SEWARD, Neb. – Both varsity and junior varsity schedules for the 2018 Concordia University volleyball season have been announced. The official start of Ben Boldt’s head coaching tenure is set for Aug. 21 when York College will visit Walz Arena. The nonconference tilt with York will mark the first of 25 regular-season matches.
Boldt and company are underway in their spring practice season. The Bulldogs will make their first public appearance of the spring on Wednesday, April 11 with a pair of home matches in the evening (6:30/8:30 p.m.). A native of Hickman, Neb., Boldt was officially named head volleyball coach on Dec. 19, 2017. His staff includes Abby Pollart, Ben’s wife Angie Boldt and graduate assistant coach Abby Saehler.
Thirteen home matches make up this fall’s slate. The home portion of the schedule includes what has become an annual event, the Bulldog Bash (Aug. 31-Sept. 1). Over the two-day bash, Concordia will play three times inside Walz Arena. Conference play will get underway Sept. 4 with College of Saint Mary visiting Seward. Eight of 16 GPAC matches will put the Bulldogs up against teams that finished 2017 inside the national rankings. The group includes the GPAC’s newest member Jamestown, rated No. 15 in the 2017 postseason poll.
Besides the GPAC opener, Concordia will host additional Nebraska conference rivals in Midland (Sept. 11), Doane (Sept. 18) and Hastings (Oct. 10) throughout the fall. The defending conference regular-season champions are Dordt, Hastings and Northwestern, which all tied for first place.
The Bulldogs completed last season with an overall record of 9-19. Returning players who garnered all-conference selections in 2017 are Emmie Noyd (second team), Tara Callahan (honorable mention) and Alex La Plant (honorable mention).
Dates for the GPAC tournament are Nov. 3 for the quarterfinals, Nov. 7 for the semifinals and Nov. 10 for the championship. The opening round of the NAIA national tournament is set for Nov. 17 with action at the national championships final site in Sioux City, Iowa, beginning Nov. 27.