SEWARD, Neb. – Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Tennis surges into conference play against Mount Marty inside the Bulldog Tennis Courts on Sunday (March 23). Before the match against the Lancers, the Bulldogs are set to face Kansas Wesleyan University and Avila University (Mo.) at the Salina Tennis Alliance Tennis Center in back to back matches on Saturday. Head Coach Lisa Hart and the Dawgs have recorded a 6-5 overall showing in non-conference matches.
This Week
Saturday, March 22 at Kansas Wesleyan (2-5), 11 a.m.
--Location: Salina Tennis Alliance Tennis Center (Salina, Kan.)
Saturday, March 22 vs. Avila (1-5), 2 p.m.
--Location: Salina Tennis Alliance Tennis Center (Salina, Kan.)
Sunday, March 23 vs. Mount Marty (3-4), 1 p.m.
--Live Updates: @cunebulldogs X/Formerly Twitter | Location: Walz Fieldhouse (Seward, Neb.)
With the most non-conference wins before entering GPAC competition since 2018, Concordia will look to build on its momentum having triumphed in four of the last five matches. In doubles, the Dawgs has posted a 7-4 dual record winning 20 of their 33 team sets. In singles, the team has collected 40 of the 65 matches played. Hart’s lineup started the season by defeating Nebraska Wesleyan University (6-1), and after two loses regrouped. The roster won four duals in a row besting Central College (Iowa), 5-2, Baker University (Kan.), 7-0, Friends University (Kan.), 6-1, and Bethany College (Kan.), 7-0.
CUNE finished tied for fifth in last year's standings with Northwestern, with their two conference wins coming against Hastings (6-1) and the Red Raiders (4-3). The Bulldogs will look to improve their 2-4 GPAC showing from last season with the first opportunity coming against the Lancers. In 2024, MMU defeated Concordia 5-2, but the tide changed when the two faced off in a non-conference bout earlier this year. The second year under Coach Hart helped the Dawgs win 5-2 but it will count for GPAC standings this time around.
The leader in singles play has been Nick Velders, who has a 10-1 singles record, primarily in the No. 2 hole. An Apeldoorn, The Netherlands, native, Velders was recently slotted at No. 45 in the NAIA ITA singles rankings. Velders and Hugo Fuentes have combined for a 6-4 doubles record in the No. 1s slot.
Santiago Abadia and Ben Chisholm have continued to pair up and are 7-2 when playing by each others’ side, 6-2 at No. 3. Abadia, a junior out of Bogotá, Colombia, has 21 singles wins in his collegiate career. Senior Manuel Rodriguez has a 5-4 singles record this season and 31 total victories in his time as a Bulldog.
Upcoming Opponents
Mount Marty is 3-4 with wins over Northwestern, 5-2, Grand View University (Iowa), 5-2, and Bethany Lutheran College (Minn.), 7-0. The Lancers fell to Iowa Central Community College, 3-4. Kansas Wesleyan has 2-5 overall record with both its wins coming against common opponents Baker (4-3) and Bethany (4-3). Raul Davalos-Gavino (2-5), William McMurry (3-3) and Colin Phelps (2-1) paces the team in best singles showings to date. Avila is 1-5 overall with its lone win coming over Southwestern College (Kan.), 5-2.
Up next
Concordia will host the returning conference champions Morningside on Saturday (March 29). The two teams are set to clash at the Bulldog Tennis Courts at 12 p.m. CT.