2018-19 Men's Tennis Schedule/Results

10-10 overall | 3-3 GPAC (4th) | Season Stats | Roster

Date	Opponent	Location	Time/Result	Record
Sept. 14-15	GPAC Invitational	Fremont, Neb.	8 a.m.
Feb. 8	Grand View University	Des Moines, Iowa	W, 5-4	1-0
Feb. 9	Central College	Pella, Iowa	L, 2-7	1-1
Feb. 22	Bethel College (Kan.)	Lincoln, Neb.	W, 5-4	2-1
Feb. 23	Bethany College	Lincoln, Neb.	W, 5-4	3-1
March 1	Sterling College	Seward, Neb. (FH)	W, 8-1	4-1
March 2	Ottawa University	North Kansas City, Mo.	L, 2-7	4-2
March 6	Colorado State University-Pueblo	Pueblo, Colo.	L, 0-7	4-3
March 7	Colorado College	Colorado Springs, Colo.	L, 0-9	4-4
March 16	*Northwestern College	Lincoln, Neb.	W, 9-0	5-4, 1-0
March 21	Nebraska Wesleyan University	Lincoln, Neb.	W, 9-0	6-4
March 27	*Hastings College	Seward, Neb.	L, 3-6	6-5, 1-1
March 31	*Morningside College	Seward, Neb.	W, 8-1	7-5, 2-1
April 2	*Doane University	Seward, Neb.	L, 1-8	7-6, 2-2
April 6	Augustana University	Sioux Falls, S.D.	L, 0-7	7-7
April 9	*Midland University	Fremont, Neb.	L, 4-5	7-8, 2-3
April 12	*Mount Marty College	Seward, Neb.	W, 9-0	8-8, 3-3
April 13	*Wartburg College	Seward, Neb.	W, 8-1	9-8
April 22	Baker University	Baldwin City, Kan.	L, 4-5	9-9
	GPAC Tournament: April 26-27
April 26	Morningside (Quarterfinals)	Fremont, Neb.	W, 5-0	10-9
April 27	Doane (Semifinals)	Fremont, Neb.	L, 1-5	10-10

2018-19 Roster

Name	Ht.	Yr.	Hometown	Previous School
Jeremy Berryman	6-4	So.	Broken Arrow, Okla.	Broken Arrow
Joseph Bindl	5-10`	Fr.	Papillion, Neb	Papillion La Vista South
Thomas Greeff	6-4	Sr.	Pretoria, South Africa	Hoerskool Waterkloof
Diovanni Camacho Demoraes	5-9	Sr.	Omaha, Neb.	Clendale CC
Isaac Howes	5-11	Fr.	Sahwnee, Kan.	St. James Academy
Alex Kaldahl	6-1	Jr.	Spencer, Iowa	Spencer
Jack Kitson	6-2	Fr.	Omaha, Neb.	Elkhorn South
Tommy Mcnish	6-2	Sr.	Marysville, Kan.	Marysville
Joshua Miller	5-11	Jr.	Omaha, Neb.	Millard West
Octavio Velazquez	6-0	Jr.	Round Lake Beach, Ill.	Colleg of Lake County
Conner Works	6-0	Sr.	Lincoln, Neb.	Lincoln Southwest
Lucas Zoller	6-1	Jr.	Lenexa, Kan.	DeSoto

STAFF

David DeSimone, Head Coach (1st Year)

Nikita Kostikov, Graduate Assistant Coach

Reckewey steps down from head tennis post

Aug. 1, 2018

SEWARD, Neb. – After four seasons leading the Concordia University tennis programs, Joel Reckewey announced his resignation, which became effective this past month. The Lincoln native plans to continue to be active within the local tennis scene. A University of Nebraska-Lincoln alum, Reckewey became head coach for Bulldog tennis prior to the 2015 seasons.

In his final season as head coach, Reckewey came up just shy of leading the women’s program to the GPAC tournament championship match. Spurred by perennial all-conference performer Annie Horn, Concordia reached the conference semifinals in each of Reckewey’s final three years in Seward. Meanwhile, the men’s program reached the GPAC semis in 2017. While effectively increasing the roster numbers for both the men’s and women’s programs, Reckewey won a combined 63 matches. The 13 wins for the women in 2018 were a school single-season record.

Director of Athletics Devin Smith thanked Reckewey for his service. Said Smith, “Coach Reckewey has been a blessing to the Bulldog Athletic Department over the past few years. Joel has been a tireless recruiter who bolstered both men’s and women’s rosters, emphasized high academic expectations as seen with the collection of NAIA Scholar Team Awards, and provided amazing instructional techniques and strategies that emphasized his strong tennis knowledge. He was very committed to our university’s mission and was a passionate leader throughout his time here. We wish Joel and his young family the best.”

In addition to competitive play on the court, the Concordia tennis programs have routinely appeared on the list of NAIA Scholar-Teams released each summer. Over four years, Reckewey’s squads produced a combined 13 individual NAIA Scholar-Athlete awards.

The position of head tennis coach at Concordia remains open. Nikita Kostikov will serve as the graduate assistant tennis coach during the 2018-19 academic year.

McNish claims title; two teammates reach finals of GPAC Invite

Sep. 17, 2018

FREMONT, Neb. – Three men and three women representing the Concordia University tennis teams made their way to championship singles matches as part of the GPAC Invite staged at Fremont High School in Fremont, Neb., this past hot and sultry Friday and Saturday (Sept. 14-15). The event provided an early look at where the Bulldogs stand amongst their conference competition.

The bulk of the 2018-19 season will take place this coming spring for Concordia tennis squads coached by Nikita Kostikov and Javier Moreno. The Bulldog women’s team officially opened up the new year on Sept. 8 with a 5-4 win over Central College (Iowa).

The women have already debuted an impactful new arrival at the top of their lineup. A transfer from NCAA Division I Alcorn State University (Miss.), senior Marlene Maier got the campaign started on Sept. 8 with a singles victory at the No. 1 position. She continued an impressive early season run by advancing to the title match in Flight A, a bracket featuring many of the conference’s top players. Maier won three matches before being defeated in the championship by Hastings star Kelsey Brown (6-2, 1-0, retire), the tournament’s top seed.

Five other Bulldogs also reached championship bouts. Tommy McNish claimed the title in Flight C while Ansley Gates (Flight C), Isaac Howes (Flight B), Alex Kaldahl (Flight C) and Kayla Smock (Flight B) turned in runner-up finishes in their respective brackets. McNish defeated Kaldahl in the men’s Flight C championship.

The GPAC Invite also included three flights of doubles brackets for both men and women. In the women’s Flight A, Maier and Kirsten Wagner advanced to the semifinals after toppling their opponents from Northwestern in the quarterfinals. In men’s Flight A action, the duo of Jeremiah Berryman and Luke Zoller made it to the quarterfinals. Doubles teams of Joseph Bindl and Jack Kitson and Josh Miller and Octavio Velazquez both claimed two victories.

Only one date remains on the fall slate for the Concordia tennis programs. Both squads will be in Baldwin City, Kan., on Saturday, Oct. 6. The men and women will go up against Tabor College (Kan.) and Baker University (Kan.).

Season preview: 2019 Concordia men's tennis

Feb. 7, 2019

Coach: Nikita Kostikov
2018 record: 8-11 overall, 1-4 GPAC (5th)
Key returners: Jeremy Berryman (So.); Geo De Moraes (Sr.); Thomas Greeff (Sr.); Tommy McNish (Sr.); Josh Miller (Jr.); Luke Zoller (Jr.).
Key loss: Caleb Lauby
Newcomers: Joseph Bindl; Isaac Howes; Jack Kitson; Octavio Velazquez.
2018 GPAC All-Conference: Jeremy Berryman (doubles); Luke Zoller (doubles; singles honorable mention).

Outlook
The opening weekend of the spring season has arrived for the Concordia University men’s tennis team. Coach Nikita Kostikov welcomed back the bulk of the 2017-18 roster while adding a trio of freshmen and a transfer to the mix. Upperclassmen like junior Luke Zoller expect this year’s squad to be the deepest that they have been a part of at Concordia.

Both Jeremey Berryman and Zoller were all-conference honorees last season for a Bulldog squad that went 8-11 overall. There’s a lot to prove for a program that has been attempting to gain traction within the conference.

“The competition will be really tight this year,” says Kostikov who got his first look at the GPAC during the spring of 2018. “I think a lot of us are about on the same level right now. In tennis you never know. One day it can go one way and another day it can go a completely opposite way. I’m hoping Concordia can be at the top.”

Kostikov is tasked with leading the men’s squad in his second season as a graduate assistant. He arrived in Seward prior to the start of the spring 2018 semester after having played collegiately at NCAA Division I Alcorn State University (Miss.). He oversees a men’s roster of 12 student-athletes while also working closely with fellow graduate assistant Javier Moreno (Concordia graduate) in guiding the women’s program.

Originally from Moscow, Russia, Kostikov is hungry to help the Bulldogs compete more closely with the top of the conference. They have not finished above .500 in league play since going 3-2 in 2014. Kostikov says he has gotten increasingly comfortable in his role.

“At the beginning it was challenging because we’re both still gaining experience,” Kostikov said of the coaching staff. “Before I’ve just coached clubs. Being a collegiate coach is a big responsibility with having a roster with that many people. Javy had a little advantage because he knew the culture here. In less than a month I think we found each other’s way. We work really well together.”

According to Kostikov, the final spots in the lineup are still being figured out. From a statistical standpoint, Zoller is the leading returner in terms of singles wins (10-9). Berryman (9-9), Thomas Greeff (9-10) and Josh Miller (8-9) were close behind. Each of them are back to provide depth. The hope is for each of them to take another step and make the top of the lineup more formidable.

The GPAC Invite that occurred back in the fall made for a preview of what could happen this spring. Senior Tommy McNish won a championship in Flight C of singles while freshman Isaac Howes (Flight B) and junior Alex Kaldahl (Flight C) were runners up in singles.

“It was really good experience, especially for the new guys,” Zoller said of the GPAC Invite. “It’s good to get the nerves out and get some good matches in. It shows us what the competition will be like in our conference this upcoming season. We had guys who did very well. Everyone was competing so it makes you optimistic about this year.”

The Bulldogs know they will have to get better results in singles play in order to challenge opposition like defending conference champion Midland. Concordia posted a collective GPAC singles record of 11-19 in 2018. Zoller enjoyed the most success, going 3-2 against conference foes. Also on the plus side, Berryman (12-7), Zoller (11-8) and Gio De Moraes (10-7) each performed well on the doubles court.

Now it’s time to find out what progress has been made in the offseason. The Bulldogs will be on the road this weekend and play Grand View University (Iowa) at 11 a.m. CST on Friday and then at Central College (Iowa) at 5 p.m. on Saturday.

“We’ve put more concentration on point play and getting us prepared for our competition,” Kostikov said. “We have worked a lot on doubles play and improving our endurance and consistency in singles. I see a lot of improvement. We’ve come a long way from August. It’s two completely different teams so I’m really proud of how we have worked together.”

Back half of lineup comes through in season's first dual match

Feb. 8, 2019

DES MOINES, Iowa – In the first dual match of the 2018-19 season, the Concordia University men’s tennis team leaned upon the back half of its lineup. The Bulldogs triumphed in three singles matches and two doubles matches while squeaking past host Grand View University, 5-4, in Des Moines, Iowa, on Friday (Feb. 8).

This was the first mark that goes on the record for Concordia, which last competed in the GPAC Invite in September. Coach Nikita Kostikov integrated a trio of freshmen into the lineup with positive results.

The contest actually began with singles action. Ultimately, the team scoring came down to No. 2 doubles and the freshman duo of Isaac Howes and Jack Kitson. Under the pressure of a 4-4 team tie, Howes and Kitson emerged with an 8-6 victory over their Viking counterparts. Concordia was also an 8-2 winner at No. 3 doubles, which featured senior Thomas Greeff and freshman Joseph Bindl.

A native of Shawnee, Kan., Howes first produced a 6-1, 6-1, win at No. 4 singles over Ryan Kucera. With Bulldogs falling at the Nos. 1 through 3 singles positions, Concordia needed the performances it got from Howes and Jeremy Berryman (No. 5) and Connor Works (No. 6). Berryman won at No. 5, 6-0, 6-0, while Works too his match by the same score.

The first three spots in the Bulldog singles lineup were held down by Greeff, Luke Zoller and Kitson. Greeff and Zoller are the team’s returning wins leaders from 2018.

Concordia will remain in central Iowa as it prepares to take on NCAA Division III Central College (Iowa) in Pella, Iowa, at 5 p.m. CST on Saturday.

Bulldogs conclude weekend with loss at Central

Feb. 10, 2019

PELLA, Iowa – Fresh off a 5-4 win over Grand View University on Friday, the Concordia University men’s tennis team returned to action on Saturday (Feb. 9) while remaining in central Iowa. The result was a 7-2 loss to NCAA Division III Central College in a match played inside the Kuyper Fieldhouse in Pella, Iowa. The Dutch won five of six singles matches.

Coach Nikita Kostikov’s squad is now 1-1 this season, which opened up back in the fall with the GPAC Invite.

The lineup on Saturday included the same seven individuals who competed at Grand View the previous day. Freshman Isaac Howes produced the Bulldogs’ lone singles victory. He was able to outlast Josh Phillips, 7-5, 6-7 (8), 10-4, at the No. 3 spot. In doubles action, the pair of Jeremy Berryman and Luke Zoller at No. 1 earned an 8-6 triumph.

Four singles matches went to a tiebreaker. Thomas Greeff at No. 1, Berryman at No. 3 and Conner Works at No. 6 were on the wrong side of such matches. Zoller and Jack Kitson also suffered defeats to their Dutch counterparts.

Central (1-3) is a member of the American Rivers Conference. The Dutch were coming off of losses to Illinois Tech and Grinnell College.

Concordia is slated to return to action on Friday, Feb. 22 when it will take on Bethel College (Kan.) in a match to be played at Genesis Health Club in Lincoln.

DeSimone tabbed to take over head tennis role

Feb. 18, 2019

SEWARD, Neb. – A former team MVP during his time as a student-athlete at Kalamazoo College in Michigan, David DeSimone has been named the head coach for Concordia University’s men’s and women’s tennis teams. DeSimone will begin his duties today (Feb. 18) and officially become a full-time staff member of the athletic department on June 1. In addition to coaching duties, DeSimone will serve in an athletic fund development role.

The Bulldog tennis teams have been coached during the 2018-19 academic year by graduate assistants Nikita Kostikov and Javier Moreno. Kostikov and Moreno will remain on staff through the 2019 season. The Concordia tennis squads opened up their spring seasons on Feb. 8.

DeSimone is familiar with the settings within the Bulldog athletic department having spent time as an intern alongside his previous role as a Development Operations Assistant at the University of Nebraska, where he is finishing his master of arts in business.

Wrote DeSimone in a statement, “It is a blessing and honor to become a member of the Concordia University Athletic Department as the Head Tennis Coach. I am grateful to President Brian Friedrich, Devin Smith, Angela Muller and all Concordia administrators for their support and the opportunity to join the Concordia University family. I am excited to help these student-athletes reach new heights in their faith, academics and athletics.”

Said Director of Athletics Devin Smith, “We are thrilled to welcome David as our new head tennis coach. I am a firm believer in his skills as a Christian leader, his organization, his ability to teach the game of tennis and his experience in fund development. In his time as an intern within our athletic department, David continually impressed me his hunger to advance in the athletic realm and I know he is extremely motivated to succeed in this capacity. Through the hiring process, myself and Associate Director of Athletic Angela Muller grew confidence in how David can positively impact our student-athletes, our athletic department and our university as a whole.”

Since finishing his undergrad at Kalamazoo in 2015, DeSimone has held several tennis coaching positions. He has served as an assistant coach at NCAA Division III Augustana College (Ill.) and worked as a Junior Development Pathway Director at Quad City Tennis Club. As a student-athlete, DeSimone also served as an assistant at the USTA Boys’ 18 and 16 National Championships in Kalamazoo. During his season with Augustana, DeSimone helped tutor a pair of all-conference players while collaborating on bringing in a highly rated class of recruits.

Since June 2018, DeSimone has been working to build up the Huskers Athletic Fund, whose membership has increased by over 900 members since August. DeSimone’s tasks within athletic fund development have been varied to include managing seat and hospitality areas at sporting events and strategic communications with donors and potential donors.

DeSimone successfully balanced his commitments as a student-athlete at Kalamazoo. He played throughout the lineup during his career while garnering numerous honors, including recognition as a two-time team MVP, four-time ITA Scholar-Athlete, two-time first team all-conference member and as a team captain his senior season. DeSimone also collected many academic honors such as the Hornet Award for exceptional athletic performance, academic performance and leadership.

A native of Bettendorf, Iowa, David is married to Maddy, who works as an elementary teacher in Seward.

Bulldogs eke out pair of 5-4 wins over Kansas foes

Feb. 23, 2019

LINCOLN, Neb. – None of the wins have come easy for the Concordia University men’s tennis team, which got comfortable this weekend inside Genesis Health Club in Lincoln. The Bulldogs earned a 5-4 victory over Bethel College (Kan.) on Friday (Feb. 22) before taking a decision by the same score over Bethany College (Kan.) on Saturday.

The weekend provided David DeSimone his first opportunity to see his teams in action. The Kalamazoo College alum was named Concordia’s head men’s and women’s tennis coach on Monday. Graduate assistant Nikita Kostikov is also on staff. The Bulldogs are 3-1 overall this season.

Concordia emerged with victories by taking four of six singles matches over both Bethel and Bethany. Sophomore Jeremy Berryman and senior Conner Works put together 2-0 weekends in singles matches. Berryman held down the No. 4 spot in the lineup while Works played at Nos. 5 and 6. Senior Thomas Greeff at No. 1 and junior Luke Zoller at No. 2 were additional contributors to Friday’s win. In Saturday’s victory, freshmen Isaac Howes at No. 3 and Jack Kitson at No. 6 also picked up wins.

In doubles, the Bulldogs did just enough. At the No. 2 spot, the combo of Howes and Kitson earned an 8-2 victory over their counterparts from Bethel. In the matchup with Bethany, Joseph Bindl and Greeff were fortunate to collect a win via forfeit at the No. 3 position.

Concordia opened up the 2019 spring season two weeks earlier with a 5-4 win over Grand View University (Iowa) and a 7-2 loss at Central College (Iowa).

The campaign will continue next Friday and Saturday (March 1-2) with matches at Sterling College (Kan.) and at Ottawa University (Kan.).

Bulldogs top Sterling, fall to Ottawa

Mar. 2, 2019

NORTH KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The pre-spring break trip is now complete for the Concordia University men’s tennis team. The Bulldogs were dominant in an 8-1 home win over Sterling College (Kan.) on Friday (March 1). Concordia then ventured to North Kansas City, Mo., on Saturday and suffered a 7-2 loss to Ottawa University (Kan.). Both weekend foes are members of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference.

Head coach David DeSimone’s squad now sits at 4-2 overall. Each of its last four opponents call Kansas home.

In the win over Sterling, Concordia dropped only one set while winning five of six singles matches. The lineup included No. 1 Thomas Greeff, No. 2 Luke Zoller, No. 3 Isaac Howes, No. 4 Jeremy Berryman, No. 5 Conner Works and No. 6 Jack Kitson. Berryman and Zoller faced the least resistance. Zoller won, 6-0, 6-1. Meanwhile, Berryman took his match, 6-1, 6-0. Kitson won a pro set, 8-1.

In doubles, the Bulldog lineup featured Berryman and Zoller at No. 1, Howes and Kitson at No. 2 and Greeff and Joseph Bindl at No. 3. Concordia won each of the doubles matches over Sterling. Greeff and Bindl were especially dominant, winning 8-0. The tightest clash was at No. 2 (8-6).

On Saturday, the Bulldogs went head-to-head with a Braves team that is receiving votes nationally. Ottawa won all contested matches. Concordia’s lone two wins came via forfeit.

The Bulldogs are getting ready to spend their spring break week in Colorado. The journey will begin with the Bulldogs taking on NCAA Division II Metropolitan State University of Denver on Tuesday. First serve is set for 2 p.m. CST from Denver.

Concordia falls at NCAA D-II CSU-Pueblo

Mar. 6, 2019

PUEBLO, Colo. – In the first of two matches over spring break, the Concordia University men’s tennis team took to the courts at NCAA Division II Colorado State University-Pueblo on Wednesday (March 6). The result was a 7-0 defeat at the hands of the ThunderWolves. Only one team was rewarded for the three doubles matches.

New head coach David DeSimone has been assessing his new student-athletes since officially taking on the job on Feb. 18.

“I’ve been easy my way in and getting to know everyone, their personalities and styles of play,” DeSimone said. “So I can best assist them and coach them through matches. Early on especially, it’s been figuring out what works for them and how I can best communicate with them and help them get the most out of their games.”

It was a tough day on the scoreboard for the Bulldogs (4-3), who were unable to win a set over CSU-Pueblo. At No. 1 singles, senior Thomas Greeff had the most success. He lost, 6-2, 6-4. The rest of the singles lineup included Luke Zoller at No. 2, Jeremy Berryman at No. 3, Isaac Howes at No. 4, Conner Works at No. 5 and Jack Kitson at No. 6.

In doubles, the ThunderWolves took 18 of the 20 contested sets. DeSimone says that his squad is closer to clicking than what the scores showed.

“CSU-Pueblo is very good,” DeSimone said. “For our guys it was a good learning experience. It was an opportunity to see that level and see that we’re closer than maybe we think we are.”

The Bulldogs will remain in Colorado on Thursday and play at another NCAA Division II school in Colorado College. First serve from Colorado Springs is set for 4 p.m. CT. It will be the team’s final match over spring break.

Bulldogs conclude spring break trip with loss at Colorado College

Mar. 7, 2019

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The hope is that a challenging couple of spring break matches against NCAA Division II opponents will make the Concordia University men’s tennis team better down the road. After spending Wednesday in Pueblo, Colo., the Bulldogs ventured to Colorado Springs on Thursday and came up short in each match in what ultimately was a 9-0 defeat at Colorado College.

Brand new head coach David DeSimone’s squad is now 4-4 overall. It took on Colorado State University-Pueblo the day before.

“I told them at the end of the match that this is why you want to play tough opponents over spring break – so that we can be prepared and playing our best tennis at the end of the season when it matters most,” DeSimone said. “The result today wasn’t one we wanted, but there are a lot of good takeaways for each individual person as far as how they can grow and improve going forward.”

While Concordia did not win a match, there were several that were closely contested. In singles, Luke Zoller at No. 2 and Jeremy Berryman at No. 3 both fell in third-set tiebreakers. No. 1 Thomas Greeff (6-4, 6-3) and No. 5 Conner Works (7-5, 6-2) also were competitive against NCAA Division II opponents. The rest of the Bulldog lineup featured Isaac Howes at No. 4 and Tommy McNish at No. 6.

In doubles, the Tigers (1-2), won by scores of 8-3 at No. 1, 8-3 at No. 2 and 8-1 at No. 3. Concordia’s doubles pairs were Zoller and Berryman at No. 1, Howes and Kitson at No. 2 and Greeff and Joseph Bindl at No. 3.

The Bulldogs are set to open up conference play on Saturday, March 16 when Northwestern is scheduled to visit Seward. Concordia will be idle until then.

Bulldogs dominate GPAC opener

Mar. 17, 2019

LINCOLN, Neb. – The hope was that two challenging matches against NCAA Division II opponents over spring break would have the Concordia University men’s tennis team prepared for conference play. The result on Saturday (March 16) was an encouraging one. The Bulldogs were dominant in a 9-0 blanking of Northwestern in a match contested at Genesis Health Clubs in Lincoln, Neb.

Head coach David DeSimone’s squad moved back above .500 at 5-4 overall while beginning conference play with a victory. The Red Raiders (0-4, 0-1 GPAC) reinstated their men’s tennis program this season after eliminating it in the early 2000s.

Concordia got out to a rousing start in doubles, winning by scores of 8-1 at No. 1, 8-1 at No. 2 and 8-2 at No. 3. The doubles pairs for the Bulldogs included Thomas Greeff and Jeremy Berryman, Luke Zoller and Jack Kitson and Isaac Howes and Joshua Miller. During this season, Concordia has had its best doubles performances, in terms of overall record (5-4), at the No. 3 spot.

The Bulldogs continued to roll through singles. Out of the 73 games played in singles, Concordia won 64 of them. Berryman breezed to a 6-0, 6-0, win at the No. 3 position while Zoller at No. 2 (6-1, 6-0), Howes at No. 4 (6-0, 6-1) and Tommy McNish at No. 6 (8-0) were similarly dominant. Both Berryman and Conner Works (No. 5) pushed their overall season singles records to 5-4. Greeff was also a winner at No. 1 (6-3, 6-1) over Chris Jelken.

DeSimone’s Bulldogs are scheduled to break from conference play by taking on former GPAC member Nebraska Wesleyan University (2-6) at 4 p.m. CT. The match is slated to be played at Woods Park in Lincoln, Neb.

Berryman named GPAC Player of the Week

Mar. 20, 2019

GPAC Release

SEWARD, Neb. – A standout in last week’s 9-0 win over Northwestern, Concordia University sophomore Jeremy Berryman has been named the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Men’s Tennis Player of the Week, as announced on Wednesday (March 20). Berryman is the first GPAC tennis award winner of the 2018-19 season.

A native of Broken Arrow, Okla., Berryman did not even drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0, win over Peyton Scott of the Red Raiders at No. 3 singles in the match that took place in Lincoln, Neb., on March 16. In doubles play, Berryman teamed up with Thomas Greeff on an 8-1 victory at the No. 1 spot. It was the first time that Berryman had paired with Greeff this season. Berryman now owns records of 5-4 in singles (tied for the team lead in singles wins) and 3-6 in doubles.

Berryman and the Bulldogs (5-4, 1-0 GPAC) are slated to return to action on Thursday (March 21) with a contest at Nebraska Wesleyan University (2-7). First serve is set for 4 p.m. CT from Woods Park in Lincoln, Neb.

Bulldogs blank Prairie Wolves

Mar. 21, 2019

LINCOLN, Neb. – For the second outing in a row, the Concordia University men’s tennis team won all nine matches while competing in Lincoln, Neb. On Thursday evening (March 21), sunny skies allowed for the Bulldogs and Nebraska Wesleyan University to compete in an outdoor contest. Concordia did not drop a single set while taking a 9-0 victory at Woods Tennis Center.

Head coach David DeSimone’s squad also defeated Northwestern 9-0 in last week’s action. The Bulldogs have moved to 6-4 overall.

“I really liked our energy and how we built and lifted each other up on the court,” DeSimone said. “We talked going into these last two matches that they could use some more positive energy on court and we’re starting to see that. That carried us to a good start with three wins in doubles and we were able to continue riding that through singles.”

The doubles lineup underwent some changes last week that carried over on Thursday. So far the results have been perfect. At the No. 1 position, reigning GPAC Player of the Week Jeremy Berryman and senior Thomas Greeff combined for an 8-5 victory. Additionally, junior Luke Zoller and freshman Jack Kitson at No. 2 and freshman Isaac Howes and sophomore Joshua Miller at No. 3 were winners.

The singles lineup, in order, included Greeff, Zoller, Berryman, Howes, senior Conner Works and Kitson. In terms of score, Kitson was the most dominant, taking a 6-1, 6-1, win at No. 6. Berryman actually received the most resistance. He won a competitive battle, 7-5, 6-4, at No. 3. Said DeSimone, “We definitely got better from our trip out to Colorado (over spring break).”

Concordia has played three of its past four matches against NCAA competition, including two from the D-III level. The Bulldogs are 5-1 against NAIA opposition. The Prairie Wolves (2-8) are in their third season as a full-fledged member of NCAA D-III.

Concordia is now set to return to conference play on Wednesday (March 27) by hosting Hastings (6-5, 0-0 GPAC), which is receiving votes in the national poll. First serve from the Bulldog Tennis Courts is slated for 4 p.m. CT.

Zoller nets GPAC Player of the Week award

Mar. 27, 2019

GPAC Release

SEWARD, Neb. – A consistent performer in the Concordia University men’s tennis lineup throughout his career, junior Luke Zoller was recognized by the GPAC on Wednesday (March 27). The league tabbed Zoller as the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Men’s Tennis Player of the Week. Teammate Jeremy Berryman earned the same award a week earlier.

Zoller and the Bulldogs (6-4) have now won two-straight matches by 9-0 scores. The latest dominant win came on March 21 at Nebraska Wesleyan University. Zoller won at No. 2 singles, 6-1, 6-2, and also teamed up with freshman Jack Kitson on an 8-4 victory in No. 2 doubles. A native of Lenexa, Kan., Zoller owns season records of 4-6 in singles and 4-6 in doubles. Last season as a sophomore, Zoller earned All-GPAC honors in both doubles and singles (honorable mention).

Zoller and company will attempt to move to 2-0 in conference play when they host Hastings in a match set for a 4 p.m. CT first serve today (March 27) at the Bulldog Tennis Courts on campus.

Back half of lineup stars in home defeat

Mar. 28, 2019

SEWARD, Neb. – Up against one of the programs that perennially competes at the top of the GPAC, the Concordia University men’s tennis team found the hole after doubles action to be too great. The Bulldogs split with visiting Hastings in singles play, but were still handed a 6-3 defeat on Wednesday evening (March 27) in a match that took place on top of the Bulldog Tennis Courts.

Head coach David DeSimone’s group had been coming off back-to-back wins by 9-0 scores. Concordia is now 6-5 overall and 1-1 in conference play.

Perhaps things may have turned out differently had the Bulldogs managed to pull out a triumph in doubles. They fell by identical 8-2 scores at the Nos. 1 and 2 spots. The closest call came at No. 3, where the combo of senior Conner Works and freshman Joseph Bindl dropped a 9-7 decision.

Concordia attempted to mount a rally in singles by getting victories from each player in the back half of the lineup: No. 4 Isaac Howes, No. 5 Works and No. 6 Jack Kitson. All three of those matches were decided in pro sets. The Bulldog lineup also included Thomas Greeff at No. 1, Luke Zoller at No. 2 and Jeremy Berryman at No. 3.

Hastings (8-5, 1-0 GPAC) opened up conference play with the Bulldogs. The Broncos placed second in the conference regular season standings last season but advanced to the NAIA national championships after winning the GPAC tournament. They are currently receiving votes in the national poll.

The Bulldogs are scheduled to host Morningside for both men’s and women’s competition on Saturday. First serve is set for 12 p.m. CT. Due to potential precipitation this weekend, there is a chance the venue may be switched from the Bulldog Tennis Courts. Follow @cunebulldogs on Twitter for the latest updates.

Bulldogs sweep singles, topple Morningside

Mar. 31, 2019

SEWARD, Neb. – The weather cleared up and the sun soaked the Bulldog Tennis Courts, where the Concordia University men’s tennis team claimed an 8-1 victory over Morningside on Sunday afternoon (March 31). The Bulldogs narrowly missed out on a perfect team score while taking all six singles matches in a bounce back performance. Concordia was coming off a 6-3 home loss to Hastings.

Graduate assistant Nikita Kostikov filled the head coaching role on Sunday. His squad moved to 2-1 in the GPAC, already matching the program’s conference win total from a year ago. The Bulldogs are 7-5 overall.

“We came up very strong in singles again,” Kostikov said. “We still need to do some work on doubles, however, we managed to come out on top in doubles even though we didn’t have the best day. It’s important for us to keep building confidence. Our bottom of the lineup is probably one of the best in the conference.”

The early indications show a Concordia squad on the rise. Its only loss in its last four outings was against Hastings, a team receiving votes in the national poll. Some difficulty in doubles did not derail the Bulldogs on Sunday. The duo of senior Thomas Greeff and sophomore Jeremy Berryman squeaked out a 9-7 comeback win at No. 1 and freshman Joseph Bindl and senior Conner Works collaborated on an 8-3 victory at No. 3. The Mustangs (2-8, 0-1 GPAC) gave themselves a shot by pulling out a 9-8 (7) win at No. 2.

Everything came together in singles. The match concluded at No. 2 singles with junior Luke Zoller fending off Samuel Castro, 6-4, 7-5, in one of the day’s more entertaining battles. The usual suspects filled the other five spots for Concordia. The wins came from Greeff at No. 1, Berryman at No. 3, freshman Isaac Howes at No. 4, Works at No. 5 and freshman Jack Kitson at No. 6.

A Lincoln native and son of Concordia Athletic Hall of Fame basketball player Mike Works, Conner has been a fine player in that No. 5 spot. He tops the team with an 8-4 season singles mark. The experience is paying off for Works and many others for an improved squad.

“We have a bunch of new freshmen who are very good,” Works said. “And everyone returned from last year. We have more experience and I think that’s a large part of it.”

The next step is for the Bulldogs to break through in those matches against other top teams in the GPAC – such as Hastings. Another tough conference challenge is on the horizon.

“We learned how aggressive we should be in doubles in order to come up with that positive result,” Kostikov said of Wednesday’s loss. “Today we came out a little slow. One and two doubles were 0-3 down after the first 15-20 minutes. We have to keep working on that. We have a big week coming up.”

Conference play will continue at home for the Bulldogs when they take to the courts again on Tuesday for a matchup with Doane (7-3, 0-0 GPAC). First serve on campus is set for 4 p.m. CT.

Kitson/Zoller pick up doubles win in team GPAC loss

Apr. 2, 2019

SEWARD, Neb. – A run of three straight home matches within conference play continued on Tuesday evening (April 2) as the Concordia University men’s tennis team entertained rival Doane. The Bulldogs notched a victory in doubles play, but failed to gain traction in singles and suffered an 8-1 defeat. It came on the heels of an 8-1 win over Morningside on Sunday.

Coached by David DeSimone and Nikita Kostikov, Concordia slipped to 7-6 overall and to 2-2 inside the conference.

The positive result from a Bulldog perspective came at No. 2 doubles where the combination of junior Luke Zoller and freshman Jack Kitson found a way to pull out the win, 9-8 (3), in a tight battle. The Tigers (8-3, 1-0 GPAC) took the Nos. 1 and 3 doubles matches both by scores of 8-4, giving the visitors the upper hand heading into singles.

In singles, No. 1 Thomas Greeff and No. 4 Isaac Howes fell in third-set tiebreakers. The team scoring would have looked much closer had those matches gone the other way. The rest of the Concordia lineup included Zoller at No. 2, sophomore Jeremy Berryman at No. 3, senior Conner Works at No. 5 and Kitson at No. 6. Works entered the day with a team high of eight singles wins this season.

Another stiff challenge awaits on Saturday when the Bulldogs will be on the road to take on NCAA Division II Augustana University in Sioux Falls, S.D. First serve is set for 2 p.m. CT.

Works named GPAC Player of the Week

Apr. 3, 2019

GPAC Release

SEWARD, Neb. – A pair of singles victories within conference play propelled senior Conner Works to GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Men’s Tennis Player of the Week honors, as announced by the conference on Wednesday (April 3). The Bulldog men’s tennis program has collected this award for the third week in a row with past winners being junior Luke Zoller on March 27 and sophomore Jeremy Berryman on March 20.

Works is establishing himself as one of the top players in the conference at No. 5 singles. Last week he defeated Hastings’ Joshua Sodorff, 8-5, and then topped Morningside’s Jory Opp, 6-3, 6-1, in singles action. He also earned an 8-3 win at No. 3 doubles along teammate Joseph Bindl in the 8-1 team victory over Morningside. Works currently sports a singles record of 8-5 on the season, making him the team leader for singles wins.

Works and company were handed an 8-1 loss by Doane on Tuesday. Up next for Concordia (7-6, 2-2 GPAC) is Saturday’s nonconference match at NCAA Division II Augustana University of Sioux Falls, S.D.

Bulldogs fall at NCAA Division II Augustana

Apr. 6, 2019

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – It was another tough day against an NCAA foe on Saturday (April 6) for the Concordia University men’s tennis team. The Bulldogs actually competed much closer than what the final score of 7-0 indicated. Host Augustana University won all six singles matches and two of three doubles matches in a contest that took place in Sioux Falls, S.D. Per NCAA Division I and II rules, doubles counted for only one team point.

David DeSimone and Nikita Kostikov have guided the Bulldogs to an overall record of 7-7 so far this season. They were coming off an 8-1 loss to Doane on Tuesday.

The one winning result for Concordia on Saturday was produced by the pair of junior Luke Zoller and freshman Jack Kitson at No. 2 doubles. They won 6-4. At the No. 1 spot, senior Thomas Greeff and sophomore Jeremy Berryman competed closely in a 7-5 defeat.

Two of the three singles matches went to tiebreakers. In those instances, Greeff fell at No. 1 and freshman Isaac Howes was edged out at No. 4. The rest of the singles lineup included Zoller at No. 2, Berryman at No. 3, senior Conner Works at No. 5 and Kitson at No. 6.

The Bulldogs now look forward to Wednesday’s match at Midland (6-7, 2-0 GPAC) with first serve set for 4 p.m. CT. The Warriors were the 2018 GPAC regular season champ and conference tournament runner up.

Doubles play dooms Dawgs in Fremont

Apr. 9, 2019

FREMONT, Neb. – Despite a nice rally in singles, the Concordia University men’s tennis team was unable to dig out of the hole it dug in doubles play as part of action Tuesday night (April 9) in Fremont, Neb. Host Midland held on for the 5-4 win and remained unbeaten inside the conference. The Bulldogs made a push by taking four of the six singles battles.

A squad coached by David DeSimone and Nikita Kostikov has dropped two GPAC matches in a row since an 8-1 home thumping of Morningside. Concordia stands at 7-8 overall (2-3 GPAC).

“We played really well in singles,” DeSimone said. “The thing that let us down was doubles play. We got down 0-3 and you know then it’s tough to come back from that. Our guys competed really well. All of our attention in practice going forward is going to be focused on doubles.”

First, let’s focus on what went right in singles. The Bulldogs nearly came all the way back by grabbing wins from senior Thomas Greeff at No. 1, junior Luke Zoller at No. 2, freshman Isaac Howes at No. 4 and senior Conner Works at No. 5. On the down side, Warriors Salvador Almeida and Dylan Hatanelas clinched the match for the opposition with triumphs at Nos 3 and 6 singles, respectively.

Midland (7-7, 3-0 GPAC) positioned itself for the team victory by sweeping the doubles court. The combos for Concordia were Greeff and sophomore Jeremy Berryman at No. 1, Zoller and freshman Jack Kitson at No. 2 and Howes and freshman Joseph Bindl at No. 3.

The Bulldogs will close out the home and conference portions of their schedule this weekend. It will be senior day on Friday when Mount Marty (1-8, 0-4 GPAC) visits Seward. First serve is slated for 4 p.m. CT when action will get underway on the outdoor courts. Should the weather not cooperate, the match will be moved inside to the Fieldhouse.

Bulldogs roll past Mount Marty

Apr. 12, 2019

SEWARD, Neb. – Even without its usual No. 1 player at the top of the lineup, the Concordia University men’s tennis team handled visiting Mount Marty in quick fashion on Friday evening (April 12) inside the Fieldhouse. Everyone simply scooted up a position with junior Luke Zoller filling in at No. 1 for Thomas Greeff in what amounted to a 9-0 Bulldog victory. Concordia won every set over the Lancers.

The team coached by David DeSimone and Nikita Kostikov has triumphed in two of its last three outings within conference play. The Bulldogs are now .500 overall (8-8) and within conference play (3-3).

“Doubles was a positive from today,” DeSimone said. “We started out trying some different things. Having Thomas out, we had to try a few things with our lineup. We talked with them beforehand about wanting to be more aggressive and dominant up at the net. We saw them working on that today. We’re probably not yet where we need to be, but we’re seeing improvement and things we can continue to build on.”

Concordia had been disappointed with its doubles results earlier in the week when it dropped all three in a 5-4 loss at Midland. This time the Bulldogs got out to a much better start. The duo of senior Conner Works and freshman Jack Kitson wiped the floor at No. 3, winning 8-0. The combos of sophomore Jeremy Berryman and Zoller at No. 1 and freshmen Joseph Bindl and Isaac Howes at No. 2 also came through with victories.

In singles, Concordia won 60 of 69 games in a dominant performance. Berryman (6-0, 6-2) at No. 2 and Howes (6-1, 6-0) at No. 3 were nearly perfect while moving up in the lineup in Greeff’s absence. The remainder of the lineup included Zoller at No. 1, Works at No. 4, Bindl at No. 5 and Kitson at No. 6. The bottom three positions in the lineup each played pro sets.

The Bulldogs are still in the process of working towards becoming a championship program, but they are undeniably better than a year ago when they went 1-4 in the conference.

“We’re filled with a lot of energy,” Howes said. “We’ve been working really hard towards a common goal of winning GPAC. That’s where we want to be. I think we’ve set ourselves up pretty well for the GPAC tournament. The energy and our level of play is there.”

Just prior to the match on Friday, the program honored a senior class of Giovanni De Moraes, Greeff and Works with a short ceremony.

The conference portion of the regular season has ended for Concordia. However, it will turn around quickly and host NCAA Division III Wartburg College (Iowa) inside the Fieldhouse at 9 a.m. CT on Saturday.

Bulldogs complete dominant weekend with win over Wartburg

Apr. 13, 2019

SEWARD, Neb. – It was an early Saturday (April 13) morning wakeup call for the Concordia University men’s tennis team. The Bulldogs dipped outside of league action for a 9 a.m. meeting inside the Fieldhouse with NCAA Division III Wartburg College (Iowa). Concordia triumphed in all but one singles match while taking an 8-1 decision.

Coaches David DeSimone and Nikita Kostikov also presided over a 9-0 win Friday night over Mount Marty. The Bulldogs are back over .500 at 9-8 overall (3-3 GPAC).

For the second match in a row, Concordia dominated despite the absence of No. 1 singles player Thomas Greeff. That meant junior Luke Zoller moved into the top spot and earned 7-6 (2), 6-2, win over his counterpart from the Knights. Additional Bulldog singles victories were produced by freshman Isaac Howes at No. 3, senior Conner Works at No. 4 and freshmen Joseph Bindl at No. 5 and Jack Kitson at No. 6. It was a particularly breezy win for Works, who took a 6-0, 6-1, decision.

A solid run through singles followed a trio of wins in doubles for Concordia. Its duos included Berryman and Zoller at No. 1, Kitson and Works at No. 2 and Bindl and Howes at No. 3. The Bulldogs won by an 8-2 score at both Nos. 1 and 3 doubles.

Wartburg is now 12-9 overall. The Knights are a member of the American Rivers Conference. Their lone win on Saturday was delivered by Sam Nettleton at No. 2 singles.

Concordia is scheduled to conclude the regular season on Monday, April 22 with a trip to Baker University (Kan.). First serve is slated for 3 p.m. CT.

Concordia clipped at Baker

Apr. 22, 2019

BALDWIN CITY, Kan. – In its final outing prior to this weekend’s conference championships, the Concordia University men’s tennis team road-tripped to Baldwin City, Kan., for a Monday (April 22) afternoon match with Baker University. The Bulldogs won four of six singles matches, but could not quite dig out from a 3-0 hole after doubles. The host Wildcats emerged with a 5-4 victory.

Coaches David DeSimone and Nikita Kostikov have collaborated for a squad that has concluded the regular season at 9-9 overall (3-3 GPAC).

In its two previous contests, Concordia had cruised past Mount Marty, 9-0, and Wartburg College (Iowa), 8-1. This time around, the Bulldogs struggled to get the results they wanted in doubles. They dropped the Nos. 1 and 3 doubles matches by identical 8-5 scores and fell at No. 2, 8-4.

In continuing a theme this season, Concordia picked up its play in singles. Bulldog wins were produced at No. 2 by junior Luke Zoller, at No. 3 by sophomore Jeremy Berryman, at No. 4 by freshman Isaac Howes and at No. 6 by freshman Joseph Bindl. Howes is now even with senior Connor Works for a team high 11 singles victories this season. Baker (4-11) clinched the team win by taking decisions at the Nos. 1 and 5 singles positions.

Up next are the GPAC Championships this Friday and Saturday at Fremont High School in Fremont, Neb. Unofficially, the Bulldogs will be the No. 4 seed in the six-team bracket that features a single-elimination format. The top two seeds receive byes into the semifinals.

GPAC men's tennis postseason preview

Apr. 25, 2019

SEWARD, Neb. – The slate is wiped clean for conference postseason play. The GPAC tennis tournaments have arrived a week earlier than they were typically contested in the past. The Concordia men’s tennis team made a big leap forward during the 2019 campaign and now has an opportunity to show it can compete with the best in the league.

The squad coached by David DeSimone and Nikita Kostikov will open up conference tournament action against Morningside (4-12, 2-4 GPAC) at 9 a.m. CT on Friday (April 26). It’s a matchup between the league’s Nos. 4 and 5 seeds. The winner will advance to that afternoon’s semifinals (complete schedule below).

In the regular season meeting, the Bulldogs (9-9, 3-3 GPAC) had their way with the Mustangs in an 8-1 decision. In that battle in Seward, Concordia took all three doubles matches and five of six singles contests. In GPAC matches only, freshman Isaac Howes and senior Conner Works both went 5-1 in singles play. Collectively, the Bulldogs went 25-11 in singles and 9-9 in doubles in their six conference matches.

Concordia saw its season end in the GPAC quarterfinals a year ago. The Bulldog men’s tennis team has never won a GPAC regular season or tournament title. If the 2019 team is to become the first, it will have to get past Morningside and then the conference’s No. 1 seed, Doane, in the semifinals. Doane, Hastings and Midland all tied for the GPAC regular season crown.

The conference tournament champion earns an automatic bid to the 2019 NAIA Tennis National Championships, which will take place May 14-18 in Mobile, Ala.

2019 GPAC Men’s Tennis Tournament

Friday, April 26 – Quarterfinals
No. 4 Concordia vs. No. 5 Morningside, 9 a.m.
No. 3 Midland vs. No. 6 Northwestern, 9 a.m.

Friday, April 26 – Semifinals
No. 1 Doane vs. No. 4/5 winner, 2 p.m.
No. 2 Hastings vs. No. 3/6 winner, 2 p.m.

Saturday, April 27 – Championship
10 a.m.

Season ends in GPAC semifinals

Apr. 26, 2019

SEWARD, Neb. – The 2019 Concordia University men’s tennis team took its season a step further, as compared to the 2018 squad that fell in the quarterfinals of the GPAC tournament. On Friday (April 26) morning, the fourth-seeded Bulldogs ended No. 5 seed Morningside’s season by taking a 5-0 decision in a GPAC quarterfinal clash. Then in the afternoon, Concordia bowed out of the postseason with a 5-1 semifinal loss to top-seeded Doane. Both matches were played at Fremont High School in Fremont, Neb.

A squad guided by coaches David DeSimone and Nikita Kostikov showed clear improvement from 2018. The Bulldogs went 10-10 overall in 2019.

“We had a great match against Morningside in the morning,” DeSimone said. “The guys started out with a lot of energy and purpose in doubles. Getting up 3-0 was a big confidence boost and we were able to capitalize with a few singles wins. Against Doane we started strong on all three doubles courts but they were too good down the stretch. We played well overall, but it just wasn’t quite enough. I’m very proud of all that these guys have accomplished this season.”

Doane (13-4) shared the regular season title with both Hastings and Midland and had already beaten the Bulldogs, 8-1, on April 2. In order to pull the upset in the semis, Concordia needed better results in doubles. The Tigers won all three, including a close 8-6 battle at No. 1 doubles, where Bulldogs in senior Thomas Greeff and sophomore Jeremy Berryman teamed up.

The lone Bulldog victory came at No. 4 singles with freshman Isaac Howes coming through with a 6-1, 6-3, decision. Doane locked up a spot in the GPAC championship match by grabbing wins at the Nos. 5 and 6 singles positions.

Concordia extended its season into the semifinals by toppling the Mustangs (4-13) without too much trouble. Doubles teams of Greeff and Berryman at No. 1, junior Luke Zoller and freshman Jack Kitson at No. 2 and freshmen Joseph Bindl and Howes at No. 3 all came out on top. The Bulldogs finished off the win by claiming singles triumphs courtesy of Greeff at No. 1, Berryman at No. 2 and Howes at No. 4. It was a perfect day of singles play for Howes.

This was the final day of college tennis for Greeff, who went 7-10 in No. 1 singles play in his senior season. Howes topped Concordia with a 13-7 singles mark for the year.

Six Bulldog men's tennis players collect All-GPAC honors

May. 6, 2019

GPAC Release

SEWARD, Neb. – Six Bulldogs represented the Concordia University men’s tennis team with 2019 GPAC all-conference honors, as announced by the league on Monday (May 6). Concordia was honored with six singles and four doubles All-GPAC accolades. The GPAC all-conference teams are separated by singles and doubles. Head coach David DeSimone’s squad finished the campaign at 10-10 overall and reached the GPAC postseason semifinals.

Landing singles All-GPAC honors were senior Thomas Greeff (Pretoria, South Africa), junior Lucas Zoller (Lenexa, Kan.) and freshmen Isaac Howes (Shawnee, Kan.) and Jack Kitson (Omaha, Neb.). Honorable mention singles accolades went to junior Jeremy Berryman (Broken Arrow, Okla.) and senior Conner Works (Lincoln, Neb.). In doubles, the duo of Berryman and Greeff picked up All-GPAC team laurels while honorable mention went to the combo of Kitson and Zoller.

At No. 4 singles, Howes put up the team’s top overall (13-7) and GPAC (5-1) records this past season. Works also went 5-1 in GPAC singles matches while playing mostly at the No. 5 position. At the top of the lineup, Greeff recorded a 3-2 conference mark and Zoller went 4-2 at No. 2. The doubles pairs of Berryman and Greeff and Kitson and Zoller both went 2-3 in GPAC competitions. Kitson was 10-10 overall in doubles matches.

Zoller nets Academic All-District honors from CoSIDA

May. 16, 2019

CoSIDA Release

SEWARD, Neb. – A standout for the Concordia University men’s tennis program both on the court and in the classroom, junior Luke Zoller has been honored by College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). On Thursday (May 16), the organization announced Zoller as a 2018-19 Google Cloud Academic All-District® Men’s At-Large Team member of NAIA’s District 3. The junior from Lenexa, Kan., is on a pre-engineering track who majors in physics and minors in math.

In addition, Zoller was named an All-GPAC performer this past season for his work at the No. 2 singles position. He was also recognized as honorable mention all-conference in doubles. Zoller is on track to earn NAIA Scholar-Athlete accolades.

The CoSIDA Academic All-Distrct® At-Large Teams have been released to recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom. For more information about the Academic All-District® and Academic All-America® Teams program, please visit http://cosida.com. District 3 includes the states of Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

At-Large Google Cloud Academic All-America® Teams are scheduled to be announced on May 30. As an all-district choice, Zoller automatically is placed on the ballot for All-America voting.

Concordia 2018-19 Academic All-All-District® Honorees
*Maria Deeter, Women’s Soccer
Philly Lammers, Women’s Basketball
Tanner Shuck, Men’s Basketball
Zac Walter, Football
Luke Zoller, Men’s Tennis
*CoSIDA Academic All-American

Men's tennis ties for NAIA Scholar-Athlete national lead

May. 18, 2019

NAIA Release

SEWARD, Neb. – A group of four Bulldogs represented the Concordia University men’s tennis team with 2019 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete recognition, as announced by the NAIA on Saturday (May 18). The Concordia honorees included senior Conner Works and juniors Alex Kaldahl, Josh Miller and Luke Zoller. Two days earlier, Zoller was also awarded as a Google Cloud Academic All-District selection by College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). The four Scholar-Athletes tied for the most among all men’s tennis programs nationally.

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 two full years as a non-transfer or one full year as a transfer. A total of 155 men's tennis student-athletes across the nation were named 2019 Scholar-Athletes by the NAIA.

Concordia University ranks as the NAIA’s all-time leader in number of Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes with 1,433 and counting. The Bulldogs have been a regular national leader for both scholar-athletes and scholar-teams and are coming off a 2017-18 academic year that resulted in 77 more scholar-athletes and 20 scholar-teams (third most in the nation). Also in 2017-18, seven Bulldog student-athletes garnered both CoSIDA Academic All-District and CoSIDA Academic All-America accolades.

2019 NAIA Scholar-Athletes