SEWARD, Neb. – Only three matches remain in the regular season for the Concordia University, Nebraska Volleyball team, which is looking to secure a top two position in the final GPAC standings. Following a bye in the middle of last week, the third-ranked Bulldogs handled their business with a four-set win at No. 14 Midland this past Saturday. Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad enters the week at 21-3 overall (12-1 GPAC). Concordia will face two potential national tournament teams this week: Hastings (away) and No. 18 Dordt (home).
This Week
Wednesday, Oct. 28 at Hastings (16-6, 8-5 GPAC), 7:30 p.m.
--104.9 Max Country | Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Lynn Farrell Arena (Hastings, Neb.)
Saturday, Oct. 31 vs. No. 18 Dordt (18-7, 9-4 GPAC), 4 p.m.
--104.9 Max Country | Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Friedrich Arena (Seward, Neb.)
--Fans are encouraged to wear Halloween costumes, but no masks are allowed.
By the numbers
• The selection committee/ARC ratings and RPI will all take a break this week after new editions were made public last week. In the NAIA selection committee poll unveiled on Oct. 21, the Bulldogs remained at No. 3. Meanwhile, Northwestern jumped to No. 1, leapfrogging No. 2 Eastern Oregon University. The top five was rounded out by No. 4 Missouri Baptist University and No. 5 College of Idaho. Concordia also sits at No. 3 in the NAIA RPI with the help of a schedule rated 13th toughest in the nation. Based on the latest top 25, the Bulldogs own wins over No. 8 Morningside, No. 10 McPherson College (Kan.), No. 14 Midland (two) and No. 17 Nelson University (Texas).
• The series winning streak over Midland has reached eight after last week’s matchup in Fremont. Concordia toppled the Warriors, 25-22, 25-23, 21-25, 25-17, while holding statistical advantages in kills, 53-49, hitting percentage, .273 to .193, aces, 12-8, and blocks, 10-9. Freshman setter Myla Emery filled the stat sheet with 29 assists, 11 digs and five aces. Three of her aces came during the Bulldogs’ 7-0 run to open the fourth set. The setter duo of Emery and Ella Brueggemann affectively sprayed the ball to the middle and right side. Bella Hedke hit .500 with 10 kills while Maddie Paulsen (.429; eight kills) and Makenna Starkey (.412, nine kills) both batted above .400. Shandy Fa’ali’i led the team with 12 kills.
• Six Concordia players have reached 100 kills for the season: Shandy Fa’ali’i (300), Makenna Starkey (174), Samantha Kimbell (162), Bella Hedke (141), Laynee Baker (104) and Maddie Paulsen (103). These six main attackers have picked up the slack after the Bulldogs said goodbye to 87.5 percent of the kills produced by the 2025 national semifinalist team (a figure that includes the injured Ava Greene). For the season, the 2026 team is hitting .212 while averaging 13.14 kills per set. As setters, Myla Emery (6.06) and Ella Brueggemann (4.52) are averaging more than 4.5 assists per set.
• At the top of the GPAC, little has changed. For Concordia to earn a piece of the conference regular season title, someone will have to end Northwestern’s string of 54 consecutive wins in GPAC regular season play. Currently sporting a 13-0 conference mark, the Red Raiders are seeking a third straight season with an unblemished GPAC record. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs have continued a sparkling run themselves. Concordia has won 45 of its last 48 GPAC regular season matches and endeavors to finish at 15-1 in league play for a third year in a row. Northwestern’s remaining regular season schedule includes road trips to Dakota Wesleyan, Mount Marty and Dordt.
• Balance has been a theme once again for Concordia. Despite winning at an impressive rate, the Bulldogs have had just one GPAC Player of the Week this season – Myla Emery on Oct. 20. In addition to using two setters and leaning upon six different attackers, there are five Bulldogs with at least 150 digs: Shandy Fa’ali’i (214), Myla Emery (203), Emma Brueggemann (186), Ella Brueggemann (155) and Jenna Sladky (150). In the blocking department, four Concordia players have more than 45 blocks: Makenna Starkey (83), Bella Hedke (80), Laynee Baker (54) and Maddie Paulsen (47).
• On the NAIA national leaderboards, the Bulldogs rank ninth in blocks per set (2.44), 12th in kills per set (13.14), 16th in aces per set (2.37), 41st in hitting percentage (.212) and 91st in digs per set (15.62). One the nation’s most aggressive serving teams, Concordia rolls out six players with at least 27 aces this season: Shandy Fa’ali’i (37), Myla Emery (33), Kyla Griess (33), Clara Evert (32), Ella Brueggemann (31) and Jenna Sladky (27).
The opponents
Hastings has made immense strides in Harley Rhoades’ first season as head coach. The Broncos finished 2025 at 6-20 (3-13 GPAC). They enter the week at 16-6 (8-5 GPAC) and hold a four-set win over Midland. Hastings’ hopes for a national tournament bid is limited by a strength of schedule that rates 159th in the NAIA (based on the Oct. 18 RPI). The Broncos will be looking to bounce back after tripping up at Mount Marty this past weekend. From last year’s roster, Hastings brought back two Honorable Mention All-GPAC performers in libero Lainey Benson and outside hitter Makenna Sutter. The team’s leading attacker is senior outside hitter Ilse Benne, who is averaging 3.21 kills per set. As a team, the Broncos are hitting .199 with 12.90 kills per set. The Hastings program last reached the national tournament in 2022. The Broncos celebrated a national championship in 2016. Concordia owns a 13-match win streak versus Hastings (including the five-setter earlier this season).
Dordt has stormed back into the NAIA top 25 and sits at 18-7 (9-4 GPAC) after finishing the 2025 season at 19-9 (10-6 GPAC). The Defenders claimed a signature win on Oct. 17 when they took down then fourth-ranked Morningside at home in four sets. From last season, Dordt returned First Team All-GPAC OH/MB Haley Kuperus and Second Team All-GPAC setter Carlee Jackson. The Defenders enter the week ranked sixth nationally in kills per set (13.48). Kuperus leads the way – she’s hitting .274 with 275 kills this season. She is one of five Dordt players with more than 150 kills on the year. Fifth-year Head Coach Jacki Smith is looking to lead the program back to the national tournament for the first time since 2021. The program has appeared at nationals 16 times. Concordia has defeated the Defenders in each of the past four meetings. The Bulldogs escaped Sioux Center, Iowa, with a five-set win in 2024.
Next week
The Bulldogs will wrap up the regular season on Nov. 3 when Doane pays a visit to Friedrich Arena. The GPAC tournament will then get started with the quarterfinals on Saturday, Nov. 7. Concordia has made five straight appearances in the GPAC tournament final.