SEWARD, Neb. – Just 10 days after beginning preseason training, the Concordia University Volleyball team rang in the 2024 season while hosting the annual Bulldog Bash. The Bulldogs passed their first tests in wiping out Lewis-Clark State College (Idaho) and Oklahoma City University in straight sets. Head Coach Ben Boldt is in his seventh season leading a program that has made five-straight trips to the final site of the NAIA National Championships. Concordia (25-4 overall in 2023) has the look of another powerful attacking team. It hit .300 while averaging 15.0 kills per set during the Bulldog Bash.
This Week – Columbia College Power Quad
Friday, Aug. 23 at No. 7 Columbia (0-0), 6 p.m.
--Max Country | Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Arena of Southwell Complex (Columbia, Mo.)
Saturday, Aug. 24 vs. No. 1 Indiana Wesleyan (2-1), 10 a.m.
--Max Country | Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Arena of Southwell Complex (Columbia, Mo.)
Saturday, Aug. 24 vs. MidAmerica Nazarene (0-0), 3 p.m.
--Max Country | Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Arena of Southwell Complex (Columbia, Mo.)
By the numbers
· Coaches Ben and Angie Boldt have guided the Bulldogs to their most successful stretch in program history. Over the past five years, Concordia has gone a combined 112-35 with five appearances at the final site (Sioux City, Iowa) of the NAIA National Championships. The 2020 and 2021 squads both reached the NAIA national quarterfinals (deepest national tournament advancement in school history). The 2023 squad climbed all the way to No. 1 in the NAIA coaches’ poll and shared the GPAC regular season title with Northwestern and Jamestown. At 25-4 overall, the ’23 team set a new program standard for highest winning percentage (.862) in program history. The 2023 season concluded with a defeat in national tournament pool play in a match that came with a spot in the national quarterfinals on the line.
· The Bulldogs checked in at No. 4 in the NAIA preseason coaches’ poll released on Aug. 14. That is the same ranking Concordia held heading into the 2023 national tournament. The program has appeared in the top 25 of each of the past 17 official NAIA polls, dating back to the tail end of the 2021 season. This marks the fifth season in a row that the Bulldogs have been ranked in the preseason. In previous preseasons, Concordia landed at No. 10 in 2020, at No. 7 in 2021, at No. 11 in 2022 and at No. 4 in 2023. The Boldts’ teams went on to earn final rankings of No. 14 in 2019, No. 8, in 2020, No. 6 in 2021 and No. 4 in 2022 and 2023. In this preseason’s GPAC coaches’ poll, the Bulldogs were pegged second behind Northwestern.
· Middle blocker Gabi Nordaker is in her fifth season as a Bulldog. A freshman back in 2020, Nordaker opted to use her COVID exemption and return in 2024. The two-time NAIA All-American out of Millard West High School has played in 116 collegiate matches and has piled up 1,176 kills and 462 blocks for her career. On the program’s all-time lists, Nordaker ranks third in blocks and eighth in kills. She is creeping up on Dracy Lindner (1,204) on the all-time kills list. Nordaker has been recognized with three First Team All-GPAC awards and one Second Team All-GPAC honor. The program also benefited from the COVID exemption in 2023 when All-Americans Bree Burtwistle and Camryn Opfer chose to play another year.
· Another headlining returner, Ashley Keck will take on a brighter spotlight as she becomes an upperclassman in 2024. The Kearney Catholic High School alum was named the 2022 GPAC Freshman of the Year and then garnered Second Team All-GPAC accolades in 2023. Keck enjoyed a fine weekend at the Bulldog Bash as she led the team with 22 kills and hit .450 from the outside. In 61 career collegiate matches, Keck has compiled 622 kills (3.0 per set) and 376 digs. Her career high for kills in a single match was 20 in the 2023 GPAC championship match at Northwestern.
· The team’s star attackers such as Keck and Nordaker are adjusting to a new system as Concordia breaks in new setters. Both Savannah Shelburne and Lily Psencik saw extensive action at setter this past weekend while stepping in for 2023 GPAC Setter of the Year Bree Burtwistle. Shelburne started in the wins over Lewis-Clark State and Oklahoma City and totaled a combined 41 assists and 18 digs. Meanwhile, Psencik totaled 31 assists and nine digs. The results were impressive from an attacking perspective as the Bulldogs hit .300 and averaged 15.0 kills per set in those home victories.
· Under the Boldts, Concordia has become accustomed to ranking highly when it comes to hitting percentage. The Bulldogs finished the 2023 season ranked sixth nationally in hitting percentage at .257 after having ranked No. 2 in the NAIA in that category (.255) in 2022. In addition to Keck and Nordaker, 6-foot-3 outside hitter Ella Waters (20 kills at the Bulldog Bash) will figure heavily into the mix. In the back row, Concordia has an experienced libero in Becca Gebhardt, who has totaled 1,236 digs and 1,202 service receptions over her college career.
The opponents
Before hosting this weekend’s event, Columbia will entertain Missouri Valley College and No. 13 Oklahoma Wesleyan University early in the week. The Cougars finished last season at 32-7 overall and advanced to the NAIA national quarterfinals. Like Concordia, Columbia graduated two All-Americans from last season’s team – setter Luisa Ferreira and outside hitter Ellie Rockers. However, Columbia welcomes back Honorable Mention All-American Allana Capella, a junior right side hitter. Head Coach Allison Jones-Olson is entering her sixth season leading the program. She owns a record of 136-39 with the Cougars.
Indiana Wesleyan enjoyed a dream 2023 season while going 38-0 and capturing the first NAIA national championship in program history. The Wildcats bring back two First Team All-Americans from that squad, outside hitter Eva Joldersma and setter Abbigail Porter. IWU is led by an incredibly accomplished head coach in Candace Moats, a Norris High School alum. Entering the week, Moats owned a 986-371 career head coaching record. She’s led the program to a combined 27 conference championships in 22 seasons with the Wildcats. Currently ranked No. 1 in the NAIA, IWU went 2-1 this past week at its own IWU Invitational. The Wildcats defeated No. 6 Midland and Wilberforce University (Ohio) in straight sets with a five-set loss to No. 16 Indiana University Kokomo sandwiched in between.
A frequent national qualifier, MidAmerica Nazarene is looking to bounce back after finishing 2023 at 15-13 overall. Head Coach Molly Karagyaurov enters her sixth season as head coach at her alma mater. Prior to playing in Columbia this weekend, the Pioneers will take on Avila University early in the week. MNU returns third team all-conference setter Katrina Davis. The Pioneers met the Bulldogs in Seward last season with the result being a Concordia win, 25-15, 25-16, 25-15. Last season, MNU hit .174 as a team while its opponents hit .163.
Next week
Concordia will take part in another weekend event as the CSM/United Sports Academy Labor Day Classic takes place Aug. 30-31 in Omaha. As part of the classic, the Bulldogs will take on No. 14 Bellevue University, No. 5 Viterbo University (Wis.) and Oklahoma Panhandle State University.