SEWARD, Neb. – The fourth-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team is riding high following a thrilling weekend in Columbia, Mo., that included wins over No. 7 Columbia College and No. 1 Indiana Wesleyan University, the NAIA’s defending national champion. Both of those victories over top 10 foes went to five sets. The Bulldogs then capped the weekend by taking care of MidAmerica Nazarene University (Kan.) in straight sets. Those results put Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad at 5-0 in the early going of 2024. Concordia will be tested significantly again this weekend as it faces three more nonconference foes as part of the College of Saint Mary Labor Day Classic.
This Week – CSM Labor Day Classic
Friday, Aug. 30 vs. No. 14 Bellevue (4-2), 2 p.m.
--Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Lied Fitness Center Fieldhouse (Omaha, Neb.)
Saturday, Aug. 31 vs. No. 5 Viterbo (2-5), 11 a.m.
--Max Country | Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Lied Fitness Center Fieldhouse (Omaha, Neb.)
Saturday, Aug. 31 vs. Oklahoma Panhandle State (2-2), 5 p.m.
--Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Lied Fitness Center Fieldhouse (Omaha, Neb.)
By the numbers
· 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.
· Strong results at the CSM Labor Day Classic could put Concordia in line for a move up the rankings when a new coaches’ poll is released on Sept. 4. The victory last week over Indiana Wesleyan is believed to be the first in program history over an opponent carrying the No. 1 national ranking. The Wildcats finished last season at 38-0 and have now lost twice this August (the other loss came at the hands of No. 16 Indiana University Kokomo). Impressively, the Bulldogs dug out of holes in both victories over top 10 foes. Concordia trailed Columbia by a 13-9 score in the fifth set before a furious rally punctuated by a Gabi Nordaker kill for match point. The Bulldogs also came back from a two-sets-to-one deficit versus Indiana Wesleyan. Match point came in the form of an Ella Waters kill.
· It’s pretty clear already that the addition of Waters is a major one. The transfer from NCAA Division II Washburn University redshirted in 2023 and made her Concordia debut at this season’s Bulldog Bash. Through five matches, the Hickman, Neb., native paces the team with 60 kills (3.16 per set) on the strength of a .284 hitting percentage from the outside. The 6-foot-3 Waters can play on either pin. She notched 17 kills in the win over No. 1 Indiana Wesleyan. In her freshman season at Washburn, Waters played in 21 matches (two starts) and tallied 74 kills.
· Coaches Ben and Angie Boldt and staff have done a masterful job of preparing the 2024 team to make up for the departures of All-Americans Bree Burtwistle and Camryn Opfer and All-GPAC right side Carly Rodaway. A crew of upperclassmen bided their time and are now seizing the opportunity with increased playing time. Several juniors fall into that category, including Addie Kirkegaard, Molli Martin, Lily Psencik, Kya Scott and Savannah Shelburne. The tandem of Shelburne and Psencik has taken over the setter role and has kept the attack thriving (.244 hitting percentage and 14.11 kills per set through five matches). Psencik has also accumulated a team high six aces (tied for most with Shandy Fa’all’i). Additionally, Scott produced 14 kills versus Indiana Wesleyan and Kirkegaard put up 12 kills against Columbia.
· The two-time All-American Nordaker keeps adding to her career totals. She collected 10 blocks in the win over Columbia (in addition to the match-point kill). In 119 career collegiate matches, Nordaker has totaled 1,200 kills and 480 blocks. In the history of the program, there are only two other players who have tallied at least that many kills and blocks – Katie Werner (1,600 kills and 787 blocks) and Rachel Kirchner (1,315 kills and 760 blocks). Nordaker needs just five more kills to surpass Darcy Lindner (1,204 kills) for No. 7 on the program’s all-time kills list.
· A junior from Kearney, Neb., Ashley Keck has taken on a major role as both an attacker and as a dependable back row performer. So far this season, Keck has tallied 58 kills (3.05 per set) and 67 digs (second on the team to Becca Gebhardt’s 77 digs). Keck is also hitting a rock solid .264 from the outside. Keck enjoyed a fine outing against No. 1 Indiana Wesleyan in posting 14 kills (.323) and 15 digs. She also contributed 16 kills and 20 digs in the victory over No. 7 Columbia. Keck has run her career kill total to 658.
The opponents
Concordia will take on Bellevue for the first time since 2021 when the Bruins escaped from Friedrich Arena with a win in five sets. Bellevue has been a regular at the national tournament and in the NAIA top 25 under Head Coach Trish Siedlik, who is in her 19th season leading the program. Bellevue has returned NAIA Third Team All-American Kealy Kiviniemi on the right side. The Bruins have started this season at 4-2 with a noteworthy win over No. 12 Corban University (Ore.). The losses have come against two ranked teams: No. 10 Southern Oregon University and No. 13 Oklahoma Wesleyan University. The Bulldogs will be looking to defeat Bellevue for the first time since 2015 in an in-state series that has been played sporadically over the past decade.
Concordia and Viterbo met up as recently as 2022 when the Bulldogs walked away with a sweep as part of this same CSM Labor Day Classic. The V-Hawks are well-known for being a powerhouse volleyball program under Head Coach Ryan DeLong (19th season). Viterbo reached the NAIA national semifinals in 2023 before being eliminated by Northwestern. The V-Hawks bring back NAIA Second Team All-American middle Jada Mitchell. Viterbo has started 2024 at 2-5 while navigating a challenging schedule. All five defeats have come against teams either ranked or receiving votes, including a loss to No. 6 Midland. To their credit, the V-Hawks wrapped up action this past weekend with a win over No. 11 Missouri Baptist University.
Oklahoma Panhandle State went 8-17 last season and has opened 2024 at 2-2 with wins over Calvary Bible and Bethany College (Kan.). The Aggies also dropped a four-set decision to Briar Cliff in a neutral match. Through the first four matches this season, the team’s top hitter has been junior outside Ava Newby, who has compiled 48 kills and is hitting .214. As a team, Oklahoma Panhandle is hitting .191 with an average of 12.0 kills per set while its opponents have hit .162 with an average of 10.93 kills per set. The Aggies are slated to play four matches in Omaha this weekend.
Next week
Conference play will get started on Sept. 4 when the Bulldogs will be headed to Mount Marty. There will be a junior varsity match at 6 p.m. followed by the varsity at 7:30 p.m. in Yankton, S.D. That will be the lone outing of next week for Concordia.