home to Orange City, Iowa and prepare to host Midland on Saturday.
Concordia (2-2-4, 1-0 GPAC) will travel to Sioux Center, Iowa to face Dordt (2-3-2, 0-0-1 GPAC) this Saturday. The Bulldogs will line up at 4:15 p.m. CT at the Dordt Soccer Complex. The Defenders served a 3-0 first round defeat to Concordia in the GPAC Tournament last season.
First half goals define draw at Dordt September 21, 2024
After a conference opening win, the Concordia Men’s Soccer team ended in a 1-1 draw with Dordt on Saturday afternoon. Michael Wyvill scored his third goal of the season to climb back into the match and the two teams couldn’t finish in the final third in the second frame. Quality chances were at a premium with the Bulldogs having the edge, 4-3.
CUNE is 2-2-5 overall and is 1-0-1 in the Great Plains Athletic Conference. Head Coach Jason Weides talked about the first road conference game.
“There was a lot more positive than negative, but it was disappointing to walk away with a draw. Dordt challenged us, but besides a few moments in the game, we largely controlled the possession. We had opportunities to win but we didn’t take the three points in this.”
Down 1-0 early in the first half, centerback Wyvill received a free kick cross from D’Andre Williams and kicked it in the bottom right corner. The sophomore, out of Lincoln, Neb., has gained confidence on set pieces scoring three goals in the past six games, and is tied with Martin Herrera in goals scored for the Bulldogs.
Williams, out of London, Ontario (Canada), has three assists which is good enough for the most this season under coach Weides.
The Defenders were able to score on an accidental hand ball servicing up a penalty in the box. The two teams were close in almost every category: offsides (2-5) corners (4-3), saves (2-3), yellow cards (2-2). The Bulldogs were able to beat out the home team in shots (15-10) but the defenses tightened down in the final thirds.
Only seven total shots on goal and teams can understand why when they see an experienced Adrian Wambua inserted back into the starting lineup. One of the deepest defenses in the league boasts the likes of goalkeeper Nolan Fuelberth, Sean Stratman, Wyvill, Iker Casanova, Ryan Brown, Spencer Kaufman, and Michael Linberg.
Coach Weides said, “I thought we did a good job of limiting their chances outside of the box or rushed shots. We stuck to our game plan and we were taking our chances sometimes out of the box as well. Even in the waning seconds, we were still trying to play the ball in for quality chances. Unfortunately, we just couldn’t take it.”
Jacob Narkis scored the penalty for Dordt (2-3-3, 0-0-2 GPAC) leading the team with three shots. The Defenders will look for their first conference win against Waldorf at the Dordt Soccer Complex on Wednesday.
CUNE (2-2-5, 1-0-1 GPAC) will be back in Bulldog Stadium for both matches next week, including Homecoming on Saturday. Hastings (3-6, 1-1 GPAC) will travel to Seward on Wednesday. The Bulldogs and Broncos tied (1-1) last season in October.
Wyvill claims first career weekly GPAC award September 24, 2024
Defender Michael Wyvill laid claim to his first career weekly honor as announced on Tuesday (Sept. 24) by the league office. Wyvill was awarded the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Men's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week for his play during Sept. 16-22, 2024. He joins goalkeeper Nolan Fuelberth who has won the GPAC Player of the Week twice this season.
The product, out of Lincoln Pius X, scored the game tying goal versus Dordt in this past Saturday’s match preserving a point for the Bulldogs. The back line only allowed one goal in the past two contests and took a shutout in the 1-0 victory over Northwestern.
Claiming his spot as a starter this season, the centerback has been a part of three clean sheets through nine games. Wyvill has three goals on four shots and is tied as the team's leading goal scorer with Martin Hererra.
Concordia (2-2-5, 1-0-1 GPAC) will face Hastings tomorrow night at Bulldog Stadium. The team will host Briar Cliff for Homecoming on Saturday.
Bulldogs ready to thrown in versus upcoming GPAC foes September 24, 2024
The Bulldogs will host back to back home contests that include Hastings Wednesday night and Briar Cliff on Homecoming weekend (Sept. 28). Concordia University Nebraska Men’s Soccer outlasted Northwestern (1-0) and tied Dordt (1-1) in Sioux Center in its last two games. CUNE has built a 2-2-5 overall record and a 1-0-1 GPAC showing.
This Week
Wednesday, Sept. 25 vs. Hastings (3-6, 1-1 GPAC), 8 p.m.
Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Bulldog Stadium (Seward, Neb.)
Saturday, Sept. 28 vs. Briar Cliff (2-7-1, 1-1 GPAC), 8 p.m.
Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Bulldog Stadium (Seward, Neb.)
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By the numbers
· The Bulldogs hadn’t found a result since the season opener due to nonconference competition being raised from past seasons. Jarrod Henson and Martin Herrera connected for a score in the 68th minute. That would be all it would take for Concordia to take its first conference win. Both squads had 11 shots, mirroring each other in both halves but goalkeeper Nolan Fuelberth and the back line were able to clinch a shutout. Forward D’Andre Williams was able to fire off a team high five shots, as Youssef Heggy shot twice. The bench was big in the second half seemingly playing like the 12th man.
· The Defenders were awarded a penalty in the 23rd minute after an accidental hand ball inside the box. Jacob Narkis scored on the free kick and put the Bulldogs down early. About 12 minutes later, Michael Wyvill scored his third goal of the season via D’Andre Williams’ boot. Williams leads the team with three assists, which puts him in the top 5 in the conference early in the season. Concordia controlled possession a majority of the bout and shot 15 times compared to its opponents 10.
· After only one week, only two remain perfect in the conference. Morningside is 4-4 overall and 2-0 and Dakota Wesleyan is 1-0 in a league with an even playing field early on. The Tigers have the highest winning percentage (.625) and an overall record of 4-2-2. Concordia is the only other squad without a loss (1-0-1) in conference play. The following teams are ordered by winning percentage: Mount Marty (.571), Northwestern (.500), Dordt (.438), Midland (.389), Doane (.375), Hastings (.333), Briar Cliff (.250) and Waldorf (.083).
· Defender Michael Wyvill laid claim to his first career weekly honor as announced on Tuesday by the league office. Wyvill was awarded the GPAC Men's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week for his play during Sept. 16-22, 2024. The product, out of Lincoln Pius X, scored the game tying goal versus Dordt in this past Saturday’s match preserving a point for the Bulldogs. The back line only allowed one goal in the past two contests and took a shutout in the 1-0 victory over Northwestern. Claiming his spot as a starter this season, the centerback has been a part of three clean sheets through nine games. Wyvill has three goals on four shots.
· Keeper Nolan Fuelberth has the highest save percentage (.818) in the Great Plain Athletic Conference. Native of Lincoln, Neb., Fuelberth sits second in goals against (six) and goals against average (0.82) to Dakota Wesleyan’s Ryan Flannery. The product, out of Lincoln Southwest, ended his 2023 campaign in the top 5 in both categories last season (eight, 0.80). Flannery has played in three games due to splitting time compared to Fuelberth’s seven games. Gabriel Mendoza and Fuelberth combined for the program’s season low 13 goals allowed last season.
· The updated Massey Ratings have Concordia rated 65th with a strength of schedule rating of 55. The ratings have upcoming opponents Hastings (85th) and Briar Cliff (93rd). The Broncos (58th) and Chargers (43rd) have a similar strength of schedule rankings after a couple of games of GPAC play.
Hastings
The Broncos are 3-6 overall and split their GPAC opening week with a loss to Morningside (3-2) and besting 2023 GPAC regular season champion Briar Cliff (2-1). Hastings has faced two common opponents with two losses to No. 5 Bellevue University (2-1) and Graceland University (2-1) of Iowa. The visitors will come in with 14 goals scored, 91 total shots on a .154 shot percentage, averaging 10.1 tries per 90 minutes. With 11 assists, the Broncos share the final pass as nine different players have tallied in the category. Freshman midfielder Tim Berger is second in the league in goals scored (five) with 11 shots taken and six players have been able to find the back of the net. Senior Pablo Arce-Salinas has started seven games including both GPAC matches totaling 630 minutes played. The goalkeeper has allowed 16 goals and tallied 28 saves with a .636 save percentage.
Briar Cliff
The Chargers are 2-7-1 overall and 1-1 in conference play through 10 games completed. In Briar Cliff’s opening week, it defeated Doane (2-0) on the road and fell to Hastings (2-1) at home. Two common previous matchups with the Bulldogs were losses to No. 15 Columbia College (2-1) and Bellevue (2-1). BCU has scored 14 goals while allowing 21 and has a 118-114 shot edge over its opponents. Averaging 11.8 shots per game, the Chargers have collected a .119 shot percentage and .441 shots on goal percentage. With 12 assists, Andrew Buchanan owns four of them, good enough for second in the GPAC. Buchanan and Filip Peters lead the pack with three goals apiece, also having scored with nine different players. Peters booted 23 shots and has had 14 on target. Goalkeeper Philip Haenel started nine of the 10 games playing all 810 minutes in the matches. Haenel has allowed 17 goals and held onto 28 saves with a .622 save percentage.
Next Week
The Bulldogs will continue conference play against Dakota Wesleyan in a lone match next week. Concordia will travel to face the Tigers in Mitchell, S.D. on Saturday. The match is listed below.
Saturday, Oct. 5
5:30 p.m. – at Dakota Wesleyan
Defense paces sixth season tie versus Broncos September 25, 2024
A perfect night for soccer brought together two GPAC rivals as Concordia University Nebraska Men’s Soccer hosted Hastings on Wednesday (Sept. 25). With time winding down in the second half, Martin Herrera buried an equalizer (1-1) via penalty kick as the two teams ended in a draw. Through only 10 games, the 2024 squad owns the singles season draw record with six of its matches ending in ties.
CUNE is 2-2-6 overall and has a 1-0-2 conference record. Head Coach Jason Weides commented on the performance ending in a tie and the impactful Sean Stratman.
“That’s life. Sometimes you give everything you have and you perform well but fall a little short. We are going to be resolute in what we are trying to do and continue to take steps forward. Sean is a player. We saw that from day one. He has been one of the most consistent performers all season long.”
Down one in the 77th minute, Slade Leicht raced the opposing keeper to the ball just inside the penalty area and was fouled hard by the Bronco between the pipes. Earning a free kick inside the box, Leicht gave Hererra the penalty and his fourth goal of the season. The equalizing score was his second made penalty on the year and the Quito, Ecuador, native leads the team with four goals.
With three shots on goal by the Broncos, the defense vastly controlled the visitors when having possession. Hastings first shot came from a free kick outside of the box and was booted on a line to the top left corner for the early score. The Bulldogs responded in their play without the ball and only allowed a couple more quality chances by full time.
Coach Weides talked about the defense postgame. “We are growing and are getting better. We are seeing where we need improvement. We have seen our team find something. Address it and implement a way to get better. I’m really proud of the unit. It’s not just the goalkeeper and back line in that. For us to be good defensively and only allow one true chance, it’s a team pressing. That’s everybody. That’s a striker, attacking mids, it’s recovery runs. Everybody put in the work today.”
Sean Stratman and much of the team was able to pick pocket the Broncos and end building runs toward the goal. A freshman, out of Omaha, Neb., has found and earned the respect of his teammates through his consistent play. Stratman commented on how the team was able to limit Hastings throughout the match.
“Bringing captain Iker Casanova back was huge. He brings a lot of communication and stability back there. Nolan (Fuelberth) in the back. Mike (Wyvill) has been playing very well. Just the connectivity was unbelievable tonight and it’s been there all season too.”
The constant pressing of the offense allowed Concordia to take a 10-7 total shot advantage, particularly in the second half (6-2). The visitors were able to best the Bulldogs in corners (3-1) with nothing coming of it in the final third.
After three GPAC games, every team has a loss or a tie on their record creating parody among the teams early in the conference season.
Concordia (2-2-6, 1-0-2 GPAC) will be back in action on Saturday night for Homecoming weekend. The Bulldogs will host the 2023 GPAC regular season champion Briar Cliff at 8 p.m. CT inside Bulldog Stadium. The two teams ended in a 1-1 draw last season in Sioux City, Iowa.
String of stalemates continues as Dawgs draw with Briar Cliff September 28, 2024
The story is all too familiar for a Concordia University Men’s Soccer team that keeps adding to a school record for number of draws in a single season. In Saturday’s late evening homecoming (Sept. 28) tilt with Briar Cliff, the Bulldogs let a 1-0 lead get away in what resulted in a 1-1 tie with visiting Briar Cliff. Senior D’Andre Williams had staked Concordia to a 1-0 lead with his powerful strike in the 22nd minute.
This was a battle between two sides picked first and second in the GPAC preseason poll. Head Coach Jason Weides’ squad (2-2-7, 1-0-3 GPAC) still hasn’t been defeated in league play but the mounting tally of ties is a source of frustration.
“It was a competitive college game,” Weides said. “It probably could have gone either way. It’s certainly a game we are disappointed with. At the end of the day, we deserved a draw. We made some critical mistakes that gave them a chance and we couldn’t quite put that second goal away. We had some chances to do that. We fought hard with good intensity. We just came up short – we’re saying that too often. You tie you’re seventh game of the year, it’s frustrating.”
Williams nearly had the game winner in the 88th minute when his free kick drilled the crossbar. It was the last gasp for either side in a contest that ended with eight shots apiece. The 1-1 tie held up over the final 40 minutes after Yalin Alici supplied the equalizer. A turnover by the Bulldogs put Alici on the run. He eluded one defender and then found the back of the net.
It was a rare breakdown for a Concordia squad that has allowed a total of nine goals through 11 games. In goal, Nolan Fuelberth made three saves to help preserve the tie. He was kept clean for much of the night by a back line featuring reigning GPAC Defensive Player of the Week Michael Wyvill. As for Williams, he rocketed a frozen rope of a goal just inside the left post. He cashed in on the cross from Oliver Benson. It was one of only a handful of quality offensive opportunities.
Each of the past three GPAC outings have resulted in 1-1 ties (including matchups with Dordt and Hastings). Dating back to 2022, the Bulldogs are unbeaten in their last 24 GPAC regular season games (15-0-9). Concordia believes it can reign atop the GPAC standings by season’s end and also knows it has to start putting games like the one on Saturday in the win column.
Said Weides of his team at the close of September, “We’ve learned that we have depth. There have been some guys who have been out for a long time that are just coming back and we have some guys who are out and don’t know when they’re coming back. We’ve had some guys step up and play some important roles. This is a team that is learning from our errors. We’re addressing things as a coaching staff, and they’re getting better at it. We’re right there with anybody.”
The Bulldogs will have the middle of this coming week off as they look ahead to next Saturday’s road trip to Dakota Wesleyan (4-4-2, 1-2 GPAC). Kickoff from Mitchell, S.D., is set for 5:30 p.m. CT. Concordia also appeared in Mitchell last season and came away with a 1-0 win as Carter Hinman notched the lone goal.
Bulldogs set to clash with Tigers in Mitchell October 1, 2024
The Bulldogs will travel to Dakota Wesleyan on Saturday after having the midweek off to prepare for the road match. Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer has tied three straight games including last week’s Hastings (1-1) and Briar Cliff (1-1) matches. Head Coach Jason Weides squad is 2-2-7 overall and 1-0-3 in the GPAC.
This Week
Saturday, Oct. 5 at Dakota Wesleyan (4-4-2, 1-2 GPAC), 5:30 p.m.
Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Pepsi-Cola Soccer Complex (Mitchell, S.D.)
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· Concordia found itself behind (1-0) as the minutes ticked away in the second frame. In the 77th minute, Slade Leicht raced the opposing keeper to the ball just inside the penalty area and was fouled hard by the Bronco between the pipes. Earning a free kick inside the box, Leicht gave Hererra the penalty and his fourth goal of the season. The equalizing score was his second made penalty of the year.
· D’Andre Williams made a great pass to Oliver Benson leading him down the near side of the field. Benson pushes a cross from right to left and finds the feet of a barreling Williams. The senior out of London, Canada, blasted a no doubter to take the lead in the first half. The game was physical, as expected, facing Briar Cliff with a GPAC high 52 yellow cards. The Chargers would find the equalizer and Williams last chance would clang off the posts to keep the draw in tact. The defense has only allowed seven shots on goal in the past two contests.
· The Bulldogs have tied more than they have win or losses combined and have set a three game tie streak. The team has tied with Graceland University (0-0), Columbia College (1-1), Grand View University (1-1), York University (1-1), Dordt (1-1), Hastings (1-1) and Briar Cliff (1-1). With previous season record at four (2023, 2018), Concordia has seven with six regular season matches left in its slate.
· Martin Herrera has broken into the top-5 in the conference in goals scored (four) and is tied for fourth with Dordt’s Jacob Narkis. The goal leaders in the top three are Hugo Garcia-Rosado Duran (eight), Tim Berger (six), and Stan van den Beld (five). Garcia (19), Beld (14) and Ameer Madden (13) are the top-3 point scorers in the Great Plains Athletic Conference.
· The Bulldogs' strength through the first 11 games has been on the defensive side of the ball. Concordia is the only team that has allowed fewer than double digit goals (nine) and leads the category in front of Northwestern and Mount Marty (12) having played two less games. Bolstered behind a 0.82 goals allowed average, the Bulldogs are tied for a team high three shutouts. CUNE has 42 saves as a team, which sits about the middle of the pack with goalies having fewer chances to defend because of the defense.
· Keeper Nolan Fuelberth has the highest save percentage (.800) and goals against average (0.89) in the Great Plain Athletic Conference. Native of Lincoln, Neb., Fuelberth sits second in goals against (eight) to Dakota Wesleyan’s Ryan Flannery. The product, out of Lincoln Southwest, ended his 2023 campaign in the top 5 in both categories last season (eight, 0.80). Flannery has played in three games due to splitting time compared to Fuelberth’s seven games. Gabriel Mendoza and Fuelberth combined for the program’s season low 13 goals allowed last season.
· The updated Massey Ratings have Concordia rated 70th with a strength of schedule rating of 51. With only one match upcoming, the ratings for Dakota Wesleyan have it placed at 131st and its strength of Schedule at 160.
Dakota Wesleyan
The Tigers come into the week with a 4-4-2 overall record and a 1-2 early GPAC showing. Dakota Wesleyan also tied common opponent York (2-2) but fell to Northwestern (3-0) and Hastings (2-1). The lone conference win came at the expense of Mount Marty (2-1) in Yankton, S.D. Through 10 games, the Tigers have lost the last two and sit at .500 (1-1-1) at home. With 14 goals scored, DWU has allowed 12 by its opponents while shooting 7.6 shots per game. On average, the team has shot .607 on goal. Lewis Cunningham and Colton Douglas are some of the top goal scorers and Ryan Flannery has a .682 save percentage between the posts.
Next Week
The Bulldogs will continue conference play against Morningside in a lone match next week. Concordia will host the Mustangs for senior day inside Bulldog Stadium. The match is listed below.
Saturday, Oct. 12
8 p.m. – vs. Morningside (senior day)
Dawgs dominate Tigers on the road October 5, 2024
After three straight contests ending with a draw, Concordia Men’s Soccer grabbed an early lead against Dakota Wesleyan and left no doubt in the 3-0 road win on Saturday (Oct. 5). The Bulldogs dominated the first half with two goals and an 11-6 shot advantage over the Tigers. Defender Ryan Brown scored the first goal of his career in his senior season.
CUNE has a 3-2-7 overall record and remains unbeaten in conference play with a 2-0-3 record.
Head Coach Jason Wiedes said, “We had an overall good team performance. In the attack, we were really sharp and were able to play really simple. We have been preaching that. We found good moments to make runs and put the ball in behind them. We created threatening situations. We played well in the first half minus a few details and Dakota Wesleyan was up to the challenge. They came out and pressured us early in the second half, but we settled in. It took a while to get the third goal, but it was important to put the game to bed.”
The Bulldogs doused the home team with six shots in the first 23 minutes and finally found pay dirt in the 24th. After getting fouled, Oliver Benson took on a Tiger defender, flying past him with one move. The Bennington, Neb., native found a lane and blasted the eventual game winner in the back of the net. Less than four minutes later, Hugo Garrote gave a slick feed to Martin Herrera and he finished with his fifth score of the season.
Fast forward to the 84th minute, D’Andre Williams playing keep away from a pack of Tigers and booted a cross past five defenders for a header by senior Ryan Brown. Dakota Wesleyan keeper Ryan Flannery made the diving save but Brown followed tagging his first collegiate score to seal the win.
The Bulldog offense was potent with seven different players firing 13 total shots via Jarrod Henson (four), Herrera (three), Youseff Heggy (two), Benson, Brown, Ferdi Hagen and Williams.
Concordia squeezed the Tigers for only four shots on goal making it tough on the opposing team with big time blocks. Goalkeeper Nolan Fuelberth collected his third clean sheet of the season and three saves in the game. Coach Weides boasted about Fuelberth and many others postgame.
“Guys came through with big blocks in important moments. Nolan made a really important save when it was 2-0 and another when it was 1-0. I really feel like everybody on our team came to play.”
DWU (4-5-2, 1-3 GPAC) had 10 shots from eight different players but had only one corner the entire 90 minutes. Flannery had three saves but allowed three goals. The Tigers will look to respond against Waldorf on Wednesday.
Concordia (3-2-7, 2-0-3 GPAC) will have a week until it hosts Morningside (4-5-1, 2-1-1 GPAC) on senior day. The Bulldogs and Mustangs tied (0-0) in Seward last season.
Confident Dawgs ready to celebrate seniors versus Mustangs October 8, 2024
A rested Bulldog squad will welcome Morningside on Saturday for their sixth GPAC matchup of the 2024 season. Concordia Men’s Soccer will celebrate the 2024 senior class, including nine student-athletes. The Bulldogs came out on top against Dakota Wesleyan in their lone contest this past weekend.
This Week
Saturday, Oct. 12 vs. Morningside (4-5-1, 2-1-1 GPAC), 8 p.m.
Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Bulldog Stadium (Seward, Neb.)
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By the numbers
· After three straight contests ending with a draw, Concordia grabbed an early lead against Dakota Wesleyan and left no doubt in the 3-0 road shutout. The Bulldogs dominated the first half with two goals and an 11-6 shot advantage over the Tigers. Perhaps the most impressive score and the eventual game winner came from the Iowa Western transfer Oliver Benson. The Bennington, Neb., native left a defender in his wake before scorching a bender of a goal past the keeper in the 24th minute. Goals two and three were more alike coming from great passes that opened up for Martin Herrera and Ryan Brown to score. Brown, a senior out of Mount Michael Benedictine, booted the first goal of his career from a perfect cross via D’Andre Williams. Herrera scored his fifth goal to stay near the top of the league (five season goals) and his score was via Hugo Garrote. The offense has scored at least one goal in the last six games and has only been shutout twice in 12 contests.
· The Bulldogs' strength through the first 12 games has been on the defensive side of the ball. Concordia is the only team that has allowed fewer than double digit goals (nine) and leads the category in front of Northwestern (14) and Mount Marty (17) having played two fewer games. Bolstered behind a conference best 0.75 goals allowed average, the Bulldogs are alone at the top as Northwestern owns the next best goals allowed (1.40). Having collected a conference high four shutouts, CUNE has 45 saves as a team and are sitting at the middle of the pack. The Concordia goalkeepers have had fewer chances to defend because of the team's collaborative defense. Led by co-captains Iker Casanova and Ferdi Hagen, Coach Weides’ squad boasts significant talent in the defensive third.
· Take one glance at the keeper leaderboard and you will find Nolan Fuelberth plastered across the top of many significant categories. With the highest save percentage (.814) and goals against average (0.80) in the conference, native of Lincoln, Neb., Fuelberth is at No. 1 in goals against giving up only eight in 92 shot attempts. The product, out of Lincoln Southwest, ended his 2023 campaign in the top 5 in both categories last season (eight, 0.80). Gabriel Mendoza and Fuelberth combined for the program’s season low 13 goals allowed last season.
· Martin Herrera has broken into the top-5 in the conference in goals scored (five) and is in a five-way tie for fourth with Marco Laenen (Dordt), Ameer Madden (Doane), Alex Ruiz (NWC) and Stan van den Beld (NWC). The goal leaders in the top three are Hugo Garcia-Rosado Duran (eight), Adnan Boulaghmal (seven) and Tim Berger (six). Garcia (19), Boulaghmal (15) and Ameer Madden (15) are the top-3 point scorers in the Great Plains Athletic Conference. D'Andre Williams has crossed his way into the top-5 in assists tied at No. 3 with four passes that led to Concordia scores. The shifty London, Canada, native is even with Hugo Mariage (BCU), Brayden Wright (MU) and Beld.
· The Bulldogs have tied more than they combined win or losses and have just snapped a three game tie streak. The team has tied with Graceland University (0-0), Columbia College (1-1), Grand View University (1-1), York University (1-1), Dordt (1-1), Hastings (1-1) and Briar Cliff (1-1). With the previous season record at four (2023, 2018), Concordia has seven with five regular season matches left in its slate. Since the NAIA ruled out overtime in the regular season (started in 2022), the GPAC has seen an uptick in draws. Multiple teams have had seven ties (conference record) in a season and Morningside has the most in conference play (season) with six (2022).
· There will be nine seniors honored on Saturday as the 2024 class includes Ryan Brown, Nolan Fuelberth, Jarrod Henson, Martin Herrera, Carter Hinman, Spencer Kaufman, Gabriel Mendoza, Manuel Rodriguez and D’Andre Williams. Since that time, the Bulldogs have seen much success with the biggest coming from a 2022 GPAC Tournament Championship that led to the second ever nationals playoff berth. In 2023, Concordia went unbeaten in the regular season with a 13-0-4 overall record and surged into the top-25 of the NAIA Coaches Poll for the first time in its 53 year program history. The 2023 team reached its peak in the rankings at No. 18 in the rankings and spent the final eight weeks inside the top-25. The class record thus far is 39-13-17 overall and 22-5-11 in the GPAC.
· While the Bulldogs’ Massey Rating has jumped from 70th to 64th, their strength of schedule has dropped (51 to 77) after the Dakota Wesleyan match. The ratings expect these two teams to be a highly contested match, with Morningside rated only one spot below the Dawgs (65th) and a higher strength of schedule (60th).
Morningside
The Mustangs come into the week with a 4-5-1 overall showing and a 2-1-1 record in GPAC play. Common nonconference opponents led to Morningside dropping two games versus Grand View University (2-1) and then 7th-ranked Bellevue University (2-1). In the first two conference games, the Mustangs bested Hastings (3-2) and Doane (5-0) in a shutout. They found their first loss against 2023 GPAC Champion Briar Cliff (2-1) and tied Midland (0-0) in their most recent match. The team will play Dordt at home in the midweek and currently have a 1-4-1 record on the road. The Mustangs average 11.3 shots per game and have totaled 18 goals, while allowing 20. With a .549 shots on goal percentage, the squad out of Sioux City is led in scoring by a pack and 10 different players have put at least one in the back of the net. Tim Teschner and Timon Koerber have split time between the posts and have allowed two goals per game on a .672 save percentage on 41 total saves.
Next Week
The Bulldogs will continue conference play visiting Doane and Waldorf next week. Concordia will travel to face the Tigers at Al Papik Field and the Warriors in Forest CIty, Iowa. The matches are listed below.
Wednesday, Oct. 16
7:15 p.m. – at Doane
Saturday, Oct. 19
7:15 p.m. – at Waldorf
Fuelberth completes hat trick for GPAC weekly award October 9, 2024
Concordia University’s Nolan Fuelberth was honored for the third time this season by the league office on Wednesday (Oct. 9). Awarded the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Men's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week for his play from Sept. 30-Oct. 6, Fuelberth claimed his third shutout of the season. Michael Wyvill has also earned the award on Aug. 27 for his defensive efforts.
Fuelberth, a junior from Lincoln, Neb., made three saves in the 3-0 victory over Dakota Wesleyan. On the season, Fuelberth owns a goals against average of 0.80, a save percentage of .814 and has only allowed eight total goals in 10 games. He leads the league in all three categories and has already amassed 35 total saves. The former Northern Illinois University transfer has a 3-2-5 record in goal this season.
He was named a Second Team All-GPAC award winner in 2023 while also achieving NAIA Scholar-Athlete status. In 2023, Fuelberth made 10 starts in goal and posted a goals against average of 0.80 to go along with 22 saves.
The Bulldogs will face Morningside this Saturday while celebrating senior day before the contest. Fuelberth is one of nine honorees.
Seniors celebrated prior to yet another GPAC draw October 12, 2024
In an intense conference clash with more attacking chances than the scoreline reflected, the Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer team came away with yet another draw. The Bulldogs let a 1-0 lead slip away in what amounted to a 1-1 stalemate in a matchup with visiting Morningside. Prior to kickoff, Concordia honored a class of nine seniors that has contributed to some of the greatest successes in program history.
The ties keep piling up for Head Coach Jason Weides’ squad, which has seemed to play competitive games with nearly everyone on its schedule. The Bulldogs stand at 3-2-8 overall (2-0-4 GPAC).
“There was a chance for either team to win that game,” Weides said. “Neither team took it. We’re coming away with a lot of disappointment given that we didn’t play very well in the second half. There were some bright moments in the second half but as a whole, we were pretty poor. In a way, we were fortunate not to lose that game even though we had chances to win it. I thought Morningside came to play in the second half.”
One point still separates the Mustangs (5-5-2, 3-1-2 GPAC) in the conference standings. Concordia had its sights set on leapfrogging Morningside after sophomore Hugo Garrote converted a set piece in the 28th minute. In that moment, Martin Herrera’s corner kick set Garrote up only a few yards out at the right post. Garrote simply deflected the ball from Herrera past the keeper for the game’s first score and the first goal of his Bulldog career.
After the break, the Mustangs got the better of Concordia (8-5 shot advantage) and equalized with Bennet Wesselkaemper’s goal in the 55th minute. Bulldog keeper Nolan Fuelberth managed to make a save in the 89th minute (one of his four saves) to preserve the 1-1 tie. Morningside also had a near goal in the 60th minute when it was called for offside. In addition, the Mustangs threatened late in the first half with one instance requiring Fuelberth to advance near the edge of the box.
Concordia wound up firing three shots on goal (two by Garrote) on the night. Another was placed on frame by Aidan Nachi on a strike from roughly 10 yards out. Morningside keeper Tim Teschner made the save. The Mustangs later dodged a bullet in the 84th minute when D’Andre Williams lasered a ball off the mark to the left of the goal.
Fuelberth, Herrera and Williams were three of the nine seniors recognized prior to the contest. The other seniors included Ryan Brown, Jarrod Henson, Carter Hinman, Spencer Kaufman, Gabriel Mendoza and Manuel Rodriguez. Five seniors appeared in the starting 11. That class was part of the 2022 GPAC tournament championship run and helped the 2023 squad go unbeaten in the regular season. It has also been critical in the program’s active 26-game GPAC regular season unbeaten streak (16-0-10).
Said Weides, “This is a really good senior class that has played important roles both on the field and off the field. They have all contributed a lot to this program over the years. I would have loved for every senior to have gotten the opportunity to get on the field tonight and have the chance to ring the bell on senior night. Ultimately, it’s a really good group.”
An Omaha native, Spencer Kaufman discussed the special nature of the senior class following the game. Said Kaufman of the experience, “Indescribable. I can’t formulate a sentence that really covers it all. I believe in everyone of the guys and they believe in everyone of us. I think we all believe that we can take home the (GPAC) title this season. That’s our objective – to get to nationals.”
The next three outings will all take place on the road. This coming Wednesday, the Bulldogs will be headed to Crete to meet up with rival Doane (4-6-2, 2-4 GPAC) at 7:15 p.m. CT. In last season’s matchup (also in Crete), Concordia polished off an unbeaten regular season with a 5-1 rout of the Tigers.
Two road opportunities coming for Concordia October 14, 2024
With only four games left in the regular season, Concordia University Men’s Soccer will spend its next two outings on the road. Doane will host the Bulldogs on Wednesday (Oct. 16), and Waldorf has the game set at Bolstorff Field this weekend. Morningside and Concordia tied (1-1) on senior day as CUNE collected another draw. The Bulldogs are 3-2-8 overall and 2-0-4 in GPAC play.
This Week
Wednesday, Oct. 16 at Doane (4-6-2, 2-4 GPAC), 7:15 p.m.
Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Papik Field (Crete, Neb.)
Saturday, Oct. 19 at Waldorf (0-10-1, 0-6 GPAC), 7:30 p.m.
Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Bolstorff Field (Forest City, Iowa)
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· Head Coach Jason Weides’ squad got ahead early in the blistering paced battle between the Mustangs. Martin Herrera put a corner kick opportunity in the right spot for Hugo Garrote to place the backside of his foot to the ball for a tap in score. It was the Monroe College transfer's first finish as a Bulldog. After the break, the Mustangs got the better of Concordia (8-5 shot advantage) and equalized with Bennet Wesselkaemper’s goal in the 55th minute. Both teams would have chances in the final minutes, but D’Andre Williams was denied by the post and Morningside was denied by Nolan Fuelberth (four saves). Fuelberth, Herrera and Williams were three of the nine seniors recognized prior to the contest. The other seniors included Ryan Brown, Jarrod Henson, Carter Hinman, Spencer Kaufman, Gabriel Mendoza and Manuel Rodriguez. Five seniors appeared in the starting 11. Said Weides, “This is a really good senior class that has played important roles both on the field and off the field. They have all contributed a lot to this program over the years. I would have loved for every senior to have gotten the opportunity to get on the field tonight and have the chance to ring the bell on senior night. Ultimately, it’s a really good group.”
· The Bulldogs' strength through the first 13 games has been on the defensive side of the ball. Concordia leads the league in goals allowed (10) in front of Northwestern (14) and Dakota Wesleyan (20) having played fewer games. Bolstered behind a conference best 0.77 goals allowed average, the Bulldogs are alone at the top as Northwestern owns the next best goals allowed (1.17). Having tied conference high four shutouts, CUNE has 49 saves as a team and is sitting at the middle of the pack. The Concordia goalkeepers have had fewer chances to defend because of the team's collaborative defense. Led by co-captains Iker Casanova and Ferdi Hagen, Coach Weides’ squad boasts significant talent on the defensive minded squad.
· Take one glance at the keeper leaderboard and you will find Nolan Fuelberth plastered across the top of many significant categories. With the highest save percentage (.813) and goals against average (0.82) in the conference, native of Lincoln, Neb., Fuelberth is at No. 1 in goals against giving up only nine in 105 shot attempts. The product, out of Lincoln Southwest, ended his 2023 campaign in the top 5 in both categories last season (eight, 0.80). Gabriel Mendoza and Fuelberth combined for the program’s season low 13 goals allowed last season.
· The Bulldogs has a new conference record for ties in a season (eight) with four regular season matches left in their slate. The team has tied with Graceland University (0-0), Columbia College (1-1), Grand View University (1-1), York University (1-1), Dordt (1-1), Hastings (1-1), Briar Cliff (1-1) and Morningside (1-1). With the previous season record at four (2023, 2018), Concordia has doubled its ties from last year.
· While the Bulldogs are tied for sixth in the conference, it feels like any team can go on a run in these final weeks to take the GPAC regular season championship. With three upcoming opponents at the bottom of the league standings, Concordia is primed for a chance to make moves before the final standings are finished. Hastings holds a slim one point lead (14) at the top of the standings with a 4-1-2 conference record. Northwestern has 13 points, one behind the Broncos, and has a 4-1-1 record. The next five teams are separated by one point with Dordt (11), Midland (11), Morningside (11), Concordia (10) and Briar Cliff (10). The Chargers have played one more contest than the rest. Dakota Wesleyan (six), Doane (six), Mount Marty (three) and Waldorf (zero) round out the teams in the bottom of the GPAC.
· The Massey Ratings have the Bulldogs slotted at 67th and put their strength of schedule at 54th in the country. Doane has a ranking of 132nd, while Waldorf is 185th in the NAIA. The Tigers’ strength of schedule is 116th after 12 games and the Warriors are slotted at 133rd.
Doane
The Tigers are 4-6-2 overall and 2-4 in the conference. Three nonconference teams Concordia tied, Doane went 1-2 against falling to Bellevue University (6-0) and Graceland University (2-0) but defeated York University (2-0). The Crete side defeated Waldorf (6-0) and Dakota Wesleyan (2-1) in conference play. The Tigers average 9.8 shots per game with a .547 shot on goal percentage. They have totaled 19 scores while allowing 32, the second worst in the conference. Ameer Madden paces the team with six goals, tied for third best in the conference. Guillem Colom and Hugo Santos both have three goals apiece. Goalkeeper Samuel Montanez has played 894 minutes giving up 28 goals and collecting 69 saves with a .711 save percentage.
Waldorf
The Warriors are winless with an 0-10-1 record and an 0-6 conference showing. Waldorf recently fell to GPAC opponents Midland (12-0), Dakota Wesleyan (3-0) and Hastings (5-0). The Warriors will face Culver-Stockton College (Mo.) this coming Wednesday. They average 5.7 shots per game and have a .476 shot on goal percentage. The team has scored five goals this season with two apiece coming from Louis Hernandez and Ryder Tormaschy. Waldorf has played three goalkeepers with senior Osvaldo Andrade playing 346 minutes in the contests and has 48 saves on a .706 save percentage.
Next Week
The Bulldogs will finish out conference play by visiting Mount Marty and coming home for their final regular season bout versus Midland. Concordia will travel to face the Lancers in Yankton, S.D. and face off against the Warriors in Bulldog Stadium. The match is listed below.
Saturday, Oct. 26
3:30 p.m. – at Mount Marty
Wednesday, Oct. 30
8 p.m. – vs. Midland
Depth on display in late runaway win over Doane October 16, 2024
For the 90 minutes of action in Crete, Neb., the Concordia University Men’s Soccer team exerted itself as the clear aggressor. It simply took a while to put that first goal on the board. At long last, Ryan Wokutch found the back of the net in the 73rd minute, carrying the Bulldogs to what culminated in a 3-0 victory at Doane on Wednesday (Oct. 16). Concordia is 9-0-4 over its last 13 meetings with the rival Tigers.
Head Coach Jason Weides’ squad has yet to drop a conference game as it pushed the league mark to 3-0-4 (4-2-8 overall). The latest victory took contributions from 20 Bulldogs who stepped onto the field.
“It was a really good team effort overall,” Weides said. “Certainly it was frustrating as the game wore on that we were unable to get that first goal until late in the contest. The reality is we created a lot of good chances and their keeper had an outstanding game, made a lot of good saves and was a big factor in it taking us so long to get that first goal. They caused us a few challenges on counter attacks, but I thought we controlled the play in the first half.”
Wokutch and company were not going to accept another conference draw in a game the visitors dominated (18-2 shot count). Played into the box by Zahid Falcon, Wokutch finished with his left foot while squeezing the ball through a narrow angle for his second goal of 2024. The Paola, Kan., native proceeded to celebrate with multiple back flips. That was only a start. Dependable senior Martin Herrera rippled the back of the net in the 83rd and 85th minutes for his team high sixth and seventh goals, respectively, of the campaign. Hugo Garrote earned an assist on the latter goal.
Finally, the floodgates had opened after Doane keeper Samuel Montanez saved Concordia’s first six shots on goal. It felt like it was simply a matter of time on an evening when the Tigers mustered a grand total of two shots (one on goal). A stellar collective defensive effort helped Bulldog keeper Nolan Fuelberth record his fourth shutout of the season. Fuelberth saved a shot placed on frame by Doane’s Ameer Madden.
The biggest downside to come from Wednesday’s game was the injury of two Concordia center midfielders. On the positive side, the subs that were called upon by Weides answered in the affirmative.
Said Weides, “We had some guys really step up even though they hadn’t been playing as many minutes. Zahid Falcon has really been improving and we knew he was ready. He took his opportunity and played really well and was a big factor in us winning that game. Ryan Brown came in and played well. Everyone who stepped on the field was ready, and I thought we had good energy from the bench as well.”
Weides also commended a back line that included subs Michael Lindberg and Adrian Wambua and was anchored by center backs Iker Casanova and Michael Wyvill, as well as rock solid freshman Sean Stratman. Additionally, Weides gave credit to Spencer Kaufman for hassling Doane’s Ameer Madden, a dangerous attacking threat with six goals and five assists on the season.
The Tigers (4-7-2, 2-5 GPAC) have not beaten the Bulldogs since 2012. Concordia is now 17-0-10 over its last 27 GPAC regular season games.
For the first time since Waldorf became a GPAC member (starting in 2023 for soccer), Concordia will be headed to Forest City, Iowa. That meeting will take place at 7:30 p.m. CT on Saturday. The Warriors slipped to 0-11-1 overall (0-6 GPAC) with Wednesday’s 4-0 nonconference loss at Culver-Stockton College (Mo.). The Bulldogs defeated Waldorf in Seward by a 6-0 score in 2023.
Seven Bulldogs find back of net in trouncing of Waldorf October 19, 2024
The rise up the league standings continues down the stretch of 2024 for the Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer team. On Saturday (Oct. 19), the Bulldogs made their longest trek of the conference season and walked away from Forest City, Iowa, a 10-0 winner over Waldorf. Seven different Concordia players found the back of the net in the program’s largest goal-scoring outburst since an 11-0 win over Mount Marty in 2016.
Head Coach Jason Weides’ squad completed a dominant 2-0 week on the road that included a 3-0 win at Doane. The Bulldogs now stand at 4-0-4 in GPAC play (5-2-8 overall) with just two remaining regular season outings. The current top five in the conference standings are all within one point of each other.
“The guys came in with a really good mindset and approach to it,” Weides said. “We really focused ourselves on being consistent, being simple and improving. I think we did that. We were able to see a lot of faces in the match and get some guys quality minutes that hadn’t played as much this season. It was really fun to see those guys succeed and score some goals. We were on top of them right away and took control of it.”
Also the team’s first goal scorer on Wednesday night, Ryan Wokutch began the surge in the 19th minute with his third goal of the season. Concordia proceeded to put the game on ice with seven goals before halftime arrived. Three Bulldogs tallied two goals apiece: Youssef Heggy, Aidan Nachi and Kai Olbrich. One goal each came courtesy of Ferdi Hagen, Martin Herrera and Mattis Hollnagel, in addition to Wokutch. Olbrich was especially active as he placed our shots on frame and had an assist. Heggy recorded three shots on goal and also added an assist.
Goal scoring summary:
· 19’ – Ryan Wokutch
· 21’ – Martin Herrera (assist by Kai Olbrich)
· 27’ – Kai Olbrich (assist by D’Andre Williams)
· 32’ – Youssef Heggy
· 33’ – Youssef Heggy (assist by Michael Lindberg)
· 38’ – Ferdi Hagen (assist by Aidan Nachi)
· 41’ – Aidan Nachi (assist by Martin Herrera)
· 62’ – Mattis Hollnagel
· 67’ – Kai Olbrich (assist by Youssef Heggy)
· 74’ – Aidan Nachi (assist by Mattis Hollnagel)
Nineteen Concordia players saw action in the game. In goal, Gabriel Mendoza played the first 45 minutes before giving way to Jason Payne for the second half. It was the first career collegiate action for Payne, who made a save and helped preserve the shutout. The shot count told the story of dominance as the Bulldogs owned it, 28-2. They also peppered the Warriors with 14 corner kicks.
Said Weides, “We had some guys step up and play well at Doane and I think that certainly inspired confidence in themselves. They really took the opportunity and it led into this match. Zahid Falcon started for the first time in his career and played all 90 minutes. Kai Olbrich had been playing really well and got the start. Overall, it was a great team win. We had a couple alums here and it was great to celebrate with them.”
Waldorf slipped to 0-12-1 (0-7 GPAC). The 10 goals they conceded were the second most by a Warrior opponent in GPAC play this season. Concordia also defeated Waldorf by a 6-0 score last season in Seward.
The Bulldogs will have the middle of this coming week off while looking ahead to next Saturday (Oct. 26)’s trip to Yankton, S.D., for a meeting with Mount Marty (4-8-1, 1-6 GPAC). Concordia toppled the Lancers by a 3-0 score in Seward last season. In action this weekend, Mount Marty was beaten at Morningside, 5-0.
Herrera nabs weekly GPAC honor October 22, 2024
After two strong offensive showings in the past two contests, the Bulldogs have collected another weekly honor from the league office on Tuesday (Oct. 22). Martin Herrera was named the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Men's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week for his play from Oct. 14-20. Herrera is the first offensive player to win the award in 2024 but joins three time honoree Nolan Fuelberth and defender Michael Wyvill.
Herrera, a senior from Quito, Ecuador, tallied three goals and an assist on the week as the Bulldogs earned road wins over Doane and Waldorf. With the help of Herrera's attacking exploits, Concordia produced its highest single game goal total (10) since 2016. The ISM Academy product scored two in the match against the Tigers to give the Bulldogs breathing room in the second half.
Herrera pushed his team high goal count to eight on the season, which ties him for fourth in the conference. He also has three assists this season.
Concordia will face Mount Marty this Saturday in Yankton, S.D. for its final road trip of the regular season slate.
Bulldogs in crowded race for the regular season crown October 22, 2024
The race is down to six teams as the GPAC looks to crown the regular season champions and with only two games left every single point matters. Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer will have the full week to prepare for Mount Marty in the road finale this coming Saturday (Oct. 26). The Bulldogs came out swinging and claimed back to back shutouts over Doane (3-0) and Waldorf (10-0).
This Week
Saturday, Oct. 26 at Mount Marty (4-8-1, 1-6 GPAC), 3:30 p.m.
Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Crane Youngworth Stadium (Yankton, S.D.)
Buy Tickets to home events
By the numbers
· Plagued with games ending in a tie, Concordia made sure that didn’t happen in the 3-0 final over Doane. It seemed to be headed that way with a scoreless match through 70+ minutes. Senior Ryan Wokutch flipped the top off at Al Papik Field, scoring his second goal of the year. Unsatisfied with a one score lead, the Bulldogs' leading scorer Martin Herrera came in clutch with two consecutive goals in the 83rd and 85th minutes. The offense pounded the ball inside the offensive third with an 18-2 shot advantage over the Tigers. The home team mustered up one shot on goal in the 90 minutes because of the constant pressure the visitors put on display.
· The visiting Bulldogs pounced on the Warriors after the 18th minute and the home team could not stop the bleeding as CUNE was up 7-0 at the break. Wokutch helped Concordia get started once more and the Seward squad scored almost every five minutes for the rest of the half. Goals were also had by Herrera (21’), Kai Olbrich (27’, 67’), Youssef Heggy (32’, 33’), Ferdi Hagen (38’), Aidan Nachi (41’, 74’) and Mattis Hollnagel (62’). The visitors outshot their opponents, 28-2, and in corner kicks (14-2). Starter Gabriel Mendoza and Jason Payne shared minutes between the posts and combined for the shutout.
· Three Bulldogs have crept up or stayed in the top five of the GPAC individual leader standings deep into the season. Herrera is fourth in the conference for goals (eight) and is in striking distance down two goals from the conference leader. Herrera was awarded the GPAC Offensive Player of the Week, tallying three goals and one assist in the past two games. D’Andre Williams is in a four way tie for second in the conference in assists (five) and the GPAC leader Ameer Madden has six. Nolan Fuelberth continues to be stellar in the net, leading the conference in save percentage (.816), goals against (nine) and goals against average (0.75).
· In 2022, Dordt got the better of the Bulldogs in a 4-3 win in Sioux Center. Since that time, Concordia has been unbeaten in regular season conference play, going 18-0-10. Against Mount Marty, CUNE has went 18-1-2 in the series overall history. The Lancers lone victory came in 2010, winning 2-1 in Yankton. The Bulldogs have shutout MMU 12 times since 2000.
· A fist fight in a phone booth would describe the race for the GPAC regular season conference title. With most teams having played eight games, three teams are tied at the top with 17 points: Hastings (5-2-2), Midland (5-1-2) and Morningside (5-1-2). Concordia (4-0-4) and Northwestern (5-2-1) are nipping at their heels with 16 points and Dordt (4-2-2) has 14. Briar Cliff (3-4-1), Dakota Wesleyan (2-5) and Doane (2-6) make up the teams fighting for the final GPAC tournament spots in the league.
· The NAIA RPI ratings have the Dawgs ranked 71st with a strength of schedule rating set at 119th. Mount Marty is ranked 161st out of 195 teams and 191st in the strength of schedule rating.
Mount Marty
The Lancers come into the week with a 4-8-1 overall record and a 1-6 conference showing. Mount Marty defeated Waldorf (3-0) but has lost its last five games starting in September. Starting Wednesday with Midland, MMU will look to get going and try adding to its 17 goals and nine assists. With 9.6 shots per game, the team has a .136 shot percentage and are paced by Zachary Hebda having four scores in 2024. Alessio Pirrello has played 608 minutes between the posts and has 24 saves with a .545 save percentage.
Final Week
The Bulldogs will come home for one final match of the regular season hosting Midland as their final opponent. First kick is set to be inside Bulldog Stadium next Wednesday. The match details are below.
Wednesday, Oct. 30
8 p.m. – vs. Midland
Bulldogs break down Lancers in third consecutive shutout October 26, 2024
With hopes of the GPAC regular season crown, the Bulldogs needed to do their part facing Mount Marty on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 26). Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer lit up the box in the 4-0 decisive victory over the Lancers. Ryan Wokutch was able to be on both ends of a score tallying a goal and an assist in the team’s third straight win.
Concordia now has a GPAC regular season unbeaten streak of 19-0-10 (since 2022). The Bulldogs have a 6-2-8 overall record and a 5-0-4 conference showing.
With two seconds left in the first half, a foul was committed by Mount Marty allowing Oliver Benson to have a crack at the goal from 12 yards outside the box. Bennington, Neb., native Benson kicked a spiraling ball to the top right corner and smiled going up one before the break.
“It was huge,” said Head Coach Jason Weides. “Despite having most of the possession and many opportunities, it was a tight game. It was good to be able to get that breakthrough goal and really have to make them open up. Sometimes it’s a set play like that, teams need to take advantage of and it was a really important moment.”
The Bulldogs came out of the locker rooms unsatisfied with the 1-0 lead after outshooting their opponents 11-2 in the first half (24-4 total). In the 64th minute, captain Ferdi Hagen powered a through ball to a barreling Wokutch, made a move past the keeper, and tapped the ball in. The Paola, Kan., product would feed D’Andre Williams less than 10 minutes later switching typical roles on the offensive end.
Up three, Mattis Hollnagel and Youssef Heggy would team up for the final score to solidify the dominant road win. Heggy, a Dusseldorf, Germany, native scored his third goal in two games as Hollnagel tacked on his second assist of his campaign.
The men’s soccer program has been trucking through GPAC opponents with three consecutive shutouts and have scored 17 goals in the stretch. With 12 different players finding pay dirt this season, the Bulldogs' depth has grown, having 27 different players gaining minutes through 16 games.
Coach Weides said, “We’ve been improving. We have been making strides the whole time. We may be just seeing the fruit of those labors now. We got a lot of guys in. I don’t think anyone who started the match finished the match. Tyrell Kawome got his first minutes of the season today. It was fun to see guys get more playing time and to see their success too.”
Goalkeeper Nolan Fuelberth had to only make one save but clinched his fifth shutout of the year. With a wealth of experience protecting the box, veteran names like captain Iker Casanova, Adrian Wambua, Michael Wyvill, Hagen and Michael Lindberg hand out punishment for coming into their side of the pitch. The opposing offenses have averaged one shot on goal per 90 minutes in the winning stretch.
Concordia (6-2-8, 5-0-4 GPAC) will face Midland (8-5-4, 6-1-2 GPAC) in their final match of the regular season on Wednesday. First kick is set for 8 p.m. CT inside Bulldog Stadium. With the league stacked at the top of the standings, the Bulldogs will need a win in the final game to guarantee a playoff host spot. With a win, CUNE will be in contention for the GPAC regular season championship.
Potential GPAC title within arm’s reach for Concordia October 28, 2024
The all-important final regular season matchup for Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer squad will be inside Bulldog Stadium on Wednesday (Oct. 30). The Bulldogs will face off against Midland and will have a chance to seize their first regular season title. In the most recent contest, Concordia kept the Mount Marty Lancers at bay with a 4-0 shutout, rolling in its third consecutive win. CUNE is 6-2-8 and an unbeaten 5-0-4 in conference play.
This Week
Wednesday, Oct. 30 vs. Midland (8-5-4, 6-1-2 GPAC), 8 p.m.
Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Bulldog Stadium (Seward, Neb.)
Buy Tickets to home events
By the numbers
· The Bulldogs were pounding the box with an 11-2 shot advantage (24-4 total) but were unable to find a first half score until the final two seconds. Freshman Oliver Benson kicked a free kick from 12 yards outside the box to give the visitors confidence going into the locker rooms. Ryan Wokutch tallied a score (via Ferdi Hagen) and an assist to D’Andre Williams sealing the victory in the second half. Mattis Hollnagel pushed a long feed to Youssef Heggy for his third score of the year. The stout Concordia defense collected its 7th shutout of the season and goalkeeper Nolan Fuelberth’s 5th.
· The Bulldog defense is known around the league for being rough and stingy, having only allowed 10 goals all season plus a staggering five in the conference. The next closest GPAC foe (Northwestern) has allowed double (20) the number of scores. With 0.63 goals allowed average, Concordia’s massive depth boast names like Fuelberth, Iker Casanova, Adrian Wambua, Michael Wyvill, Michael Lindberg, Spencer Kaufman, Sean Stratman and Hagen all come to mind. The press and counter press style of play gives opposing offenses no space which starts from the front of the lineup to the back making all 11 on the field a part of this suffocating defense.
· In 2022, Dordt got the better of the Bulldogs in a 4-3 win in Sioux Center. Since that time, Concordia has been unbeaten in regular season conference play, going 19-0-10. The current sophomores in the program have yet to see a conference loss in their scheduled slates. CUNE has won three of their last four against the Warriors taking a 4-1 victory in Seward for the 2023 bout.
· With only one game left, the top five teams in the league still have a shot at the GPAC crown. Midland, Morningside and Hastings all have 20 points, but the Broncos have already played all 10 games. Concordia and Northwestern have 19 points with a match left to finish as well, leaving the championship up for grabs. With a Morningside loss or tie and a Bulldog win, CUNE will take the conference regular season top spot for the first time in program history. Dordt (14 points), Dakota Wesleyan (12 points) and Briar Cliff (10 points) have already sealed tournament spots as the final three in.
· Concordia jumped up one spot in the NAIA RPI to 70th in the ratings. With a strength of schedule slotted 126th, the Bulldogs will look to improve their ranking against Midland (65th). MU has had a tough schedule ranked 39th in the country via RPI.
Midland
Head Coach Josh Nakayama’s team walks into the upcoming match 8-5-4 overall and a 6-1-2 GPAC showing through nine games. Midland has won five straight contests (four shutouts) and outscored its opponents 21-2 in the run. With an impressive 5-1-2 road record, the visitors are led by the offense averaging 15 shots per game and have totaled 42 goals, good enough for second in the conference in both categories. As a two-headed monster in the attacking third, Hugo Garcia-Rosado Duran (11) and Adnan Boulaghmal (nine) retain the top two spots for the GPAC in goals scored. The two have a combined 96 shots this season and Garcia paces the team with four assists. Hugo Sjoeberg has played all but 17 minutes between the posts, and the three time conference Defensive Player of the Week award winner has registered six shutouts. Sjoeberg has 84 saves on a .778 save percentage earning a 6-4-4 record.
Next Week
With such a close point spread in the standings, the Bulldogs will have to wait until after every contest is done on Wednesday to see where they shake out in the final rundown. Kickoff for the GPAC quarterfinal match is tentatively set for 7 p.m. CT on Tuesday night (Nov. 5).
Herrera and company respond emphatically, close regular season with statement October31, 2024
The Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer team entered Wednesday (Oct. 30) night’s chilly and rainy rivalry clash with hopes of capturing a GPAC regular season title. Spurred by leading goal scorer Martin Herrera, the Bulldogs held up their end of the bargain while rallying back with a 6-2 statement win over visiting Midland. Concordia won going away after responding to deficits of 1-0 and 2-1 in an impressive showing.
Head Coach Jason Weides’ squad went 5-0-1 during the month of October and has earned second place in the final GPAC regular season standings. The Bulldogs (7-2-8, 6-0-4 GPAC) did not get the help they needed from Dakota Wesleyan, meaning Morningside finished one point in front of Concordia at the top of the heap.
“It was a really good win not just because of the score but because Midland is a good team,” Weides said. “The elements made it tough. If there was no rain and the ball wasn’t skipping, this would have been a game where teams would have gotten the ball down and played a little bit more. Ultimately, both teams had to deal with this. We were fortunate to take advantage of it in some moments. It made it tough for goalkeepers. We talked about resilience and showing a championship culture.”
Indeed, the Bulldogs displayed their mettle after seeing Hugo Garcia-Rosado Duran find the back of the net in the 14th minute with a banger of a goal that left Concordia almost no opportunity to defend. A mere 11 seconds later, Herrera sent a left-footed one-timer past the Midland keeper from roughly 30 yards out. Those early fireworks highlighted what turned out to be a wildly entertaining first half.
Eventually, the Bulldogs returned to their typical stingy defensive ways and proceeded to rattle off the final five goals of the game. The goals came from the likes of Ryan Wokutch (27’), D’Andre Williams (35’), Herrera (51’), Ferdi Hagen (63’) and Oliver Benson (90’). Concordia was efficient in scoring six times on its nine shots on goal (14 total shots for the evening). Both Wokutch and Hugo Garrote earned credit for an assist.
In goal, Nolan Fuelberth posted six saves in another strong effort. The Warriors (8-6-4, 6-2-2 GPAC) fired away 17 shots while putting a typically stifling Bulldog back line led by the likes of Iker Casanova and Michael Wyvill to the test. Down 2-1 in the 17th minute (following a goal from Adrian Boulaghmal), Concordia never flinched.
Said Herrera, who owns a team high 10 goals this season, “We just kept going and kept going. Just keep working and the results are going to come. Right now, our confidence is super high. Every single guy makes an impact on the field. We’re ready for the tournament.”
The Bulldogs will be riding high into the GPAC tournament having outscored their past four opponents by a combined total of 23-2. A string of 1-1 draws in conference play brought frustration, but Concordia recorded a second-straight undefeated run through the GPAC regular season (and owns a 30-game GPAC regular season unbeaten streak). They may have missed out on what could have been the program’s first ever GPAC regular season title, but the Bulldogs believe they are primed for a postseason of thrills.
Said Weides, “I think the whole season we were growing. This team has been really good about taking feedback and identifying things we can fix. That’s a big reason why we’ve scored more goals and had more wins in the second part of the season. This group is really adaptable and really coachable. We’re growing together as a team not just on the field, but off the field. That’s what championship culture is about.”
Postseason play is up next. As part of the GPAC tournament quarterfinals, second-seeded Concordia will host No. 7 seed Briar Cliff (5-11-2, 4-5-1 GPAC) at 7 p.m. CT this coming Tuesday (Nov. 5). The two sides played to a 1-1 draw during the regular season. The complete GPAC tournament pairings can be found HERE .
2024 GPAC men's soccer quarterfinal preview: Concordia vs. Briar Cliff November 4, 2024
Second-seeded Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer finished one point from the top of the conference table and will clash with No. 7 seed Briar Cliff on Tuesday night (Nov. 5) in its quarterfinal matchup. With a tightly contested GPAC regular season, it will be a straight Dawg fight and must watch soccer to see who will claim the tournament championship. CUNE ended their 2024 conference regular season unbeaten (6-0-4) for the second year.
Next Match
GPAC Quarterfinals: Tuesday, Nov. 5 vs. Briar Cliff (5-11-2, 4-5-1 GPAC), 7 p.m. Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Bulldog Stadium (Seward, Neb.)
By the numbers
· The Bulldogs have won the tournament two times under Head Coach Jason Weides (2015, 2022) and will make their 15th GPAC tournament appearance (17 total) under the 17-year front man. Concordia will look to make the semifinals for the eighth time in the program’s history. Last year, the No. 3 seed Bulldogs were upset (3-0) by No. 6 Dordt in the opening round. With loads of tournament experience coming back, the home team will call upon captain Iker Casanova, Martin Herrera, Ryan Wokutch, captain Ferdi Hagen, Adrian Wambua and Nolan Fuelberth to steady the storm inside the 90 minutes of play.
· The most prominent win came in the final match against Midland with a chance to take the title on a win and Morningside loss. The intensity permeated from GPAC goal leader Hugo Garcia-Rosado Duran who led off with a jaw dropping bicycle kick. Answering the gut check, Martin Herrera clobbered a 30 yard kick into the back of the net only 11 seconds later. With a GPAC title on the line for both teams, Adnan Boulaghmal and Ryan Wokutch scored for their respective teams in the early back and forth. Following the first few minutes of the prize fight, the Bulldogs would settle in and score four unanswered in the following 63 minutes. Fuelberth and the silencing defense threw the Warriors around, only allowing three shots on goal for the rest of the 90.
· Ties, wanted or not, decided many of the games for the Bulldogs in the 2024 season collecting a 7-2-8 overall record. Eight ties took the GPAC’s most ever and point to how dominant defensively Coach Weides’ squad was all season. With the 6-0-4 GPAC record, the Concordia hasn’t lost to a conference team in the regular season since 2022. The team has a 20-0-10 showing from that time and will continue to build on the record next campaign.
· The defensive third is ranked in many categories in the NAIA including 8th in goals allowed (12) and 11th in goals allowed average (0.71). Concordia has acquired seven shutouts (tied for 24th) and has only permitted five opposing assists in its 17 games played. Fuelberth is ranked 21st in goals allowed average (0.79) and gave up 0.79 in goals per game. In the GPAC, he ranks first in save percentage (.810) and fourth in goals allowed (11) per game.
· The offense comes into the tournament on fire, scoring 23 goals in their last four games. Herrera paces the team with 10 total and is now tied for 2nd in the conference. Scores can come from seemingly anyone as eight different players have at least three goals this season. Behind Herrera, Ryan Wokutch (five), D'Andre Williams (four) and Oliver Benson (four) are in front for the team in finishes. Averaging 12.1 shots per game, the Bulldogs have 40 total goals on 25 assists. Williams (five), Herrera (three), and Hugo Garrote(three) lead the team in feeds.
· Hot off the press, the RPI ratings were released today (Nov. 4) and Concordia jumped 10 spots to 60th in the rankings. With a strength of schedule slotted 137th, the Bulldogs will look to improve their ranking against Briar Cliff (138th). The visitors have had a tough schedule rated 57th in the country.
The opponent
The Chargers finish their season with a 5-11-2 record and a 4-5-1 GPAC showing. With 31 goals scored, they have assisted on 30 of their finishes this year. Briar Cliff earned a .117 shot percentage on 14.7 shots per game (2nd in GPAC). BCU had lost four consecutive before defeating Waldorf (6-0) in its final game. Phil Appelt and Marco Laenen pace the team with five goals apiece, and Tate Hansen has the team high three assists. Goalkeeper Philip Haenel has played 1,440 minutes in the net and ranks fifth in the conference in goals against average (1.75). He has allowed 28 goals and grabbed 52 saves in his 16 starts.
Quarterfinals – Tuesday, Nov. 5
(8) Dakota Wesleyan at (1) Morningside, 7 p.m.
(5) Hastings at (4) Midland, 7 p.m.
(6) Dordt at (3) Northwestern, 7 p.m.
(7) Briar Cliff at (2) Concordia, 7 p.m.
Semifinals – Saturday, Nov. 9
1/8 winner vs. 4/5 winner, time TBA
2/7 winner vs. 3/6 winner, time TBA
Championship – Wednesday, Nov. 13
Highest remaining seed hosts, time TBA
Herrera earns second GPAC award in three weeks November 5, 2024
One of the key factors in the second-half-of-the-season surge for Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer, senior Martin Herrera has earned a second GPAC award in a three-week span. On Tuesday (Nov. 5), the league office named Herrera the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week. The honor came as a result of Herrera’s performance in the Bulldogs’ 6-2 win over Midland to wrap up the regular season.
A striker from Quito, Ecuador, Herrera produced a goal apiece in the 14th and 51st minutes in the victory over Midland that vaulted Concordia into second place in the final GPAC standings. The fruitful outing was a continuation of Herrera’s offensive binge that included two goals at Doane on Oct. 16 and a goal and an assist at Waldorf on Oct. 19. Among GPAC players, Herrera ranks in a tie for second in goals (10) and in a tie for third in points (23).
A 2022 Second Team All-GPAC honoree, Herrera has appeared in 65 games (56 starts) in his career at Concordia. He has tallied 17 goals and 11 assists and has been an instrumental part of the program’s current 30-game GPAC regular season unbeaten streak.
Herrera and the second-seeded Bulldogs (7-2-8, 6-0-4 GPAC) will take on seventh-seeded Briar Cliff (5-11-2, 4-5-1 GPAC) at 7 p.m. CT on Tuesday (Nov. 5) in the GPAC quarterfinals. The winner will advance to play in the semifinals on Saturday.
Dawgs survive and advance on PK’s outlasting Briar Cliff November 6, 2024
After 110 minutes of play, the second-seeded Bulldogs survived and advanced to the conference semifinals over No. 7 seed Briar Cliff on penalty kicks (5-4) Tuesday night (Nov. 5). Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer ended the first 90 minutes in a 1-1 draw and neither team could find the back of the net in the golden goal extra time. A Charger smacked the crossbar on the final penalty as the Dawgs jumped in celebration of the GPAC tournament triumph.
CUNE moves to 7-3-9 and charges ahead to the semis for the eighth time in program history.
“We don’t get those moments often”, said Head Coach Jason Weides. “It was fun. We told the guys to enjoy it. At the core, you just have to give your best. The best shooters can miss and the weakest shooters can make. It is just a situation where, one, you have to believe in yourself and two, our team knows, that no matter what happens, we still love and trust in them. When you know that you can go up and perform at your best.”
Ferdi Hagen, Martin Herrera, Iker Casanova, Sean Stratman and Spencer Kaufman made their PK’s to send the Bulldogs to the next round. Two Briar Cliff players missed in the standoff and gave room for the home squad to seal the win as Kaufman buried the final shot in the bottom right corner for Concordia.
In the first frame, the Bulldogs missed a penalty and the Chargers punished the home defense for a mistake that left the ball free in front of goal. Needing a spark on the offensive end, captain Ferdi Hagen saw the BCU defense drop back as he approached the box and booted in the equalizer (75’). Missing on his first chance, the sophomore out of Berlin, Germany, didn’t whiff on his second scoring his third goal in 2024.
Hagen said, “It was a great feeling, to be honest. It was a great game. We had a tough first half but we knew we were get the best from Briar Cliff. In the second half, we had most of the possession. We knew it was going to come. In PK’s, you can’t be better than someone at it. It’s just mentality. It’s a great feeling to go to the semifinal.”
Goalkeeper Nolan Fuleberth held onto four saves and was bolstered by his back line with Casanova, Braden Spath, Stratman, Michael Lindberg, Kaufman, Michael Wyvill and Adrian Wambua. Herrera (four), Hagen (three) and Ryan Wokutch (three) were out front for the home team in shots. Subs Aidan Nachi, Kai Olbrich and Oliver Benson provided energy off the bench.
The two teams were even through much of the match having totaled 13 shots and three corner kicks apiece. The Bulldogs had a slight edge in shots on goal (6-5) and Briar Cliff claimed 18 fouls and seven yellow cards. The Chargers season comes to an end with a 5-11-3 record.
Concordia (7-2-9, 6-0-4 GPAC) will face No. 3 seed Northwestern (8-4-5, 6-2-2 GPAC) on Saturday night. First kick is set for 7 p.m. CT inside Bulldog Stadium. CUNE bested NWC (1-0) in its conference opener on Sept. 18.
Second half downpour defeats Northwestern in GPAC semis November 9, 2024
After a scoreless first half in the semifinal, the second-seeded Bulldogs poured on three goals and pushed back the third-seeded charging Red Raiders in the 3-2 victory. The two teams opened up in the second frame downpouring 20 total shots inside Bulldog Stadium. Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer will host No. 5 seed Hastings in the GPAC championship.
CUNE has totaled an 8-2-9 overall record and has gone 5-0-1 in the last six games.
“Our guys have had a really good response to challenging moments throughout the year”, said head coach Jason Weides. “That’s what really good teams do, and they have shown they are capable of doing that time and time again. To respond so quickly after conceding two goals, suddenly it's tied. I’m just proud of the response these guys had. Our defenders did well against a talented team like Northwestern. You’re not going to shut guys like that down, but our defenders did a really good job of that. We scored some quality goals today. We had great moments. That’s what you have to do. Survive and advance.”
With the match tied from an own goal and a penalty for the visitors, Kai Olbrich pushed a ball through defenders into the box. The ever dangerous Martin Herrera punched the game winner through for his 11th goal of the season.
After a combined four shots in the initial 45 minutes, a rainstorm of goals started with Defender Sean Stratman breaking the ice. Oliver Benson made the feed and Stratman put the finishing touch on the first collegiate goal of his career. Five minutes later (63’), Ryan Wokutch received a long pass from Aidan Nachi, set it up and banged it home.
Wokutch said postgame, “I’m so happy. It’s the second time in my career we get to go to the finals. To host it, is just special. I’m excited to see what we can do. At halftime, coach gave us some motivation. We just came out with some fire and knew that we had to score.”
The team defense did enough in the second half and dominated in the first. Iker Casanova, Adrian Wambua, Sean Stratman, Michael Lindberg, Spencer Kaufman and Michael Wyvill all stood out. Wyvill controlled the GPAC’s leading goal scorer Stan van den Beld in his one on one matchups. Goalkeeper Nolan Fuelberth earned two monumental first half saves that allowed the Bulldogs to get ahead in the second.
The two teams were evenly matched as has most of the conference, in shots (12-12), corner kicks (5-5), saves (3-3) and fouls (10-9 NWC). Northwestern finishes the GPAC tournament with an 8-5-5 overall showing.
Concordia (8-2-9, 6-0-4 GPAC) will face off against Hastings (10-7-2, 6-2-2 GPAC) in the GPAC Championship on Wednesday night (Nov. 13). The Bulldogs will host the conference final for the first time in program history. The two teams will be set to play at 7 p.m. CT.
Defense controls GPAC championship; Dawgs relinquish title to Broncos November 13, 2024
Second seeded Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer and No. 5 seed Hastings clashed for the fifth time in 10 years in the GPAC championship on Wednesday (Nov. 13). The Broncos seized the go ahead goal and held on to a 1-0 lead to win the 2024 tournament title. The Bulldogs finish with a 8-3-9 overall record and 6-0-4 in conference play.
“We created some decent chances”, said Head Coach Jason Weides. “We just weren’t able to convert them. They defended really well. They did things to block a cross, block a shot, and disrupt our final pass a bit. It just wasn’t our day to put it in the back of the net.”
The defenses allowed a combined four shots on goal (two apiece) and 11 chances total. Hastings’ Lewis Albert, GPAC Offensive Player of the Week, found a header goal in the 26th minute via a hard cross from left to right by defender Juan Arteaga-Lopez.
Having not seen a loss since Sept. 11, Concordia would clamp down in the final third, not allowing a shot on goal in the second frame. Captain Iker Casanova and Adrian Wambua led the second half shutout and would push to create shots into the front side of the field.
On offense, the Bulldogs pounded the box with crosses inside and the Broncos would play bend but don’t break defense constantly heading the ball back into the midfield. Martin Herrera and D’Andre Williams would lead the attack with two shots apiece, while Ferdi Hagen and Ryan Wokutch had one solo try each.
The teams were almost dead even in statistical categories: shots (6-5), corner kicks (3-3), saves (1-2) and fouls (9-13). Goalkeeper Nolan Fuelberth punched out his only other shot on goal.
Concordia remains unbeaten in the GPAC regular season since 2022 (20-0-10).
Coach Weides said, “These players have done an amazing job. One thing that really stood out about this team, anything that we threw at them, they would respond to it. This team really grew throughout the year. If we had something to fix or address, they would implement it right away. This team did that better than most any team we have ever had. It’s the second year in a row we have went undefeated in conference. That’s really hard to do.
Hastings (11-7-2, 6-2-2 GPAC) has won five straight and rolls into four consecutive shutouts. Keeper Pablo Arce-Salinas grabbed his fourth shutout as the Broncos earned the lone automatic NAIA national tournament bid.
Concordia (8-3-9, 6-0-4 GPAC) ends its season as No. 2 in the regular season and runner up in the GPAC tournament for the third time.
Casanova earns major honor; eight Bulldogs named 2024 All-GPAC selections November 18, 2024
First Team: Iker Casanova; Ferdi Hagen; Martin Herrera.Second Team: Nolan Fuelberth; Sean Stratman; D’Andre Williams; Ryan Wokutch.Honorable Mention: Mike Wyvill.
SEWARD, Neb. – After placing as the GPAC runner up in the regular season and postseason, the Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer team landed eight players on the 2024 GPAC All-Conference teams released by the league office on Monday (Nov. 18). In a major highlight, fifth-year Bulldog Iker Casanova was tabbed the 2024 GPAC Defensive Player of the Year. He was named to the league’s first team along with teammates Ferdi Hagen and Martin Herrera. Second team accolades went to Nolan Fuelberth, Sean Stratman, D’Andre Williams and Ryan Wokutch while Mike Wyvill garnered honorable mention status.
The eight all-conference award winners contributed to a squad that finished the 2024 campaign at 8-3-9 overall. Head Coach Jason Weides’ squad fell one win shy of reaching the NAIA national tournament while being edged, 1-0, in the GPAC tournament title game.
A native of Mexico City, Mexico, Casanova is the first Concordia Men’s Soccer standout to be named a GPAC Player of the Year since Bernie Ochoa earned such distinction in 2000. Casanova is the first to be tabbed GPAC Defensive Player of the Year. Casanova served as the anchor of a back line that ranked 12th nationally for goals against average (0.79) in 2024. The distinction of player of the year says volumes of Casanova’s impact despite him missing a series of games due to injury. In his extended Bulldog career, Casanova played in 79 games and notched four goals and three assists. Casanova was also named a second team all-conference award winner in 2020 and 2021.
A team captain as just a sophomore, Hagen (Berlin, Germany) continued to star in the midfield. He has been tabbed a First Team All-GPAC player in each of his first two collegiate seasons. In 2024, Hagen played in all 20 games (19 starts) and totaled three goals and two assists. Hagen came through with the equalizer in the GPAC quarterfinal game that saw the Bulldogs advance past Briar Cliff in PK’s. In 35 career collegiate games, Hagen has posted four goals and five assists. He was also a contributor to Concordia’s stellar defensive efforts throughout the season.
In his senior season, Herrera put together a breakout campaign. The Quito, Ecuador, native led the team with 11 goals (third most among GPAC players) while adding three assists. Herrera put away two goals each in wins over Avila University (Mo.), Doane and Midland. Herrera has been named an All-GPAC honoree for the second time in his career (second team in 2022). Over four seasons at Concordia, Herrera played in 68 games and accumulated 18 goals and 11 assists. He was part of the 2022 team that won the GPAC tournament title and qualified for the national tournament.
A strong candidate for first team accolades, Fuelberth has landed on the second team in back-to-back years. The Lincoln Southwest High School alum led all GPAC goalkeepers in lowest goals against average (0.87) while starting 17 of Concordia’s 20 games in 2024. Fuelberth also posted a 7-3-7 record, five shutouts, 54 saves and a .783 save percentage in 1,550 minutes in goal. He earned three GPAC Defensive Player of the Week awards this fall. For his career, Fuelberth played in 28 games and registered 78 saves, a .772 save percentage and eight shutouts.
A Creighton Prep alum, Stratman proved to be an immediate impact player as a freshman. He played in all 20 games (18 starts) on the back line for a squad that surrendered a total of 16 goals (seven shutouts) all season. The Omaha native emerged with the first goal of his college career as part of the GPAC tournament semifinal win over Northwestern.
A senior who played his second season as a Bulldog in 2024, Williams teamed up with the likes of Herrerra and Wokutch as another significant offensive threat. Williams led the team in assists with six and ranked third in goals with four. Over two seasons at Concordia, the Ontario, Canada, native played in 37 games (21 starts) and tallied eight goals and nine assists.
A Paola, Kan., native, Wokutch returned to the program for a fifth year in 2024 and continued to produce as a striker. He tallied the second most goals on the team with six and added a pair of assists. Three of his goals were game winners. A member of the 2022 GPAC tournament title team, Wokutch played in 84 career collegiate games and totaled 24 goals (eighth most in program history) and eight assists. He was also chosen as a Second Team All-GPAC honoree in 2022.
Another standout on the back line, Wyvill started all 20 games in 2024. Wyvill worked along with the likes of Casanova and Stratman in stifling opposing attackers. The Lincoln Pius X High School alum Wyvill stepped into a starting role in 2024 after appearing in 10 games as a freshman in 2023. He was named the GPAC Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 24. Wyvill notched three goals on set pieces this fall.
Four Bulldogs chosen to 2024 CSC Academic All-District men's soccer team November 19, 2024
A quartet of Bulldogs from the Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer program earned recognition on Tuesday (Nov. 19) from College Sports Communicators (CSC). Each of the following Bulldogs were tabbed 2024 Academic All-District® honorees by CSC: junior Nolan Fuelberth and sophomores Ferdi Hagen, Youssef Heggy and Michael Wyvill. All four award winners from Head Coach Jason Weides’ program have garnered this distinction for the first time.
The 2024 Academic All-District® Men’s and Women's Soccer Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. Student-athletes must achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher in order to be nominated for this award. Nominees also had to meet specific requirements in terms of games played and games started during the 2024 season. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA — for each gender.
2024 CSC Academic All-District Honorees – Concordia Men’s Soccer
Nolan Fuelberth | Jr. | GK | Lincoln, Neb. Major: Accounting / Business AdministrationNotes: First CSC Academic All-District award; two-time Second Team All-GPAC goalkeeper; ranked first among GPAC goalkeepers in goals against average (0.87) in 2024; in 28 career games played at Concordia, has posted 78 saves, a .772 save percentage and 0.83 goals against average; NAIA Scholar-Athlete.
Ferdi Hagen | So. | MF | Berlin, Germany Major: Public Health and FitnessNotes: First CSC Academic All-District award; two-time First Team All-GPAC; has appeared in 35 career games (31 starts) and has tallied four goals and five assists; team captain.
Youssef Heggy | So. | F | Dusseldorf, Germany Major: Business AdministrationNotes: First CSC Academic All-District award; has played in 33 career games (six starts) and has produced four goals and one assist.
Michael Wyvill | So. | D | Lincoln, Neb. Major: Business AdministrationNotes: First CSC Academic All-District award; 2024 Honorable Mention All-GPAC; started all 20 games in 2024 and collected three goals while excelling for a strong back line (ranked 12th nationally for goals against average).
Academic All-District® honorees were considered for advancement to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot. Student-athletes selected as CSC Academic All-America® finalists are denoted with an asterisk (in the CSC release) and will advance to the national ballot to be voted on by CSC members. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced Dec. 10, 2024 (men) and Dec. 11, 2024 (women).
Nine Bulldogs from men's soccer program earn 2024 Scholar-Athlete honors November 25, 2024
Nine Bulldogs from the Concordia University Men’s Soccer program were honored on Nov. 25 for their work in the classroom. The list of 2024 Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athletes includes repeat Bulldog award winners in Josh Bergt, Nolan Fuelberth, Slade Leicht, Manuel Rodriguez and Adrian Wambua. First time honorees are Ferdinand Hagen, Youssef Heggy, Kai Olbrich and Michael Wyvill.
The 2024 list of men’s soccer honorees nationally includes 1,043 student-athletes. In order to be nominated by an institution’s head coach or sports information director, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, must appear on the eligibility certificate for the sport and have attended one full year at said institution.
Head Coach Jason Weides’ 2024 squad excelled on the field while finishing with a 8-3-9 overall record. The Bulldogs hosted the GPAC tournament title game for the first time in program history. In addition to earning Scholar-Athlete awards, Fuelberth, Hagen, Heggy and Wyvill were each named Academic All-District award winners by College Sports Communicators.
Concordia University, Nebraska ranks as the NAIA’s all-time leader in number of Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes with 2,526 entering the 2024-25 academic year. The school record for number of Scholar-Athletes in one academic year is 226 achieved in 2019-20. Concordia has been a regular national leader for both Scholar-Athletes and Scholar-Teams.
2024 Concordia Men’s Soccer Scholar-Athletes
· Josh Bergt (Fairmont, Minn.)
· Nolan Fuelberth (Lincoln, Neb.)
· Ferdinand Hagen (Berlin, Germany)
· Youssef Heggy (Dusseldorf, Germany)
· Slade Leicht (Sachse, Texas)
· Kai Olbrich (Bennington, Neb.)
· Manuel Rodriguez (Jerez de la Frontera, Spain)
· Adrian Wambua (Nairobi, Kenya)
· Michael Wyvill (Lincoln, Neb.)
Season-In-Review: Bulldogs remain one of GPAC's best during strong '24 season December 2, 2024
The campaign ended sooner than Head Coach Jason Weides and company had expected, but the 2024 season saw the Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer program continue to place itself in position to contend for a GPAC title. As the league’s most air-tight defensive team, the Bulldogs put together a near perfect month of October and earned the right to host the GPAC Championship Game for the first time ever. Ultimately, Concordia came up one win shy of its stated goal of reaching the NAIA national tournament.
The final overall record rested at 8-3-9. The Bulldogs placed as the GPAC runner up in both the regular season and postseason. The campaign ended in heartbreak on Nov. 13 when Concordia fell by a 1-0 score to rival Hastings in the GPAC final. The program made its fifth appearance in the conference championship game since 2015.
“It’s one of those where we had the opportunity to have the conference final at home, something we strived hard for to put ourselves in position to host,” Weides said. “It was fun to be able to host in front of Bulldog Nation. We’re pretty good at home typically, so we liked our odds. Our goal at the beginning of the season was nationals. We were just 90 minutes away from that and one opportunity away from achieving that goal. Certainly it hurts. Our guys were prepared. We prepared all season for that. I think our guys were really ready mentally. We were in the right mindset. I think that was one of those games where there were some good things that happened in the match, but we weren’t quite at our best.”
The championship loss aside, the 2024 season was characterized by an inordinate number of ties and by the Bulldogs’ ability to stifle opposing attacks (just 16 goals allowed in 20 games). Mexico City, Mexico, native Iker Casanova made his return for a ‘COVID Year’ and was named the GPAC Defensive Player of the Year. Casanova starred at center back and was joined on the GPAC’s all-conference first team by sophomore Ferdi Hagen and senior Martin Herrera. A memorable postseason run played at Bulldog Stadium included a PK shootout advancement past Briar Cliff in the GPAC quarterfinals and a 3-2 win over Northwestern in the semifinals.
The difference that Casanova made for the Concordia backline was unmistakable. In the 12 games he played against conference opponents in 2024, the Bulldogs surrendered a combined nine goals while earning four clean sheets. Over five seasons at Concordia, Casanova played in 79 career games and was a member of the 2022 team won the GPAC tournament title and the 2023 team that enjoyed an undefeated regular season.
Said Weides of Casanova, “It’s definitely fitting for him (to be named GPAC Defensive Player of the Year). He had a great career. This year he was really instrumental to us. He was injured coming into the season and missed the first seven games. It was an immediate impact once he was back. His leadership, his organization and his play – he was really playing at a great level for us this year.”
At season's end, the Bulldogs finished ranked 11th nationally for goals against average (0.79). That achievement was a credit to not only Casanova but also fellow all-conference back line teammates in freshman Sean Stratman and sophomore Mike Wyvill, as well as keeper Nolan Fuelberth. Both Stratman and Wyvill emerged onto the scene in their first seasons as starters. Meanwhile, Fuelberth played the keeper position as well as anyone in the GPAC.
On the attacking end, Herrera (Quito, Ecuador) saved his best season for his last. Herrera paced the Bulldogs with 11 goals (to go with three assists). In one of the more thrilling games of the fall, Herrera put away two goals in Concordia’s 6-2 home throttling of rival Midland to end the regular season. Other top attacking options included D’Andre Williams (four goals and six assists), Ryan Wokutch (six goals and two assists) and Oliver Benson (four goals and two assists). In the middle of the park, Hagen earned First Team All-GPAC honors for a second-straight year.
Incredibly, the Bulldogs went another season without dropping a GPAC regular season game. The program’s conference regular season unbeaten streak has moved to 30 (20-0-10 over that stretch) and dates back to Sept. 21, 2022. The biggest frustration this past regular season were the rash of draws that occurred. Through September, seven of the team’s first 11 games resulted in ties (six of those contests ended in 1-1 scores). Eventually the tide turned in October.
Concordia can take pride in the fact that it lost only three times and played one of the tougher nonconference slates in program history. Three games outside of league play came against teams that were ranked in the top 25: No. 7 Bellevue University, No. 17 Columbia College (Mo.) and No. 24 Benedictine College (Kan.). A 90th minute PK for Bellevue (an NAIA final site qualifier) was all that separated it from the Bulldogs in a 2-1 decision. Concordia later made a postseason run that included the thrill of a PK shootout triumph.
Weides felt confident his team was capable of competing with teams that advanced in the national tournament. Said Weides, “It's tough to see the season end. We knew we needed to win that (GPAC championship) match to get to nationals. We talk so much about building a championship culture. Part of that is being able to deal with frustration, disappointment or loss in a championship way. I think our guys are learning how to do that right now. You have to pick yourself up. We have a really good group – a group we felt could go and do well at nationals. We knew we were of that caliber. Due to having so many ties, we weren’t in position to get an at-large. It’s tough watching other teams at the national tournament knowing we are that caliber. It’s also hard because we enjoy being around each other and we wanted to train more and have the opportunity to be together longer as a team.”
The aforementioned Herrera, Fuelberth and Williams were each part of the senior class. Others honored on senior day were Ryan Brown, Jarrod Henson, Carter Hinman, Spencer Kaufman, Gabriel Mendoza and Manuel Rodriguez. Meanwhile, Casanova, Wokutch, Michael Lindberg and Braden Spath all made use of the COVID exemption. Unfortunately for Hinman, a First Team All-GPAC selection in 2023, injuries limited him to only four games in his final collegiate season.
Despite the departures heading into 2025, the program has proven it can reload with remarkable consistency from year to year. There’s a possibility Fuelberth could return in 2025 and serve as one of the nation’s top keepers. He may be priority No. 1 in a recruiting process that will pick up steam now that the offseason has arrived.
“We’ll have a big class coming in this year,” Weides said. “There will be a mix of transfers and freshmen. We’ll probably look to see if we can get one or two in this January. Ultimately, it will be a strong class full of guys who can help impact our team right away. Recruiting never stops. It certainly picks up now that the season is over and we can invest a little bit more time and energy into that. I’m excited to get going.”
Fuelberth honored as First Team Academic All-American by CSC December 10, 2024
A major factor in the Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer run to the GPAC tournament final, Nolan Fuelberth has been named to the 2024 Academic All-America® NAIA Men’s Soccer Team, as announced by College Sports Communicators (CSC) on Tuesday (Dec. 10). Fuelberth was tabbed an Academic All-District selection on Nov. 19 along with teammates Ferdi Hagen, Youssef Heggy and Michael Wyvill. A junior from Lincoln, Neb., Fuelberth was chosen as the First Team Academic All-American goalkeeper by CSC.
The 2024 Academic All-America® Men’s Soccer Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. Student-athletes must achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher in order to be nominated for this award. Nominees also had to meet specific requirements in terms of games played and games started during the 2024 season. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA — for each gender.
A two-time NAIA Scholar-Athlete, Fuelberth is an academic senior majoring in Accounting and Business Administration. The Lincoln Southwest High School alum has been named a Second Team All-GPAC keeper in back-to-back seasons. This past 2024 campaign, Fuelberth started 17 games (1,550 minutes) and posted a goals against average of 0.87 and save percentage of .783 while making 54 saves and collecting five shutouts. Head Coach Jason Weides’ ’24 squad ranked in the top 15 nationally for lowest goals against average. Fuelberth was the first student-athlete from the men’s soccer program to be named an Academic All-American by CSC (formerly CoSIDA) since Nathan Douglas in 2013.
Eight Bulldogs honored with All-Midlands honors by Omaha World-Herald December 26, 2024
A group of eight Bulldogs from the Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer program earned recognition from the Omaha World-Herald on Thursday (Dec. 26). The news organization announced its 2024 NAIA/NCAA D-III All-Midlands Team and tabbed Bulldogs Iker Casanova, Ferdi Hagen, Martin Herrera and Sean Stratman to the primary 15-man team featuring the top men’s soccer players from Nebraska’s small colleges. Another four Concordia players were chosen as honorable mention award winners: Nolan Fuelberth, D’Andre Williams, Ryan Wokutch and Mike Wyvill.
The Omaha World-Herald annually releases its All-Midlands teams to recognize the top players from small colleges across the state of Nebraska. The full 2024 All-Midlands squad can be found below. The eight Bulldog honorees helped Head Coach Jason Weides’ ’24 squad go 8-3-9 overall and reach the GPAC tournament final.
2024 Concordia All-Midlands Team Honorees
Iker Casanova, D 2024 – 13 games (11 starts); GPAC Defensive Player of the Year; First Team All-GPAC.
Ferdi Hagen, MF 2024 – 20 games (19 starts), 3 goals, 2 assists; First Team All-GPAC.
Martin Herrera, F 2024 – 20 games (20 starts), 11 goals (2 game winners), 3 assists; First Team All-GPAC.
Sean Stratman, D 2024 – 20 games (18 starts), 1 goal; Second Team All-GPAC.
Nolan Fuelberth, GK (HM) 2024 – 17 games (17 starts), 54 saves, 0.87 GAA, .783 save percentage, 5 shutouts; Second Team All-GPAC.
D’Andre Williams, F (HM) 2024 – 20 games (15 starts), 4 goals, 6 assists; Second Team All-GPAC.
Ryan Wokutch, F (HM) 2024 – 15 games (12 starts), 6 goals (3 game winners), 2 assists; Second Team All-GPAC.
Mike Wyvill, D (HM) 2024 – 20 games (20 starts), 3 goals.
2024 NAIA/NCAA D-III All-Midlands Team (Omaha World-Herald)
F: Tim Berger, HastingsHonorable mention — Bellevue: Fletcher Hedge, Buster Honeywood, Ombeni Mubake. Concordia: Nolan Fuelberth. D’Andre Williams, Ryan Kotutch, Mike Wyvill. Doane: Hugo Dos Santos, Guillem Colom. Hastings: Lewis Albert, Juan Arteago-Lopez, Moises Trochez. Midland: Adnan Boulaghmal, Lucas Foreman, Matheus Rodrigues Nascimento. Nebraska Wesleyan: Morgan Armagost, Zachary McClanathan, Sam Schendt, Zach Weis. York: Matias Madriaga, Jamie Watt, Diego Yanes.
*Denotes honorary team captain