2022 Volleyball Schedule/Results
25-6 Overall | 12-4 GPAC (3rd) | Season Stats | Roster
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time/Result | Record |
| Southern Oregon University Raider Tournament: Aug 18-19 | ||||
| Aug. 18 | (19) Oregon Tech | Ashland, Ore. | W, 3-1 | 1-0 |
| Aug. 18 | Southern Oregon University | Ashland, Ore. | W, 3-2 | 2-0 |
| Aug. 19 | Park University (Ariz.) | Ashland, Ore. | W, 3-0 | 3-0 |
| Bulldog Bash: August 26-27 | ||||
| Aug. 26 | McPherson College (Kan.) | Seward, Neb. | W, 3-0 | 4-0 |
| Aug. 27 | Texas Wesleyan University | Seward, Neb. | W, 3-0 | 5-0 |
| Aug. 31 | *Hastings College | Seward, Neb. | W, 3-0 | 6-0, 1-0 |
| CSM/United Sports Academy Siouxland Tournament: Sep. 2-3 | ||||
| Sep. 2 | (9) Viterbo University (Wis.) | N. Sioux City, Iowa | W, 3-0 | 7-0 |
| Sep. 2 | Presentation College (S.D.) | N. Sioux City, Iowa | W, 3-0 | 8-0 |
| Sep. 3 | Dakota State University (S.D.) | N. Sioux City, Iowa | W, 3-1 | 9-0 |
| Sep. 3 | Evangel University (Mo.) | N. Sioux City, Iowa | W, 3-1 | 10-0 |
| Sep. 7 | *(2) Midland University | Fremont, Neb. | L, 2-3 | 10-1, 1-1 |
| Sep. 14 | *Doane University | Crete, Neb. | W, 3-0 | 11-1, 2-1 |
| Sep. 17 | *(13) College of Saint Mary (Homecoming) | Seward, Neb. | W, 3-0 | 12-1, 3-1 |
| Sep. 21 | *Mount Marty University | Yankton, S.D. | W, 3-0 | 13-1, 4-1 |
| Sep. 24 | *(14) Dordt University | Sioux Center, Iowa | W, 3-0 | 14-1, 5-1 |
| Sep. 30 | *Briar Cliff University | Seward, Neb. | W, 3-0 | 15-1, 6-1 |
| Oct. 1 | *Morningside University (Senior Day) | Seward, Neb. | W, 3-0 | 16-1, 7-1 |
| Oct. 7 | *(2) University of Jamestown | Jamestown, N.D. | L, 1-3 | 16-2, 7-2 |
| Oct. 8 | *(15) Dakota Wesleyan University | Mitchell, S.D. | L, 0-3 | 16-3, 7-3 |
| Oct. 15 | *(7) Northwestern College | Seward, Neb. | W, 3-2 | 17-3, 8-3 |
| Oct. 19 | *Doane University | Seward, Neb. | W, 3-0 | 18-3, 9-3 |
| Oct. 22 | *(13) College of Saint Mary | Omaha, Neb. | W, 3-0 | 19-3, 10-3 |
| Oct. 26 | *Mount Marty University | Seward, Neb. | W, 3-0 | 20-3, 11-3 |
| Oct. 29 | *Hastings College | Hastings, Neb. | W, 3-0 | 21-3, 12-3 |
| Nov. 1 | *(4) Midland University | Seward, Neb. | L, 0-3 | 21-4, 12-4 |
| GPAC Tournament | ||||
| Nov. 5 | (12) College of Saint Mary (Quarterfinals) | Seward, Neb. | W, 3-0 | 22-4 |
| Nov. 9 | (3) Midland University (Semifinals) | Fremont, Neb. | W, 3-2 | 23-4 |
| Nov. 12 | (2) University of Jamestown (Championship) | Jamestown, N.D. | L, 1-3 | 23-5 |
| NAIA National Championship | ||||
| Nov. 19 | Florida College (Opening Round) | Seward, Neb. | W, 3-0 | 24-5 |
| Nov. 30 | Hastings College (Pool Play) | Sioux City, Iowa | W, 3-1 | 25-5 |
| Dec. 2 | (13) Park University (Mo.) (Pool Play) | Sioux City, Iowa | L, 1-3 | 25-6 |
2022 Roster
| No. | Name | Pos. | Ht. | Year | Hometown | Previous School |
| 1 | Bree Green | S/DS | 5-8 | Jr. | Gretna, Neb. | Millard West HS |
| 2 | Mollie Grosshans | RS | 5-10 | So. | Waverly, Neb. | Waverly HS |
| 3 | Bree Burtwistle | S | 5-10 | Jr. | Stanton, Neb. | Stanton HS / Midland University |
| 4 | Sydney Jelinek | OH | 6-0 | Fr. | Lincoln, Neb. | Norris HS |
| 5 | Kennedy Vanscoy | DS | 5-3 | Jr. | Waverly, Neb. | Waverly HS |
| 6 | Ashley Keck | OH | 5-11 | Fr. | Kearney, Neb. | Kearney Catholic HS |
| 7 | Cassidy Knust | DS | 5-3 | So. | Aurora, Neb. | Aurora HS |
| 8 | Addie Kirkegaard | RS | 6-2 | Fr. | Hastings, Neb. | Hastings St. Cecilia HS |
| 9 | Kate Griess | DS | 5-6 | Fr. | Sutton, Neb. | Sutton HS |
| 10 | Camryn Opfer | OH | 6-0 | Jr. | Seward, Neb. | Seward HS |
| 11 | Gabi Nordaker | MB | 5-10 | So. | Omaha, Neb. | Millard West HS |
| 12 | Macy McClain | DS | 5-6 | So. | Tempe, Ariz. | Valley Christian HS |
| 13 | Kya Scott | OH | 5-7 | Fr. | Broken Bow, Neb. | Broken Bow HS |
| 14 | Sara Huss | MB | 6-3 | So. | Fairbury, Neb. | Fairbury HS |
| 15 | Rebecca Gebhardt | DS | 5-8 | So. | Norfolk, Neb. | Lutheran HS Northeast |
| 17 | Kalee Wiltfong | OH/MB | 5-10 | Jr. | Doniphan, Neb. | Doniphan-Trumbull HS |
| 18 | DeLaney Novy | DS | 5-7 | So. | Bee, Neb. | Lincoln East HS |
| 19 | Morgan Nibbe | MB/RS | 6-1 | Sr. | Red Cloud, Neb. | Red Cloud HS |
| 20 | Shelby Stark | OH | 6-2 | So. | Magnolia, Texas | Concordia Lutheran HS |
| 21 | Ashlyn Wischmeier | DS | 5-9 | So. | Kearney, Neb. | Kearney Catholic HS |
| 22 | Maddie Lewis | DS | 5-7 | Fr. | Treynor, Iowa | Treynor HS |
| 23 | Molli Martin | MB | 5-11 | Fr. | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Lutheran HS |
| 24 | Carly Rodaway | RS | 6-0 | So. | Lincoln, Neb. | Pius X HS / Fort Hays State University |
| 25 | Autumn Deterding | MB | 5-11 | Fr. | Cambridge, Neb. | Cambridge HS |
| 26 | Maddy Nagel | MB | 6-0 | So. | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Southwest HS |
| 27 | Kelsi Heard | S | 5-10 | So. | Sioux Falls, S.D. | Sioux Falls Christian HS |
| 28 | Addison Smith | DS | 5-8 | So. | Seward, Neb. | Seward HS |
| 31 | Lexie Kreizel | DS | 5-5 | So. | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Lutheran HS |
| 32 | Lily Psencik | S | 5-6 | Fr. | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Lutheran HS |
| 34 | Savannah Shelburne | S | 5-7 | Fr. | Omaha, Neb. | Gretna HS |
| 36 | Ashtynne Frahm | RS | 6-2 | So. | Omaha, Neb. | Burke HS |
| Mary Nibbe | S/RS | 6-2 | Jr. | Red Cloud, Neb. | Red Cloud HS |
STAFF
Ben Boldt, Head Coach
Angie Boldt, Assistant Coach
Corina Beimers, Graduate Assistant Coach
Concordia to begin 2022 season with No. 11 national ranking
August 10, 2022
2022 NAIA Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Top 25 Poll
SEWARD, Neb. – For the second year in a row, the Concordia University Volleyball program will begin a season ranked in the top 15 of the NAIA poll. In the release of the 2022 NAIA Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Top 25 Poll on Wednesday (Aug. 10), the Bulldogs landed at No. 11. At the close of the 2021 season, Concordia appeared at No. 6 in the national poll, equaling the best poll position in program history.
Entering the 2022 campaign, Coach Ben Boldt’s program has concluded three-straight seasons with top 15 national rankings in the official poll. The Bulldogs garnered final postseason national rankings of 14th in 2019, eighth in 2020 and sixth in 2021. Concordia has appeared inside the top 25 in 18 of the past 20 coaches’ polls (also received votes when not appearing in the top 25).
Impressively, Concordia is one of four NAIA programs nationally to advance to bracket play at the national tournament in each of the past three seasons (the others are Jamestown, Missouri Baptist and Northwestern). All eight of the program’s all-time national tournament victories have come since Ben and Angie Boldt took on leadership of the Bulldogs. On an individual level, Camryn Opfer has been named to the NAIA National Championship All-Tournament Team in back-to-back seasons. Opfer and Gabi Nordaker are returning First Team All-GPAC selections.
Six other GPAC squads appeared inside the top 25 of the 2022 preseason poll: No. 2 Jamestown, No. 5 Midland, No. 8 Northwestern, No. 15 Dakota Wesleyan, No. 18 College of Saint Mary and No. 24 Dordt. Outside of league play, Concordia will play additional nationally ranked foes in No. 9 Viterbo University (Wis.) and No. 19 Oregon Tech. Four other nonconference opponents are listed uner the "receiving votes" category.
Program preseason national ratings, GPAC era
2022 – 11th
2021 – 7th
2020 – *No official preseason ranking due to COVID-19
2016 – 21st
2001 – 20th
2000 – 25th
Program postseason national ratings, GPAC era
2021 – 6th
2020 – 8th
2019 – 14th
2015 – 22nd
2000 – 18th
Concordia pegged fourth in GPAC preseason volleyball poll
August 11, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – Expectations remain high for Concordia University Volleyball entering the 2022 season. The Bulldogs were placed fourth in the GPAC Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll released on Thursday (Aug. 11) by the league office. Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad picked up 90 points in the poll and was listed behind defending conference champion Jamestown as well as Midland and Northwestern among favorites at the top of the GPAC.
Concordia finished last season at 19-12 overall and placed in a tie for fifth in the GPAC regular season standings. The Bulldogs elevated their game in the postseason, advancing to the conference tournament championship match and then to the quarterfinals of the 2021 NAIA Volleyball National Championship.
“It’s high-level volleyball. That’s what people commit to when they say they want to be Bulldogs,” Boldt said. “I always say that the results are a product of the process and the way that you do things. It’s a testament to the work the players have put in over the years. Every year we’re going reset and figure it out, so that’s what our challenge is moving forward.”
Concordia is one of only four NAIA volleyball programs nationally that can claim to have reached bracket play at the national tournament in each of the past three seasons. The Bulldogs are returning a significant amount of firepower with First Team All-GPAC performers Gabi Nordaker and Camryn Opfer leading the way. Concordia must replace five-year setter Tara Callahan, a former Honorable Mention All-American.
The official start to the season is near. The Bulldogs will get things started in 2022 by playing at the Raider Invitational hosted by Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Ore., Aug. 18-19. Concordia will make its home debut on Aug. 26 as part of the Bulldog Bash.
2022 GPAC Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
-First-place votes in parentheses
1. Jamestown – 115 (6)
2. Midland – 107 (3)
3. Northwestern – 98 (3)
4. Concordia – 90
5. College of Saint Mary – 82
6. Dakota Wesleyan – 80
7. Dordt – 63
8. Doane – 48
9. Hastings – 44
10. Briar Cliff – 28
11. Morningside – 26
12. Mount Marty – 11
Season Preview: 2022 Concordia Volleyball
August 12, 2022
Head Coach: Ben Boldt (77-37, 5th year)
2021 Record: 19-12 overall; 9-7 GPAC (T-5th); advanced to national quarterfinals.
Key Returners: DS Rebecca Gebhardt; MB Gabi Nordaker; OH Camryn Opfer; RS Carly Rodaway; MB Kalee Wiltfong.
Key Losses: S Tara Callahan; RS Arleigh Costello; OH Erica Heinzerling.
2021 NAIA All-American: Camryn Opfer (Honorable Mention).
2021 GPAC All-Conference: Gabi Nordaker (First Team); Camryn Opfer (First Team); Tara Callahan (Second Team); Erica Heinzerling (Honorable Mention); Carly Rodaway (Honorable Mention).
Outlook
The program has never been a bigger player on the national stage than it is currently. The Bulldogs enter the 2022 season as one of just four programs in NAIA volleyball to have reached bracket play at the national tournament in each of the previous three campaigns. Due to the oddities brought about by COVID-19, Concordia actually advanced to the national quarterfinals twice in the same calendar year of 2021. Couple that recent success with the return of first team all-conference performers in Gabi Nordaker and Camryn Opfer and it’s quite plain to understand why expectations are high.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad is “leaning in” when it comes to lofty goals for this fall. The Bulldogs landed at No. 6 in last season’s NAIA postseason coaches’ poll and begin this year at No. 11 nationally. Concordia broke through a barrier in 2021 when it overcame a series of tough five-set losses. That’s way in the past at this point.
Says Boldt, “I want to have a gritty team and a team where they can look at each other and be fearless in the big moments. Hopefully we take away some lessons in that. We’re going to get tested a whole lot before GPAC starts. We’ll probably learn those lessons over again and hopefully we handle them in a good manner. We’ll figure out who our best team is and how we can deal with all the challenges.”
Ben and Angie Boldt are five years deep in their tenures leading a Concordia program that has come a long way in terms of its national perception. There’s no backing down from it now. The Bulldogs expect to be among the contenders for the GPAC regular season championship. They landed at No. 4 in the league’s preseason poll behind Jamestown, Midland and Northwestern. The league will be filled with landmines once again considering eight GPAC teams are either ranked or receiving votes in the NAIA preseason poll.
In addition to the presence of stars in Nordaker and Opfer, Concordia brings back an Honorable Mention All-GPAC right side in Carly Rodaway and is much more experienced in the back row than it was this time a year ago. Freshmen in 2021, Rebecca Gebhardt and Cassidy Knust both accumulated more than 200 digs and will battle for spots in the back. There’s also a friendly competition at setter with the Brees, Burtwistle and Green, leading the way. As middles, Morgan Nibbe (returning for a fifth year) and Kalee Wiltfong have proven productive throughout their careers, and this could be Shelby Stark’s time to shine on the outside.
With Burtwistle and Green being familiar faces inside the program, Opfer and her teammates have developed confidence in them. The Brees are ready to step in for accomplished five-year setter Tara Callahan. Said Opfer, “In practice I remember looking back and thinking, ‘Oh gosh, where is Tara?’ We’re so close with Bree Burtwistle and Bree Green and they have been setting me since I was a freshman here too. I think that transition is smooth. We’ve been hitting off them and playing with them. It’s feeling really good at practice. I’m excited.”
Fast and powerful is the way Concordia will play, which is nothing unusual. Opfer (948 kills and 937 digs in her career) is at the heart of everything the Bulldogs do. Her 21-kill, 16-dig performance in last season’s national tournament win over No. 2 Viterbo University (Wis.) won’t soon be forgotten. Likewise, Nordaker has enjoyed plenty of her own big moments. The Millard West High School product came through with 17 kills and 12 blocks in the 2021 GPAC semifinal win at then fifth-ranked College of Saint Mary.
It won’t hurt to have those types of standouts who thrive on pressure moments. However, Boldt knows that every year and every team is different. Said Boldt, “It’s awesome to have those players out there. With Cam and Gabi having the success that they’ve had so far, other people can see that and gain confidence in knowing we have each other’s back and can lean on each other. I’m really excited to see how others step up. We’re a different team than we were last year. It’s been fun to see these first couple of practices and how we’re meshing together. It’ll be a fun season for us to have the opportunity to ‘be the woman’ in big moments.”
It wouldn’t be a stretch to predict that Opfer and Nordaker will be the team leaders in terms of kills, but the Bulldogs have made life challenging on opponents with balance. In 2021, six Bulldogs produced more than 100 kills and six totaled more than 100 digs. Returners who met that mark for kills were Opfer (394), Nordaker (347), Rodaway (196) and Wiltfong (151). Returners with at least 100 digs last year were Opfer (389), Gebhardt (295), Knust (233), Burtwistle (162) and Kennedy VanScoy (155). In addition, Lexie Kreizel came on strong at the end of 2021 and posted 84 digs. In addition, multiple freshmen could factor into the equation.
The success of Concordia goes beyond the numbers. The Boldts have built a program based upon a family atmosphere that uses team brainstorming sessions to come up with words or phrases that help define who they are. The Bulldogs are going by the mantra of “lean in” for 2022. The rallying cry is a way to focus its energy and to keep mindful of the program’s core values of love, trust, hard work and sacrifice. Concordia added to those values with “embrace” and “day-to-day” in 2022. The challenge is to keep living out those values.
There’s a belief that the Bulldogs are ready to build upon the past three seasons. Says Opfer, “The energy that the Boldts create makes you want to succeed for them. I think everyone on our team would say that. We know that they love us and we’re going to do whatever we can to help them succeed and keep building this program up … It’s crazy how much of a family the volleyball program has created here. Every single one of them will be my friend forever. I care about all of them and would hang out with all of them any day.”
Though many boxes have been checked under the Boldts, Concordia still has some unfinished business to tend to. Opfer believes the triumphs over early trials last season will give this team more confidence right out of the gate. She joked about being hopeful of playing in a GPAC championship match a little closer than eight hours from home.
But the Bulldogs will have to earn it. The nonconference slate includes matchups with No. 9 Viterbo University (Wis.), No. 19 Oregon Tech and four others who are receiving votes in the preseason national poll. Then will come the meat grinder that is conference play in the GPAC. This team is seasoned and ready to welcome the battles that await.
“I want to be successful and I want our players to have a great experience,” Boldt said. “Part of that is winning but part of that is going through trials and tribulations. Some of my greatest joys have been overcoming tough obstacles. That’s going to be something we’re going to go through, but we’re going to go through it together. We’re going to figure out our problems as a team. We have big goals. We’re going for a GPAC Championship. We’re going for a national championship. I don’t think that’s out of the realm of possibility. I’m not guaranteeing that by any means, but that’s something we’re competing for and something that really motivates us.”
The season’s first serve is coming up Thursday, Aug. 18 when Concordia will take on Oregon Tech and Southern Oregon University as part of a two-day event hosted by Southern Oregon in Ashland, Ore. The Bulldogs will make their first home appearance as part of the Bulldog Bash (Aug. 26-27).
Follow the Dawgs in Oregon
August 15, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – The 2022 season is just days away for the 11th-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team. The Bulldogs will depart on Tuesday in preparation for the two-day (Aug. 18-19) Raider Invitational hosted by Southern Oregon University. Both the Concordia varsity and junior varsity teams will make the journey to the Pacific Northwest. The varsity will play three matches while the JV will play twice during the stay in Ashland, Ore.
Raider Invitational (Aug. 18-19)
-Live Webcasts: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/sou/ (pay-per-view)
-Live updates via Twitter: @CUNEathletics
-Live stats via PrestoStats: https://naiastats.prestosports.com/sports/wvball/scoreboard
-Location: Lithia Motors Pavilion | Ashland, Oregon
· Thursday, Aug. 18 vs. No. 19 Oregon Tech, 12:30 p.m. PT / 2:30 p.m. CT
· Thursday, Aug. 18 vs. Southern Oregon, 7 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. CT
· Friday, Aug. 19 vs. Park University (Ariz.), 10:30 a.m. PT / 12:30 p.m. CT
NOTE: The Concordia JV team will play Rogue Community College at 3 p.m. PT (5 p.m. CT) on Thursday and then Umpqua Community College at 9:30 a.m. PT (11:30 a.m. CT) on Friday. Both matches will be played in Ashland.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s program is coming off a 2021 season in which it went 19-12 overall, placed as the GPAC tournament runner up, reached the NAIA national quarterfinals and landed at No. 6 in the NAIA postseason coaches’ poll. The Bulldogs begin this season ranked No. 11 nationally while being pegged fourth in the GPAC preseason poll. Concordia welcomes back two First Team All-GPAC honorees in Gabi Nordaker and Camryn Opfer. For the 2022 season preview, click HERE.
Thursday’s clash with No. 19 Oregon Tech will be a rematch of the 2021 matchup that took place in pool play at the NAIA National Championship tournament. The Bulldogs won in four sets, 26-24, 23-25, 25-17, 25-23, behind 15 kills and seven blocks from Nordaker. Opfer also added 14 kills as Concordia hit .281 as a team. Both Oregon Tech and Park University Gilbert were national qualifiers in 2021.
Raider Invitational Opponents
No. 19 Oregon Tech Owls
2021 Record: 24-8 (NAIA national qualifier)
Head Coach: Ken Murczek (3rd season)
Conference: Cascade Collegiate Conference
Location: Klamath Falls, Oregon
Southern Oregon University Raiders
2021 Record: 14-13
Head Coach: Josh Rohlfing (16th season)
Conference: Cascade Collegiate Conference
Location: Ashland, Oregon
Park University Gilbert Buccaneers
2021 Record: 18-7 (NAIA national qualifier)
Head Coach: Clay Webb (3rd season)
Conference: California Pacific Conference
Location: Gilbert, Arizona
Season gets underway with pair of wins over Cascade Collegiate Conference foes
August 18, 2022
ASHLAND, Ore. – Two days after first arriving in the Pacific Northwest, the 11th-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team opened its 2022 season by knocking off a pair of Cascade Collegiate Conference opponents. It was far from a cakewalk on Thursday (Aug. 18). The Bulldogs brushed themselves off after dropping the first set and defeated No. 19 Oregon Tech, 29-31, 26-24, 25-19, 25-17. Then in the night cap, the visitors from Nebraska needed five sets to put away host Southern Oregon University, 25-18, 19-25, 25-13, 21-25, 15-12.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad is in the midst of a three-match stay at the Raider Invitational in Ashland, Ore. With just over a week of practice in the books, Concordia got things going prior to the start of the academic year. This gives the Bulldogs something to work off of as nonconference play continues.
“I was really proud of our grit,” Boldt said. “We talk about day-by-day and embracing the moment. I think we did that. We graded ourselves on our core values at the end, and it was high grades. We stuck together and trusted each other.
“I think our mentality over the long haul was good. There were some points in the (second match) where we created some separation and let them come back in it. That’s why we scheduled tough, so we can go through these things. We have to go out there and earn it. We stayed tough.”
The battle with Oregon Tech was a rematch of last year’s pool play at the NAIA national tournament. Concordia got the best of the Owls once again despite narrowly falling in a high-intensity first set. The Bulldogs ramped things up in the third and fourth sets especially, as Oregon Tech hit .152 and .071, respectively, over those sets. Four Concordia attackers produced at least 10 kills: Ashley Keck (12), Gabi Nordaker (12), Carly Rodaway (12) and Camryn Opfer (11). Opfer also added 16 digs.
The training wheels were taken off immediately for the freshman Keck, a Kearney Catholic High School alum. She was set 87 times overall on the day and responded with a team high 31 kills from the outside. Keck put away a match best 19 kills in the five-setter over Southern Oregon. Nordaker (13) and Opfer (11) also tallied double figures in kills in the second victory.
This was Bree Burtwistle’s first chance to take control of the setter position after Tara Callahan held down that spot for five-straight years. Burtwistle posted a combined 87 assists and 28 digs on the day. The Boldts are still toying with both 5-1 and 6-2 systems in the early going. Bree Green is also in the mix at setter.
Said Ben Boldt, “Burtwistle is steady out there and a leader out there. The team trusts her. It was good to see that. We did a couple different lineups today. We had a 6-2 and a 5-1. We’ll see what we do moving forward. Nothing’s completely set.”
Add Boldt in regards to the play of Keck in her collegiate debut, “I was really proud of how she managed the game. We set her a lot. I wish we wouldn’t have to set her so much. We want to get our middles more involved and have more balance, but she managed the game well.”
Kalee Wiltfong was Concordia’s leader in blocks with six. For a more experienced back row, sophomore libero Rebecca Gebhardt notched 33 digs on the day, second on the team to Opfer (35). The Bulldogs totaled 13 aces on Thursday with four coming from sophomore Ashlyn Wischmeier.
This was the earliest in the calendar the Bulldogs have begun a season during the GPAC era (2000-present) and perhaps ever. In 2021, Concordia opened its season with a conference match on Aug. 25 and defeated Mount Marty in straight sets. The Bulldogs are coming off a national quarterfinal appearance from last season.
On day two of the Raider Invitational, the Bulldogs will go up against Park University of Gilbert, Ariz. The Buccaneers reached the 2021 NAIA National Championship Opening Round while finishing with a record of 18-7. In Thursday’s action, Park lost in straight sets to Southern Oregon before toppling Oregon Tech in four sets. Friday’s first serve is set for 10:30 a.m. PT / 12:30 p.m. CT.
Rodaway, Nordaker sizzle on attack as Bulldogs make quick work of Park-Gilbert
August 19, 2022
ASHLAND, Ore. – After playing nine sets a day earlier at the Raider Invitational, the 11th-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team showed no signs of fatigue on Friday (Aug. 19). The Bulldogs returned to action in Ashland, Ore., and quickly dispatched of Park University-Gilbert (Ariz.), 25-19, 25-11, 25-16, behind the sparkling attacking efforts of Carly Rodaway and Gabi Nordaker. The Buccaneers also struggled with Concordia’s serve game.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad effectively completed a 3-0 run at the Raider Invitational in the opening act of the 2022 season. The Bulldogs defeated No. 19 Oregon Tech and event host Southern Oregon University.
“The word I would use to describe is we played a clean game,” Boldt said following the latest victory. “We didn’t make a whole lot of errors and served the ball well without making many errors. We were making great decisions and I think that was the difference in today.
“Our serving took them out of what they wanted to do and then we played good defense and made good choices offensively. It took us a little bit to get going. We were point-for-point for a while in the first set and then we kind of pulled away. Carly Rodaway had a really great game. She managed the game really well.”
As Boldt mentioned, the first set on Friday was competitive as the two sides were knotted at one point, 16-16. Concordia then got on a roll that carried over into dominant second and third sets. While closing out the first set, the Bulldogs put away points 21 through 25 on kills by Kalee Wiltfong, Rodaway, Rodaway again, Camryn Opfer and finally, Gabi Nordaker. Park was unable to stop Rodaway (14 kills on 27 swings) or Nordaker (12 kills on 19 swings).
The contrast was significant in service. Concordia served aggressively and still had only two errors (compared to four aces). On the other side of the net, the Buccaneers, a 2021 national qualifier, failed to record a single ace while committing 10 service errors. They found it difficult to find the floor as Bree Burtwistle (17 digs), Rebecca Gebhardt (17 digs) and Opfer (11 digs) cleaned up serve receive and in the face of the opposing attack. The Bulldogs owned the advantage in hitting percentage, .280 to .119. The highest kill total for a Park player was just six – by Railey Druxman.
Opfer also added eight kills, two blocks and an ace. The Seward High School product ran her career totals to 978 kills and 983 digs as she continues to close in on the 1,000-1,000 career milestones. Also on Friday, Nordaker registered three blocks and Burstwistle accumulated 33 assists.
Over the past two days, Boldt saw a team that was physically and mentally ready to meet the challenge in Oregon. It also took time to enjoy unfamiliar scenery with a boat ride on a nearby river. Concordia took both the varsity and junior varsity teams on the trip.
Said Boldt, “Our offseason conditioning prepared us to come in and prepare a four-set and then a five-set match yesterday and still come back and be ready to play today. That’s a testament to their work ethic in the summer and all offseason. That was a big reason why we came out on top of these matches.”
Concordia will make its first home appearance next weekend as it hosts the Bulldog Bash (Aug. 26-27). The opposition for those matches will be McPherson College (Kan.) and Texas Wesleyan University. Both foes received votes in the NAIA preseason coaches’ poll. The entire Bulldog Bash schedule can be viewed HERE.
3-0 Concordia prepping to host Bulldog Bash
August 22, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – Fresh off a 3-0 road trip to Oregon, the 11th-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team returned home for the start of classes. Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad now prepares to make its first home appearances of the 2022 season. The Bulldogs will welcome three teams to Friedrich Arena for the Bulldog Bash that will unfold on Friday and Saturday. The visitors will be College of Saint Mary, McPherson College (Kan.) and Texas Wesleyan University. In the NAIA preseason coaches’ poll, CSM was ranked 18th while McPherson and Texas Wesleyan received votes.
Bulldog Bash – Aug. 26-27
-Friedrich Arena | Seward, Neb.
-Live webcast/stats (all five matches): Concordia Sports Network
-Order tickets online (also sold on site)
Friday, Aug. 26
4:30 p.m. – College of Saint Mary vs. Texas Wesleyan
7 p.m. – Concordia vs. McPherson
Saturday, Aug. 27
11 a.m. – McPherson vs. Texas Wesleyan
1:30 p.m. – College of Saint Mary vs. McPherson
4 p.m. – Concordia vs. Texas Wesleyan
By the numbers
· During its stay last week in Ashland, Ore., home to Southern Oregon University, Concordia defeated No. 19 Oregon Tech in four sets, Southern Oregon in five sets and Park University-Gilbert (Ariz.) in three sets. Collectively over the first three matches, the Bulldogs have hit .227 while limiting their opponents to a .146 attacking percentage. Concordia has also outnumbered its opponents in the categories of kills, 158-142, aces, 17-9, and digs, 201-177. As of the beginning of the week, the Bulldogs rank 16th nationally in kills per set (13.17).
· This is the start of year No. 4 for Seward High School product Camryn Opfer, a two-time NAIA National Championship All-Tournament Team honoree. Following last week’s matches, Opfer has run her career collegiate totals to 983 digs and 978 kills in 90 matches (330 sets) since the start of the 2019 season. Opfer is on the verge of becoming the fourth player in program history to reach 1,000 kills and digs in a career. The others are Becky Ernstmeyer (1,740 kills / 2,235 digs), Renae Beikmann (1,223 kills / 1,187 digs) and Darcy Linder (1,204 kills / 1,187 digs). On the program’s all-time lists, Opfer currently ranks eighth in digs and ninth in kills. Last week, Opfer moved past former teammate Emmie Noyd (973) on the kills list.
· A transfer from Midland, Bree Burtwistle has stepped into a role as the team’s primary setter. At the Raider Invitational, Burtwistle posted a combined 120 assists (10.0/set) and 45 digs. The Stanton, Neb., native first entered the program in 2020. This being her third year as a Bulldog, Burtwistle’s transition to an elevated role has been smooth. For the previous five years, Tara Callahan had started at setter and accumulated 4,816 career assists. Coach Boldt says Concordia still may still use a 5-2 system at times. In that case, Bree Green will also see action at setter.
· Ben and Angie Boldt are in their fifth seasons leading a Bulldog Volleyball program that has been wildly successful since breaking through with a journey to the national round of 16 in 2019. Due to the oddities created by COVID-19, Concordia reached the NAIA national quarterfinals twice in the calendar year of 2021. The Bulldogs went on a late season surge in ’21 and advanced to the GPAC tournament championship match and knocked off second-ranked Viterbo (Wis.) as part of the national tournament run. The ’21 team was ranked No. 6 in the NAIA postseason poll. That is the highest ranking in the history of the program.
· The program has concluded three-straight seasons with top 15 national rankings in the official poll. The Bulldogs garnered final postseason national rankings of 14th in 2019, eighth in 2020 and sixth in 2021. Concordia has appeared inside the top 25 in 18 of the past 20 coaches’ polls (also received votes when not appearing in the top 25. Concordia is one of four NAIA programs nationally to advance to bracket play at the national tournament in each of the past three seasons (the others are Jamestown, Missouri Baptist and Northwestern). All eight of the program’s all-time national tournament victories have come since Ben and Angie Boldt took on leadership of the Bulldogs.
Bulldog Bash visitors
College of Saint Mary – The Flames are coming off a 2021 season that saw them go 27-6 overall and advance to the final site of the national tournament. Head Coach Rick Pruett’s squad returns GPAC Libero of the Year Rachel Cushing and is ranked No. 18 in the NAIA preseason poll. CSM started its season with a trip to West Palm Beach, Fla., and came away with wins over Columbia International University, Faulkner University (Ala.), No. 20 Columbia College (Mo.) and Olivet Nazarene University (Ill.). While going 4-0 in Florida, the Flames hit .278 and averaged 14.27 kills per set behind leading attacker Lexie Langley, a transfer from Augustana University. Concordia will wait to play CSM until Sept. 17.
McPherson – The Bulldogs of McPherson, Kan., finished last season at 16-9 overall after falling at Jamestown in the opening round of the national tournament. This year’s squad, led by Head Coach Cory Cahill, has started out 4-0 with all wins coming in straight sets in action that took place in Bowling Green, Ky., Aug. 19-20. McPherson stifled its first four opponents, which combined to hit .067. So far, the team’s leading hitter has been outside Katelyn Moore, who has notched 35 kills and is hitting .270. Concordia last met McPherson in 2018 when the Bulldogs from Seward came away with a four-set win in a matchup contested in Hastings, Neb. McPherson is receiving votes nationally.
Texas Wesleyan – The Rams produced a 27-6 overall record in 2021 and advanced to the final site of the NAIA national tournament. Head Coach Jessica Ransom’s ’22 team has started 3-0 with the wins coming over Huston-Tillotson (Texas), Evangel University (Mo.) and Our Lady of the Lake (Texas). The most decorated returner is right side Sydney Charlton, named second team all-conference last season in the Sooner Athletic Conference. Texas Wesleyan is replacing 2021 SAC Most Valuable Player Bailey Foy. The Rams finished last season ranked No. 23 in the NAIA and were just outside of the top 25 this preseason.
Balance, power on display as Dawgs move to 4-0
August 26, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – The powerful and balanced attack of the 11th-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team was on display on Friday (Aug. 26) as it appeared at home for the first time in 2022. The Bulldogs quickly motored through the first two sets by hitting .462 and .440, respectively, in what amounted to a straight-sets win over visiting McPherson College (Kan.), 25-10, 25-11, 25-23. Five Concordia hitters collected five or more kills, led by the 10 from right side Carly Rodaway.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad is in the midst of hosting the annual Bulldog Bash, which also features GPAC rival College of Saint Mary and Texas Wesleyan University. Concordia will take a 4-0 record in Saturday’s action.
“We made good decisions offensively,” Boldt said. “I thought we could have served the ball better, but offensively we made good decisions. We didn’t make errors – we hit over .400 in that first set. That was good to see. It was clean offensively.
“It comes back down to trust. The ability to set Carly Rodaway on the back side really opens things up for us. Carly is one of these players that can make something out of nothing. It’s easy to set her back there. We’re really trying to establish our middle attack. When we’re in system, that’s a little bit easier. We’re trying to spread it around.”
When it’s necessary, stars Gabi Nordaker and Camryn Opfer can go wild, but there’s a lot more to this team. McPherson (which also calls itself the Bulldogs) had no answers in the opening two sets when Concordia combined for 29 kills compared to only six errors. So far this season, Bree Burtwistle has worked her way into the setter position seamlessly. She added 36 more assists on Friday while setting the ball on a tee for the likes of Rodaway, Nordaker (nine kills), Opfer (seven kills), Kalee Wiltfong (six kills) and Ashley Keck (five kills).
McPherson (4-1) finally found some traction in the third set and showed fight in rally back from a 19-14 deficit to tie the score. It was knotted at 23-23 when Opfer emerged with a kill prior to a McPherson attack error that put it on ice. The visitors were paced by the 10 kills from Katelyn Moore, but they hit only .057 as a team (25 kills and 20 errors).
Concordia got contributions from 12 players who saw time on the court. That group included fifth-year senior Morgan Nibbe, who put away an emphatic kill to end the second set. Libero Rebecca Gebhardt produced team highs of 11 digs and three aces on the night. Opfer added nine digs and two blocks while Nordaker was also in on two blocks. Opfer now owns career collegiate totals of 992 digs and 985 kills.
In the first match of the Bulldog Bash, No. 18 College of Saint Mary routed Texas Wesleyan, 25-8, 25-14, 25-18. Concordia won’t be focused on what happened on Friday by the time Saturday rolls around. Boldt will expect his team to tighten things up from the service line.
Said Boldt, “Our message is to stay in the present – don’t get too far ahead of anything. Our theme this year is ‘lean in,’ so we’ve got to be able to rely on each other. No one person can do it. We’re going to try to be right here, right now.”
Concordia and Texas Wesleyan (3-1) will go head-to-head at 4 p.m. CT on Saturday. The Rams are receiving votes in the NAIA preseason poll after qualifying for the 2021 national tournament. The contest on Saturday will lead into the start of conference play next Wednesday (Aug. 31).
Perfect weekend capped with toppling of Texas Wesleyan
August 27, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – Head Coach Ben Boldt will tell you there is room for improvement, but the 11th-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team has done nothing so far to lessen the anticipation for what 2022 could become. While completing a perfect weekend run (in terms of sets won), the Bulldogs polished off visiting Texas Wesleyan University, 25-12, 25-19, 25-22, inside Friedrich Arena on Saturday (Aug. 27). Rebecca Gebhardt cleaned up with 25 digs, Kalee Wiltfong mashed 11 kills and Camryn Opfer surpassed a significant career milestone.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad has moved to 5-0 with a profile that features a win over a top 25 opponent and two foes listed as receiving votes in the NAIA preseason coaches’ poll.
“They came out pretty much on fire in that first set,” Boldt said of his side. “I thought we had great purpose and great focus. We hit like .400 in that first set and I thought our blocking was really good too.
“I think they (Texas Wesleyan) settled into the match. They made some adjustments and forced our hitters to do some different things, but that’s the name of the game. You have to play. I think that’s something we can work on – sustaining that mentality and aggressiveness from point zero to point 25.”
Concordia won both matches this weekend comfortably, but it was forced to dig a little deeper to put McPherson College (Kan.) and Texas Wesleyan away in the third sets of both matches. On Saturday, the Rams built a 16-13 lead in the third set in which they limited the Bulldogs to a .140 hitting percentage. In the clutch, Gabi Nordaker put away back-to-back kills for the 24th and 25th points. To this point, Concordia has risen to the occasion whenever it has been challenged.
Opfer certainly has the character to do the same as an individual. She tallied 14 digs in the latest victory and became the eighth player in program history to surpass 1,000 career digs. Opfer added five kills for an attack quarterbacked mostly by setter Bree Burtwistle. The Stanton, Neb., native posted 30 assists and dropped in a pair of aces. She facilitated the likes of Wiltfong (.529 hitting percentage), Nordaker (nine kills), Carly Rodaway (nine kills) and Ashley Keck (seven kills).
Defensively, Nordaker and Rodaway were in on four blocks apiece. When they couldn’t disrupt the Texas Wesleyan hitters, Gebhardt was on the spot in one of the most statistically productive matches of her young career. Lexie Kreizel also reached double figures in digs with 10. Their work prevented any Rams (4-2) from getting 10 or more kills. Grace Pavelka led her side with eight kills.
Burtwistle bided her time and prepared herself for this moment. She has had the bulk of the opportunities at setter while giving way at times to Bree Green (six assists on Saturday). Burtwistle and company have a good thing going.
“I think our culture is what makes the program so special,” Burtwistle said. “Previous players like Marissa (Hoerman) and Tara (Callahan) really built a culture of family and trust, and Ben and Angie have played a huge role in that. They’re the reason the culture is the way it is today. Everyone trusts in them and we just keep building off that.”
Ben and Angie will continue to tinker with things as they prep the team for the beginning of conference play. There’s a lot more left in the tank.
“We kind of toyed with a lineup a little bit there,” Boldt said. “I think we’ll continue to do that, depending on what our needs are going to be at the time. We might need a bigger block or we might need a bigger attack. We have a lot of good personnel. I want to figure out ways to get them on the floor while also keeping the continuity and our best team out there.”
Concordia will host Hastings (5-1) at 7:30 p.m. CT on Wednesday. The Bulldogs took both of last season’s matchups with the Broncos.
Five-match week greets 5-0 Bulldogs
August 29, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – Week three of the 2022 season will include the GPAC opener and a large-scale weekend event in North Sioux City, S.D. The extravaganza begins on Wednesday when Hastings will visit Friedrich Arena. In neutral site action on Friday and Saturday, the 11th-ranked Bulldogs will go up against ninth-ranked Viterbo University (Wis.), Presentation College (S.D.), Dakota State University (S.D.) and Evangel University (Mo.). Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad carries a 5-0 record into the week following wins over McPherson College (Kan.) and Texas Wesleyan University.
This Week
Wednesday, Aug. 31 vs. Hastings (6-1, 0-0 GPAC), 7:30 p.m.
--Live Webcast/Stats | 104.9 Max Country
CSM Labor Day Classic: Sept. 2-3
-Location: CNOS Fieldhouse | North Sioux City, S.D.
--Live Stats
--Live Streaming
--Tickets: $15 per day for adults; $20 for a tournament pass; children 5 and under free
Friday, Sept. 2 vs. (9) Viterbo (4-3), 1 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 2 vs. Presentation (1-4), 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 3 vs. Dakota State (4-2), 11 a.m.
Saturday, Sept. 3 vs. Evangel (3-4), 3 p.m.
By the numbers
· Concordia has lived up to its preseason national ranking of 11th. The Bulldogs won both matches this past week in straight sets while fighting off rallies in the third sets against both McPherson and Texas Wesleyan. By statistical category, Concordia leaders over the weekend were Carly Rodaway in kills (19), Bree Burtwistle in assists (66), Gabi Nordaker in blocks (six), Rebecca Gebhardt in digs (36) and Burtwistle and Gebhardt in aces (three apiece). Four others besides Rodaway had double-digit kills for the weekend: Nordaker (18), Kalee Wiltfong (17), Ashley Keck (12) and Opfer (12). As a team, the Bulldogs outhit their opponents, .280 to .065.
· The pride of Seward High School, Opfer eclipsed a career milestone last week in surpassing 1,000 digs while wearing the Concordia colors. Opfer has produced 1,006 digs and 990 kills since becoming a Bulldog in 2019. Only three players in the history of the program have ever reached both 1,000 digs and 1,000 kills in a career. Opfer has been central to everything the program has done since the moment she arrived on campus. She’s a two-time NAIA National Championship All-Tournament Team selection and was named an NAIA Honorable Mention All-American last season.
· Bree Burtwistle has fit in nicely as the team’s primary setter. The native of Stanton, Neb., is in her third year in the program and in her first season as a starter. Bree Green has also seen time at setter as part of an occasional 6-2 system. Through five matches, Burtwistle has accumulated 186 assists (10.33/set), 52 digs and 11 kills. Her seamless transition has helped ease the loss of Tara Callahan, who was a five-year starter and someone instrumental to the growth of the program. A transfer from Midland, Burtwistle saw action in nine matches in 2021 and played in 29 matches for Midland in 2019.
· The emergence of Burtwistle and Concordia’s plethora of attacking options make the Bulldogs a difficult scout. So far this season, four hitters have at least 40 kills this season: Nordaker (55), Rodaway (53), Keck (46) and Opfer (42). A hard hitter in the middle, Wiltfong has added 28 kills. As a team, Concordia sports national rankings of ninth in hitting percentage (.244) and 17th in kills per set (13.44). A returning First Team All-GPAC performer, Nordaker is likely to also push 1,000 kills later in her career. She’s accumulated 620 kills and 241 blocks through 59 career matches.
· In the back row, Gebhardt is taking off in the libero role. She notched 25 digs in the three-set win over Texas Wesleyan and has bumped up her average digs per set to 4.78 this season after averaging 2.46 as a freshman in 2021. The back row is much more experienced than it was at this time a year ago. Of course Opfer is a contributor in this area, and so too is Lexie Kreizel (34 digs this season), who emerged in a significant way in the latter part of last season. In addition, Burtwistle has collected 52 digs and Cassy Knust has added 16.
This Week’s Opponents
Hastings
2022 Record: 6-1
2021 Record: 14-14
Head Coach: Alex Allard (4th season)
Conference: Great Plains Athletic Conference
Location: Hastings, Nebraska
Hitting %: .197
Opp Hitting %: .136
Viterbo
2022 Record: 4-3
2021 Record: 39-2
Head Coach: Ryan DeLong (18th season)
Conference: North Star Athletic Association
Location: La Crosse, Wisconsin
Hitting %: .151
Opp Hitting %: .202
Presentation
2022 Record: 1-4
2021 Record: 15-14
Head Coach: Chelsey Albrecht (15th season)
Conference: North Star Athletic Association
Location: Aberdeen, South Dakota
Hitting %: .104
Opp Hitting %: .215
Dakota State
2022 Record: 4-2
2021 Record: 21-9
Head Coach: Amy Veenhof (14th season)
Conference: North Star Athletic Association
Location: Madison, South Dakota
Hitting %: .189
Opp Hitting %: .138
Evangel
2022 Record: 3-4
2021 Record: 20-12
Head Coach: Mary Whitehead (23rd season)
Conference: Heart of America Athletic Conference
Location: Springfield, Missouri
Hitting %: .200
Opp Hitting %: .198
Next week
The schedule next week will be much lighter, but it includes a major early GPAC showdown at No. 5 Midland on Sept. 7. The Bulldogs will have the weekend of Sept. 10-11 off from competition.
Focused Bulldogs take out Hastings in three
August 31, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – The experience and togetherness of this Bulldog team continues to show in the way it performs on the court. Visiting Hastings jumped out to a lead in the first set, but the 10th-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team never blinked. It got stronger as the match wore on and toppled the Broncos, 25-20, 25-20, 25-12, inside Friedrich Arena on Wednesday (Aug. 31). Like most opponents, Hastings struggled to decipher where and when the Bulldogs hitters would strike.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad moved to 6-0 overall this season while playing its third home match in a row. Dating back to last season, Concordia owns a six-match home win streak.
“I thought our connectedness grew throughout the game,” Boldt said. “We’re really challenging them to work through things and be solution-oriented. Hastings right off the bat came out pretty hot. We had to make some adjustments. This group that we have has been playing together for a while. Sometimes you assume that everyone knows what’s going on, but that’s not always the case. We have to say what’s on our minds … I was really proud of them for how they worked through the game.”
By match’s end, the Bulldogs owned lopsided advantages in most statistical categories. Concordia outhit Hastings, .290 to .128, and held the Broncos without a single service ace. Effective serve receive led into another – stop us if you’ve heard this before – balanced attack. Setter Bree Burtwistle dialed up five different teammates for at least seven kills: Carly Rodaway (10), Ashley Keck (nine), Camryn Opfer (nine), Kalee Wiltfong (eight) and Gabi Nordaker (seven).
A kill for match point pushed Opfer to 999 career kills as a strong crowd of Concordia students and supporters celebrated. The Seward High School product also recorded a block that put an end to the second set. In the third, the Bulldogs hummed like a machine. During that dominant stretch, Burtwistle quarterbacked Concordia to 20 kills compared to just two errors. The victors finished with 45 kills and 14 errors. In blocking, the Bulldogs edged the Broncos, 6-4.
In theory, it’s as simple as hitting the ball where they ain’t. Concordia is one of the best in the country at doing just that. Said Ben Boldt, “I asked a question at the end of the second set to Ang (Angie Boldt) – ‘Where are we hitting right now that we aren’t getting as many kills as we should be getting?’ Then we started hitting in those spots. That’s just the adjustment that we made. We’ll continue to ask that question throughout the season. We made adjustments and we kind of rolled in that third set.”
Burtwistle finished with 41 assists and nine digs. She was helped in the back row by Rebecca Gebhardt (12 digs) and Opfer (11 digs). Five Bulldogs dropped in a service ace apiece: Burtwistle, Gebhardt, Lexie Kreizel, Opfer and Ashlynn Wischmeier.
A strong start for Hastings (6-2, 0-1 GPAC) included a four-set win over then 20th-ranked Columbia College (Mo.) as part of a trip to Florida. The Broncos were led by the 10 kills from Peyton Roper on Wednesday.
A weekend full of volleyball is coming up for the Bulldogs, who will play four times as part of the College of Saint Mary/United Sports Academy Labor Day Classic in North Sioux City, S.D. Below is Concordia’s match schedule at the event. Live streams will be provided via BallerTV for a charge. All matches will take place at the United Sports Academy located at 300 Centennial Drive in North Sioux City.
Weekend Schedule
• Friday, Sept. 2 vs. (9) Viterbo University, 1 p.m. (Court 2)
• Friday, Sept. 2 vs. Presentation College, 7 p.m. (Court 3)
• Saturday, Sept. 3 vs. Dakota State University, 11 a.m. (Court 2)
• Saturday, Sept. 3 vs. Evangel University, 3 p.m. (Court 3)
Dawgs stay unbeaten, vanquish No. 9 Viterbo behind milestone earning Opfer
September 2, 2022
NORTH SIOUX CITY, S.D. – On paper, the match of the week for the 10th-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team was the first one it played on Friday (Sept. 2) at the two-day Labor Day Classic hosted by the College of Saint Mary/United Sports Academy. In a rematch of a 2021 national tournament clash, the Bulldogs pummeled No. 9 Viterbo University (Wis.), 25-15, 25-18, 25-16. Late in the evening, Concordia returned to the court in North Sioux City, S.D., and manhandled Presentation College (S.D.), 25-14, 25-14, 25-22.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad has done nothing but impress throughout an 8-0 run to begin the 2022 season. The Bulldogs have won 19 consecutive sets.
“I was proud of how they moved together. It was a full team effort,” Boldt said. “It’s been a good evolution to see our team work through a lot of things. We were executing and it was just all going our way. We’re finding a rhythm right now. We served really well and we blocked really well. Our offense has been pretty good. When we add our serve and defense to that, you get a complete game.”
Like most outings over the past few seasons, there wasn’t just one Bulldog who stood out. But on this particular day, outside hitter Camryn Opfer deserves special mention for cruising past 1,000 career kills. Opfer, who entered the day with 999 kills as a Bulldog, put away eight kills and notched nine digs in the win over the V-Hawks of the North Star Athletic Association. Opfer became just the fourth player in program history to accumulate both 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs for a career. Fans and parents of players in attendance held up signs in celebration of Opfer’s 1,000th kill.
At 5-4 so far this season, Viterbo has run a gauntlet of a schedule that has included losses to No. 1 Missouri Baptist and No. 2 Midland – but no one has beaten the V-Hawks as thoroughly as Concordia did on Friday. While syncing together all facets of the game in near perfect harmony, the Bulldogs posted set-by-set hitting percentages of .400, .308 and .205. In addition, Concordia owned a 9-3 advantage in blocks with Gabi Nordaker’s five rejections topping all players. Nordaker also floored 12 kills and hit a simmering .600 from the middle.
Presentation couldn’t stop Nordaker either. The Millard West High School alum pounded down 12 more kills and hit .647 in the process of vanquishing the Saints in three sets. Opfer also did a number from the outside with 11 more kills (now 1,018 for her career). Meanwhile, libero Rebecca Gebhardt racked up 17 digs while Bree Burtwistle (57 assists on the day) padded her assist total.
After tasting success early in the day, the Bulldogs passed another mental test by getting back up to play an unranked opponent late on Friday night. Says Boldt, “One of our core values we have is ‘day by day,’ meaning we want to stay in the present. I could see in Presentation’s eyes that they really wanted to win that game. If you exult yourself, you’re going to be humbled. If you stay humble, you will be exulted. That was a big message for us this week.”
There were plenty of other contributors on the day, including Ashley Keck and Carly Rodaway (10 kills apiece on the day). This is proving to be a well-rounded team with a couple All-America caliber players like Nordaker and Opfer. While wearing No. 10, Opfer has been at the heart of everything Concordia has achieved in a history-making four-year span.
Said Boldt, “I’m really proud of the journey that Cam’s been on. It was cool to see her get her 1,000th kill. The parents and the team coordinated a little thing where they all had ‘1,000’ on a piece of paper. For Cam’s first kill of the match, they all went crazy.”
The action will continue from North Sioux City on Saturday with the Bulldogs scheduled to take on Dakota State University (S.D.) at 11 a.m. and Evangel University (Mo.) at 3 p.m. Dakota State is receiving votes in the national poll. For a fee, fans can watch the matches live online via BallerTV.
Attacking prowess shines through in response to challenges from Dakota State, Evangel
September 3, 2022
NORTH SIOUX CITY, S.D. – The string of consecutive sets won ended at 20, but the overall unbeaten ride continues for the 10th-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team. An impressive 5-0 week concluded on Saturday (Sept. 3) at the College of Saint Mary/United Sports Academy Labor Day Classic with four-set victories over nonconference NAIA foes Dakota State University (S.D.) and Evangel University (Mo.). On the day, the Bulldogs averaged 14.75 kills per set.
Head Coach Ben Boldt has guided Concordia to a 10-0 start highlighted by Friday’s straight-sets rout of ninth-ranked Viterbo University (Wis.). Saturday’s action marked a cap to nonconference regular season play.
“It was great to see in those situations where our backs were against the wall, we responded,” Boldt said. “We looked at each other and said we were going to play for each other. That’s a theme of ours this year. Our attacking continues to be great. Our challenge is going to be continuing to improve our block and defense.”
There’s no doubt about it, these Bulldogs are tons of fun to watch. Over the four matches this weekend, Concordia hit .296 as a team and had five players with 29 or more kills. There are times when it simply overwhelms the opposition with power. In the first match on Saturday, freshman Ashley Keck helped set the tone with a kill on each of her first six swings. She finished with a team high 16 kills (.500 hitting percentage). In that same win over Dakota State, four other Bulldogs produced double-digit kill totals: Camryn Opfer (14), Gabi Nordaker (12), Kalee Wiltfong (12) and Carly Rodaway (11).
In the face of all that firepower, both Dakota State and Evangel (teams that received votes in the NAIA preseason poll) supplied some pushback. Concordia dropped the second set of both matches and had to rally in the third against the Trojans. Down 21-16 in the third set to Dakota State, the Bulldogs rattled off nine points in a row in showing their championship mettle. The surge began with back-to-back Keck kills. Nordaker later slammed point No. 25 with a kill.
Taking Saturday alone, Opfer paced the team with 26 kills and was followed closely by Keck (24) and Nordaker (24). Concordia’s blocking improved in the day’s second match – nine total blocks. At the controls of the offense, Bree Burtwistle (94 combined assists) has had no trouble spreading the ball around. In the back row, Rebecca Gebhardt piled up 41 digs on the day while Opfer contributed 31. Wiltfong posted seven total blocks. Concordia totaled nine service aces compared to nine service errors over the day’s eight sets.
“We take it day by day. We’re going to take what we learned this weekend and use that as our foundation moving forward,” Boldt said. “We’re excited to get the conference season really underway here. We have a match versus Midland on Wednesday and I think that’s going to be a knock-down, drag-out type of battle. That’s what we play for. We’re happy for the weekend and looking forward to what’s next.”
Evangel is now 5-6 overall while Dakota State is 4-5. Dakota State has a win over Doane to its credit.
The Bulldogs will have a few days now to prepare for a significant early season GPAC clash with second-ranked Midland (10-1, 1-0 GPAC). The two rivals will face off at 7:30 p.m. CT from Wikert Arena in Fremont, Neb., on Wednesday. Midland won two of the three meetings in 2021, but Concordia got the upper hand in straight sets (25-23, 25-19, 25-7) in Fremont in the GPAC quarterfinals.
No. 10 Concordia, No. 2 Midland readying to clash in Fremont
September 5, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – This is a big one as far as regular season matches go. Two teams with GPAC championship aspirations will go head-to-head in Fremont on Wednesday in what figures to be an amped-up environment inside the Wikert Event Center. The 10th-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team has shifted its focus to No. 2 Midland, whose résumé includes a victory over No. 1 Missouri Baptist University. Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad enters the match at 10-0 after a 5-0 week.
Said Boldt, “I think that’s going to be a knock-down, drag-out type of battle. That’s what we play for.”
This Week
Wednesday, Sept. 7 at No. 2 Midland (11-1, 1-0 GPAC), 7:30 p.m.
--104.9 Max Country | Live Webcast | Live Stats
*No match this weekend
By the numbers
· While going 5-0 last week, the Bulldogs defeated Hastings in three sets, No. 9 Viterbo University (Wis.) in three sets, Presentation College (S.D.) in three sets, Dakota State University (S.D.) in four sets and Evangel University (Mo.) in four sets. Concordia’s attacking prowess was on full display last week as it averaged 14.12 kills per set and hit .295 over the five victories. Meanwhile, Bulldog opponents hit .150 with an average of 11.0 kills per set. On the national leaderboard, Concordia ranks sixth in kills per set (13.77) and seventh in hitting percentage (.269).
· The program has started a season at 10-0 or better for the fourth time during the GPAC era. The other extended unbeaten runs were 18-0 in 2005, 12-0 in 2019 and 12-0 in 2018. Ben and Angie Boldt also guided the ’18 and ’19 teams. Currently, there are four other NAIA volleyball programs that are undefeated with at least 10 wins: William Carey (Miss.) (12-0), Mount Vernon Nazarene (Kan.) (11-0), College of Saint Mary (10-0) and Southern Assemblies of God (Texas (10-0).
· Over last week’s action, five Concordia hitters racked up 37 or more kills: Gabi Nordaker (55), Camryn Opfer (54), Ashley Keck (43), Carly Rodaway (39) and Kalee Wiltfong (37). As the quarterback of the attack, Bree Burtwistle averaged 11.29 assists per set with 192 total assists for the week. In the back row, Rebecca Gebhardt totaled 78 digs.
· Burtwistle has made the transition at setter appear seamless. The Stanton, Neb., native and Midland transfer currently ranks sixth in the NAIA in assists per set (10.80). Her 378 overall assists put her at No. 11 among NAIA setters. Also on the national leaderboard, Nordaker ranks 19th in hitting percentage (.348) and Gebhardt ranks 58th in digs per set (4.69). Opfer is hitting .234, a phenomenal percentage for an outside hitter. During the 2019 season, Burtwistle split time at setter for Midland with Warrior All-American setter Hope Leimbach. Leimbach’s parents are Concordia graduates.
· Opfer will go down as one of the top players in program history. Her first kill in last week’s win over Viterbo marked the 1,000th of her career. Opfer became just the fourth player in school history to record both 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs for a career. Her career totals now stand at 1,060 digs, 1,044 kills, 138 blocks and 52 aces in 97 matches. On the program’s all-time lists, Opfer resides in seventh place for kills and eighth place for digs. Also last week, Opfer moved past Claire White (1,033 kills) on the all-time list.
· Overall this season, the team statistical leaders are Nordaker in kills (110) and blocks (24), Burtwistle in assists (378), Gebhardt and Ashlyn Wischmeier in aces (10 apiece) and Gebhardt in digs (164). Five Bulldogs have totaled at least 65 kills in 2022: Nordaker, Opfer (96), Rodaway (92), Keck (89) and Wiltfong (65).
The opponent
There’s no doubt – Midland has been a major player on both the GPAC and national scenes under Head Coach Paul Giesselmann, who took over in his current role in 2010. His record since then stands at 287-110 overall (entering 2022). During the 2020 season, Giesselmann led the program to a national runner-up claim. The most decorated players on the roster are returning All-Americans in setter Hope Leimbach and outside hitter Taliyah Flores. Leimbach entered the week ranked third nationally in assists per set (11.46). As part of a challenging schedule, Midland has defeated No. 1 Missouri Baptist, No. 4 Park, No. 9 Viterbo and No. 10 Providence. The one loss came in three sets at the hands of No. 12 Eastern Oregon.
Next week
A couple more in-state GPAC matches are coming up as Concordia will be at Doane on Sept. 14 before returning home to host No. 18 College of Saint Mary on Sept. 17. The tussle with CSM will take place during homecoming weekend on campus.
Heart stopper goes to Midland in top 10 fight to the finish
September 8, 2022
FREMONT, Neb. – While a certain match in Omaha captured the attention of volleyball fans across the state of Nebraska on Wednesday (Sept. 7), nearby Fremont served as the locale for a battle between GPAC in-state rivals ranked inside the NAIA’s top 10. The match lived up to its billing on a night when every point felt like a fistfight between 10th-ranked Concordia University Volleyball and No. 2 Midland. In the end, the host Warriors rallied from a 12-9 deficit in the fifth set and won the heart stopper, 27-25, 19-25, 25-13, 17-25, 16-14.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad has fallen for the first time in 2022. The Bulldogs slipped to 10-1 overall (1-1 GPAC) with a near miss on the road against an opponent that owns a victory over the NAIA’s top-ranked team.
“It was a fun game for sure,” Boldt said. “It’s what you expect in the GPAC. We had an opportunity at the end. We had a couple service errors. We’ll take a look at that and we’ll continue to put our team in those types of positions. Hopefully we learn from this. I was proud of our effort. Everything we talk about in our core values, we stayed true to, so I was happy about that. At the end there, we’ll take the learning experience.”
There’s no fifth-set phobia for Concordia, it just didn’t make the plays down the stretch. A kill by Carly Rodaway for Bulldog point No. 12 in the fifth put the visitors on the brink. But Midland showed a championship response in front of its home crowd. Warrior star Taliyah Flores struck for Warrior point Nos. 10, 13 and 14 of the fifth set. At 14-14, Midland finished it off with a kill and a service ace for match point.
It took a little bit of grit for the Warriors to overcome All-America type efforts from Gabi Nordaker (16 kills and nine blocks) and Camryn Opfer (16 kills, 18 digs and three blocks). Opfer already had her double-double after two sets and Nordaker got rolling late with eight kills in the fourth set alone. They were spurred as always by setter Bree Burtwistle and her 53 assists. Rodaway collected 14 kills and Rebecca Gebhardt notched 18 digs. In addition, Kalee Wiltfong recorded seven kills and four blocks.
Concordia enjoyed advantages in many statistical categories, such as hitting percentage, .232 to .186, blocks, 13-7, and digs, 74-60. However, the Bulldogs did not have their best night from the service line with one ace compared to nine errors. That was just one factor that helped decide the outcome. Midland All-American setter Hope Leimbach (64 assists) and middle blocker Abbey Ringler (19 kills, .394 hitting percentage) were also a handful. Meanwhile, Flores finished with 16 kills and 13 digs.
Said Boldt, “Again, I’m proud of our players. Our trust out there was great. Our work ethic out there was great. Sometimes it bounces the other way. I’m looking forward to taking where we’re at right now and building off of it. We’ll continue to get better through the season.”
Concordia and Midland (12-1, 2-0 GPAC) will meet again for the final match of the regular season and perhaps in the postseason. The Warriors won two of the three meetings in 2021 with the Bulldogs winning the matchup in the GPAC tournament. Based on Wednesday night, the two programs appear to be on about equal footing.
The Bulldogs will have this weekend off from competition while looking forward to playing at Doane (4-9, 0-2 GPAC) next Wednesday (Sept. 14). First serve of the varsity match is slated for 7:30 p.m. CT. Concordia has won seven of the last eight meetings with the Tigers, who were picked eighth in the GPAC preseason coaches’ poll.
Two in-state foes await as GPAC play intensifies\
September 12, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – Following a weekend bye, the 10th-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team should be well-rested going into matchups at Doane and then at home versus No. 16 College of Saint Mary. The Bulldogs are coming off a five-set loss at No. 2 Midland in their most recent outing. Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad stands at 10-1 overall (1-1 GPAC) as conference play intensifies. The match on Saturday will come as part of homecoming weekend on campus.
This Week
Wednesday, Sept. 14 at Doane (4-10, 0-3 GPAC), 7:30 p.m.
--104.9 Max Country | Live Webcast | Live Stats
Saturday, Sept. 17 vs. No. 16 College of Saint Mary (12-0, 2-0 GPAC), 4 p.m.
--104.9 Max Country | Live Webcast/Stats
By the numbers
· Concordia should remain inside the NAIA top 10 when a new national poll gets released on Wednesday. Based on the NAIA poll from Aug. 31, the Bulldogs own three wins over top 25 foes: No. 9 Viterbo University (Wis.), No. 21 Texas Wesleyan University and No. 22 Southern Oregon University. The power of the GPAC should also be displayed in the national poll once again. Entering the week, there are four GPAC squads that have either no losses or one loss: College of Saint Mary (12-0), Jamestown (13-1), Midland (12-1) and Concordia (10-1).
· The match last week at the Wikert Event Center in Fremont had the feel of a national tournament clash. The disappointment for the Bulldogs comes from having let a 12-9 lead in the fifth set slip away. Concordia also led 14-13 with a chance at match point. Midland squeaked it out despite the Bulldogs holding statistical advantages in hitting percentage, .232 to .186, blocks, 13-7, and digs, 74-60. However, Concordia did not have its best night from the service line with one ace compared to nine errors. A Warrior service ace brought the match to a conclusion. The statistical leaders for the Bulldogs in the match at Midland were Gabi Nordaker in kills (16) and blocks (nine), Camryn Opfer in kills (16) and digs (18), Bree Burtwistle in assists (53) and Lexie Kreizel in aces (one).
· A transfer from Midland, Burtwistle deserves plenty of credit for the way the Concordia attack has continued to hum after it lost five-year starting setter Tara Callahan. Among NAIA setters, Burtwistle ranks sixth in assists per set (10.78) and 15th in assists (431). On the team national leaderboard, the Bulldogs rank fifth in hitting percentage (.265) and 13th in kills per set (13.57). Overall in her career (three seasons at Concordia and one at Midland), Burtwistle has accumulated 1,291 assists. She shared time at setter in 2019 with Midland All-American Hope Leimbach.
· The Bulldogs roll out a bevvy of dangerous attackers. Five Concordia hitters boast more than 70 kills on the season: Nordaker (126), Opfer (112), Rodaway (106), Ashley Keck (95) and Kalee Wiltfong (72). With another strong performance last week, Opfer pushed her career totals to 1,078 digs, 1,060 kills, 141 blocks and 52 aces in 98 matches as a Bulldog. The Millard West High School product Nordaker has padded career totals that now show 691 kills and 261 blocks in 65 college matches.
· Entering the week, Ben Boldt’s five-year coaching record at Concordia stands at 87-38 (.696). According to available records, Boldt’s 87 wins rank fifth most among head volleyball coaches in program history, following Vicki Boye (167-136), Rachel Miller (107-125), Scott Mattera (97-94) and Diane Mendenhall (89-54). Under Boldt’s direction, the program has achieved its highest ever NAIA national ranking (sixth) and has led the Bulldogs to the final site of the national tournament three times.
The opponents
Doane received votes in the NAIA preseason poll after going 19-14 overall last season. The Tigers have fallen off the national radar while going 4-10 (0-3 GPAC) so far in 2022. The conference losses have come at the hands of No. 2 Midland (four sets), Mount Marty (four sets) and No. 16 College of Saint Mary (three sets). Head Coach Jenna Jones is in her third season at the helm of the program, which last reached the national tournament in 2016. Through 14 matches, Doane is hitting .183 while its opponents are hitting .195.
College of Saint Mary has started 12-0 with GPAC wins over Hastings and Doane. Now in his sixth season as head coach of the Flames, Rick Pruett has helped make the program a big winner. CSM features the reigning GPAC Libero of the Year Rachel Cushing and a balanced attack to rival what Concordia brings to the table. Five Flames hitters have at least 89 kills this season: Makenna Freeman (118), Lexie Langley (116), Grace Werner (105), Karmyn Willman (101) and Rachel Rosenquist (89). CSM is hitting .249 as a team while its opponents are hitting .108.
Next week
Two more GPAC matches are on next week’s slate as the Bulldogs will be at Mount Marty on Sept. 21 before heading to No. 23 Dordt on Sept. 24.
Middles feast, service game returns to from in win at Doane
September 14, 2022
CRETE, Neb. – The most recent trip to the Haddix Center had ended with a five-set defeat. Not this time. The eighth-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team shook off a five-point deficit in the third set on Wednesday (Sept. 14) and completed a sweep of host Doane, 25-18, 25-22, 25-19. As highlights for the visitors, the Bulldogs improved their service game from a week earlier and the combination of Gabi Nordaker and Kalee Wiltfong proved lethal in the middle.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad had been off this past weekend on the heels of an intense five-set match last week at Midland (now ranked No. 1). Concordia (11-1, 2-1 GPAC) still has just one blemish on the season record.
“Anytime we come here it’s a rivalry-type match,” Boldt said. “Their students created a great environment. We have to make sure we’re focused. I was really happy we were up to the challenge. I thought we served the ball much better than we did the last match. Our word for the night was ‘courage.’ You saw Kennedy (VanScoy) make a great run at the end of the night. It was everything we’ve been training for. Go back there and have no fear. That’s what we did at the end.”
In the process of keeping Doane (4-11, 0-4 GPAC) winless in conference play, the Bulldogs missed only three serves and outhit the home team, .314 to .167. Just when the opposition makes an adjustment to limit one of Concordia’s attackers, the others rise up. The setting combination of Bree Burtwistle (32 assists) and Bree Green (seven assists) helped Nordaker (11 kills, .556 hitting percentage) and Wiltfong (eight kills, .538 hitting percentage) enjoy a field day. That duo also contributed significantly to the team’s 12-6 block advantage.
The most adversity the Bulldogs faced happened in the third set with Doane leading 15-10. Boldt made a lineup adjustment that featured Shelby Stark, who responded with two kills and three blocks. Concordia went on to dominate the remainder of the set, which concluded with a Tiger error. The Bulldogs overcame a match high 12 kills from Doane outside hitter Kirsten Bures.
Said Boldt, “I thought our middles played really well. It’s been a focus of ours to make sure they’re getting themselves in good positions to attack, which means they really have to work hard to get off the net so they can have a big approach into the ball … Cam (Opfer) was really ripping the ball, especially early in the match. They had to adjust. She’s so steady and had a great game too.”
Opfer collected 10 kills, eight digs and two blocks for the match. In addition, Ashley Keck supplied eight kills and Carly Rodaway added five. Ashlyn Wischmeier landed two aces while Rebecca Gebhardt topped Concordia with 12 digs. Concordia has won eight of the last nine meetings with Doane.
The Tigers have also dropped GPAC matches to Midland, Mount Marty and College of Saint Mary. Doane finished the 2021 season at 19-14 overall (6-10 GPAC) and received votes nationally in the 2022 NAIA preseason poll.
As part of homecoming Saturday in Seward, the Bulldogs will host No. 13 College of Saint Mary (13-0, 3-0 GPAC) at 4 p.m. CT. The most recent matchup between the two sides was a memorable battle that ended with Concordia triumphing in five sets in the 2021 GPAC tournament semifinals played in Omaha. All three meetings last season were decided in five sets.
Eighth-ranked Bulldogs make statement with sweep of No. 13 CSM
September 17, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – This was another indicator of just how good this Concordia University Volleyball team can be when things are clicking. In a matchup of two teams rated in the NAIA top 15, the eighth-ranked Bulldogs hit .380 and rolled past No. 13 College of Saint Mary in stunningly dominant fashion, 25-14, 26-24, 25-13, inside Friedrich Arena on homecoming Saturday (Sept. 17). Gabi Nordaker popped in a major way in the middle and setter Bree Burtwistle played the role of maestro for a red-hot offensive attack.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad put together a fine week of conference play – one that also included a straight sets victory at Doane. Concordia has moved to 12-1 overall (3-1 GPAC) after toppling the previously unbeaten Flames (13-1, 3-1 GPAC).
“That was about as clean of a game as I’ve seen from us this year,” Boldt said. “Our challenge to them today was more in the endgame as far as being aggressive and being clean. I thought we did a good job of that throughout the entire match. We had a little bit of a lull because of our communication in the second set. We had to grind that one out and things fell where they did. We hit for a really high percentage, and everything was pretty good across the board.”
Considering all three Concordia-CSM meetings last season went to five sets, fans would have been wise to get comfortable and expect a lengthy match. The Bulldogs had other ideas on a late afternoon when they put all facets of the game together. Nordaker showed why she’s considered one of the best players in the GPAC while pummeling 13 kills and adding three blocks. Nordaker hit .500 while Ashley Keck pounded out 13 kills of her own (.500 hitting percentage).
The Stanton, Neb., native Burtwistle is setting it up on a tee for one of the most dangerous attacks in the nation. It’s time for Burtwistle (43 assists on Saturday) to get the credit she deserves. There’s a reason why the Bulldogs were confident moving forward despite losing a five-year starting setter. Said Nordaker of Burtwistle, “She’s done a great job. We take a lot of time to work on that setter-hitter connection. I think she’s been great, and she’s very vocal.”
Concordia owned statistical advantages across the box score: .380 to .135 in hitting percentage, 50-35 in kills, 5-3 in blocks and 47-39 in digs. Neither team managed an ace all night. Among additional statistical leaders, Kalee Wiltfong (nine kills) and Carly Rodaway (eight kills) were strong on the attack and Rebecca Gebhardt led the back row with 16 digs. Star Camryn Opfer added five kills and 10 digs.
The evidence is growing. This season has the makings of something just as special as any of the previous three. That being said, the Bulldogs will stay true to who they are. Said Nordaker, “It’s super exciting. This team is one of a kind. We trust each other like no other. I love to celebrate with them. I just know that no matter the outcome, I’m going to have a good time out on the court.”
Added Boldt, “I was happy how we stayed aggressive. Through a little adversity in the second set, we stayed together and worked through it. We continued to get better.”
The Flames never would have expected it to go down like this. Just after the match, CSM engaged in an extended discussion on court. Flame opponents had been hitting only .162 entering the weekend. Head Coach Rick Pruett’s squad was led on Saturday by the 11 kills of Makenna Freeman.
Two road matches are on the docket next week for Concordia, which now prepares to play at Mount Marty (6-6, 1-3 GPAC) at 7:30 p.m. CT on Wednesday. The Lancers’ one GPAC win came in four sets at Doane.
Two GPAC journeys to the north await No. 8 Concordia
September 19, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – The grind of the GPAC season is now in full swing as the eighth-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team looks forward to a week on the road within conference play. The Bulldogs are prepping to play at Mount Marty on Wednesday and at No. 14 Dordt on Saturday. Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad carries momentum into a new week after taking care of Doane (away) and No. 13 College of Saint Mary (home) in straight sets. Concordia moved to 12-1 overall (3-1 GPAC) with last week’s results. The Bulldogs put the first blemish on the record of CSM, which had been the only undefeated team left in the GPAC.
This Week
Wednesday, Sept. 21 at Mount Marty (6-6, 1-3 GPAC), 7:30 p.m.
--104.9 Max Country | Live Webcast
Saturday, Sept. 24 at No. 14 Dordt (7-3, 1-1 GPAC), 5 p.m.
--104.9 Max Country | Live Webcast | Live Stats
By the numbers
· In the NAIA coaches’ poll released on Sept. 14, the Bulldogs moved up from 10th to eighth. The GPAC continues to dominate the national poll with seven teams ranked in the top 25: No. 1 Midland, No. 4 Jamestown, No. 7 Northwestern, No. 8 Concordia, No. 13 College of Saint Mary, No. 14 Dordt and No. 18 Dakota Wesleyan. Right after being minted as the NAIA’s top team, Midland lost in five sets at Hastings, as a sign of the league’s depth. Only one GPAC team has yet to suffer a conference defeat: Jamestown (2-0). Concordia continues to hunt the program’s first conference championship since the very first year of the GPAC’s existence in 2000.
· There are instances in which the power of the Bulldogs simply overwhelms the opposition. Nationally, Concordia ranks fourth in hitting percentage (.276) and fifth in kills per set (13.91). The Stanton, Neb., native Bree Burtwistle deserves mention as one of the nation’s best setters. She ranks fifth among NAIA setters with an average of 11.0 assists per set. She’s helped pave the way for Gabi Nordaker to rank sixth nationally in hitting percentage (.379). Meanwhile, four Bulldogs have at least 100 kills this season: Nordaker (150), Camryn Opfer (127), Carly Rodaway (120) and Ashley Keck (116).
· Nordaker tore up Doane and College of Saint Mary last week. In the win at Doane, the Millard West High School product produced 11 kills and five blocks and hit .556. Three days later in the scorching of the Flames, Nordaker collected 13 kills and three blocks and hit .545 from the middle. A First Team All-GPAC honoree in 2021, Nordaker has played at an All-American level in 2022. Nordaker paces Concordia in kills (150), blocks (41) and hitting percentage (.379). In 67 career matches as a Bulldog, Nordaker has accumulated 713 kills and 269 blocks.
· Boldt described the match against CSM as the cleanest the Bulldogs have played so far in 2022. On the attack, Concordia floored 50 kills against just nine errors for a .380 hitting percentage. As mentioned, Nordaker enjoyed another big night in hitting .545 with 13 kills and three blocks. Keck equaled her kill output and hit .500 from the outside. Three other teammates had at least five kills: Rodaway (nine), Wiltfong (eight) and Opfer (five). The maestro of the team, Burtwistle tossed up 43 assists (75 for the week) in leading one of the nation’s most productive attacks. In the back row, Rebecca Gebhardt notched 16 digs.
· It’s easy to forget about the growth Concordia has shown since early last season. After nine matches in 2021, the Bulldogs sat at 4-5 overall (1-2 GPAC). Even after 21 matches, Concordia was hovering just barely above .500 at 11-10. Since then, the Bulldogs have gone 20-3 with nine wins over opponents that were nationally ranked at the time the matches were played. A 2-0 week would give Concordia a chance at exceeding the program’s best ever national ranking of No. 6 when a new poll comes out on Sept. 28.
The opponents
The Lancers finished 2021 at 8-20 overall (2-14 GPAC) but have shown improvement in starting 6-6 this season with a victory at Doane. Mount Marty is hitting .171 compared to a .154 clip for its opponents. Head Coach Belen Albertos is in her second season leading the program following three years as an assistant for the Lancers. Mount Marty has three main attackers who each have more than 100 kills this season: Jadie DeLange (133), Gabby Ruth (123) and Alexis Kirkman (105). The Lancers are coming off a straight sets loss at No. 1 Midland.
Entering the week, Dordt has played only one home match, which resulted in a win in three sets over then 16th-ranked Dakota Wesleyan. The Defenders now operate under the direction of first-year Head Coach Jacki Smith, who replaced Chad Hanson (who is Dordt’s head men’s volleyball coach). The most heralded returner on the roster is outside hitter Corrina Timmermans, who was named First Team All-GPAC in 2021. Timmermans and company are hitting .202 as a team while holding opponents to a .123 hitting percentage. The Defenders have beaten two top 25 foes, including then No. 6 Park University (Mo.). Concordia graduate assistant coach Corina Beimers is a Dordt alum.
Next week
The Bulldogs will have a bit of a break before hosting Friday-Saturday (Sept. 30-Oct. 1) matches against Briar Cliff and Morningside. The program will celebrate its senior day on Oct. 1.
Burtwistle named GPAC and NAIA National Setter of the Week
September 20, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – A major reason behind the attacking success of the eighth-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team, Bree Burtwistle was honored appropriately on Tuesday (Sept. 20). The conference recognized Burtwistle as the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Setter of the Week and the NAIA also awarded Burtwistle with National Setter of the Week distinction. The native of Stanton, Neb., is the first Bulldog volleyball player to be honored by the GPAC in 2022.
Burtwistle was voted GPAC and NAIA setter of the week based on her performances in Concordia’s straight sets wins over Doane and No. 13 College of Saint Mary. Over those two matches, Burtwistle produced a combined 75 assists (12.5 per set), eight digs, three kills and three blocks. While facilitating the attack, Burtwistle helped the Bulldogs hit .347 with an average of 16.17 kills per set for the week. Among all NAIA players, the Stanton High School alum ranks fifth in assists per set (11.0) and 17th in total assists (506) this season. Over four combined seasons with Concordia and Midland, Burtwistle has totaled 1,366 career assists.
The Bulldogs (12-1, 3-1 GPAC) will be back on action on Wednesday for a trip to Yankton, S.D., where they will take on Mount Marty (6-6, 1-3 GPAC) at 7:30 p.m. CT
Nordaker continues hot hitting, No. 8 Concordia extends GPAC win streak
September 21, 2022
YANKTON, S.D. – A clean first set for Mount Marty made the Bulldogs sweat it out early on before the eighth-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team eventually took control of the match. Star middle Gabi Nordaker stayed air fryer hot on Wednesday (Sept. 21) in helping power the 25-23, 25-13, 25-16, win in Yankton, S.D., over the Lancers. Eight different Concordia players registered at least one kill for the evening.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad has won three-straight conference matches while moving to 13-1 overall (4-1 GPAC). The Bulldogs cruised through the second and third sets on Wednesday, but they were forced to dig deep in the first.
“Our resolve through adversity – through a tough first set – I was happy with how our team responded,” Boldt said. “They stayed steady and didn’t get overwhelmed by anything. That’s what we’ll take away from this one. Any GPAC road win is a good win.”
In a match it was expected to win, Concordia still had to match the energy of the improved Lancers (6-7, 1-4 GPAC), who own a GPAC triumph over Doane. Mount Marty provides a different type of scout with a system unique from other GPAC opponents. The Lancers came out firing, hitting .289 (15 kills and two errors) in the opening set. It was 23-23 when Nordaker and Camryn Opfer when back-to-back with kills to end it.
The Bulldogs adjusted and did what they do best – come at you with power. Concordia outhit Mount Marty, .314 to .162, for the match behind 13 kills and .632 hitting from Nordaker. Opfer and Ashley Keck backed her up with nine kills apiece. Setter Bree Burtwistle racked up 39 assists (and 13 digs) while having a hand in the majority of the team’s 46 kills. Meanwhile, Rebecca Gebhardt chipped in with 12 digs and three aces and Carly Rodaway contributed to four of the team’s five total blocks.
Mount Marty got a team high nine kills apiece from Alexis Kirkman and Alex Ruth. Said Boldt of the Lancers, “I love how their team plays. They play hard. They were forcing us into some uncomfortable situations with their block and their defense and got us frustrated. They played very low error ball in that first set. It really forced us to earn our points.”
Earn it they did. A large lead in the third set paved the way for Boldt to make liberal substitutions. Concordia went to a package it calls “the force,” involving setter Bree Green and outside hitter Shelby Stark. Several Bulldogs took advantage of their playing time as Morgan Nibbe put away three kills and Stark and Mollie Grosshans were credited with a kill apiece. Green tallied three assists, including one on a Nibbe kill for match point.
The week on the road will continue on Saturday with a trip to Sioux Center, Iowa, and a matchup with No. 14 Dordt (8-3, 2-1 GPAC) inside De Witt Gymnasium. First serve of the varsity match is slated for 5 p.m. CT. The Defenders defeated the Bulldogs in five sets in last season’s lone meeting, which took place in Seward.
'Burt' bursts onto scene in big way after learning, growing into role
September 22, 2022
They say that good things come to those who wait. A degree of patience has certainly been required for Concordia senior setter Bree Burtwistle, who is now finding stardom in 2022. The secret’s out on the Stanton, Neb., native, who on Tuesday was named the NAIA National Setter of the Week. It could be argued that Burtwistle’s seamless transition into the role as primary setter has as much to do with the team’s 13-1 record as any other factor.
The importance of ‘Burt’ to this team and program has not been lost on Head Coach Ben Boldt. The Bulldogs would not be able to boast one of the nation’s most potent attacks without the precision passing of No. 3.
“That experience last year put her in a position where people trusted her and knew what she was capable of,” Boldt said. “I go back to how she’s been ever since she’s gotten here. She has put in the work. People knew what she could bring to the table. She’s done a really good job of being consistent. She’s always doing what we call ‘bettering the ball’ on that second contact and putting our hitters in good situations. Burt does it at a really high level.”
The finest hour for Burtwistle is likely yet to come, but her performance in the stunningly dominant straight sets win over No. 13 College of Saint Mary on Sept. 17 was something to behold. She delivered 42 assists as the eighth-ranked Bulldogs hit .380 and vanquished the previously unbeaten Flames. On the season, Burtwistle ranks third among all NAIA setters for assists per set (11.12) and leads an offensive powerhouse that resides within the top five nationally in the categories of hitting percentage and kills per set.
Burtwistle’s emergence came at just the perfect time with former five-year starting setter Tara Callahan having exhausted her eligibility. It’s a testament to Burtwistle’s resolve and character that she made herself an asset to the program all while biding her time and preparing for this moment. Following a 2019 season spent sharing the setter role with All-American Hope Leimbach at Midland, Burtwistle made a difficult decision to transfer.
Concordia rose to the top after she considered a couple of other in-state options. Says Burtwistle of choosing the Bulldogs, “Right away everyone was super welcoming. I’m a biology major so the science department was really important. I loved all the professors and people that I talked to. All of my teammates that were in biology and the exercise science field loved it. I liked how everything worked and how everything was hands on. Education was No. 1 and behind that is volleyball. I really liked my teammates. It just felt like another home. I felt connected immediately to them.”
Because she transferred within the same conference, Burtwistle was forced to sit out during the awkward COVID-19 ravaged fall of 2020. Burtwistle made on-court appearances in the spring of 2021 and then saw increased playing time in the fall of 2021 when Callahan played out her fifth season of collegiate volleyball. Burtwistle could have sulked about her role, but she had a feeling that her time was coming.
There was a culture cultivated by Ben and Angie Boldt that had put Burtwistle at ease. Still, one could only imagine what thoughts Burtwistle could have been thinking. She looked at her former teammate in Leimbach and saw someone who had become a rockstar on the GPAC and NAIA national landscapes and then looked at her current teammate in Callahan, one of the best setters in Bulldog history, who had a firmly established role at Concordia. Burtwistle didn’t get bitter – she got better.
Admits Burtwistle, “It was something very frustrating at first, but I just trusted the process and trusted Ben and Angie. That’s all I could do. I was accepting my role. I embraced where I was at, learned, got better and here I am.” Added Ben Boldt, “She took that all in stride. She knew what the situation was and never once complained. She’s worked really hard since day one.”
Let it be a lesson for those going through similar situations. Burtwistle learned from Leimback, she learned from Callahan and she learned from the Boldts. There were mental notes being taken. Burtwistle has the perspective now to understand how all these moments and experiences have built her up and readied her to step into the spotlight.
Recalls Burtwistle, “I knew transferring from GPAC to GPAC I would have to sit out a year no matter what. Having that year to learn from Ben and Angie and Tara was really good for me. I got to see a different perspective, learn their system and just adapt to the new environment.”
There’s also a deep respect for Leimbach, despite her starring for perhaps Concordia’s biggest rival. “Hope is a really good setter and a really good person,” Burtwistle said. “She definitely sets up her hitters in the best situations. She’s very competitive. She’s always going to want to go out there and win. That’s something I admired about her when I was at Midland.”
There’s a reason why Concordia coaches and players were so confident in the 2022 outlook at the setter position. Burtwistle and Bree Green had both become plenty comfortable within the program and in relation to the teammates they would be passing to this fall. The program’s most prominent player, outside hitter Camryn Opfer, provided glowing remarks in regard to Burtwistle’s play in the preseason. Opfer called the transition “smooth.” Meanwhile, Ben Boldt referred to Burtwistle as being like another coach on the court.
In the minds of coaches and players that get to observe Burtwistle practice every day, they see her high-level play this season as completely unsurprising. Said middle Gabi Nordaker after the win over CSM, “She’s done a great job. We take a lot of time to work on that setter-hitter connection. I think she’s been great, and she’s very vocal.”
Burtwistle’s success is a byproduct of the values that the Concordia Volleyball program lives out on a daily basis. Burwistle shares the level-headedness that permeates the entire roster. You won’t get her to talk about the team’s won-loss record or about any other match other than the next one on the schedule. Believe Burtwistle when she says, “We’re really into the day-by-day process. We can’t look too far ahead into the future.”
It sounds boring, but that’s what has made the Bulldogs one of the top 10 programs in all of NAIA volleyball over the past few years. The physical talent Concordia possesses is significant, but it’s about more than that. The way Burtwistle defines a successful team has been altered and reconfigured in her time as a Bulldog.
“We go into every match believing we can beat someone,” Burtwistle said. “From a culture perspective, we’ve grown as a team. Doc (Larry) Widman has helped us a lot in terms of becoming more in tune with each other. That translates on and off the court. I live with six other volleyball girls. We’re with each other all the time. Being able to be that connected has translated on the court with how much we trust each other.”
That word ‘trust’ just keeps coming up when Burtwistle talks about this team. That feeling is mutual in the way teammates view Burtwistle, who accumulated more than 2,000 assists and 1,000 kills in her fine high school career. For the Bulldogs, Burtwistle is a leader who empowers her teammates to ‘be the woman’ in quite visual fashion. All those thunderous kills are orchestrated by Burtwistle, who makes the position appear as a form of art in the way that a maestro inspires beautiful music.
God willing, Burtwistle just might bless the Bulldogs with her presence for another season in 2023. Her future may also include PA school, but those decisions can wait. She’s taking it “day-by-day” while living in the moment.
There’s no reason not to soak up everything that’s happening right now. The present is too much fun. This was worth the wait. Said Burtwistle, “We’ve grown into a family of people we can trust. All of my teammates will be my best friends for life. That’s something that is very important.”
Opfer stars, middles dominate as Bulldogs roll past No. 14 Dordt
September 24, 2022
SIOUX CENTER, Iowa – In a matchup of two teams rated inside the NAIA top 15, the eighth-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team operated at the level of a national powerhouse. The Bulldogs hit better than .300 in every set and took care of No. 14 Dordt, 25-21, 25-17, 25-17, in Sioux Center, Iowa, on Saturday (Sept. 24). Camryn Opfer had herself a day with 14 kills and 15 digs and the Concordia middles were near unstoppable.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad has rattled off four GPAC wins in a row (all in straight sets), including two over top 15 foes. Seemingly every time Boldt challenges his Bulldogs (14-1, 5-1 GPAC), they deliver.
“I thought we served really well, which put our defense in good position,” Boldt said. “We didn’t block one ball in the first set, so that was the challenge going into set No. 2. We played a whole lot cleaner in sets two and three because the edges of our block were a lot cleaner. I was happy with our mentality and the resolve. Dordt hit over .400 in the first set – we were putting our hands in weak spots. We have to put our hands where we’re strong. We did a lot better with that in games two and three.”
Okay, so the blocking can get better, but what Concordia is doing right now is unprecedented when it comes to program history. After hitting .345 at Dordt, the Bulldogs climbed to No. 2 in the nation in overall season hitting percentage (.282). The Defenders tried to give Concordia a dose of its own medicine when it hit .429 with 13 kills in the opening set. It just couldn’t match up with the Bulldogs, who thundered down 52 kills, led by double-digit totals from Opfer (14), Gabi Nordaker (11) and Kalee Wiltfong (10).
Nordaker hit .647 and Wiltfong bashed .476 for the evening. Reigning NAIA National Setter of the Week Bree Burtwistle earned credit for 46 assists and 10 digs. Meanwhile Ashley Keck and Carly Rodaway contributed eight kills apiece. In addition, libero Rebecca Gebhardt also turned in 14 digs for a back row that continues to grow. In service, Kennedy VanScoy landed a pair of aces.
Dordt (8-4, 2-2 GPAC) made a push in the first set after Concordia built a 22-15 lead. The Defenders got back within 22-19 before a key service error. The Bulldogs put it away with back-to-back kills from Rodaway and Opfer – and then the onslaught was on. Dordt, which owns wins this season over then No. 6 Park University (Mo.) and then No. 16 Dakota Wesleyan, got a team high nine kills from Allison Timmermans.
Said Boldt as part of his postgame comments on 104.9 Max Country, “Offensively, I was happy to see our middles do well. Cam had a really, really good game. Neither of our middles had any errors – that was awesome … They’re having fun. It’s a great group.”
Concordia will have a bit of a break from action before welcoming Briar Cliff (5-8, 0-4 GPAC) to Seward for a 7:30 p.m. CT match this coming Friday (Sept. 30). Then on Saturday, the Bulldogs will celebrate senior day before taking on Morningside (6-13, 2-4 GPAC) at 3 p.m. Concordia is 4-0 at home so far this season.
Burtwistle, Nordaker honored as GPAC players of the week
September 27, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – Due to their efforts in wins over Mount Marty and No. 14 Dordt, Concordia University Volleyball standouts Bree Burtwistle and Gabi Nordaker have been honored with GPAC weekly awards. As announced by the on Tuesday (Sept. 27), Burtwistle has been named the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Setter of the Week while Nordaker has been recognized as the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Attacker of the Week. Burtwistle, named NAIA National Setter of the Week on Sept. 20, has earned the GPAC setter award for the second week in a row.
Facilitator of one of the nation’s most potent attacks, Burtwistle piled up 85 assists (14.17/set) last week as the Bulldogs defeated both Mount Marty and Dordt in three sets. The Stanton, Neb., native also collected a combined 23 digs and aided Concordia in hitting .314 at Mount Marty and .345 at Dordt. Nationally, Burtwistle ranks third in assists per set (11.37) and 15th in total assists (591) this season. As a team, Concordia boasts the NAIA’s second most efficient attack in terms of hitting percentage (.282).
Nordaker has been the beneficiary of Burtwistle’s setting. A Millard West High School product, Nordaker was virtually unstoppable last week in producing 24 kills on 36 swings with just a single error. She hit .632 at Mount Marty and then .647 at Dordt. In addition, Nordaker totaled six blocks as part of a dominant week. On the season, Nordaker is hitting .407, a percentage that ranks No. 2 among all NAIA players. She leads the team in both kills (174) and blocks (47) this season. Nordaker has run her career totals to 739 kills and 275 blocks in 69 matches.
Up next, the eighth-ranked Bulldogs (14-1, 5-1 GPAC) will host Briar Cliff on Friday and Morningside on Saturday. The Saturday match will be senior day for Concordia.
Senior day celebration to highlight weekend at home
Septmeber 28
SEWARD, Neb. – After two road outings last week, the sixth-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team is looking forward to a pair of weekend home matches. The red-hot Bulldogs will welcome Briar Cliff (Friday) and Morningside (Saturday) to Friedrich Arena. Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad is 4-0 at home this season and carries an overall mark of 14-1 (5-1 GPAC). As a highlight of the weekend, Concordia will celebrate six seniors prior to Saturday’s match.
This Week
Friday, Sept. 30 vs. Briar Cliff (5-10, 0-4 GPAC), 7:30 p.m.
--Live Webcast/Stats
Saturday, Oct. 1 vs. Morningside (6-13, 2-4 GPAC), 3 p.m.
--Live Webcast/Stats
By the numbers
· The Bulldogs are on the rise in the national rankings. At No. 6 in the poll released on Wednesday, Concordia has equaled the program’s highest ever national ranking. In the national polls this season, the Bulldogs have gone from No. 11 in the preseason to No. 10 on Aug. 31 to No. 8 on Sept. 14 to a current position of sixth. Boldt’s program has appeared inside the NAIA top 25 in 21 of the past 23 polls. Concordia is aiming to finish a season ranked in the top 15 for the fourth year row. The Bulldogs garnered final postseason national rankings of 14th in 2019, eighth in 2020 and sixth in 2021. Other GPAC teams ranked in this week’s NAIA top 25 are No. 2 Jamestown, No. 3 Midland, No. 7 Northwestern, No. 12 Dordt, No. 15 Dakota Wesleyan and No. 18 College of Saint Mary.
· The ratings jump comes on the heels of a smoldering stretch of play by the Bulldogs. Since the season’s lone loss (a five-setter at Midland in which Concordia led 12-9 in the fifth), Boldt’s bunch has won 12 straight sets with its opponents reaching the 20s in only four of those sets. Over the past four matches, the Bulldogs have turned in respective hitting percentages of .314, .380, .314 and .345. That stretch has included wins over Doane, then No. 13 College of Saint Mary, Mount Marty and then No. 14 Dordt.
· It’s become a real chore for opponents trying to match Concordia’s firepower. On the NAIA national leaderboards, the Bulldogs rank second in hitting percentage (.282) and third in kills per set (14.19). Concordia also now boasts five hitters with at least 100 kills this season: Gabi Nordaker (174), Camryn Opfer (150), Carly Rodaway (134), Ashley Keck (133) and Kalee Wiltfong (102). All five of those players average at least 2.0 kills per set. While feeding the attack, Burtwistle is averaging 11.37 assists per set, third most in the nation. On Sept. 20, Burtwistle was recognized as the GPAC and NAIA National Setter of the Week.
· Nordaker has established herself as one of the best middles in all of the NAIA. A rare feat for her position, the Millard West High School product leads the team in kills and is hitting an eye-popping .407. That figure ranks her at No. 2 in the nation behind only Ryan Czerniak (.430) of Taylor University (Ind.). A 2021 First Team All-GPAC honoree, Nordaker appears primed to earn All-America honors this season. In her collegiate career, Nordaker has tallied 739 kills and 275 blocks in 69 matches.
· The senior class (in terms of academics) includes Bree Burtwistle, Bree Green, Mary Nibbe, Camryn Opfer, Kennedy VanScoy and Kalee Wiltfong. The seniors who got here in 2019 have helped the program to a four-year record of 76-26 with three national tournament appearances, including two that have resulted in advancements to the NAIA quarterfinals. Prior to their arrival, the program had made only one all-time national tournament appearance. Most prominent among the seniors statistically, Opfer has pushed her career totals to 1,098 kills, 1,116 digs, 147 blocks and 54 aces in 102 matches. Another major four-year contributor, Wiltfong has tallied 703 kills and 246 blocks in 97 career matches.
The opponents
Briar Cliff has dropped seven of its last eight matches, including Monday’s straight sets defeat at Dakota State University. The Chargers’ run through GPAC play has included losses to Morningside, then No. 16 Dakota Wesleyan, No. 7 Northwestern and Hastings. Head Coach Lindsey Weatherford’s squad returns two Honorable Mention All-GPAC performers in middle blocker Toria Andre and libero Tannah Heath. Outside hitter Chloe Johnson leads the team with 144 kills. Briar Cliff has been outhit by its opponents, .201 to .144.
Morningside has a challenging Nebraska road swing this weekend as it will first play No. 3 Midland on Friday night. The Mustangs enter this week with two GPAC wins to their credit – Briar Cliff (three sets) and Doane (four sets). They also earned a win over Avila University (Mo.) this past weekend. Returning Honorable Mention All-GPAC outside hitter Sydney Marlow paces the team with an average of 4.1 kills per set. As a team, Morningside is hitting .172 while its opponents are hitting .189.
Next week
It will be another Friday-Saturday configuration as the Bulldogs will be headed north to play No. 4 Jamestown on Oct. 7 and No. 18 Dakota Wesleyan on Oct. 8.
A class of best friends that helped reshape and redefine Concordia Volleyball
September 29, 2022
It’s no coincidence that the active string of national tournament berths for the Concordia University Volleyball program began in 2019. That’s when a transcendent class of freshmen entered the program. At the time, coaches Ben and Angie Boldt were still in the process of establishing a culture and an identity that they believed would transform an outfit that had its work cut out for it within the NAIA’s toughest volleyball conference. It started with the idea that champions should act like champions before becoming champions.
As part of the first group of recruits that Ben and Angie put together, Concordia welcomed in freshmen Bree Green, Camryn Opfer, Kennedy VanScoy and Kalee Wiltfong as building blocks. They were tasked with assimilating with the group of veterans that included standouts such as Tara Callahan, Marissa Hoerman and Emmie Noyd, among others.
On the outside, little was expected of the 2019 team, which was picked eighth in the GPAC preseason coaches’ poll. Inside the Bulldog locker room, expectations were much higher. Even after the ’18 team had lost 12 of its final 15 matches, the Boldts had sold this group on a vision.
Says Wiltfong, “It’s simple. Their core values that they live on day-in and day-out were what sold me the most. I wanted to be part of a culture that values similar things I value. Coming in as a freshman, I didn’t know what to expect. But Ben and Angie took us in as their own and truly showed us love, hard work, sacrifice and trust.”
It would be easy to try to tell people that those are the ideals you want your program to represent. But do you actually live them out? Concordia Volleyball has embodied what it means to foster such a family-like culture. The yields of that day-to-day focus on relationships have been impressive: a four-year record of 76-26 with three national tournament appearances (so far), including two that have resulted in advancements to the NAIA quarterfinals. Along the way, the class has also been supplemented with other talented players like Rebecca Gebhardt, Ashley Keck and Gabi Nordaker, to name a few.
The group gained another star when setter Bree Burtwistle transferred from Midland in the fall of 2020. The class also includes Mary Nibbe, who has served as a team manager (her sister Morgan Nibbe is a fifth-year senior on the team). One commonality between each classmate is their Nebraska roots. Immediate impacts were made by Opfer, the hometown Seward High School product, and Wiltfong, the Doniphan-Trumbull High School alum. It didn’t take long for Opfer and Wiltfong to become exceptionally close friends.
Says Opfer, “I used to think that when people said, your college friends will be your best friends for life, that they just had a really good college experience or that they were just saying it to make college sound exciting. I never really believed them. But these seniors are my best friends for life. Each one of them has such a good personality. I am very thankful to be a part of this senior class. One thing that stands out for me was the first time meeting Kalee Wiltfong. We met at the Seward bowling alley for a preseason team bonding event, and I remember thinking, ‘Oh, I think she looks pretty cool.’ Now she is one of my very best friends.”
The coming together of Concordia Volleyball was on display quickly in 2019. By late October, the Bulldogs had made a return to the national rankings while landing at No. 17. Opfer had burst onto the scene as the GPAC Freshman of the Year and Wiltfong opened eyes with her rocket launcher of a right arm. While following the lead of Callahan and Noyd, Concordia reached the final site of the national tournament, something the program had never done before.
They were just getting started. The ’20 and ’21 seasons were affected in obvious ways by COVID-19, but the culture of the program never allowed it to become an excuse. After all, everyone around the country was dealing with it. In a unique feat, the Bulldogs reached the NAIA national quarterfinals twice during the calendar year of 2021. In both national tournaments, Opfer was named to the NAIA National Championship All-Tournament Team. She scorched No. 2 Viterbo in December 2021 with 21 kills on a .514 hitting percentage from the outside. The triumph over adversity, including a rash of five-set losses early in the season, eventually led to the program’s highest ever national ranking of No. 6. Now in 2022, the Bulldogs are 14-1 and again ranked sixth nationally.
Ben Boldt never tried to prognosticate what type of success would come. He simply felt good about the people that were part of the program. Said Boldt, “It’s really hard to predict how anybody’s going to pan out in college. I knew they were good people. I think that’s a bottom line of who we want in our program. They always have put their head down and just worked. We have a saying in our gym that champions behave like champions before they become champions. I think that’s always how they’ve conducted themselves. I don’t know if I could have predicted how they would be when we first recruited them, but I knew they were good people.”
As a transfer, Burtwistle found herself jumping into the middle of a meteoric rise. Said Burtwistle, “I could tell there was a culture shift taking place when I got here. That was something I really liked. Ben and Angie really helped grow that culture. We’ve grown into a family of people we can trust. All of my teammates will be my best friends for life. That’s something that is very important.”
What’s also important to the team’s success is the contributions from role players like Green and VanScoy. A Waverly High School graduate, VanScoy has been one of the team’s best and most consistent servers over her time as a Bulldog. She knows just as well as anyone how close-knit this group has become.
“From the first moment I met these girls, I have known that we were a special class,” VanScoy said. “I have never been a part of a more united class or a class that works as hard as this one. Throughout our time here, we have evolved into a great group of leaders, and I know that we will continue to lead this team towards our goals. I have been so blessed to have been given the chance to build a relationship with these girls and I will forever cherish the relationships I have built here at Concordia as my time comes to an end.”
As for Green, she’s taken advantage of more on-court opportunities this season. The Millard West High School alum has shown a team-first attitude. Her selflessness is made easier by the environment and the camaraderie shared with her fellow senior classmates.
“I think what is going to stand out the most with me from volleyball is the people and relationships I built throughout my time here,” Green said. “This is such a special program and these girls are truly my best friends. I know that is a cheesy answer, but it's the truth. Years from now I will probably not remember the volleyball as much as I remember the girls and the memories we made on bus rides, trips and locker room talks. I feel as though we are such a family here and I am blessed to have been a part of this program for the last four years.”
Added Wiltfong, “From the first time I met my other teammates in my grade, I knew they were special. Even though we’ve lost some and gained one, nothing has changed with this group. We all truly support and love each other no matter what. I think the best thing has been able to see how we all have molded into leadership roles over the years. It has been a joy to be able to lead this team together as one unit. I know that every single one of us has each other’s back.”
These thoughts are exactly what Ben and Angie Boldt would have likely imagined their players having when they first embarked on their own Concordia journeys starting in 2018. At one point in her high school career, Opfer had committed to an NCAA Division II school. When her recruitment opened back, Opfer found exactly what she was looking for, in her own backyard.
Says Opfer, “I remember my recruit visit with the coaches pretty well. You could tell by the way Ben and Angie talked about Concordia and ‘the process,’ that they really wanted to make something of this program. I believed in them from the beginning. They put in so much work behind the scenes. They are the core reason that we have had so much success these last four years.”
There have been plenty of lighthearted moments along the way. Says Ben Boldt, “Wiltfong likes to talk a lot of smack with me. She’ll always challenge me on something. She’ll be like, ‘Hey Coach, if I make this serve, you do a down-back, down-back. If I miss the serve, I’ll do a down-back, down-back. Kennedy is always challenging me on my wardrobe choices. That’s a fun thing to be around. They are great. I’m looking forward to continuing a relationship after they’re gone and seeing where they go.”
The full story is not yet written. The way things are shaping up, there could be plenty to celebrate by the time December rolls around. Until then, these seniors will continue to have a blast while living up some of their final moments as teammates.
Bulldogs turn away Chargers with .425 hitting
September 30, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – Back at home against an opponent still seeking its first conference win, the sixth-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team remained focused. Twelve different Bulldogs registered at least one kill in another impressive all-around display that left Briar Cliff little chance. Behind nine more kills from Gabi Nordaker, Concordia won, 25-14, 25-13, 25-10, inside Friedrich Arena on Friday (Sept. 30). The Bulldogs moved their perfect home record this season to 5-0.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad has won five consecutive GPAC matches, all in straight sets, and stands at 15-1 overall (6-1 GPAC).
“Our serving got them out of system,” Boldt said. “The biggest thing for us was staying disciplined on defense. It’s easy to get undisciplined when the ball coming over is a bit unorthodox. In those situations, it’s important to stay disciplined and don’t reach where someone else could be digging. It’s all those little things. You want to keep it simple and play clean. We did a good job of that. We hit for a really high percentage.”
The Bulldogs hit .425 to be exact and pushed their now NAIA national leading hitting percentage to .289 for the season. As Ben and Angie Boldt would tell you, that’s a product of not just powerful attacking, but also the first two touches that set the ball on a tee for stars like Nordaker, who has hit better than .400 in five matches in a row. Others with four or more kills on Friday were Ashley Kick (six), Camryn Opfer (five), Morgan Nibbe (four) and Shelby Stark (four).
The visitors from Sioux City, Iowa, provided the most resistance in the early part of the first set. It was 9-9 before Concordia took complete control. The Bulldogs proceeded to rattle off 10 of the next 11 points, including two on Opfer kills. As part of the runaway in the second set, Rebecca Gebhardt landed three ace serves in a four-point stretch. Gebhardt finished with a team high 14 digs to go along with the three aces.
The entire roster had opportunities to contribute. The fifth-year senior Nibbe put away set point in the second with a booming kill and Mollie Grosshans (three kills and a block) had a big hand in the team’s third-set dominance. At setter, Bree Burtwistle handed out 31 assists and Bree Green supplied four. Ashlyn Wichmeier posted two aces while Lexie Kreizel notched 10 digs and Nordaker earned credit for three blocks.
Said Boldt of the reserves, “I thought they played great. They wanted to play their best and they did. They made adjustments and they played the game. I still think at some point when it comes down to crunch time, we’re going to need that 6-2 sub where we need a big block or something like that. To continue to get reps with that is really important for our team.”
Briar Cliff hit .045 and had nearly as many hitting errors (16) as kills (20). The team leader in kills was Chloe Johnson with eight. The Chargers now face the challenge of playing at No. 3 Midland on Saturday.
The Bulldogs will be right back inside Friedrich Arena on Saturday to host Morningside (6-14, 2-5 GPAC) at 3 p.m. CT (junior varsity at 1:30 p.m.). Prior to first serve, Concordia will honor a senior class of six: Bree Burtwistle, Bree Green, Mary Nibbe, Camryn Opfer, Kennedy VanScoy and Kalee Wiltfong. The Bulldogs have won three straight in the series with the Mustangs, who fell in three sets at Midland on Friday.
Seniors honored as sixth-ranked Bulldogs stay sharp
October 1, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – No matter the opponent, the sixth-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team refuses to relent. The nation’s top-rated attacking team hit visiting Morningside with a flurry that featured 53 kills in what amounted to a 25-17, 25-21, 25-13, victory for the Bulldogs on Saturday (Oct. 1). It was a fitting performance on a day that Concordia honored a senior class of six that has helped the program to unprecedented success.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad keeps marching on in machine-like fashion with an incredible match-to-match focus. The Bulldogs have moved to 16-1 overall (7-1 GPAC).
“It’s nice to celebrate the seniors,” Boldt said. “What they’ve meant to the program is immeasurable. They were the first class that committed to us (as recruits). We owe a lot to them in setting a foundation and believing in Angie and I. I’m just really thankful for that.”
The fast and powerful Concordia attack starts with its passing, but there’s something particularly satisfying about the way this team finishes off points. The Bulldogs hit .426 on Saturday while quarterbacked by setter Bree Burtwistle (39 assists). She helped set up five teammates for at least six kills: Carly Rodaway (11), Kalee Wiltfong (10), Ashley Keck (nine), Camryn Opfer (eight) and Gabi Nordaker (six). The Mustangs managed only one block the entire afternoon while being bedazzled by Concordia’s array of hitters.
Morningside (6-15, 2-6 GPAC) gained just a bit of traction in the second set when it hit .250 with 13 kills. However, the Bulldogs always appeared poised and in control. The third set became a complete runaway. During that stretch, Concordia hit .472 with 17 kills and no errors. As the Bulldogs subbed in the likes of Bree Green (six assists) and Shelby Stark (four kills), the team kept humming.
Said Wiltfong, “It’s so much fun. It’s awesome. It’s really cool to see all the hard work we put in since January to get to this point. Our team chemistry is just unreal. I never imagined playing with this tight of a team ever. They’re all my best friends.”
Just when you’d think it’s about time for this Concordia team to cool off, it just keeps heating up. The Bulldogs are now hitting a smoldering .296 for the season.
“Every time I keep looking at the stats, we have a high hitting percentage,” Boldt said. “We’re never going to take that for granted, but we’re going to continue to talk to our hitters about putting themselves in good positions to attack. Burt’s doing a really good job of dishing it.”
Rebecca Gebhardt (14) and Opfer (12) both reached double figures in digs. If there was just one thing to nitpick for the Bulldogs, it was their 10 service errors. Those miscues accounted for nearly 20 percent of Morningside’s points in the match. The Mustangs got a team high 10 kills apiece from Sydney Marlow and Claire Wilson.
The seniors honored prior to first serve were Bree Burtwistle, Bree Green, Mary Nibbe, Camryn Opfer, Kennedy VanScoy and Kalee Wiltfong. That group is looking to lead Concordia back to the national tournament for a fourth straight season.
The lengthiest road trip of the conference season is coming up next weekend as the Bulldogs will travel to play No. 2 Jamestown (18-1, 6-0 GPAC) in a mega showdown at 7:30 p.m. CT on Oct. 7. The very next day, Concordia will be at No. 15 Dakota Wesleyan (13-4, 5-3 GPAC) for a 3 p.m. first serve. The meeting in Jamestown will be a rematch of the 2021 GPAC tournament championship battle.
Lengthy road trip carries significant weight for sixth-ranked Bulldogs
October 4, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – This is what you play for. Two road matches of significance in terms of both driving distance and GPAC standings await the sixth-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team. The Bulldogs are preparing to take on No. 2 Jamestown on Friday night before meeting No. 15 Dakota Wesleyan on Saturday afternoon. Halfway through the GPAC regular season schedule, Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad sports an overall record of 16-1 (7-1 GPAC). Concordia resides in a tie for second place in the league while currently looking up at the Jimmies (6-0).
This Week
Friday, Oct. 7 at No. 2 Jamestown (18-1, 6-0 GPAC), 7:30 p.m.
--Live Webcast/Stats | Location: Newman Arena (Jamestown, N.D.)
Saturday, Oct. 8 at No. 15 Dakota Wesleyan (13-4, 5-3 GPAC), 3 p.m.
--Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Fosness Arena (Mitchell, S.D.)
By the numbers
· It’s spooky season and this Bulldog attack is Freddy Krueger-like terrifying. Thanks to last week’s hot hitting, Concordia has moved to No. 1 in the NAIA in hitting percentage at a clip of .296. Only one other team is even close – Marian University (.283). The rest of the top five includes Missouri Baptist University (.251), Midway College (.249) and Kansas Wesleyan University (.249). Each of the Bulldogs’ most prominent attackers are hitting at least .245: Gabi Nordaker (.403), Kalee Wiltfong (.378), Carly Rodaway (.267), Ashley Keck (.249) and Camryn Opfer (.245). Nordaker ranks No. 2 nationally in terms of individual hitting percentage.
· The loss at Midland on Sept. 7 seemed to inspire Concordia to reach a higher level. Since that defeat in five sets, the Bulldogs have won six matches in a row (without dropping a set) and have hit .366 during that stretch. The middles have been particularly effective over the win streak as Nordaker has hit .523 with 63 kills and Wiltfong has hit .487 with 43 kills. Named NAIA National Setter of the Week on Sept. 20, Bree Burtwistle has averaged 12.78 assists per set during the win streak, which has included triumphs over two ranked foes in then No. 13 College of Saint Mary and No. 14 Dordt.
· Nordaker is enjoying a monster season that should put her in serious consideration for All-America honors (along with at least a couple of her teammates). The Millard West High School alum has been on a tear. Her respective hitting percentages over the last seven matches are .382, .556, .545, .632, .647, .412 and .313. Impressively, Nordaker leads the team in kills from her spot in the middle at 189 for the season. She’s pushed her career totals to 754 kills and 280 blocks in 71 matches. Nordaker garnered second team all-conference honors in 2020 before moving up to the first team in 2021.
· The 7-1 GPAC record equals the conference mark the 2020 Bulldogs had after eight conference matches in the unique COVID-19 affected season. The 2015 and 2020 Concordia squads share the school record for most conference wins in a season with 12. The program is aiming to win the conference regular season championship for the first time since the first year of the GPAC, 2000. Under the direction of Ben and Angie Boldt, the 2019 and 2020 squads both placed third in the regular season while the 2021 team was the conference tournament runner up.
· Members of the team will tell you that the gaudy hitting percentages are about more than just the hitters that finish off the point. Concordia’s back row has taken a large step forward from a year ago as the likes of Rebecca Gebhardt and Lexie Kreizel have gotten more comfortable. Gebhardt immediately jumped into the libero role last season as a freshman. The Norfolk, Neb., native is the team leader with 264 digs (4.55 per set) on the year. Consistency on the first touch has helped Burtwistle dial up the correct teammate on the attack. Of course, Opfer is also heavily involved from a defensive perspective.
The opponents
Jamestown is a powerhouse program both within the GPAC and nationally. Since joining the GPAC beginning with the 2018 season, the Jimmies have recorded respective conference regular season place finishes of fifth, second, first and first. Head Coach Jon Hegerle led the ’21 team to an impressive 16-0 GPAC league mark. The 2021 Jamestown team went undefeated (35-0) all the way up until its national semifinal loss to Park University (Mo.). The current Jimmie team has two returning First Team All-GPAC players in right side Kalli Hegerle and outside hitter Anna Holen. Hegerle paces the team with 185 kills and is hitting .298. As a team, Jamestown is outhitting its opponents, .245 to .095, for the season. That hitting percentage ranks No. 9 nationally.
Dakota Wesleyan has made a massive leap forward in recent years as Head Coach Lindsay Wilber has taken the program to new heights. The 2021 Tiger team reached the national tournament, marking the program’s first appearance at nationals since 1990. The biggest star for DWU is junior middle blocker Ady Dwight, who has accumulated 305 kills (4.62 per set) while hitting .368 this season. She’s also totaled 69 blocks. The season profile for the Tigers includes two nonconference wins over top 25 foes, then No. 20 Columbia College (Mo.) and then No. 13 Montana Tech. DWU has also beaten then No. 8 Northwestern and then No. 13 College of Saint Mary within GPAC play.
Next week
The Bulldogs will play just one match next week – Saturday, Oct. 15 versus No. 7 Northwestern. Concordia is 6-0 at home this season.
Sixth-ranked Bulldogs cooled off by No. 2 Jimmies
Octorber 7, 2022
JAMESTOWN, N.D. – To this point, Jamestown remains a riddle that the Concordia University Volleyball program has been unable to solve. The second-ranked Jimmies blitzed the sixth-ranked Bulldogs in the first set and then won a hotly contested third set before running away with the fourth. Jamestown effectively neutralized Concordia’s national leading attack and triumphed, 25-11, 24-26, 27-25, 25-16, in North Dakota on Friday (Oct. 7) night.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad has fallen only twice this season with the defeats coming at the hands of teams currently ranked second and third, respectively, in the current NAIA national poll. The Bulldogs stand at 7-2 in league play (16-2 overall) as they slip two losses behind the Jimmies (19-1, 7-0 GPAC).
“They’re a great team. Credit to them,” Boldt said. “They served us tough and we weren’t quite as in-system as we have been all year. It’s definitely something that affected our offense for sure. Defensively, they’re a good team, so it’s tough to get kills against them. I thought their right side did a good job. We’ll take a look at the film, but we just have to get back to the basics and fundamentals.”
The aggressive serve game of Jamestown consistently threw Concordia off its game. The Bulldogs entered the night leading the NAIA with a hitting percentage of .296. However, they were held to an .066 percentage on Friday. Jamestown got 34 digs from back row stalwart Ellie Holen and it out-blocked Concordia, 9-3. Uncharacteristically, the Bulldogs committed 32 hitting errors.
In defeat, Concordia showed the type of mentality that has made it a tough team to beat. The Jimmies fired on all cylinders in the first set, but the Bulldogs responded by taking the second set. With the second knotted, 24-24, an attack error and a Cassidy Knust ace evened the match, 1-1. Down the stretch of the third set, Jamestown made the plays in fending off Concordia, which had come back to tie it, 24-24 and 25-25, after being down 17-10. That set concluded with Tenley Buddenhagen’s ace.
It wasn’t the result the Bulldogs had hoped for, but this is the competition they live for. Perhaps another shot at Jamestown will come later this season. Said Boldt, “I love playing these kinds of matches. They show you who you are. I’m proud we didn’t give up in the match. There were some hard-fought points in there, and we had great effort. We need to own it and get back to work.”
The Jimmies’ ability to keep the Bulldogs out of system made for a tough night on the attack for nearly everyone other than Carly Rodaway. The right side from Lincoln paced Concordia with 14 kills while hitting .367. In a rarity, Gabi Nordaker (seven kills and eight errors) and Camryn Opfer (six kills and 10 errors) both had more errors than kills. Opfer added 15 digs to her stat line. Meanwhile, Bree Burtwistle finished with 31 assists and 12 digs and Knust landed a pair of aces.
This is a monster weekend at home for Jamestown, which will also host No. 3 Midland on Saturday. The Jimmies got a match high 18 kills from Kalli Hegerle, who also posted 26 assists and 10 digs. Anna Holen put away 15 kills. The Jimmies did have 12 service errors, but the miscues were worth the tradeoff in their aggressive approach.
The weekend in the Dakotas will continue on Saturday with a 3 p.m. CT match at No. 15 Dakota Wesleyan (15-4, 6-3 GPAC). The Bulldogs managed to outlast the Tigers in five sets in last season’s meeting in Seward. Concordia will have to contend with star middle Ady Dwight, who entered the weekend averaging 4.65 kills per set.
Bulldogs upended at No. 15 DWU
October 8, 2022
MITCHELL, S.D. – Things unraveled after the sixth-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team let the first set slip through its fingers on Saturday (Oct. 8) in Mitchell, S.D. Host and 15th-ranked Dakota Wesleyan pounced and won it in three, 25-23, 25-23, 25-12, behind a 21-kill outing from Ady Dwight. The Tigers hit .385 as a team while completing an exhilarating weekend that included Friday’s win over No. 3 Midland.
It was a tough road trip for Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad, which lost in four sets at No. 2 Jamestown on Friday. All three losses for the Bulldogs (16-3, 7-3 GPAC) this season have come on the road against top 15 opponents. Said Boldt, “Dakota Wesleyan is a good team. They blocked well at the net. I am proud that we never gave up. We need to own this and go back to work and get better.”
Who knows how different Saturday’s match might have gone had Concordia found a way to finish off the first set. The opening set featured a stretch of three-straight aces from Bree Burtwistle and the Bulldogs found themselves leading 22-17 after a Kalee Wiltfong kill. Dakota Wesleyan responded with an 8-1 run punctuated by kills from Dwight for point Nos. 23, 24 and 25. The Tigers won another tight set in the second before running away with the third. DWU hit .517 in the third set (17 kills compared to two errors).
The Bulldogs hit .195 as a team. Three Concordia players reached double figures in kills: Camryn Opfer (11), Gabi Nordaker (10) and Carly Rodaway (10). The transfer from Fort Hays State University, Rodaway emerged as a bright spot this weekend. She also floored 14 kills at Jamestown. At setter, Burtwistle tallied 30 assists to go along with her three aces on Saturday. Rebecca Gebhardt led the team with 14 digs.
Dwight added four blocks to her stat line. DWU owned the block category, 10-3. Teammate Mackenzie Miller joined her double figures in kills with 11. Setter Madeline Else recorded 42 assists and Hanna Reiff posted 13 digs. The big-time weekend for the Tigers pushed their record to 16-4 overall (7-3 GPAC). DWU appears poised to make back-to-back national tournament appearances.
The Bulldogs will have a week to regroup while preparing to host No. 7 Northwestern (17-4, 7-3 GPAC) at 3 p.m. CT next Saturday (Oct. 15). Concordia went to Orange City, Iowa, last season and outlasted the Red Raiders in five sets. The Bulldogs own a 6-0 home record this season.
Week's lone match features home clash with No. 7 Northwestern
October 11, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – Following a tough weekend road trip to the Dakotas, the Concordia University Volleyball team has a chance to catch its breath in the middle of the week. The sixth-ranked Bulldogs are off until Saturday when they will host No. 7 Northwestern inside Friedrich Arena. Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad is regrouping after it dropped matches at No. 2 Jamestown (four sets) and at No. 15 Dakota Wesleyan (three sets). Those defeats were a blow to the team’s chances at winning a GPAC regular season title, but Concordia is holding down a tie for third place at 7-3 in the GPAC (16-3 overall).
This Week
Saturday, Oct. 15 vs. No. 7 Northwestern (17-4, 7-3 GPAC)
--Live Webcast/Stats | Location: Friedrich Arena (Seward, Neb.)
By the numbers
· In terms of national rankings, the Bulldogs will likely not budge much despite last week’s losses. In the latest GPAC poll released on Monday, Concordia stood at No. 3 behind Jamestown and Midland. The overall season profile remains strong for the Bulldogs, who have endured each of their three defeats on the road against top 15 opponents. Based on the NAIA coaches’ poll announced on Sept. 28, Concordia owns five wins over ranked foes: No. 8 Viterbo (Wis.), No. 12 Dordt, No. 18 College of Saint Mary, No. 23 Southern Oregon and No. 25 Texas Wesleyan. Another three top 25 matchups are left on the regular season schedule.
· The Bulldogs entered the match at Jamestown (Oct. 7) having won 18 consecutive sets. That streak was halted with the Jimmies dominating the opening set, 25-11, last week in North Dakota. To Concordia’s credit, it bounced back and won the second set, 26-24, with the final point coming on Cassidy Knust’s ace. Jamestown then won a close third set, 27-25, before controlling the fourth, 25-16. The Bulldogs were cooled off and hit .066 for the match. The Jimmies got a match high 18 kills from Kalli Hegerle and hit .249 as a team. The bright spot for Concordia was Carly Rodaway, who notched 14 kills and hit .367 from the right side.
· The match at Dakota Wesleyan (Oct. 8) turned in the first set when the Bulldogs were unable to close it out. They had led 22-17 before the Tigers went on an 8-1 run punctuated by kills from star middle Ady Dwight for point Nos. 23, 24 and 25. The home team went on to win a close second set, 25-23, before dominating the third, 25-12. Dwight had a field day in racking up 21 kills on the strength of a .486 hitting percentage. DWU outhit Concordia, .385 to .195. Three Bulldogs reached double figures in kills: Camryn Opfer (11), Gabi Nordaker (10) and Rodaway (10). Bree Burtwistle accumulated 30 assists and three aces.
· The pair of defeats resulted in the Bulldogs dropping out of the national lead in hitting percentage. The team’s season percentage fell from .296 to .273, which is still good for No. 2 in the NAIA behind Marian (.287). On the individual national leaderboards, Nordaker ranks eighth in hitting percentage (.362) and Burtwistle ranks fourth in assists per set (11.11). As for Opfer, she continues to increase her career totals. She enters the week with 1,128 kills and 1,158 digs in 106 career matches at Concordia. The next teammates in line in terms of career kills are Nordaker (771) and Wiltfong (725).
· It’s back to the friendly confines of Friedrich Arena, where the Bulldogs are 6-0 this season. Dating back to the end of 2021, Concordia has won nine-straight home matches. In the six home contests in 2022, the Bulldogs have hit .348 while averaging 15.39 kills per set. Meanwhile, their opponents have hit .100 with 9.56 kills per set. To this point, every home match has resulted in a win in three sets while up against McPherson (Kan.), Texas Wesleyan, Hastings, College of Saint Mary, Briar Cliff and Morningside.
The opponent
Since falling at home to Midland in four sets on Sept. 24, Northwestern has rattled off six wins in a row with each of them being decided in three sets. The Red Raiders will host Morningside on Wednesday before shifting focus to the match at Concordia on Saturday. Head Coach Kyle Van Den Bosch (18th season) has presided over a consistently high achieving program that his placed inside the NAIA top 10 eight times during his tenure. This year’s Northwestern edition is hitting .238 with 13.30 kills per set. The go-to hitters have been outsides Jazlin De Haan (251 kills) and Alysen Dexter (230 kills). The Red Raiders are poised to reach the national tournament for the 13th time under Van Den Bosch.
Next week
The Bulldogs will host Doane on Oct. 19 and then go on the road to play No. 18 College of Saint Mary on Oct. 22. Concordia will be seeking season sweeps of both opponents.
Bulldogs edge Red Raiders in top 10 matchup
October 16, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – Faced with only its third five-set match this season, the sixth-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team answered the call when it mattered most on Saturday (Oct. 15). The Bulldogs effectively shook off last weekend’s road trip up north and edged No. 7 Northwestern, 25-22, 23-25, 25-23, 22-25, 15-9, inside Friedrich Arena. Carly Rodaway hit .433 from the right side and emerged with big plays down the stretch for the victors.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad is a perfect 7-0 at home in 2022 and now stands at 17-3 overall (8-3 GPAC). Dating back to last season, Concordia has won 10 straight home matches.
“It was a really fun match back and forth between two evenly-matched teams,” Boldt said. “I thought we stuck together really well, kept our heads and stayed aggressive. It was a battle of adjustments. Sometimes you have to set up your block towards the line and then inside and mess around with your back row and where you put them. I thought our players executed when they needed to. The margins are small in these kinds of matches.”
It takes a helping of mental toughness and a side of grit to pull out these GPAC barn burners. It was anybody’s ballgame with the fifth-set score knotted, 8-8. Fifth-year senior Morgan Nibbe kickstarted the Bulldog run with a kill before Rodaway went wild. The Lincoln Pius X High School alum surfaced with a block for points 10 and 13 and then hammered a kill for No. 14. For match point, Camryn Opfer and Gabi Nordaker combined to stuff the Red Raider attack.
Rodaway finished with 15 kills. Three of her teammates joined her with double figures in kills: Ashley Keck (18), Opfer (13) and Nordaker (12). Meanwhile, Bree Burtwistle notched 52 assists and four Bulldogs reached 14 or more digs: Rebecca Gebhardt (20), Burtwistle (17), Opfer (17) and Lexie Kreizel (14). The totals were reflective of the closeness of the match as Concordia owned slight advantages in hitting percentage, .232 to .217, and kills, 69-63.
Gebhardt and her teammates simply got back to work after dropping two matches on the road last weekend. Said Gebhardt, “We worked a lot on communication and connections. We can all play great every day, and we just need to go out there and play great and lean into each other when things are going bad. That’s what we focused on.”
Added Boldt, “Our out-of-system setting is something we’ve been focusing on. It’s a two-way street. The set’s got to be good and the attacker has to drive to the ball … We were pretty sharp down the stretch. Kudos to our players for being focused and being able to get back their (in service) and nail it out.”
This one was drawn out about as long as it could have been considering both teams scored at least 22 points through each of the first four sets. Northwestern (18-5, 8-4 GPAC) had carried a seven-match win streak into the contest. Star outside hitter Alysen Dexter paced the Red Raiders with 19 kills (to go along with 14 digs). Jazlin De Haan and Bekah Horstman totaled 16 kills apiece.
The Bulldogs will remain at home this Wednesday as they entertain Doane (8-21, 1-11 GPAC) inside Friedrich Arena. First serve of the varsity match is set for 7:30 p.m. CT (junior varsity at 6 p.m.). The two sides met in Crete on Sept. 14 with the result being a Concordia win in straight sets, 25-18, 25-22, 25-19. Having been eliminated from GPAC tournament contention, the Tigers will be playing the role of spoiler down the stretch.
Bulldogs ready for repeat matchups with Doane, No. 13 CSM
October 17, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – The sixth-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team is down to five remaining matches in the 2022 regular season. The Bulldogs are readying for action this week against two repeat conference opponents: Doane and No. 13 College of Saint Mary. Concordia beat both foes in straight sets in mid-September action. Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad is coming off a five-set home win over No. 7 Northwestern. The Bulldogs had the middle of last week off following a long road trip up to the Dakotas. They enter the week with an overall record of 17-3 (8-3 GPAC).
This Week
Wednesday, Oct. 19 vs. Doane (8-21, 1-11 GPAC), 7:30 p.m.
--Live Webcast/Stats | 104.9 Max Country | Location: Friedrich Arena (Seward, Neb.)
Saturday, Oct. 22 at No. 13 College of Saint Mary (17-5, 7-5 GPAC), 3 p.m.
--Live Webcast | Location: Lied Fitness Center (Omaha, Neb.)
By the numbers
· Despite the losses at No. 2 Jamestown (four sets) and at then 15th-ranked Dakota Wesleyan (three sets) on the weekend of Oct. 7-8, the Bulldogs did not budge in last week’s NAIA coaches’ poll. The No. 6 landing spot again ties a program record for its best ever national ranking. As for the GPAC standings, Concordia sits behind Jamestown (9-1) and Midland (9-2) and is tied with Dakota Wesleyan (8-3) for third place. Seven GPAC teams continue to be ranked in the top 25 with five holding down spots in the NAIA top 10: No. 2 Jamestown, No. 5 Midland, No. 6 Concordia, No. 7 Northwestern and No. 10 Dakota Wesleyan.
· Hopes of an undefeated home record for the 2022 season remain alive following the five-set squeaker over the seventh-ranked Red Raiders. The Bulldogs are 7-0 at Friedrich Arena this season and own a 10-match home win streak dating back to last season. Over seven home matches this fall, Concordia has won six times in straight sets and has hit .322 and has averaged 15.04 kills per set. Meanwhile, opponents have hit .127 with 10.22 kills per set when playing on the home court of the Bulldogs.
· The Bulldogs have found a way to defeat the Red Raiders in five sets in back-to-back meetings. Concordia also won in five in Orange City, Iowa, in 2021. In the latest meeting, there was never any breathing room for either side as both teams scored in the 20s in each of the first four sets. It was also an 8-8 deadlock in the fifth set before the Bulldogs pulled away with the help of some clutch play by Carly Rodaway (15 kills and a .433 hitting percentage on the day). The Lincoln Pius X High School alum surfaced with a block for points 10 and 13 and then hammered a kill for No. 14. For match point, Camryn Opfer and Gabi Nordaker combined to stuff the Red Raider attack. For the match, Concordia narrowly outhit Northwestern, .232 to .217.
· The Bulldogs continue to rank No. 2 nationally in overall season hitting percentage (.270). Marian University (Ind.) leads the nation with a clip of .281. Other GPAC schools in the top 25 nationally in hitting percentage are Jamestown (third – .269), Northwestern (10th – .240) and Dakota Wesleyan (25th – .224). Five Concordia hitters have produced more than 120 kills this season: Nordaker (218), Opfer (193), Rodaway (190), Ashley Keck (173) and Kalee Wiltfong (129). As the quarterback of the attack, Bree Burtwistle ranks fifth nationally in assists per set (11.06). Nordaker is listed eighth nationally in hitting percentage (.349).
· Concordia needs only one more win to clinch an above .500 GPAC league record for the fourth year in a row – a feat that means something in the NAIA’s toughest volleyball conference. Since the start of the 2019 season, Ben and Angie Boldt have guided the program to conference marks of 11-5 in 2019, 12-3 in 2020, 9-7 in 2021 and 8-3 so far in 2022. The 12 wins in ’20 equaled a program record for most league wins in a season. The goal of winning a GPAC championship remains in place after Concordia finished as last season’s conference tournament runner up.
The opponents
Doane got on the board with its first GPAC win of 2022 when it defeated Briar Cliff in four sets this past Saturday. The Tigers will be on the road four three of their final four matches in the regular season and then will be finished for the fall (eliminated from GPAC tournament qualification). Doane is hitting .171 and averaging 11.48 kills per set this season while its opponents are hitting .214 with 13.57 kills per set. Head Coach Jenna Jones is in her third season leading a program that qualified for the national tournament as recently as 2016. The team’s most prolific attacker has been Taylor Sluka with 319 kills (.233 hitting percentage).
College of Saint Mary appears poised to make a third straight national tournament appearance. In his sixth season leading the program, Rick Pruett has made the Flames a consistent winner. The Flames are 4-1 over their last five matches with the lone defeat during the stretch being a five-set decision versus No. 2 Jamestown. Makenna Freeman (224 kills) paces the team in kills while the back row is anchored by reigning GPAC Libero of the Year Rachel Cushing. CSM is hitting .210 with 13.76 kills per set and limiting opponents to .150 hitting with 11.11 kills per set.
Next week
The Bulldogs will host Mount Marty on Oct. 26 and then play at Hastings on Oct. 29. A rematch with No. 5 Midland is looming on Nov. 1.
Attack Dawgs overwhelm rival Doane
October 20, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – The attack was back to operating at overwhelming efficiency. The sixth-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team swatted 53 kills on Wednesday (Oct. 19) while dispatching of visiting Doane, 25-12, 25-13, 25-17, in a match that lasted little more than an hour. It was a ghoulish way to treat the visitors on an evening when Bulldog fans fashioned their favorite Halloween costumes. Even parents of the players got in on the fun.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad moved its record to 18-3 overall (9-3 GPAC) while pushing the home win streak to 11. Concordia earned a season sweep of the Tigers.
“I thought we played clean and I thought we served really well,” Boldt said. “I don’t remember there being a non-purposeful serving error. Our transition game was good – we played like a team. (Morgan) Nibbe did great (as a starting middle). The thing about Nibbe is she always brings the effort and the energy. If you’re around Nibbe, you’re just going to get more energized.”
The Bulldogs dictated play, posting respective kill totals by set of 20, 17 and 16. Concordia had the advantage in every facet of the match as Doane managed only 24 kills (.140 hitting percentage) for the evening. The back row for Concordia (50 digs) set the tone and helped put setter Bree Burtwistle in prime positions to unleash the team’s powerful attack. Three Bulldogs reached double figures in kills: Carly Rodaway (13), Gabi Nordaker (11) and Camryn Opfer (11). Nordaker hit a sizzling .588 from the middle and Rodaway bombed away at a .429 clip from the right side.
It was a match that showed Concordia has the depth to overcome personnel losses. Nibbe stepped into the starting lineup with Kalee Wiltfong sidelined. Wiltfong left the five-set win over Northwestern early due to injury. Nibbe contributed five kills on Wednesday as one of seven Bulldogs with multiple kills.
Said Boldt, “We talk a lot about working off the net so we can put ourselves in good position when we go to attack. I thought we did that. I thought our first contact allowed us to kind of set anybody. It’s tough to defend that.”
On the season, Rodaway went past 200 kills and his hitting .290 from the right side. She also played a major role in this past Saturday’s victory over Northwestern. Said Rodaway, “The coaches have really been pushing me on widening my toolbox. I’ve been working on every single shot that I can and having as many options on the court to hit at.”
Burtwistle amassed 38 assists while quarterbacking an offense that hit .420. She also chipped in eight digs and four kills. Four Bulldogs had at least eight digs: Rebecca Gebhardt (14), Opfer (nine), Burtwistle and Lexie Kreizel (eight). Burtwistle and Opfer contributed two aces apiece. On the outside, Ashley Keck hit .500 with seven kills.
Doane (8-22, 1-12 GPAC) had already been eliminated from GPAC tournament qualification, but it gained some momentum last week when it beat Briar Cliff for its first GPAC win of the season. The Tigers got a team high six kills from Kirsten Bures on Wednesday. It just wasn’t enough to give Concordia a serious push in any of the three sets.
The Bulldogs will be on the road on Saturday for a rematch with 13th-ranked College of Saint Mary (17-5, 7-5 GPAC). First serve of the varsity match is set for 3 p.m. CT from the Lied Fitness Center in Omaha. Concordia won this season’s first meeting with the Flames, 25-14, 26-24, 25-13, in Seward. The Bulldogs won at CSM in last season’s GPAC semifinals.
Strong blocking keys season sweep of No. 13 CSM
October 22, 2022
OMAHA, Neb. – It was a week of season sweeps for the sixth-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team. Coming off a dominant home win over Doane, the Bulldogs put together perhaps their best blocking performance of 2022 while taking out No. 13 College of Saint Mary, 25-18, 25-18, 25-13, in Omaha, Neb., on Saturday (Oct. 22). Concordia managed to stamp out the Flames in straight sets in both of their 2022 regular season meetings.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad remained in a tie for third place in the GPAC standings at 10-3 in conference play (19-3 overall). Jamestown (12-1) and Midland (11-2) are the top two teams in the standings with three matches left in the regular season.
“We blocked really well today,” Boldt said. “Especially when they were in system, we had some good blocks. That took them out of their comfort zone and put us at an advantage. That was really cool to see.
“I think College of Saint Mary made some adjustments (from the previous meeting with us). They were coming off a good match with Jamestown, so we saw film of them playing really well. We set up our gameplan for what we wanted to do, and I thought we executed it really well. The message for our team was to keep it day-by-day. That’s one of our core values.”
The match Boldt referenced was the Flames’ five-set home defeat to No. 2 Jamestown a week earlier. At least this season, the Bulldogs have had CSM’s number. The latest matchup saw Concordia outhit the Flames, .289 to .128, and run away with the third set. The Bulldogs ruled the block category, 10-3, behind six total blocks from Gabi Nordaker (two solos). Morgan Nibbe also contributed to four blocks in stifling the Flame attack.
None of the three sets were particularly close down the stretch. Set points came via Camryn Opfer’s kill in the first, Bree Burtwistle’s ace in the second and Ashley Keck’s kill in the third. CSM did manage to even the second set at 17-17 before Concordia went on an 8-1 run that saw Keck put away two kills and get in on a block. On the other side of the net, Flames’ kills leader Makenna Freeman was limited to four kills.
Keck amassed a match high 14 kills on .289 hitting from the outside. It was an all-around fine match for Opfer, who totaled 10 kills, 16 digs, two blocks and an ace while hitting .476. Seven kills apiece were chipped in by Nibbe, Nordaker and Carly Rodaway. Meanwhile, Burtwistle notched 38 assists, 11 digs and three aces and Rebecca Gebhardt supplied 13 digs. Six Bulldogs contributed to the team’s block total. As for Nibbe, she took advantage of starting opportunities this week as Kalee Wiltfong was sidelined.
The Bulldogs will be at home for two of their final three regular season matches. Coming up this Wednesday, Concordia will host Mount Marty (6-17, 1-12 GPAC) at 7:30 p.m. CT from Friedrich Arena. The Bulldogs and Lancers met in Yankton, S.D., on Sept. 21 with the result being a Concordia win in straight sets. Mount Marty’s lone conference win occurred at Doane back on Sept. 7.
No. 6 Concordia to face Mount Marty, Hastings in this week's action
October 24, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – The postseason is nearing, but the sixth-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team must first focus on this week’s challenges. The Bulldogs will host Mount Marty on Wednesday and then make the short drive to Hastings on Saturday. Both foes are sides that Concordia has beaten already this season. On the line will be GPAC standings positioning. The Bulldogs are still mathematically alive for a GPAC regular season title as they enter this week at 10-3 in league play (19-3 overall). Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad is currently tied for third place in the GPAC.
This Week
Wednesday, Oct. 26 vs. Mount Marty (6-17, 1-12 GPAC), 7:30 p.m.
--Live Webcast/Stats | 104.9 Max Country | Location: Friedrich Arena (Seward, Neb.)
*Pink out in support of breast cancer awareness
Saturday, Oct. 29 at Hastings (18-10, 7-6 GPAC), 1 p.m.
--Live Webcast | | Live Stats | Location: Lynn Farrell Arena (Hastings, Neb.)
By the numbers
· Reaching 10 conference wins is a significant accomplishment within the GPAC, the NAIA’s best volleyball league. The Bulldog program has now attained the feat three of the past four seasons with GPAC marks of 11-5 in 2019, 12-3 in 2020, 9-7 in 2021 and 10-3 in 2022. Though the ’21 team just missed double-digit GPAC wins, it went on to advance to the GPAC tournament championship match. The school record for conference wins in a single season remains 12, a total achieved by both the 2015 and 2020 teams. The current squad would break that record if it wins the remainder of its regular season matches.
· In Ben Boldt’s mind, the two statistics most telling of a team’s dominance are hitting percentage and blocks. With last week’s strong performances on the attack, the Bulldogs remain at No. 2 nationally in hitting percentage (.276) behind only Marian University (Ind.). As for its blocking, Concordia ranks 94th nationally with an average of 1.76 blocks per set. The hitting percentage is especially impressive when considering that the Bulldogs have played a schedule that Massey Ratings judges to be the fourth most challenging in the NAIA.
· In last week’s action, Concordia earned season sweeps of both Doane and No. 13 College of Saint Mary. The Bulldogs defeated the Tigers at home, 25-12, 25-13, 25-17, and then took care of the Flames on the road, 25-18, 25-18, 25-13. Over the two wins, Concordia hit a combined .348 with an average of 16.67 kills per set. Five Bulldogs notched at least 12 kills for the week: Ashley Keck (21), Camryn Opfer (21), Carly Rodaway (20), Gabi Nordaker (18) and Morgan Nibbe (12). Concordia put together one of its best blocking performances of the season in the win at CSM as it led that category, 10-3. Nibbe started both matches last week in the absence of Kalee Wiltfong.
· With a combined 76 assists last week, Bree Burstwistle bumped up to No. 3 on the NAIA national leaderboard for assists per set at 11.20. Burtwistle is one of a group of Bulldogs who seem likely to garner all-conference mention and perhaps even All-America consideration. Teammate Gabi Nordaker ranks eighth nationally in hitting percentage (.356). The team’s most well-rounded player, Camryn Opfer has run her career totals to 1,162 kills, 1,200 digs, 154 blocks and 58 aces in 109 matches. The next highest career kill totals on the team belong to Nordaker (801) and Wiltfong (730).
· A new national poll is set to be released on Wednesday. In the five NAIA coaches’ polls released so far in 2022, Concordia has landed respective rankings of 11th, 10th, eighth, sixth and sixth. The No. 6 spot remains the high-water mark in the history of the program. The Bulldogs are looking to make it four years in a row with top 25 national finishes. Under Boldt, the Bulldogs garnered final postseason national rankings of 14th in 2019, eighth in 2020 and sixth in 2021.
The opponents
Mount Marty enters the week with a 13-match losing streak that followed its straight sets win over York College on Sept. 13. The Lancers came close to a victory at Briar Cliff on Oct. 8 in what amounted to a five-set defeat. Head Coach Belen Albertos’ squad has been eliminated from GPAC tournament contention but has shown signs of improvement this fall. In 23 matches this season, the Lancers are hitting .127 with an average of 11.38 kills per set. Their opponents are hitting .189 with 12.11 kills per set. The team’s most prolific attack has been Jadie DeLange with 209 kills. Concordia defeated Mount Marty in Yankton, 25-23, 25-13, 25-16, on Sept. 21.
Hastings will host Doane on Wednesday before welcoming the Bulldogs to town on Saturday. The Broncos will be in search of a quality win that can help bolster their national tournament resume. Hastings owns wins this season over two teams ranked in the current NAIA top 10: No. 5 Midland and No. 10 Dakota Wesleyan. Through 28 matches this season, Hastings is hitting .216 with an average of 12.79 kills per set compared to figures of .172 and 11.90 for its opponents. Head Coach Alex Allard is in her fourth season leading the program. Concordia defeated the Broncos in Seward, 25-20, 25-20, 25-12, on Aug. 31.
Next week
The regular season will come to a close on Tuesday, Nov. 1 when the Bulldogs will welcome No. 5 Midland to Friedrich Arena.
Burtwistle earns GPAC and NAIA national setter of the week honors for second time
October 25, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – Facilitator for one of the nation’s top offensive teams, Concordia University Volleyball’s Bree Burtwistle has been named the NAIA National Setter of the Week and the GPAC Hauff/Mid-America Sports Setter of the Week, as announced on Tuesday (Oct. 25). The awards are based on Burtwistle’s performances last week in wins over Doane and No. 13 College of Saint Mary. Back on Sept. 20, Burtwistle was also recognized as the GPAC and NAIA National Setter of the Week.
The Stanton, Neb., native Burtwistle quarterbacks an offense that ranks No. 2 nationally with a hitting percentage of .276. In last week’s action, Burtwistle totaled 76 assists (12.67 per set), 19 digs, five kills, five aces and two blocks as the Bulldogs defeated both Doane and CSM in straight sets. For the week, Concordia hit .348 and averaged 16.67 kills per set. Burtwistle’s setting resulted in four of her teammates racking up 18 or more kills over the two victories. On the season, Burtwistle ranks No. 3 among all NAIA setters with an average of 11.20 assists per set.
Burtwistle and the sixth-ranked Bulldogs (19-3, 10-3 GPAC) will host Mount Marty on Wednesday in what will be a “pink out” in support of breast cancer awareness. First serve is set for 7:30 p.m. CT from Friedrich Arena.
Home win streak grows to 12 with rout of Mount Marty
October 27, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – This was simply the latest example of how the Concordia University Volleyball team zeroes in on each match, no matter the opponent’s record. The fifth-ranked Bulldogs used a .315 hitting percentage and seven blocks in the process of making it an early night, 25-16, 25-16, 25-14, in Wednesday (Oct. 26)’s matchup with visiting Mount Marty. The Concordia program hosted its “pink out” in support of breast cancer awareness as part of the evening’s festivities.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad moved to 20-3 overall (11-3 GPAC) while retaining third place in the conference standings with two matches left in the regular season. The Bulldogs also bumped their home win streak to 12.
“I thought our focus was good,” Boldt said. “We need to continue to diversify our offense and run some different things. I thought early in the match they were getting kills off of our blocking hands. That was the challenge I gave them after that first timeout in the first set: let’s limit their kills off our hands. That’s always something that establishes what your defense is – we’re going to continue to work on that.”
The attack surely was diversified in terms of the way hitting opportunities were dispersed. Three Concordia players notched at least 10 kills: Camryn Opfer (12), Gabi Nordaker (11) and Morgan Nibbe (10). Nibbe smoldered in the middle while hitting .643 (one error in 14 attacks). On the outside, Ashley Keck posted seven kills. NAIA National Setter of the Week Bree Burtwistle racked up 34 more assists.
The Bulldogs were not seriously challenged in any of the three sets. The Lancers managed to make a bit of a push in the opening set when they closed within 16-14. With Opfer serving, Concordia went on a 6-0 run that helped set the tone for the rest of the evening. Defensively, the Bulldogs were solid in their blocking and also amassed 55 digs, including a team high 16 from libero Rebecca Gebhardt. Mount Marty (6-18, 1-13 GPAC) was held to an .095 hitting percentage. Nordaker registered three block solos (five total blocks) in leading the charge at the net.
A fifth-year member of the program, Nibbe is taking full advantage of her opportunities. Said Boldt, “I think Morgan Nibbe’s done a good job of making herself available, and I thought she kept the ball in front of her. It allowed her to hit different shots tonight.”
The Red Cloud, Neb., native Nibbe has been part of a transformation inside the program. Nibbe came back to be part of something special. Said Nibbe, “It’s always been the girls that I’ve done it for – that’s the reason I came back. These girls are something special. I’ve never had a team like this come together before. It’s almost come full circle. It’s really amazing.”
Mount Marty got a team high eight kills from Alexis Kirkman. As a team, the visitors from Yankton, S.D., posted six blocks. The Lancers’ lone GPAC win this season came over Doane back on Sept. 7.
The final road match of the regular season will come on Saturday with the Bulldogs headed to Hastings (19-10, 8-6 GPAC) for a 1 p.m. CT varsity clash with the Broncos. The two sides met in Seward on Aug. 31 when Concordia came away with a 25-20, 25-20, 25-12, victory. The Bulldogs have gone 5-3 this season in true road matches.
Bulldogs out-block Broncos, earn season sweep of Hastings
October 29, 2022
HASTINGS, Neb. – Hastings had beaten both Dakota Wesleyan and Midland on its home court, so the fifth-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team understood what it was up against on the road on Saturday (Oct. 29). The Bulldogs effectively maneuvered around the stout Bronco block, hit .331 on the afternoon and swept away Hastings, 25-11, 25-17, 25-21, inside Lynn Farrell Arena. Three Concordia players produced at least 10 kills in the usual balanced performance.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad has won five consecutive matches to move to 21-3 overall (12-3 GPAC) with one match left in the regular season. The Bulldogs remain in third place in the league standings.
“We came out and executed the game plan,” Boldt said. “We set up our defense in a way that took Hastings out of its comfort zone. They made some hitting errors initially but then they made some adjustments. There were adjustments back and forth, and our team did a really good job of executing.”
At least on this day, Concordia was the superior blocking team and owned a 13-4 advantage in that category. The Bulldogs blocked five Hastings attacks in the first set alone as they set the tone for the day. Four Concordia individuals registered at least three blocks on Saturday: Gabi Nordaker (six), Morgan Nibbe (five), Carly Rodaway (four) and Camryn Opfer (three). Their efforts helped the Bulldogs run away with the first two sets before a more competitive third. It was 21-21 before Concordia went on a 4-0 run capped by Bree Burtwistle’s ace.
On the attack, Ashley Keck (11), Opfer (10) and Nordaker (10) each supplied at least 10 kills, all while hitting better than .340. The reigning NAIA National Setter of the Week Burtwistle tallied 37 assists, nine digs and two aces. In the back row, Rebecca Gebhardt cleaned up with 21 digs while Opfer chipped in with 13 digs. Their steady defensive work played a role in Hastings hitting .060 for the match. The percentage was in the red (seven kills and nine errors) in the opening set.
With a 2-0 week that included sweeps of both Mount Marty and Hastings, the Bulldogs have moved back to No. 1 nationally in hitting percentage at .280.
Said Boldt, “In practice this week we had some big blocks set up to simulate what we would see. We talked about having our feet in the right spot so we could hit high shots. That was another piece of the execution that I thought we did well. I thought we were very diverse in our offense. It wasn’t just the same attack we were coming at them with. If something went wrong for us, we would come at them with something different. I was just really proud with how we played the game.”
The Broncos (19-11, 8-7 GPAC) were paced by the 12 kills from Majesta Valasek. Hastings star outside Marlee Taylor was limited to just a single kill (compared to three errors). Miriam Miller posted 19 digs for the Broncos, who were just two spots out of the NAIA top 25 in the latest coaches’ poll. Hastings endured two straight-sets losses this regular season to Concordia.
The Bulldogs will close the regular season on Tuesday by welcoming fourth-ranked Midland (23-3, 13-2 GPAC) to Friedrich Arena for a 7:30 p.m. CT varsity first serve. The first Concordia-Midland meeting this season was a nailbiter won by the Warriors in Fremont in five sets (fifth set score of 16-14). A win for the Bulldogs on Tuesday would pull them into a tie for second place in the GPAC’s final regular season standings.
Top five battle to wrap up regular season on Tuesday
October 30, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – One of the more anticipated matches of the regular season will mark the end of the regular season. The fifth-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team will host No. 4 Midland on Tuesday night as the two rivals go head-to-head for the second time this season. If this match is anything like the first one, fans are in for a treat. The meeting in Fremont on Sept. 7 resulted in a five-set win for the Warriors, who took the fifth set, 16-14. Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad (23-3, 12-3 GPAC) will pull itself into a tie for second place in the final GPAC standings if it can defeat Midland.
This Week
Tuesday, Nov. 1 vs. No. 4 Midland (23-3, 13-2 GPAC), 7:30 p.m.
--Live Webcast/Stats | 104.9 Max Country | Location: Friedrich Arena (Seward, Neb.)
Saturday, Nov. 4 vs. TBD (GPAC Quarterfinals), 7:30 p.m.
--Live Webcast/Stats | 104.9 Max Country | Location: Friedrich Arena (Seward, Neb.)
By the numbers
· With the release of the NAIA coaches’ poll on Oct. 26, the Bulldogs garnered the highest ranking in the history of the program. Concordia landed at No. 5 after having slotted in at No. 6 four times previously over the past two years. In the six NAIA coaches’ polls released so far in 2022, The Bulldogs have attained respective rankings of 11th, 10th, eighth, sixth, sixth and fifth. Concordia is looking to make it four years in a row with top 25 national finishes. Under Boldt, the Bulldogs garnered final postseason national rankings of 14th in 2019, eighth in 2020 and sixth in 2021. Concordia is one of only four NAIA volleyball programs that have reached bracket play at the national tournament in each of the past three seasons. Five of the current nine teams in the national rankings are from the GPAC: No. 2 Jamestown, No. 4 Midland, No. 5 Concordia, No. 6 Northwestern and No. 9 Dakota Wesleyan.
· Two matches last week with hitting percentages north of .300 has put the Bulldogs back on top of the national leaderboard in hitting percentage at .280. The rest of the top five features Marian (.269), Jamestown (.265), Missouri Baptist (.256) and Park-Gilbert (.256). Concordia has hit for a high efficiency while led by Bree Burtwistle and her average of 11.24 assists per set. Burtwistle has helped four teammates rack up more than 200 kills this season: Gabi Nordaker (257), Camryn Opfer (236), Carly Rodaway (220) and Ashley Keck (212). Defensively, the Bulldogs have limited their opponents to .161 hitting behind 79 blocks from Nordaker and 383 digs from Rebecca Gebhardt.
· As part of last week’s action, the Bulldogs earned regular season sweeps of Mount Marty and Hastings. In the two victories, Concordia hit .323 with an average of 16.0 kills per set while limiting opponents to .077 hitting and 9.33 kills per set. Last week’s combined individual leaders by category were Opfer in kills (22), Morgan Nibbe in hitting percentage (.469), Nordaker in blocks (11), Burtwistle in assists (71) and aces (three) and Gebhardt in digs (37). Nibbe has taken advantage of increased playing time with Kalee Wiltfong missing four straight matches due to injury. Nibbe has totaled 29 kills and nine blocks over those four matches.
· The Seward High School product Opfer is moving up the ladder on the program’s all-time lists. She currently sports school career rankings of sixth in digs (1,219) and seventh in kills (1,184). Opfer is creeping up on Darcy Lindner (1,204 kills) and Renae Beikmann (1,223) on the kills list. Opfer is enjoying another fine season with totals of 236 kills, 282 digs and 32 blocks to go along with a .226 hitting percentage from the outside. The next highest career kill totals on the current team are owned by Nordaker (822) and Wiltfong (730). In last week’s action, Nordaker surpassed 300 career blocks (now at 307).
· Based on the current top 25, Concordia owns wins over the following ranked teams: No. 6 Northwestern, No. 7 Viterbo (Wis.), No. 12 College of Saint Mary (two), No. 22 Dordt and No. 23 Texas Wesleyan. According to Massey Ratings, the Bulldogs have played the NAIA’s fourth most challenging schedule. While Concordia is out of the running for the GPAC regular season title, it will have another shot at a championship during the postseason. Considering the Bulldogs’ positioning in the national rankings, they are a lock to qualify for the national tournament for the fifth time in program history.
The opponents
Midland enters the final match of the regular season with a shot at sharing the GPAC regular season title. For that to happen, the Warriors must win inside Friedrich Arena and have second-ranked Jamestown fall at No. 9 Dakota Wesleyan. Head Coach Paul Giesselmann’s program has enjoyed another elite season and has been ranked as high as No. 1 in the NAIA coaches’ poll. The team’s most decorated players in terms of accolades are All-Americans in setter Hope Leimbach and outside hitter Taliyah Flores. Leimbach ranks second nationally in assists per set (11.71). On the season, Midland is hitting .204 while averaging 13.62 kills and 2.14 blocks per set. Its opponents are hitting .131 while averaging 10.33 kills and 2.66 blocks per set.
Concordia’s opponent in the GPAC quarterfinals on Saturday will be known by the conclusion of the regular season on Tuesday night.
GPAC tournament
Dates for the GPAC tournament are Nov. 5 for the quarterfinals, Nov. 9 for the semifinals and Nov. 12 for the championship match. The Bulldogs will be seeking to return to the title match for a second year in a row.
Home win streak interrupted by Midland in top five clash
November 1, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – For the first time in the history of the program, Concordia University Volleyball hosted a matchup between top five combatants. Unfortunately, arch nemesis Midland spoiled the evening on a night that was more about blocking and gritty defensive play than it was about thunderous attacks. The fifth-ranked Bulldogs were limited to 31 kills for the evening on Tuesday (Nov. 1) as the No. 4 Warriors emerged with the win, 25-20, 25-23, 25-23, in Seward.
This marked the final night of regular season action across the GPAC. The defeat puts Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad at 21-4 overall (12-4 GPAC) heading into the conference tournament. Concordia finished third in the regular season standings.
“We didn’t play our best game. They were a little bit more aggressive,” Boldt said. “Our message was to stay aggressive. I thought we were trying to do that, but we didn’t have the rhythm tonight. In the third set when it was point-for-point – that’s kind of how it was all night – we weren’t making things happen. That was the message, ‘We’ve got to make things happen here.’ We started doing it in the last 15 points there. I thought our energy got a lot better and I was proud of how they finished, but we have to start that sooner.”
The Bulldogs had to be at the top of their game to take out an opponent like Midland. However, Concordia’s NAIA top-ranked offensive attack (in terms of hitting percentage) didn’t operate with the surgical precision it has most of the fall. The Warriors (24-3, 14-2 GPAC) certainly had something to do with that as they collected 48 digs and seven blocks. It was a bit of a sign of things to come when the Bulldogs had more hitting errors (12) than kills (11) in the opening set.
Concordia hung in there in each set because of its blocking and overall strong defensive performance. The Bulldogs piled up 13 blocks and did not relinquish a single service ace. Four Concordia players were in on multiple blocks: Carly Rodaway (four), Gabi Nordaker (four), Camryn Opfer (four) and Kalee Wiltfong (two). It just wasn’t quite enough to overcome some ugly hitting percentages. In the back row for Midland, Delanie Vallinch (15 digs) and Taliyah Flores (12 digs) did the job.
Opfer led Concordia with nine kills to go along with 12 digs and four blocks. Nordaker notched eight kills and was limited to .087 hitting. In her return from an injury, Wiltfong started the match and contributed three kills. Setter Bree Burtwistle notched 29 assists, 10 digs and one ace.
Midland ended a 12-match home win streak for the Bulldogs, who had yet to lose on their home court in 2022. The Warriors got double figures in kills from Flores (13) and Abbey Ringler (12). All-American setter Hope Leimbach accumulated 42 assists, nine digs and a block. Midland entered the night with a chance to move into a tie for first place in the final GPAC standings. Because No. 2 Jamestown won at No. 9 Dakota Wesleyan, the Warriors will be the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament.
Under the Boldts, Concordia has typically bounced back quickly after a loss. It will try to do the same following Tuesday’s defeat. Said Boldt, “We accept who we are right now and continue to get better. That’s where we’re at.”
Postseason play is up next. As the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament, the Bulldogs will host sixth-seeded College of Saint Mary (19-7, 9-7 GPAC) in the quarterfinal round at 7:30 p.m. CT on Saturday. Concordia placed as the 2021 GPAC tournament runner up. The Bulldogs swept both 2022 regular season meetings from the Flames.
2022 GPAC volleyball quarterfinal preview: Concordia vs. CSM
Novermber 2, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – It’s time for the postseason. With the postseason comes a second opportunity to win a conference championship. The fifth-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team garnered the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament and will host sixth-seeded College of Saint Mary on Saturday in the GPAC quarterfinals. This will mark the third meeting this season between the two sides. Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad took both regular season matchups in straight sets. The Bulldogs enter the tournament at 21-4 overall (12-4 GPAC).
GPAC Quarterfinals
Saturday, Nov. 5 vs. No. 12 College of Saint Mary (19-7, 9-7 GPAC), 7:30 p.m.
--Live Webcast/Stats | 104.9 Max Country | Location: Friedrich Arena (Seward, Neb.)
--Admission: $10 for adults/senior citizens, $3 for K-12; only those with NAIA passes and GPAC student ID’s are admitted free of charge.
By the numbers
· With the release of the NAIA coaches’ poll on Oct. 26, the Bulldogs garnered the highest ranking in the history of the program. Concordia landed at No. 5 after having slotted in at No. 6 four times previously over the past two years. In the six NAIA coaches’ polls released so far in 2022, The Bulldogs have attained respective rankings of 11th, 10th, eighth, sixth, sixth and fifth. Concordia is looking to make it four years in a row with top 25 national finishes. Under Boldt, the Bulldogs garnered final postseason national rankings of 14th in 2019, eighth in 2020 and sixth in 2021. Concordia is one of only four NAIA volleyball programs that have reached bracket play at the national tournament in each of the past three seasons. Five of the current nine teams in the national rankings are from the GPAC: No. 2 Jamestown, No. 4 Midland, No. 5 Concordia, No. 6 Northwestern and No. 9 Dakota Wesleyan.
· Two matches last week with hitting percentages north of .300 helped put the Bulldogs back on top of the national leaderboard in hitting percentage. An off night on Tuesday in the loss to No. 4 Midland dropped Concordia’s season hitting percentage to .271 (still good for No. 1 nationally). The NAIA top five in hitting percentage includes Marian (.269), Jamestown (.269), Missouri Baptist (.258) and Park-Gilbert (.256). Concordia has hit for a high efficiency while led by Bree Burtwistle and her average of 11.19 assists per set. Burtwistle has helped four teammates rack up more than 200 kills this season: Gabi Nordaker (265), Camryn Opfer (245), Carly Rodaway (223) and Ashley Keck (217). Defensively, the Bulldogs have limited their opponents to .160 hitting behind 83 blocks from Nordaker and 389 digs from Rebecca Gebhardt.
· In the regular season finale on Tuesday versus Midland, the Bulldogs were playing with a chance to earn the No. 2 seed in the GPAC tournament. Unfortunately, the Warriors held Concordia to .048 hitting and emerged from Seward with the win, 25-20, 25-23, 25-23. That result snapped a 12-match home winning streak for the Bulldogs. The positive takeaway from the match was Concordia’s blocking. Boldt’s squad out-blocked Midland, 13-7, as four Bulldogs were in on multiple blocks: Carly Rodaway (four), Gabi Nordaker (four), Camryn Opfer (four) and Kalee Wiltfong (two). After sitting out four straight matches due to injury, Wiltfong returned to the starting lineup against Midland. Meanwhile, the Warriors claimed the conference’s No. 2 seed and a regular season sweep of Concordia.
· The Seward High School product Opfer is moving up the ladder on the program’s all-time lists. She currently sports school career rankings of sixth in digs (1,231) and seventh in kills (1,193). Opfer is creeping up on Darcy Lindner (1,204 kills) and Renae Beikmann (1,223) on the kills list. Opfer is enjoying another fine season with totals of 245 kills, 294 digs and 36 blocks to go along with a .221 hitting percentage from the outside. The next highest career kill totals on the current team are owned by Nordaker (830) and Wiltfong (733). In last week’s action, Nordaker surpassed 300 career blocks (now at 311).
· The Bulldogs will be attempting to defeat College of Saint Mary for a third time this season. During the regular season, Concordia defeated the Flames, 25-14, 26-24, 25-13, in Seward on Sept. 17 and then went to Omaha and won, 25-18, 25-18, 25-13, on Oct. 22. In the first meeting, the Bulldogs outhit CSM, .380 to .135, while getting 13 kills apiece from Keck and Nordaker. In the second go-round, Concordia outhit the Flames, .289 to .128, as Keck powered down 14 kills and Opfer posted 10 kills (.476) and 16 digs. Concordia has won three series matchups in a row over CSM.
The opponent
Ranked No. 12 in the NAIA, Head Coach Rick Pruett’s Flames are on track to reach the national tournament for a third time in four seasons. College of Saint Mary ended the regular season by digging out of a 2-0 hole to beat Hastings in five sets. Much like Concordia, the Flames come after their opponents with a balanced attack. Five CSM hitters have collected at least 190 kills: Lexie Langley (256), Makenna Freeman (251), Kamryn Williams (219), Grace Werner (214) and Rachel Rosenquist (190). Pruett’s squad also features a top-notch libero in Rachel Cushing (6.37 digs per set), the reigning GPAC Libero of the Year. On the season, the Flames have outhit their opponents, .207 to .158, and have averaged more kills per set, 13.53 to 11.24.
The Concordia/CSM winner will advance to the GPAC semifinals and play either second-seeded Midland or seventh-seeded Hastings. Match time will be at 7 p.m. CT on Wednesday (Nov. 9) at the home site of the highest seed that advances.
GPAC tournament
Quarterfinals – Saturday, Nov. 5
(8) Dordt at (1) Jamestown, 7 p.m.
(5) Dakota Wesleyan at (4) Northwestern, 7 p.m.
(6) College of Saint Mary at (3) Concordia, 7:30 p.m.
(7) Hastings at (2) Midland, 7 p.m.
Semifinals – Wednesday, Nov. 9
1/8 winner vs. 4/5 winner, 7 p.m.
3/6 winner vs. 2/7 winner, 7 p.m.
Championship – Saturday, Nov. 12
Highest remaining seed hosts, time TBA
Dawgs move to GPAC semifinals with sweep of No. 12 CSM
November 5, 2022
WATCH: Kalee Wiltfong rings the bell!
SEWARD, Neb. – Chalk up another win over a nationally ranked opponent for the Concordia University Volleyball team. Though a national tournament bid is all but sewed up for the fifth-ranked Bulldogs, they were a motivated bunch on Saturday (Nov. 5) as they took care of No. 12 College of Saint Mary, 25-18, 25-16, 25-18, in the GPAC tournament quarterfinals. Seeded third in the league bracket, Concordia is chasing that carrot of potentially winning a conference postseason championship.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad moved to 22-4 overall while moving on to at least the semifinal round for the fourth year in a row.
“We made big plays when we needed to,” Boldt said. “You just have to trust it. I think they put themselves in good positions. I’m really proud of how they battled. We out-dug them – that was something we wanted to do and have that effort on defense. That was a focus for us.”
The Bulldogs have had the Flames’ number this season. Concordia won both regular season meetings in straight sets, but those results meant nothing on Saturday. There may have even been a little bit of edginess to the Bulldogs after they dropped their regular season finale to No. 4 Midland in three. Up against a rock-solid defensive team in the quarters, Concordia hit .279 for the evening and far exceeded the hitting percentages of CSM in each set, .114 to .000, .500 to .194, and .256 to .026, in another dominant home performance.
The Flames made an adjustment in their system, but the Bulldogs were clearly prepared for it. The Bulldogs out-dug CSM, 52-44, and owned the advantage in kills, 42-33. In rising to the occasion, freshman Ashley Keck emerged with a team high 12 kills on a .346 hitting percentage from the outside.
“From the last time we played them, they switched from a 6-1 to a 6-2,” Keck explained. “We had a little bit of a different situation there, but it was just about attacking the ball and playing our game and staying together … It’s really exciting. This is my first experience doing all this. All the girls have my back and are there in those moments of struggle – it’s all new to me.”
None of the sets came with any late drama – just the way the Boldts would have preferred. In the middle, Gabi Nordaker collected nine kills and three blocks while outside Camryn Opfer posted six kills and 17 digs. The work of Opfer and Rebecca Gebhardt (14 digs) made life difficult on CSM. So too did Concordia’s 10 blocks, including four from Morgan Nibbe (who also notched eight kills and hit .700). The offensive maestro Bree Burtwistle piled up 36 assists and dropped in two aces.
Said Boldt, “Great teams put back-to-back performances together. It was about staying steady and doing what we do, keep working hard and core value type stuff. They work hard and they’ve earned what they’ve got.”
The most effective attacker for the Flames (19-8) was Kamryn Williams, who totaled 13 kills from the middle. Lauren Anderson and Miranda Ring split setter duties on this evening. Star libero Rachel Cushing accumulated 16 digs. CSM will now wait on an at-large national tournament bid. The Flames are a virtual lock to be included in the field for a third time in four seasons.
After falling twice to Midland (once in five sets) during the regular season, the Bulldogs will get another shot at the second-seeded Warriors (25-3). The two sides will square off at 7 p.m. CT on Wednesday in the GPAC semifinals. The winner will meet either top-seeded Jamestown or No. 5 seed Dakota Wesleyan in the conference final.
2022 GPAC volleyball semifinal preview: Concordia at Midland
November 6, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University Volleyball program has advanced to at least the GPAC semifinal round for the fourth straight season. The fifth-ranked Bulldogs (seeded third in the GPAC) took care of No. 12 College of Saint Mary, 25-18, 25-16, 25-18, in the GPAC quarterfinals on Saturday. That victory sets up a matchup with No. 4 Midland, which got past Hastings in three sets in the quarterfinals. Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad has moved to 22-4 overall with two of the defeats coming at the hands of the Warriors. On the other side of the bracket, top-seeded Jamestown will host fifth-seeded Dakota Wesleyan.
GPAC Semifinals
Wednesday, Nov. 9 at No. 4 Midland (25-3, 14-2 GPAC), 7 p.m.
--Live Webcast | Live Stats | 104.9 Max Country | Location: Wikert Events Center (Fremont, Neb.)
By the numbers
· Reaching the semifinals of the league tournament means something in the NAIA’s best conference. Seven of the eight teams that qualified for GPAC postseason play are ranked in the NAIA top 25 (and Hastings is receiving votes). Under the direction of the Boldts, Concordia moved to the league semifinals in 2019 and 2020 and then placed as the GPAC tournament runner up in 2021. During that stretch, conference tourney wins have come over Doane (2019), Dakota Wesleyan (2020), Midland (2021) and College of Saint Mary (2021). The Bulldogs lost last season’s GPAC championship match at Jamestown (ranked No. 1 in the NAIA at the time).
· The 22-4 record equates to an .846 winning percentage, which represents the best during Boldt’s five seasons leading the program. During a 2020 season shortened in length by COVID-19, the Bulldogs went 18-5 for a .782 winning percentage. Last week’s victory also has Ben Boldt knocking on the door of 100 career victories as Concordia’s head coach. His record stands at 99-41 (.707) since the start of the 2018 season. According to available records, there are two coaches in program history with more than 100 wins: Vicki Boye (167-136) and Rachel Miller (107-125). Boldt’s winning percentage is the best of any volleyball coach in school history.
· Under the Boldts, the Bulldogs have had a way of quickly bouncing back after losses. Concordia has had CSM’s number this season having now gone 3-0 against the Flames with all three victories coming in straight sets. In the latest matchup, the Bulldogs outhit CSM, .279 to .068, while getting a team high 12 kills from Ashley Keck. In the middle, Gabi Nordaker collected nine kills and three blocks while outside Camryn Opfer posted six kills and 17 digs. The work of Opfer and Rebecca Gebhardt (14 digs) made life difficult on CSM. So too did Concordia’s 10 blocks, including four from Morgan Nibbe (who also notched eight kills and hit .700). The offensive maestro Bree Burtwistle piled up 36 assists and dropped in two aces.
· The Bulldogs were held to an .048 hitting percentage last week by Midland, but they continue to pace the NAIA in overall season hitting percentage at .271. The next closest teams nationally are Marian (.268), Jamestown (.267), Missouri Baptist (.261) and Park-Gilbert (.256). It’s been a total team effort for Concordia in accomplishing that feat. Four Bulldog hitters have accumulated at least 225 kills on the season: Nordaker (274), Opfer (251), Keck (229) and Carly Rodaway (225). At setter, Burtwistle is averaging 11.22 assists per set, ranking her No. 4 nationally in that category. Nordaker ranks 12th nationally in individual hitting percentage (.347).
· The Seward High School product Opfer is moving up the ladder on the program’s all-time lists. She currently sports school career rankings of sixth in digs (1,248) and seventh in kills (1,199). Opfer is creeping up on Darcy Lindner (1,204 kills) and Renae Beikmann (1,223) on the kills list. Opfer is enjoying another fine season with totals of 251 kills, 311 digs and 37 blocks to go along with a .217 hitting percentage from the outside. The next highest career kill totals on the current team are owned by Nordaker (839) and Wiltfong (736). In recent action, Nordaker surpassed 300 career blocks (now at 314).
The opponent
Midland came up one game shy of Jamestown for first place in the final regular season standings. The Warriors were the only team to knock off the Jimmies during GPAC regular season play and have their own aspirations to win a postseason championship. Head Coach Paul Giesselmann’s squad twice defeated the Bulldogs during the regular season – in five sets in Fremont on Sept. 7 and in three sets in Seward on Nov. 1. To say the least, the two sides are familiar with each other. Midland is led by two All-Americans in setter Hope Leimbach and outside hitter Taliyah Flores. On the season, the Warriors are outhitting their opponents, .203 to .128, and averaged 13.76 kills per set compared to 10.35 kills per set by their foes. Local bragging rights and a spot in the GPAC championship match will be on the line on Wednesday.
GPAC tournament
Quarterfinals – Saturday, Nov. 5
(1) Jamestown def. (8) Dordt, 3-0
(5) Dakota Wesleyan def. (4) Northwestern, 3-2
(3) Concordia def. (6) College of Saint Mary, 3-0
(2) Midland def. (7) Hastings, 3-0
Semifinals – Wednesday, Nov. 9
(5) Dakota Wesleyan at (1) Jamestown, 7 p.m.
(3) Concordia at (2) Midland, 7 p.m.
Championship – Saturday, Nov. 12
Highest remaining seed hosts, time TBA
Nordaker, stout blocking carry Bulldogs back to GPAC title match
November 9, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – It’s back to the GPAC tournament final for the Concordia University Volleyball program. All it took was another white knuckler with Midland to get there. With the help of a showcase performance from middle Gabi Nordaker, the fourth-ranked Bulldogs outlasted the third-ranked Warriors in the conference semifinals, 26-24, 17-25, 21-25, 25-18, 15-10. Nordaker hit .593 from the middle and totaled 13 blocks (two solos, nine assists) as Concordia got it done in hostile territory, the Wikert Event Center in Fremont, Neb.
Head Coach Ben Boldt also led the Bulldogs to the conference final in 2021 and reached 100 wins at Concordia thanks to Wednesday's semifinal triumph. Concordia moved to 23-4 overall this season and also locked up the conference’s second automatic bid to the national tournament.
“We stuck with it through adversity,” Boldt said. “We went for a matchup after that fourth set. I’m not saying that was the whole thing. I thought we got tough mentally and got tough at the net. I think that was difference going into set four and set five. We really played like a championship team … I should give a shout out to Gabi. She had zero errors on 27 swings and 16 kills. That’s a great performance. We’ve really challenged her, especially in these types of matchups against top five teams. She came through.”
It won’t be hard for coaches Ben and Angie Boldt to remember No. 100. Not surprisingly for this type of drag-out match, the Bulldogs had to scratch and claw back after taking a blow. More specifically, Concordia used superior blocking (20-13 advantage in that category) to finally solve the Warriors, who had won both regular season meetings. Riding the hot hand of All-American Taliyah Flores (match high 21 kills), Midland took a two-sets-to-one lead.
In that fourth set, the Warriors must have felt like they were hitting into oak trees. Eight of the Bulldogs’ blocks came in the fourth as the road team began to build momentum. Nordaker combined with Camryn Opfer on point No. 20 and then with Carly Rodaway on point No. 22. Nordaker then put the fourth set to bed with a kill. The Concordia offensive attack then went to work and back-to-back kills from Ashley Keck made it 10-3 in the fifth set. Fittingly – after a Midland comeback attempt – Nordaker and Rodaway rose up for the denial that marked match point.
Said Boldt, “I thought we were really courageous from the service line. We were very purposeful, and we got them out of system. That’s the start of the whole rally and puts us at an advantage. I thought after the third set, our communication got better. It was a lot cleaner in that fourth and fifth set. It’s something we work on every day.”
Midland (25-4) finished with more kills (68-62) than Concordia but could not overcome the 32 hitting errors (many caused by the Bulldogs). Concordia outhit the Warriors, .219 to .188, and got double figure kills from not only Nordaker, but also Opfer (15) and Rodaway (12). Rodaway (10 blocks) joined Nordaker on the stat sheet with a double-double in the kill-block categories. Seven Bulldogs registered at least one block assist on the evening. Setter Bree Burtwistle accumulated 54 assists, nine digs and three blocks and Rebecca Gebhardt posted 21 digs and two aces.
The serving of the likes of Burtwistle, Gebhardt, Lexie Kreizel, Cassidy Knust, Opfer, Kennedy VanScoy and Ashlyn Wischmeier provided a boost. On the other side of the net, Midland tried to make up for the absence of middle Abbey Ringler with the work of Flores and Addisyn Moser (20 kills). Savanna Berger tallied 11 kills and six blocks. Star setter Hope Leimbach notched 66 assists and 10 digs.
The route to the GPAC championship match feels similar to last year when the Bulldogs got past Midland and College of Saint Mary (just like this year, although in reverse order). Concordia now earns another trip to take on No. 2 Jamestown (30-2), which defeated No. 6 Dakota Wesleyan in straight sets in Wednesday’s other semifinal. The Bulldogs will be in Jamestown, N.D., for a 3 p.m. CT first serve in Saturday’s championship battle. Concordia is aiming to win the GPAC tournament title for the first time in program history.
2022 GPAC volleyball championship preview: Concordia at Jamestown
November 10, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – The 2022 GPAC championship matchup will be exactly the same as the one from 2021. For a second year in a row, the Bulldogs will be headed to North Dakota to take on Jamestown for the conference tournament final. In semifinal action on Wednesday night, third-seeded Concordia outlasted second-seeded Midland and the top-seeded Jimmies took out fifth-seeded Dakota Wesleyan in five sets. Both contests paired teams ranked inside the top six of the latest NAIA coaches’ poll. Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad has moved to 23-4 overall heading into Saturday’s GPAC championship tilt.
GPAC Semifinals
Saturday, Nov. 12 at No. 2 Jamestown (30-2, 15-1 GPAC), 3 p.m.
--Live Webcast/Stats | Location: Newman Arena (Jamestown, N.D.)
By the numbers
· In the fourth and fifth sets on Wednesday, the Bulldogs played like a team determined not to fall at the hands of Midland for a third time this season. As Ben Boldt said of those last two sets, “We really played like a championship team.” Put a gold star next to the performance by middle Gabi Nordaker, who has stated a strong case this fall for All-America consideration. Nordaker’s stat line in the GPAC semifinals included 16 kills on 27 swings (no errors), a .593 hitting percentage and 13 blocks. In addition, Camryn Opfer totaled 15 kills, 14 digs and four blocks and Carly Rodaway posted 12 kills and 10 blocks. In the back row, Rebecca Gebhardt tallied 21 digs and Lexie Kreizel notched 12 digs. Bree Burtwistle posted 54 assists, nine digs and three blocks as Concordia outhit the Warriors, .219 to .188. Midland (25-4) had beaten the Bulldogs twice in the regular season: in five sets in Fremont and in three sets in Seward.
· The team celebrated win No. 100 for Ben and Angie Boldt following Wednesday’s semifinal triumph. In the parking lot of the Wikert Event Center, the players shot off confetti in honor of the Boldts, who have led the program to a record of 100-41 since they arrived prior to the 2018 season. Under the Boldts, the program has enjoyed its most successful run ever in terms of national prominence. The Bulldogs have clinched a fourth straight trip to nationals. Prior to the Boldts’ time in Seward, the program had made just one appearance on the national stage (2015). Concordia has also achieved its best ever national ranking while currently situated at No. 4 in the NAIA coaches’ poll. The Bulldogs are one of four programs nationally to have reached bracket play at the national tournament in each of the past three years.
· The blocking numbers have ramped up significantly for Concordia in recent outings. The Bulldogs have reached at least 10 blocks in four consecutive matches (13, 13, 10 and 20), including the two postseason outings. That production has moved Concordia up to No. 36 nationally in blocks per set at 2.11. The Omaha native Nordaker is now averaging more than a block per set (1.06), ranking 39th in the NAIA in that category. There are four Bulldogs with at least 40 total blocks on the year: Nordaker (99), Rodaway (61), Kalee Wiltfong (49) and Opfer (41).
· The Bulldogs hit .279 in the quarterfinals against College of Saint Mary and .219 in the semifinals at Midland. With a .268 season hitting percentage, Concordia has slipped just behind Jamestown (.269) for the national lead in that category. It’s been a total team effort for Concordia in reaching that level. Four Bulldog hitters have accumulated more than 230 kills on the season: Nordaker (290), Opfer (266), Keck (240) and Carly Rodaway (237). At setter, Burtwistle is averaging 11.19 assists per set, ranking her No. 4 nationally in that category. Nordaker ranks seventh nationally in individual hitting percentage (.358).
· The Seward High School product Opfer is moving up the ladder on the program’s all-time lists. She currently sports school career rankings of sixth in digs (1,262) and sixth in kills (1,214). Opfer moved past Darcy Lindner (1,204 kills) on Wednesday and is creeping up on Renae Beikmann (1,223) on the kills list. Opfer is enjoying another fine season with totals of 266 kills, 325 digs and 41 blocks to go along with a .215 hitting percentage from the outside. The next highest career kill totals on the current team are owned by Nordaker (855) and Wiltfong (739). In recent action, Nordaker surpassed 300 career blocks (now at 327).
The opponent
Jamestown and Concordia will be a battle between the top two teams in the nation in terms of hitting percentage. The Jimmies have moved to the championship with conference tournament sweeps of eighth-seeded Dordt and fifth-seeded Dakota Wesleyan. The Jimmies have won 11 matches in a row since being clipped in five sets at home by Midland on Oct. 8. The only other loss all season for Jamestown came in four sets in a neutral site match with then 12th-ranked Eastern Oregon back in August. The stars of the show for Head Coach Jon Hegerle’s squad include Kalli Hegerle and Anna Holen – both of whom have racked up well over 300 kills this season. Libero Ellie Holen ranks fifth nationally in digs per set (6.32). Concordia is still looking to knock off Jamestown for the first time since the Jimmies became a GPAC member in 2018.
GPAC tournament
Quarterfinals – Saturday, Nov. 5
(1) Jamestown def. (8) Dordt, 3-0
(5) Dakota Wesleyan def. (4) Northwestern, 3-2
(3) Concordia def. (6) College of Saint Mary, 3-0
(2) Midland def. (7) Hastings, 3-0
Semifinals – Wednesday, Nov. 9
(1) Jamestown def. (5) Dakota Wesleyan, 3-0
(3) Concordia def. (2) Midland, 3-2
Championship – Saturday, Nov. 12
(3) Concordia at (1) Jamestown, 3 p.m.
NAIA national tournament announcement
Official qualifiers and pairings for the opening round of the national tournament will be announced by the NAIA via a live selection show at 10 a.m. CT on Monday (Nov. 14). The selection show will be streamed via the NAIA’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/PlayNAIA. Concordia Athletics is making preparations to host an opening round match on Saturday, Nov. 19.
Fourth-ranked Bulldogs come up short in GPAC title tilt
November 12, 2022
JAMESTOWN, N.D. – A spirited rally in the first set gave way to another defeat in the GPAC’s northernmost locale. For the second year in a row, the Concordia University Volleyball program has finished as the conference tournament runner up to Jamestown. The second-ranked Jimmies held the Bulldogs to a .171 hitting percentage and won Saturday (Nov. 12)’s GPAC championship clash in four sets, 21-25, 25-19, 25-20, 25-17, inside Newman Arena. In three all-time GPAC tournament championship match appearances as a program, Concordia is still trying to get over the hump.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad will enter the national tournament at 23-5 overall. Since joining the GPAC, Jamestown has had the Bulldogs’ number.
“We were staying aggressive, but Jamestown was making plays defensively,” Boldt said. “We weren’t able to get the ball down in some late-game situations. They played really well and I thought we played better than we have in the past (in this arena). We have to figure out a way to get a couple more points.”
Unfortunately, Concordia was unable to ride the momentum it built in the first set. The Bulldogs went on a thrilling 10-1 run to turn a 20-15 disadvantage into a 25-21 set victory. During that surge, Camryn Opfer hammered out three of her team high 13 kills for the day. Concordia hit .289 in that opening set but couldn’t sustain it. The Bulldogs proceeded to hit .065, .211 and .139, respectively, over the final three sets.
The Jimmies (31-2), champions of the GPAC regular season and postseason, had a lot to do with it. Jamestown’s terrific trio on Saturday was hard to handle. Kalli Hegerle, Anna Holen and Lexi Olson each enjoyed big statistical matches. Holen paced all players with 20 kills on .405 hitting from the outside. Hegerle added 14 kills (.462) and 15 digs and Olson came through with 14 kills and a .407 hitting percentage. Now No. 1 in the NAIA in hitting percentage, the Jimmies attacked at a .333 clip on Saturday.
Opfer was joined in double figures in the kill department by teammate Ashley Keck (10) while Carly Rodaway (nine) was just shy of that mark. Other statistical leaders were Bree Burtwistle in assists (42), Rebecca Gebhardt in digs (21) and aces (two) and Morgan Nibbe in blocks (four). Jamestown was able to limit star middle Gabi Nordaker to six kills (.130) and two blocks.
Now Concordia can take a breather and reassess things moving into the national tournament. The Bulldogs have proven they can hang right with anyone in the country. The accomplishments to date speak for themselves. The postseason route so far has included GPAC tournament wins over No. 12 College of Saint Mary and No. 3 Midland.
Said Boldt, “To have an opportunity to play for the GPAC championship is an awesome honor. If we want to achieve the goals we have as a team, we have to be in this match. We have to figure out who we are in this match. I continue to see our team learn and get better. Their mentality after this one is to come back stronger the next time. It was awesome to have the opportunity to play this one.”
The Bulldogs will now await Monday’s announcement of the NAIA National Championship Opening Round pairings. Concordia is anticipating hosting an opening round match on Saturday, Nov. 19. The Bulldogs are set to make their fourth straight national tournament appearance and fifth in the history of the program. Action at the final site (Sioux City, Iowa) of the national tournament is slated to begin on Nov. 30.
Bulldogs to welcome Florida College for opening round of NAIA National Championship
November 14, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – On Monday (Nov. 14) morning, the Concordia University Volleyball team learned of its draw for the 2022 NAIA National Championship Opening Round. An automatic national qualifier, the Bulldogs will host Florida College, a member of the Continental Athletic Conference, on Saturday as one of 24 opening round matches across the NAIA landscape. The arrangement is similar to last year when Concordia welcomed Ave Maria University of Florida to Seward.
NAIA National Championship Opening Round
Concordia (23-5) vs. Florida College (28-9)
--Saturday, Nov. 19 | 1 p.m. CT | Friedrich Arena (Seward, Neb.)
--Live Webcast/Stats
--Admission: $8 for adults/senior citizens, $5 for college/high school students and youth; only those with NAIA passes are admitted free of charge.
--Buy advance tickets via https://www.cune.edu/athletics/tickets.
Head Coach Ben Boldt and lead assistant Angie Boldt have guided the program to a fourth-straight national tournament appearance. The bar has been set high by the 2020 and 2021 squads that both reached the NAIA national quarterfinals. The Bulldogs will enter the 2022 national tournament with a No. 4 national ranking and a 23-5 overall record. Concordia earned the automatic bid to nationals via its GPAC tournament runner up placement. Over the past four years, the Bulldogs have won a combined eight times at the national tournament. This will be the third time in program history that Concordia has hosted an opening round match.
Florida College will be an unfamiliar foe. The two sides also did not have a common opponent during the 2022 season. The school is located in the Tampa, Fla., area. According to the institution’s website, “Florida College is a private liberal arts school with a goal of providing higher education with a biblical perspective. This unique environment fosters personal spiritual development and prepares students for better service to their Creator and humanity.” The Falcons will make their second all-time national tournament appearance. While making its first nationals appearance in 2021, Florida College was defeated at the University of Providence (Mont.), 25-10, 25-13, 25-14. Head Coach Carry Brown is in her fifth season at the head of the program.
The Matchup
--National ranking in parentheses
Concordia
Head Coach: Ben Boldt, 5th season
Record: 23-5, 12-4 GPAC (3rd)
SOS: 1st (Massey Ratings)
Hitting %: .264 (2nd)
Kills/set: 14.09 (3rd)
Blocks/set: 2.09 (37th)
Digs/set: 17.03 (61st)
Aces/set: 1.21 (191st)
Kills: Gabi Nordaker – 296 (3.05/set)
Blocks: Gabi Nordaker – 101 (1.04/set)
Assists: Bree Burtwistle – 1,083 (11.16/set)
Digs: Rebecca Gebhardt – 445 (4.59/set)
Aces: Bree Burtwistle – 25 (0.26/set)
Florida College
Head Coach: Carry Brown, 5th season
Record: 28-9, 12-1 CAC (1st)
SOS: 202nd (Massey Ratings)
Hitting %: .181 (83rd)
Kills/set: 12.29 (63rd)
Blocks/set: 1.58 (138th)
Digs/set: 19.67 (8th)
Aces/set: 2.16 (12th)
Kills: Emma Noskey – 395 (3.62/set)
Blocks: Michelle Taylor – 74 (0.62/set)
Assists: Emilie Selvidge – 1,098 (9.15/set)
Digs: Avery Lanning – 558 (4.89/set)
Aces: Krista Trimble – 56 (0.47/set)
National Tournament Facts/Game Notes
· Concordia will be making the fifth national tournament appearance in program history. The 2015 squad became the first Bulldog volleyball edition to qualify for nationals. The ’15 squad was defeated in the opening round while hosting Olivet Nazarene University (Ill.). Then in 2019, Concordia broke through with an advancement to the national round of 16 and claimed the program’s first two national tournament victories – over Montana Tech and the University of Saint Mary (Kan.).
· The 2020 team took things a step further by reaching the NAIA national quarterfinals. The path to the quarterfinals included wins over Xavier University of Louisiana (opening round), Lindsey Wilson College (Ky.) and No. 7 Marian University (Ind.). The run ended with a loss to Dordt. The 2021 squad also advanced to the NAIA national quarterfinals. Entering this year’s national tournament, the Bulldogs are 8-5 all-time at the national tournament.
· At last season’s national tournament, Concordia hosted Ave Maria University (Fla.) in the opening round and won in straight sets, 25-12, 25-23, 25-19, while outhitting the Gyrenes, .308 to .111. The path to the national quarterfinals then featured wins at the final site over No. 25 Oregon Tech University in four sets and No. 2 Viterbo University (Wis.) in five sets. The Bulldogs had their season end with a five-set defeat at the hands of Marian University (Ind.) in five sets in the national quarterfinals. Concordia is one of four teams nationally to reach bracket play in each of the past three national tournaments (the others are Jamestown, Missouri Baptist and Northwestern).
· Boldt’s crew has plenty of experience on the national stage. The Bulldogs return 12 players that were part of the 2021 national tournament roster. This will be the fourth national tournament for seniors Camryn Opfer and Kalee Wiltfong, both instrumental figures in the most prosperous time period in program history. The Seward High School product Opfer has shined on the national stage. She was named to the NAIA National Championship All-Tournament Team in both 2020 and 2021. Opfer had a match to remember in last year’s win over No. 2 Viterbo when she racked up 21 kills and hit .514 from the outside. Others with national tournament experience are Bree Burtwistle, Rebecca Gebhardt, Cassidy Knust, Lexie Kreizel, Morgan Nibbe, Gabi Nordaker, Carly Rodaway, Shelby Stark, Kennedy VanScoy and Ashlyn Wischmeier.
· Concordia owns wins over eight teams that qualified for the 2022 national tournament: College of Saint Mary (three times), Hastings (twice), Midland, Northwestern, Park Gilbert (Ariz.), Southern Oregon, Texas Wesleyan and Viterbo (Wis.). Seven GPAC teams have qualified for the national tournament and each one will be hosting in the opening round. The national tournament field is made up of 36 automatic qualifiers and 12 at-large selections.
· Opfer has made her way into the top five of the Concordia program’s all-time kills list. With a combined 28 kills last week, Opfer has pushed her career total to 1,227. That figure ranks behind only four other past Bulldogs: Becky Ernstmeyer (1,740), Katie Werner (1,600), Paige Getz (1,331) and Rachel Kirchner (1,315). Opfer also ranks sixth on the program’s all-time digs list with 1,277. Meanwhile, Nordaker (career numbers of 861 kills and 329 blocks) is creeping up on the top five for blocks – No. 5 on the school’s list is Renee Vopat with 373 blocks. Another member of the rock-solid senior class like Opfer, Kalee Wiltfong owns 742 career kills.
· Following the GPAC semifinal victory at Midland, Concordia players acknowledged the 100th victory for Ben and Angie Boldt as leaders of the program. The Boldts took over prior to the start of the 2018 season and have proceeded to lead the Bulldogs to season-by-season win totals of 15, 25, 18, 19 and 23, respectively. From a national perspective, Concordia has never been in a more prominent position. The current NAIA national ranking of No. 4 is a program all-time high. It’s a continuation of successful seasons that have seen the Bulldogs finish with national rankings of 14th in 2019, eighth in 2020 and sixth in 2021.
The final site
The 24 opening round winners will advance to action at the final site, the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa. Final site volleyball starts with three days of pool play from November 30 – December 2. The top team in each three-team pool will advance to the elimination bracket on Saturday, December 3, the semifinals will be played on Monday, December 5 and the national champion will be crowned Tuesday, December 6 with the first serve set for 7 p.m. CST on ESPN3. For more details on the national championship, visit the NAIA volleyball home page HERE.
Nordaker, Opfer repeat as First Team All-GPAC selections; six Bulldogs honored
November 15, 2022
First Team: Gabi Nordaker, Camryn Opfer
Second Team: Bree Burtwistle, Carly Rodaway
Honorable Mention: Rebecca Gebhardt, Ashley Keck (Freshman of the Year)
SEWARD, Neb. – The national tournament bound Concordia University Volleyball squad has landed half a dozen Bulldogs on the 2022 All-GPAC honor roll announced on Tuesday (Nov. 15). For the second year in a row, both Gabi Nordaker and Camryn Opfer have been recognized on the first team. Meanwhile, Bree Burtwistle and Carly Rodaway reeled in second team awards and Rebecca Gebhardt and Ashley Keck received honorable mention status. Keck was also honored as the GPAC Freshman of the Year.
The six honorees have helped Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad reach the national tournament with a 23-5 overall record and No. 4 NAIA national ranking. Concordia placed third in the GPAC regular season standings and finished as the conference tournament runner up.
The Millard West High School alum Nordaker has earned All-GPAC honors in each of her three collegiate seasons, moving from the second team in 2020 to the first team in both 2021 and 2022. Through 28 matches this season, the star middle leads the team with 296 kills (3.05 per set) and 101 blocks (1.04 per set) while hitting .350. Nordaker put together one of her finest matches of the season just recently when she collected 16 kills and 13 blocks and hit .593 in the GPAC semifinal win over Midland. In 82 career collegiate matches (297 sets), Nordaker has totaled 861 kills and 329 blocks.
A key figure in four-straight national tournament appearances, Opfer has been named an all-conference award winner for the fourth time. She garnered second team honors in both 2019 and 2020 and then first team accolades in 2021 and 2022. The Seward High School product has recorded 279 kills (2.94 per set), 340 digs (3.58 per set), 42 blocks and 17 aces in 28 matches this season. Opfer has reached double figures in kills 16 times in 2022. Early in the campaign, Opfer eclipsed 1,000 career kills. Heading into the national tournament, Opfer has achieved career totals of 1,227 kills, 1,277 digs, 168 blocks and 61 aces. She ranks fifth in program history for career kills.
This was a breakout season for Burtwistle, who twice earned NAIA National Setter of the Week honors this fall. The Stanton, Neb., native and Stanton High School alum will enter the national tournament having accumulated 1,083 assists (11.16 per set) in addition to 254 digs, 34 blocks and 25 aces in 28 matches. Burtwistle ranks fourth nationally in terms of assists per set and quarterbacks an attack that ranks No. 2 in the NAIA in hitting percentage (.264). Burtwistle’s high for assists in one match this season was 55 in the four-set win over Dakota State University.
A Lincoln Pius X High School graduate, Rodaway has taken her game to a new level in 2022. On the year, Rodaway has totaled 246 kills (2.54 per set) while hitting .248 from the right side. She’s also added 63 blocks (0.65 per set) and 68 digs in 28 matches. Rodaway enjoyed a stretch in October when she reached double figures in kills in five-straight matches. She notched 15 kills and hit .433 in the five-set win over then seventh-ranked Northwestern on Oct. 15. Rodaway was named Honorable Mention All-GPAC in 2021.
In her second year as a libero, Gebhardt has stepped up her game. The Lutheran High School Northeast graduate and Norfolk, Neb., native has paced the team with 445 digs (4.59 per set) while passing serve receive at a 97.0 percent rate. She has also contributed 24 aces and 31 assists in 28 matches. Over two collegiate campaigns, Gebhardt has posted 740 digs and 40 aces.
The arrival of Keck added another weapon on the outside for Concordia’s attack. The Kearney, Neb., native and Kearney Catholic High School alum has racked up 250 kills (2.60 per set), 94 digs and 18 blocks while hitting .221. Keck has reached double figures in kills 10 times this season, including her 19-kill performance in the five-set win at Southern Oregon early in the year. Keck is the first Bulldog to be named the GPAC Freshman of the Year since Opfer took that award in 2019.
The season will continue on Saturday as the Bulldogs will host Florida College at 1 p.m. CT as part of the NAIA National Championship Opening Round. The winner will advance to play at the final site.
Opfer stars as Bulldogs advance to national final site for fourth straight year
November 19, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – The fourth-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team was not going to be denied a spot at the final site of the 2022 NAIA National Championship. The Bulldogs took care of business on Saturday (Nov. 19) in the opening round while following the lead of Camryn Opfer. Concordia hit .294 and defeated Florida College, 25-9, 25-10, 25-21, inside Friedrich Arena in a match that marked the third time the program has hosted in the opening round.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad moved to 24-5 while quickly dispatching of the Falcons, who traveled nearly 1,500 miles from their home base in the Tampa, Fla., area.
“We’re honored to have qualified (for the final site). I think we earned our way there,” Boldt said. “We’re super excited. Everything we’ve worked for all year is to get to that final site. We’ll play it out from there. I think our team plays for each other and has embraced each other. They’re happy we got there, but obviously we’re not satisfied with where we’re at. We want to continue to get better.”
Concordia owned a modest 7-6 lead in the opening set on Saturday before leaving Florida College in the dust. The Bulldogs rattled off 18 of the next 21 points with the help of five kills from both Ashley Keck and Opfer in that first set. Rebecca Gebhardt toed the service line eight times in a row (including for two aces) during the run that finished that set. It looked like more of the same in the second set.
The Falcons (28-10), champions of the Continental Athletic Conference, tightened up their play and gave a better account of themselves in the third set. Prolific attacker Emma Noskey produced a team high nine kills and helped Florida College hang within three points late in the third set (23-20 and 24-21). Match point then came on a service error. The Falcons entered play as one of the national leaders in aces – but Concordia had a significant advantage in that category, 6-1.
In perhaps her last ever home match, Opfer shined. The Seward High School product produced 14 kills, 16 digs and three blocks and hit .394 from the outside. The four-time All-GPAC honoree has a lot to do with the success of the program during an unprecedented run.
Said Opfer when asked about heading back to Sioux City again, “I think it says a lot about this program and the leadership and the culture that we’ve made throughout these past four years – and even before that. It’s crazy how the culture has elevated so much. You can see that on the court. I can trust anyone on this team, and I think it shows.”
It was an efficient outing for the Bulldogs, who got five kills or more from five players: Opfer (14), Gabi Nordaker (eight), Keck (six), Morgan Nibbe (six) and Bree Burtwistle (five). At setter, Burtwistle also racked up 36 assists and nine digs. In the back row, Gebhardt totaled 14 digs and three aces while Lexie Kreizel contributed eight digs. From a team perspective, Concordia owned advantages in kills, 48-24, digs, 65-49, and blocks, 6-4.
Added Boldt on Opfer’s performance, “Cam had a ‘wristy day.’ That’s what we keep working on. When she can turn it with her wrist to different places, she can do really well. That’s something we’ve been working on this week and ever since she’s been here.”
The 24-team national championship final site pool play matchups will be announced by the NAIA on Sunday (Nov. 20) by 5 p.m. CT. All action for the remainder of the national tournament will take place at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa. The first pool play action will get started on Wednesday, Nov. 30. For more details on the NAIA Volleyball National Championship, click HERE.
Concordia lands in Pool D along with Park, Hastings
November 20, 2022
NAIA Release | Pool Play Schedule
NAIA Pool Play Matches
--Nov. 30 – vs. Hastings, 1 p.m. (Court 2)
--Dec. 2 – vs. Park (Mo.), 1 p.m. (Court 2)
SEWARD, Neb. – One of 24 teams remaining in the 2022 NAIA national championship field, the Concordia University Volleyball team learned of its NAIA pool play assignment on Sunday (Nov. 20). The fourth-ranked Bulldogs are the top seed in Pool D and have been grouped with second-seeded Park University (Mo.) and third-seeded Hastings. Pool play is set to begin on Wednesday, Nov. 30 from the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa. This will mark the fourth year in a row that Head Coach Ben Boldt has led Concordia to the final site of the national tournament.
The number of teams at the final site shrunk from 32 teams as recently as 2019 to 24 teams beginning in 2020. Those 24 squads have been separated into eight groupings for pool play that will take place Nov. 30-Dec. 1 at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City. The Tyson has served as the host for the NAIA Volleyball National Championship since 2008.
Concordia (24-5) earned an automatic berth to the national tournament via its runner up finish in the GPAC tournament. While hosting an opening round match on Saturday, the Bulldogs defeated Florida College, 25-9, 25-10, 25-21, and finished the 2022 home slate with a record of 11-1 inside Friedrich Arena. Camryn Opfer enjoyed a big day in the victory as she totaled 14 kills and 16 digs and hit .394 from the outside. As a team, Concordia outhit the Falcons of the Tampa, Fla., area, .294 to .054. The Bulldogs will enter the final site of the national tournament ranked No. 2 in the NAIA in hitting percentage (.265). Current Concordia leaders by category are Gabi Nordaker in kills (304), hitting percentage (.356) and blocks (102), Bree Burtwistle in assists (1,119) and Rebecca Gebhardt in digs (459) and aces (27). Four Bulldogs have notched at least 250 kills: Nordaker, Opfer (293), Ashley Keck (256) and Carly Rodaway (250).
Concordia will go up against a Hastings squad it saw twice during the regular season. The Bulldogs won both of those matchups in straight sets. Head Coach Alex Allard’s Broncos will take an overall record of 20-13 to the final site. In the opening round, Hastings narrowly got past Texas Wesleyan University, 16-25, 26-24, 25-23, 10-25, 17-15. Meanwhile, Park sports an overall record of 27-5 and was ranked 13th in the most recent NAIA coaches’ poll. The Pirates defeated Cumberland University (Tenn.), 25-16, 25-16, 25-18, in the opening round. Park won the NAIA national title as recently as 2018.
One team will emerge from each of the eight pools. The pool winners will be placed in an eight-team, single-elimination bracket. National championship bracket play will take place Dec. 3-6.
Advance tickets for NAIA National Championship matches can be purchased online through the Tyson Events Center at: https://www.tysoncenter.com/events/detail/naia-womens-volleyball-national-championship-2.
Pool Play Preview: Concordia prepping for Hastings, Park
November 22, 2022
SEWARD, Neb. – One of 24 teams still standing, Concordia University Volleyball is about ready to head to the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa, for the final site of the 2022 NAIA Volleyball National Championship. The Bulldogs are familiar to the Tyson Events Center, having taken center stage in that venue in each of the previous three seasons. Head Coach Ben Boldt’s program has now won nine national tournament matches since the start of the 2019 season after it defeated Florida College at home in the opening round.
As the top seed in Pool D of the national tournament, Concordia will take on Hastings on Wednesday, Nov. 30 and 13th-ranked Park University (Mo.) on Friday, Dec. 2. Both contests are scheduled for 1 p.m. CT first serves. The winners of each of the eight pools will advance to bracket play, which begins with the quarterfinals on Dec. 3.
NAIA Pool D
(4) Concordia (24-5) vs. Hastings (20-13)
Wednesday, Nov. 30 | 1 p.m. CST
Tyson Events Center | Sioux City, Iowa (Court 2)
Webcast: NAIA Network
Live Stats: Presto Stats
Radio: 104.9 Max Country (Frank Greene)
Buy Tickets: TysonEventsCenter.com
(4) Concordia (24-5) vs. (13) Park (27-5)
Friday, Dec. 2 | 1 p.m. CST
Tyson Events Center | Sioux City, Iowa (Court 2)
Webcast: NAIA Network
Live Stats: Presto Stats
Radio: 104.9 Max Country (Frank Greene)
Buy Tickets: TysonEventsCenter.com
By the numbers
· For the second year in a row, and for the third time in program history, the Bulldogs earned the right to host in the opening round as they welcomed Florida College to Seward on Nov. 19. In a match that lasted just over an hour, Concordia defeated the visitors from the Tampa, Fla., area, 25-9, 25-10, 25-21, and finished the 2022 home slate with a record of 11-1 inside Friedrich Arena. Camryn Opfer enjoyed a big day in the victory as she totaled 14 kills and 16 digs and hit .394 from the outside. As a team, Concordia outhit the Falcons, .294 to .054. In addition, Bree Burtwistle added 36 assists, nine digs and five kills while Gabi Nordaker produced eight kills on nine swings. Rebecca Gebhardt contributed 14 digs and three aces.
· The Bulldogs are officially in the midst of their fifth all-time national tournament appearance. Each of the program’s nine national tournament wins have come since Ben and Angie Boldt arrived at Concordia prior to the start of the 2018 season. The program’s first ever national tournament win occurred in 2019 when the Bulldogs defeated No. 19 Montana Tech in four sets. Concordia reached bracket play at the national tournament in 2019, 2020 and 2021 making it one of four programs in the NAIA to accomplish that feat (the others are Jamestown, Missouri Baptist and Northwestern). Both Camryn Opfer and Kalee Wiltfong have appeared in four straight national tournaments. Others on the roster with prior national tournament experience are Bree Burtwistle, Rebecca Gebhardt, Cassidy Knust, Lexie Kreizel, Morgan Nibbe, Gabi Nordaker, Carly Rodaway, Shelby Stark, Kennedy VanScoy and Ashlyn Wischmeier. Opfer has twice been named to the NAIA National Championship All-Tournament Team.
· Concordia statistical leaders by category this season are: Gabi Nordaker in kills (304), hitting percentage (.356) and blocks (102), Bree Burtwistle in aces (1,119) and Rebecca Gebhardt in digs (459) and aces (27). There are four Bulldogs who have notched at least 250 kills: Nordaker, Camryn Opfer (293), Ashley Keck (256) and Carly Rodaway (250). On Nov. 15, six Concordia players were recognized with all-conference awards: Nordaker (first team), Opfer (first team), Burtwistle (second team), Rodaway (second team), Gebhardt (honorable mention) and Keck (honorable mention). Keck was also named the GPAC Freshman of the Year. Opfer has pushed her career totals to 1,241 kills and 1,293 digs. Opfer’s kill total ranks fifth best in school history behind Becky Ernstmeyer (1,740), Katie Werner (1,600), Paige Getz (1,331) and Rachel Kirchner (1,315).
· Seven GPAC teams hosted opening round matches and all seven advanced to play at the final site of the national tournament. Six GPAC squads were ranked in the NAIA’s final regular season top 25: No. 2 Jamestown, No. 3 Midland, No. 4 Concordia, No. 6 Dakota Wesleyan, No. 8 Northwestern and No. 15 College of Saint Mary. Hastings landed as the first team out of the top 25. At the 2021 national tournament, three GPAC teams reached the quarterfinals: Concordia, Jamestown and Northwestern. The previous year (2020), five GPAC squads advanced to the quarterfinals. The most recent GPAC member to win the NAIA national title was Hastings in 2016.
· The success on the national stage for the Bulldogs is a continuation of recent years. Concordia has appeared inside the NAIA top 25 in 24 of the past 26 coaches’ polls (also received votes when not appearing in the top 25). The current national ranking of No. 4 is the highest for Concordia in the history of the program. The Bulldogs will finish as a nationally ranked team for the fourth year in a row. Concordia concluded the previous three seasons with postseason national rankings of 14th in 2019, eighth in 2020 and sixth in 2021. For the ’22 squad to break new ground for the program at the national tournament, it will need to reach at least the semifinal round.
· BONUS: Concordia owns wins over eight teams that qualified for the 2022 national tournament: College of Saint Mary (three times), Hastings (twice), Midland, Northwestern, Park Gilbert (Ariz.), Southern Oregon, Texas Wesleyan and Viterbo (Wis.). Each of those foes reached the final site with the exception of Park Gilbert and Texas Wesleyan.
The opponents
Hastings is back at the national tournament for the first time since 2018 and for the 14th time in program history. The Broncos narrowly got past Texas Wesleyan University, 16-25, 26-24, 25-23, 10-25, 17-15, in the opening round. Head Coach Alex Allard’s squad is led by Second Team All-GPAC libero Miriam Miller and honorable mention all-conference recipients in setter Makenna Asher and middle blocker Amani Monroe. As a team, Hastings is hitting .204 while allowing its opponents to hit .179. The Bulldogs and Broncos met twice during the regular season with Concordia winning in straight sets in both instances.
Park placed as the 2021 NAIA national runner up after it was defeated in the national championship match by Missouri Baptist. The Pirates won the national title as recently as 2018 and are appearing at nationals for the 10th time. Head Coach Michael Talamantes’ squad landed seven players on the 2022 Heart of America Athletic Conference all-conference teams. Outside hitter Malaina Hensley was named the HAAC Player of the Year and Jullia Alvarez was recognized as the HAAC Setter of the Year. Concordia and Park have not played each other since the 2008 season when the Bulldogs won in five sets in a match that took place in Hastings, Neb.
Bracket play
The winners from each of the eight pools will advance to bracket play on Dec. 3, which begins with the NAIA national quarterfinals. The semifinals will follow on Dec. 5 with the national championship match taking place on Dec. 6. All matches will be played at the Tyson Events Center.
Concordia National Tournament History
--All-time record of 9-5 in five appearances.
2015
Opening Round – L, 0-3 vs. Olivet Nazarene (Ill.)
2019
Pool Play – W, 3-1 vs. No. 19 Montana Tech
Pool Play – W, 3-0 vs. Saint Mary (Kan.)
Pool Play – L, 2-3 vs. No. 3 Indiana Wesleyan
RD of 16 – L, 0-3 vs. No. 4 Missouri Baptist
2020
Opening Round – W, 3-1 at Xavier (La.)
Pool Play – W, 3-2 vs. Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)
Pool Play – W, 3-1 vs. No. 7 Marian (Ind.)
Quarterfinals – L, 0-3 vs. No. 16 Dordt
2021
Opening Round – W, 3-0 vs. Ave Maria (Fla.)
Pool Play – W, 3-1 vs. No. 25 Oregon Tech
Pool Play – W, 3-2 vs. No. 2 Viterbo (Wis.)
Quarterfinals – L, 2-3 vs. No. 7 Marian (Ind.)
2022
Opening Round – W, 3-0 vs. Florida College
Four Bulldogs represent volleyball program with Academic All-District awards
November 22, 2022
College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Volleyball Teams
SEWARD, Neb. – A program record number of Academic All-District® awards have rolled in for Concordia University Volleyball. As announced by College Sports Communicators (CSC), the following Bulldogs were selected to the 2022 NAIA Academic All-District® Volleyball Teams: Bree Burtwistle, Rebecca Gebhardt, Camryn Opfer and Carly Rodaway. Each student-athlete has had a hand in leading fourth-ranked Concordia to the national tournament final site while also earning high marks in the classroom.
The 2022 Academic All-District® Volleyball Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. Student-athletes must achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher in order to be nominated for this award. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes volleyball honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA — for each gender.
One of the top setters in the nation, Burtwistle (Stanton, Neb.) was twice named the NAIA National Setter of the Week this fall. The Biology major has accumulated 1,119 assists (11.19 per set) in addition to 263 digs, 35 blocks and 26 aces in 29 matches. Burtwistle ranks fourth nationally in terms of assists per set and quarterbacks an attack that ranks No. 2 in the NAIA in hitting percentage (.265). Burtwistle’s high for assists in one match this season was 55 in the four-set win over Dakota State University.
In her second year as a libero, Gebhardt has stepped up her game. The Lutheran High School Northeast graduate and Norfolk, Neb., native has paced the team with 459 digs (4.59 per set) while passing serve receive at a 97.0 percent rate. She has also contributed 27 aces and 32 assists in 29 matches. Over two collegiate campaigns, Gebhardt has posted 754 digs and 43 aces. Gebhardt is studying Biology.
A key figure in four-straight national tournament appearances, Opfer has been named an all-conference award winner four times in her career. She garnered second team honors in both 2019 and 2020 and then first team accolades in 2021 and 2022. The Seward High School product has recorded 293 kills (2.99 per set), 356 digs (3.63 per set), 45 blocks and 18 aces in 29 matches this season. Opfer has reached double figures in kills 16 times in 2022. Early in the campaign, Opfer eclipsed 1,000 career kills. Heading into the national tournament, Opfer has achieved career totals of 1,241 kills, 1,293 digs, 171 blocks and 62 aces. She ranks fifth in program history for career kills. Opfer studies Accounting.
A Lincoln Pius X High School graduate, Rodaway has taken her game to a new level in 2022. On the year, Rodaway has totaled 250 kills (2.50 per set) while hitting .240 from the right side. She’s also added 64 blocks (0.69 per set) and 69 digs in 29 matches. Rodaway enjoyed a stretch in October when she reached double figures in kills in five-straight matches. She notched 15 kills and hit .433 in the five-set win over then seventh-ranked Northwestern on Oct. 15. Rodaway was named Second Team All-GPAC this fall and studies Elementary Education.
Academic All-District® honorees advance to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot. First- and second-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced in late December. The CSC Academic All-District® teams include the student-athletes listed at the links above
National tourney qualifiers put 18 Bulldogs on NAIA Scholar-Athlete list
November 29, 2022
2022 NAIA Volleyball Scholar-Athletes
SEWARD, Neb. – One of the top NAIA programs in the nation in terms of on-court success, Concordia University Volleyball also ranks alongside the very best academically. On Tuesday (Nov. 29), 18 Bulldogs were recognized as 2022 Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athletes. That number ranks as the second most among all NAIA volleyball programs. Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad is currently preparing to play at the final site of the national tournament.
The 2022 list of volleyball honorees includes 609 student-athletes 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 one full year at said institution.
Bulldog NAIA Scholar-Athletes are listed below. Repeat honorees are Bree Burtwistle, Ashtynne Frahm, Bree Green, Mollie Grosshans, Sara Huss, Lexie Kreizel, Mary Nibbe, Morgan Nibbe, Camryn Opfer, Carly Rodaway, Addison Smith, Shelby Stark, Kennedy VanScoy and Kalee Wiltfong.
Concordia University ranks as the NAIA’s all-time leader in number of Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes with 2,121 entering the 2022-23 academic year. The school record for number of Scholar-Athletes in one academic year is 226 achieved in 2019-20. Concordia has been a regular national leader for both Scholar-Athletes and Scholar-Teams.
2022 Volleyball NAIA Scholar-Athletes
· Bree Burtwistle (Stanton, Neb.)
· Ashtynne Frahm (Omaha, Neb.)
· Rebecca Gebhardt (Norfolk, Neb.)
· Bree Green (Gretna, Neb.)
· Mollie Grosshans (Waverly, Neb.)
· Kelsi Heard (Sioux Falls, S.D.)
· Sara Huss (Fairbury, Neb.)
· Cassidy Knust (Aurora, Neb.)
· Lexie Kreizel (Lincoln, Neb.)
· Macy McClain (Tempe, Ariz.)
· Mary Nibbe (Red Cloud, Neb.)
· Morgan Nibbe (Red Cloud, Neb.)
· Carmyn Opfer (Seward, Neb.)
· Carly Rodaway (Lincoln, Neb.)
· Addison Smith (Seward, Neb.)
· Shelby Stark (Magnolia, Texas)
· Kennedy VanScoy (Waverly, Neb.)
· Kalee Wiltfong (Doniphan, Neb.)
Nordaker dominant as Dawgs claim program's 10th all-time national tourney win
November 30, 2022
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – There were no real secrets between the fourth-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team and GPAC rival Hastings as they met on the national stage on Wednesday (Nov. 30) afternoon. The Broncos threatened to force a fifth set before the Bulldogs rattled off five of the final six points in the fourth. Concordia won the NAIA National Championship Pool Play clash, 25-19, 23-25, 25-13, 25-21, inside the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa.
Head Coach Ben Boldt has brought an experienced battle-tested group to the national tournament final site. The victory on Wednesday marked the program’s 10th all-time at the national tournament and moved the 2022 team to 25-5 overall.
“I thought Hastings played really well,” Boldt said. “The other two times we played them, we jumped on them early and they made some errors. They did a really good job adjusting. The challenge the very first match of the tournament is always – how are we going to play when the lights come on? It’s good to get in there and have the feel of the tournament. I think we got better as the match went on.”
A strong showing of supporting family members were on hand, but the Bulldogs had to pull energy from within themselves in the middle of a weekday. Gabi Nordaker and company met the challenge. A year after a 13-block performance versus No. 2 Viterbo (Wis.) at the national tournament, Nordaker posted 16 kills and four blocks versus Hastings. She hit .441 from the middle, a fruitful spot for Concordia. Fifth-year senior Morgan Nibbe put away point Nos. 24 and 25 of the fourth set with kills as a compliment to Nordaker.
The attack for the Bulldogs operated near its peak in the third set when they hit .457 with 17 kills to just one error. Hastings (20-14) absorbed that blow and made it a fight in the fourth set. It was 20-20 after a Concordia service error. A combined block by Nibbe and Bree Burtwistle followed and the Bulldogs were on their way. They were able to overcome 15 kills apiece from Broncos Peyton Roper and Marlee Taylor.
“We were having a tough time getting touches on their outsides,” Boldt said. “We couldn’t quite set up our block in the right spot. They were making really good shots. It was a game of trying to figure out where they were going to hit. Down the stretch in those games that we won, we made plays. We made things happen, especially at the net with our block. If you’re going to win games, you have to make plays.”
A two-time NAIA National Championship All-Tournament selection, Camryn Opfer is used to making those big plays. She powered down 13 kills and added 24 digs, two blocks and an ace in the win over Hastings. Besides Nordaker and Opfer, three other Bulldogs notched at least nine kills: Carly Rodaway (11), Ashley Keck (nine) and Nibbe (nine). Burtwistle racked up 58 assists, 11 digs and two aces. In the back row, Rebecca Gebhardt (27 digs) and Lexie Kreizel (14 digs) played instrumental roles. Kreizel dropped in four aces.
The aim for Concordia is to advance beyond pool play for a fourth straight year. Said Nordaker, “Having such an experienced team, we were able to come in here and we knew the set up. We knew how to have that communication in the big moments. We know it’s a big stage and we know how to perform here.”
Hastings escaped the opening round with a five-set win over Texas Wesleyan University. The Broncos won the NAIA national title as recently as 2016. They were outhit by the Bulldogs, .241 to .214. Concordia owned a wide advantage in aces, 10-1, and slim ones in kills, 61-60, and blocks, 7-5, while both teams had exactly 102 digs.
The Bulldogs will return to Court 2 at the Tyson Events Center on Friday for a matchup with No. 13 Park University (Mo.) (27-5). First serve is set for 1 p.m. CT. Concordia and Park have not met since the 2008 season when the Bulldogs came away with a victory in five sets. The Pirates will take on Hastings on Thursday before going head-to-head with Concordia.
Season of significant achievement ends one win shy of NAIA quarterfinals
December 2. 2022
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – In an effort to advance beyond NAIA National Championship pool play for the fourth year in a row, the Concordia University Volleyball team came up one win short. Disjointed first and second sets were too much to overcome as the fourth-ranked Bulldogs were beaten by No. 13 Park University (Mo.), 25-18, 25-19, 19-25, 25-22, in Sioux City, Iowa, on Friday (Dec. 2). The Pirates managed to limit one of the nation’s most potent attacking teams to an .070 hitting percentage.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad lived inside the top 10 of the NAIA coaches’ poll virtually wire-to-wire in what has been another of the most successful seasons in program history. It took a special group to reach these heights, but it stings in the moment as Concordia ends the 2022 campaign at 25-6 overall.
“We kept competing. We stayed gritty,” Boldt said. “They took a couple swings at the end there that put the momentum in their favor. The margins are tight. I thought the first couple sets were just choppy, and we weren’t able to get into a rhythm. We were able to start doing that in the third set and even in the fourth set a little bit. They made plays.”
No one associated with the program planned on an exit this quickly from the national tournament. As the top seed in Pool D, the Bulldogs took care of GPAC rival Hastings in four sets on Wednesday. It set up a winner-take-all clash for the right to win the pool. A strong defensive team, Park (29-5) seized the moment with the help of 20-plus digs from three separate players in the back row. The Pirates were just a bit sharper with fewer hitting errors (24 to Concordia’s 30) and a slight edge in blocks, 13-12.
Behind a strong match from Camryn Opfer (14 kills and 23 digs), the Bulldogs rebounded to play much cleaner in the third and fourth sets. Trailing 23-19 in the fourth set, Concordia climbed back within a point (23-22) after back-to-back kills from Gabi Nordaker and one from Opfer. Ultimately, Malaina Hensley’s attack landed for match point. Park’s hitting percentage of .157 was enough to get the job done.
Tears flowed for the Bulldog seniors as the realization set in that this was the end. There’s never been a better four-year run in program history and the likes of Opfer, Bree Burtwistle, Bree Green, Morgan Nibbe, Kennedy VanScoy and Kalee Wiltfong understand what it took to raise the status of the program to an elite level. Individually, Opfer has totaled more kills (195) and digs (231) at the national tournament than any player in school history.
Said Boldt, “I don’t know if you can put it in words. One of our first team mottos was ‘champions behave like champions before they become champions.’ This team – they’re champions. That was our message after the match. They’ve become who we want this program to be. At the end of the day, there’s one champion that’s going to be crowned, but it’s about who you are along the way. We love our team. It’s tough not to get your goals, but I think we can look back and say that we played for each other, put the work in and have no regrets.”
Team statistical leaders other than Opfer on Friday were Burtwistle in assists (34) and aces (three) and Nordaker in blocks (eight). In addition, Nordaker and Ashley Keck chipped in with six kills apiece and Rebecca Gebhardt amassed 17 digs and an ace. In one sequence in the third set, Keck made a terrific diving dig and soon followed it up with a booming kill. Concordia gained a bit of traction by hitting .132 in the third set.
Park is no stranger to the national stage having reached it for the ninth time in program history. The Pirates won the national title as recently as 2018. Park was paced in kills by the hard-hitting Thaynara Jesus (16 kills) on Friday. Hensley backed her up with 13 kills while also adding 20 digs and three blocks. Irene Verdino led all players with 24 digs.
Ben and Angie Boldt have piloted the Bulldogs to the national tournament final site in four straight seasons. Accomplishments in 2022 included an appearance in the GPAC tournament championship match, 13 victories over teams that qualified for the national tournament and the highest national ranking (No. 4) in the program’s history. Along the way, Concordia embraced its core values of love, trust, hard work and sacrifice.
Angie Boldt honored with coaching award; three Bulldogs chosen to AVCA region team
December 4, 2022
2022 NAIA AVCA All-Region Awards
SEWARD, Neb. – For their efforts in helping the 2022 Concordia University Volleyball team to the highest national ranking in program history, four Bulldogs were honored on Friday (Dec. 2) with West Central All-Region awards, as selected by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). Angie Boldt was honored as the region’s Assistant Coach of the Year while Gabi Nordaker, Camryn Opfer and Bree Burtwistle (honorable mention) were named to the AVCA West Central Region squad. Concordia finished the season at 25-6 overall while reaching the national tournament final site for a fourth year in a row.
Angie Boldt has worked alongside her husband Ben Boldt while presiding over an unprecedented run of success for the program. Angie began her tenure with the Bulldogs prior to the start of the 2018 season and has aided in a combined record of 102-43 over five seasons. The highlights of ’22 included the program’s highest ever national ranking of No. 4, 13 wins over teams that qualified for the national tournament and an appearance in the GPAC tournament championship match. Originally from St. Paul, Neb., and an alum of the University of Nebraska, Angie’s coaching journey has included stops at the University of Alabama, the University of Iowa, the University of Arkansas, Nebraska Wesleyan University and Hendrix College (Ark.).
Opfer has completed four phenomenal seasons as a Bulldog. The Seward High School product has been named first team all-conference twice and second team twice during a career that ranks her among the best players in school history. In 2022, Opfer totaled 320 kills, 403 digs, 49 blocks and 19 aces in 31 matches. In 118 career matches, Opfer has racked up 1,268 kills, 1,340 digs, 175 blocks and 63 aces. On the program’s all-time lists, Opfer ranks No. 5 for career kills and career digs. Opfer’s career national tournament totals of 195 kills and 231 digs both stand out as school records on that stage.
The Millard West High School alum Nordaker has starred as one of the NAIA’s best middle hitters. She’s been chosen as a First Team All-GPAC honoree in back-to-back years. In 31 matches in 2022, Nordaker led the team in both kills (328) and blocks (114) while hitting .353. That hitting percentage ranks No. 8 nationally. In three seasons as a Bulldog, Nordaker has totaled 893 kills and 342 blocks in 85 matches (307 sets). Nordaker racked up 16 kills and hit .441 in the national tournament win over Hastings.
Burtwistle stepped into the role as the team’s primary setter in 2022 and thrived. The Stanton, Neb., native ranked No. 4 among all NAIA setters with an average of 11.21 assists per set. Burtwistle piled up 1,211 total assists while leading an attack that ranked second in the NAIA in hitting percentage (.255). Burtwistle was rewarded with Second Team All-GPAC accolades. She was twice named the NAIA National Setter of the Week in 2022
Nordaker, Opfer named to All-America second team, Burtwistle tabbed honorable mention
December 9, 2022
2022 NAIA Volleyball All-Americans
SEWARD, Neb. – Three Bulldogs have represented the fourth-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team with 2022 NAIA All-America recognition. As announced by the NAIA on Friday (Dec. 9), All-America honors were awarded to Gabi Nordaker and Camryn Opfer as second team selections and to Bree Burtwistle as an honorable mention choice. Opfer has moved up to the second team after garnering honorable mention in 2021 while Nordaker and Burtwistle are first time All-Americans.
Since coaches Ben and Angie Boldt arrived in Seward prior to the start of the 2018 season, the Concordia program has raked in a total of seven All-America awards. Nordaker and Opfer have reached the loftiest status during that timeframe by picking up second team awards. Emmie Noyd was recognized as an NAIA Third Team All-American in 2019.
Opfer has completed four phenomenal seasons as a Bulldog. The Seward High School product has been named first team all-conference twice and second team twice during a career that ranks her among the best players in school history. In 2022, Opfer totaled 320 kills, 404 digs, 49 blocks and 19 aces in 31 matches. In 118 career matches, Opfer has racked up 1,268 kills, 1,341 digs, 175 blocks and 63 aces. On the program’s all-time lists, Opfer ranks No. 5 for career kills and career digs. Opfer’s career national tournament totals of 195 kills and 231 digs both stand out as school records on that stage.
The Millard West High School alum Nordaker has starred as one of the NAIA’s best middles. She’s been chosen as a First Team All-GPAC honoree in back-to-back years. In 31 matches in 2022, Nordaker led the team in both kills (328) and blocks (114) while hitting .353. That hitting percentage ranks No. 8 nationally. In three seasons as a Bulldog, Nordaker has totaled 893 kills and 342 blocks in 85 matches (307 sets). Nordaker racked up 16 kills and hit .441 in the national tournament win over Hastings.
Burtwistle stepped into the role as the team’s primary setter in 2022 and thrived. The Stanton, Neb., native ranked No. 4 among all NAIA setters with an average of 11.21 assists per set. Burtwistle piled up 1,211 total assists while leading an attack that ranked second in the NAIA in hitting percentage (.255). Burtwistle was rewarded with Second Team All-GPAC accolades. She was twice named the NAIA National Setter of the Week in 2022.
Recent All-Americans
2022 – Gabi Nordaker (second team); Camryn Opfer (second team); Bree Burtwistle (honorable mention)
2021 – Camryn Opfer (honorable mention)
2020 – Tara Callahan (honorable mention)
2019 – Emmie Noyd (third team); Tara Callahan (honorable mention)
Season-In-Review: program momentum continued in special 2022 season
December 14, 2022
A 2022 season that came with sky high expectations started in Oregon and finished in Sioux City, Iowa, home to the final site of the NAIA Volleyball National Championship. While the campaign concluded sooner than anyone had hoped, the Bulldogs will reflect back on the campaign and know they gave it their best shot while continuing the momentum the program has built. Most importantly in the eyes of coaches Ben and Angie Boldt, Concordia stayed true to its values: love, trust, hard work and sacrifice.
Those values fed into larger themes of “embrace” and “lean in.” One of the secrets to the success for Bulldog Volleyball the past four years has been the team’s chemistry and focus on fostering a family atmosphere.
“This team was true to its core values,” Ben Boldt said. “The core value this team chose at the beginning of the year was to ‘embrace.’ It meant playing for your teammates, embracing the moment and staying in the moment. I thought we did that to the end. We were playing for each other and that’s what is really going to stand out to me – how well they connected and how well they embraced each other.”
Said Angie Boldt, “This team is special because of the belief in and commitment they have to each other and this program. They truly committed to the process and rooted themselves in the core values of love, trust, hard work and sacrifice. We are grateful for the seniors who committed to a vision five years ago and helped make that vision come to life – a vision of family and championship culture.”
The depth of talent and experience on the roster coming into the season led to the Bulldogs being ranked No. 11 in the NAIA preseason coaches’ poll. Following runs to the national quarterfinals in 2020 and 2021, Concordia knew it was well-stocked with talent. The Bulldogs ended ’22 at 25-6 overall while coming up one victory shy of a return to the national quarterfinals. Three Concordia players landed on the NAIA All-America list: middle Gabi Nordaker (second team), outside hitter Camryn Opfer (second team) and setter Bree Burtwistle (honorable mention).
There’s no doubt about it, this program has become one of the nation’s elites. During the four years Opfer and her fellow senior classmates have starred at Concordia, the Bulldogs have finished seasons with NAIA national rankings of 14th (2019), eighth (2020), sixth (2021) and fourth (2022). The rise to No. 4 this fall represented the highest national ranking in program history. Concordia was included in the NAIA top 10 in every poll released during the 2022 regular season. It also claimed 13 wins over teams that qualified for the national tournament.
Said Opfer following the team’s NAIA opening round win over Florida College, “I think it says a lot about this program and the leadership and the culture that we’ve made throughout these past four years – and even before that. It’s crazy how the culture has elevated so much. You can see that on the court. I can trust anyone on this team, and I think it shows.”
A transfer from Midland, Burtwistle seamlessly took on the setter role after Tara Callahan had held down that spot for five seasons. ‘Burt’ wound up finishing fourth among all NAIA players for assists per set (11.21) while leading an attack that ranked second nationally in hitting percentage (.255). Offensive firepower and balance became an obvious strength. Four Bulldogs finished with more than 250 kills: Nordaker (328), Opfer (320), Ashley Keck (273) and Carly Rodaway (267). The Kearney Catholic High School grad Keck was named the GPAC Freshman of the Year. In 118 career matches, Opfer has racked up 1,268 kills, 1,341 digs, 175 blocks and 63 aces. On the program’s all-time lists, Opfer ranks No. 5 for career kills and career digs.
So many others also had a hand in the team’s success. Opfer headlined a class of fourth-year seniors that also included Bree Green, Kennedy VanScoy and Kalee Wiltfong. Each provided veteran leadership in addition to their on-court contributions. Meanwhile, Morgan Nibbe made a major impact in the middle as a super senior. In the back row, Rebecca Gebhardt, Lexie Kreizel and Cassidy Knust took steps forward as more experienced players. Gebhardt paced the team with 504 digs.
As Ben Boldt would tell you, none of those individuals were seeking accolades. Said Boldt, “It’s awesome that they’re recognized. They’ve put in a lot of work. It’s a day-by-day process. We practice, we train, we recover and we go to school. When we do it at a high level, it’s awesome to see that recognition. I’m really proud of all of our team. When I see those things, I feel like it’s a team award. They would say those same things as well. We can’t do it without the group mission in mind. We’re really happy to be where we’re at.”
One of the season’s highlights included a 10-0 start. As part of that run, the Bulldogs won three times in a pre-first semester trip out to Ashland, Ore., and also knocked off then ninth-ranked Viterbo University (Wis.). One of the more thrilling wins came in the GPAC semifinals when the Bulldogs outlasted third-ranked Midland in five sets in Fremont. Afterwards, the players made sure to acknowledge the 100th win for Ben and Angie at Concordia. All six of the season’s defeats came against teams ranked in the top 15 nationally (four against the top five).
As a result of another season of national prominence, Angie Boldt was recognized as the AVCA West Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year. Said Ben, “Honestly I don’t know why it’s taken this long for her to get that recognition. She has her hands in everything that we do here. We’ve been on this coaching journey for a whole career. She’s been the head coach at a previous stop. Now technically I’m the head coach, but we make decisions together. She’s super organized. She is always thinking about how the program can be better. She really, really cares about our players and does everything at a high level. The recognition is a culmination of who she is and what she brings to the table every day.”
The tears flowed for many players after being eliminated at the national tournament. They didn’t want something so special to come to an end, especially the seniors. Thoughts from players on team help paint a picture of what it means to be part of Concordia Volleyball. As Ben Boldt put it after the loss at the national tournament, “One of our first team mottos was ‘champions behave like champions before they become champions.’ This team – they’re champions. That was our message after the match. They’ve become who we want this program to be.”
Burtwistle: “I think the culture is what makes the program so special.”
Keck: “This is my first experience and having all the girls have my back, being there when I’m in those moments of struggle, is really helpful.”
Nibbe: “The culture we have now has all of our core values really embodied in it: love, trust, hard work and sacrifice.”
Wiltfong: “The team chemistry is just unreal. I never imagined playing with this tight of a team ever. They’re all my best friends.”
There are still some questions as to what the makeup of the 2023 team will look like. There is an opportunity for one or more of the seniors to use the ‘COVID’ year of eligibility. No matter the personnel comings and goings, the program already has a firmly established blueprint for success, both on and off the court.
“We’re happy with where we’re at, but we’re not satisfied,” Ben Boldt said. “We want to continue to get better. As a coach, you’re always thinking in the future. You’re not wired to think about there not being a game tomorrow. In reflection, I’m really proud of the team and all the work they’ve put in. I’m super thankful for the senior class. They’ve been a hallmark class for us in our time here. We’ve set a foundation and we want to continue to build on it.”
Six Bulldogs named to All-Midlands Volleyball Team
December 24, 2022
Omaha World-Herald news article
SEWARD, Neb. – A group of six Bulldogs represented the Concordia University Volleyball program with recognition on the 2022 NAIA/NCAA Division III All-Midlands Team, as selected by the Omaha World-Herald. The news outlet announced the honorees on Thursday (Dec. 22) while rewarding Bulldog All-Americans Camryn Opfer and Gabi Nordaker with selection on the primary eight-person All-Midlands squad. Meanwhile, honorable mention status went to Bree Burtwistle, Rebecca Gebhardt, Ashley Keck and Carly Rodaway.
2022 Concordia All-Midlands honorees
Gabi Nordaker, MB
2022 – 328 kills (3.07/set), 114 blocks (1.07/set), .353 hitting percentage; NAIA Second Team All-America; First Team All-GPAC; AVCA All-Region.
Camryn Opfer, OH
2022 – 320 kills (3.02/set), 404 digs (3.81/set), .214 hitting percentage; NAIA Second Team All-America; First Team All-GPAC; AVCA All-Region; CSC Academic All-District.
Bree Burtwistle, S (HM)
2022 – 1,211 assists (11.21/set), 284 digs (2.63/set); NAIA Honorable Mention All-America; Second Team All-GPAC; AVCA HM All-Region; CSC Academic All-District.
Rebecca Gebhardt, DS (HM)
2022 – 504 digs (4.67/set); 28 aces; Honorable Mention All-GPAC; CSC Academic All-District.
Ashley Keck, OH (HM)
2022 – 273 kills (2.55/set), .203 hitting percentage; Honorable Mention All-GPAC; GPAC Freshman of the Year.
Carly Rodaway, RS (HM)
2022 – 267 kills (2.47/set); 68 blocks (0.63/set), .228 hitting percentage; Second Team All-GPAC; CSC Academic All-District.
2022 NAIA/NCAA D-III All-Midlands Team (Omaha World-Herald)
OH - Sierra Athen, Bellevue
OH - Taliyah Flores, Midland
OH - Camryn Opfer, Concordia
MB - Gabi Nordaker, Concordia
MB - Abbey Ringler, Midland
S - Olivia Galas, Bellevue
* S - Hope Leimbach, Midland
L - Rachel Cushing, Coll. of St. Mary
Honorable mention: Bellevue: Jacki Apel, Allie Kerns, Nicole Meyer. College of SM: Lexie Langley, Rachel Rosenquist, Kamryn Willman. Concordia: Bree Burtwistle, Becca Gebhardt, Ashley Keck, Carly Rodaway. Doane: Kirsten Bures, Jaime Renshaw, Taylor Sluka. Hastings: Makenna Asher, Miriam Miller, Amani Monroe. Midland: Brooke Fredrickson, Addisyn Mosier, Delanie Vallinch. Nebraska Wesleyan: Nyah Chambers, Erica Hopping, Addie Thomas. Peru State: Michelle Beer, Mattie Nichols. York: Danielle Armendariz.
Volleyball records update: Opfer moves into top five all-time for kills/digs
January 12, 2023
SEWARD, Neb. – Another of the greatest seasons in Concordia University Volleyball history saw movement on the program’s all-time lists. All-Americans Camryn Opfer and Gabi Nordaker continued their rise up the charts while coaches Ben and Angie Boldt reached the 100-win mark since taking over the Bulldogs prior to the start of the 2018 season. A new high-water mark came for the program in 2022 as it reached No. 4 in the NAIA coaches’ poll, surpassing the previous best of No. 6 (entering the campaign).
Led by the likes of Opfer and Nordaker, Concordia finished ’22 at 25-6 overall and advanced to the final site of the national tournament for the fourth straight season. Below is a summary of the most significant movements on the program’s all-time lists at the conclusion of the 2022 season.
Ben Boldt has become the fourth head coach in program history to achieve 100 wins, joining Vicki Boye (167), Rachel Miller (107) and Berniece Jones. Boldt’s win percentage of .703 stands out as the best for any coach in Concordia Volleyball annals.
Notable updates from 2022:
· Team’s No. 4 national ranking is the highest in program history and its .806 winning percentage was the third highest in program history.
· Ben Boldt became the fourth coach in program history to reach 100 career wins.
· Camryn Opfer moved to No. 5 for career kills (1,268).
· Camryn Opfer moved to No. 5 for career digs (1,341).
· Gabi Nordaker moved to No. 6 for career blocks (342).
· Gabi Nordaker moved to No. 14 for career kills (893).
· Bree Burtwistle’s 1,211 assists were the sixth most in a single season.
· Rebecca Gebhardt’s 504 digs were the 14th most in a single season.
During the ’22 season, the Seward High School product Opfer eclipsed both 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs. She’s only the fourth player in program history to accomplish that feat. On the all-time kills list, Opfer ranks behind only Becky Ernstmeyer (1,740), Katie Werner (1,600), Paige Getz (1,331) and Rachel Kirchner (1,315). Meanwhile, Nordaker is on the verge of becoming the next member of the 1,000 kills club. She’ll enter 2023 with 893 career kills to her credit. Also noteworthy, Bree Burtwistle put together one of the greatest seasons ever for a Bulldog setter and ranked fourth nationally in assists per set (11.21).
Among teams with more than 20 wins in a single season in school history, the ’22 squad posted the third highest winning percentage at .806. The only higher percentages were turned in by the 1982 (.842) and 1981 (.814) teams
Unfinished business: Burtwistle, Opfer announce return for fifth season
February 16, 2023
As the dust settled on a defeat that eliminated the Concordia University Volleyball program from the 2022 NAIA National Championship tournament, Bree Burtwistle and Camryn Opfer were hit by a wave of emotions. Sadness and heartbreak but also love and care for the coaches and teammates who have made this journey a special ride. It was undoubtedly the last ride for some seniors and for fifth-year team member Morgan Nibbe.
But was it the final chapter for Burtwistle? For Opfer? The two senior All-Americans had hinted at a possible return but nothing would become official until after the 2022 season had concluded.
Says Opfer, “Once we lost at nationals, I didn’t feel like I was done yet. Just talking to my teammates after that, I was just like, ‘I can’t leave this yet.’ There’s still more to come. That was the moment I knew I wanted to come back.”
Indeed, there is more to come. Burtwistle and Opfer informed coaches Ben and Angie Boldt of their decisions during individual meetings prior to the conclusion of the fall semester. Ultimately, the opportunity to use the extra “COVID year” of eligibility was too good for Burtwistle or Opfer to pass up. Burtwistle will graduate in May with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology (minor in Psychology) and will then pursue a master’s in Public Health. Meanwhile, Opfer is on her way to graduating in May with a degree in Accounting and will then work towards her MBA.
In the minds of Burtwistle and Opfer, there’s unfinished business to tend to this fall. So many boxes have been checked off by the program over the past four years, but there’s one standing goal that has remained elusive. Burtwistle and Opfer both cited a desire to bring a GPAC championship to Seward. It’s no small task considering the elite nature of GPAC volleyball. The Stanton, Neb., native Burtwistle still feels like she has a lot to give. The 2022 campaign was her first as a full-time setter.
“Honestly, I think the motivation came from knowing I wasn’t done yet,” Burtwistle said. “I still wanted to be the best athlete I can be for this volleyball program. We want to try to win a GPAC and a national championship, so that was all the motivation I needed.”
Even in the midst of the 2022 season that saw the Bulldogs rise as high as No. 4 in the NAIA coaches’ poll, Burtwistle knew. She knew she was coming back – she simply kept it mostly to herself. On the other hand, Opfer waffled back and forth. The Seward High School alum told her coaches she was 50-50 at one point late in the season.
Said Opfer, “One second I was like, I definitely want this, and the next one I was like, I need to move on and get a job, figure my life out. I told Ben and Angie, you need to give me a deadline or I’ll go back and forth in my head forever. Ben was like, ‘All right, you’ve got five minutes.’ He said that as a joke, but I needed a deadline. I said, ‘yes.’”
The next step involved informing the rest of the team. Of course the news was quickly shared with the teammates who room with Burtwistle and Opfer. However, the rest of the team found out in a different manner.
As Burtwistle explained, “Cam and I wanted to surprise the team. We live with quite a few of the volleyball girls so they knew, but the rest of the team didn’t know. At the meeting at the beginning of the year to start our spring stuff, we surprised them. Ben said he forgot something in his office and asked (GA) Corina (Beimers) to go get it. Then we came in with Corina to surprise them. I think they were happy.”
Ben and Angie Boldt understand how significant these decisions are for the prospects of the 2023 season. Opfer has racked up 1,341 digs and 1,268 kills in her career as someone who barely came off the court over the past four seasons. She was named an NAIA Second Team All-American in 2022. As Ben Boldt said, “Cam does everything for us.” A breakout star in 2022, Burtwistle took advantage of her opportunity this past fall and became one of the top setters in the NAIA. She was twice named the NAIA National Setter of the Week and led an offensive attack that ranked No. 1 nationally in hitting percentage for a good portion of the season. Ben Boldt has commended ‘Burt’ in the past for her ability to “better the ball” at a “really high level.”
Said Angie Boldt, “You can’t replace fifth-year experience, and to have that in two experienced players, but even more importantly, to have that in two humble leaders, is going to be a great asset for our team and program. They are great players and even better people, who truly live out our program core values.”
Added Ben Boldt, “We are excited to have Burt and Cam back to play their fifth year. It’s awesome that they want to continue to get better and contribute to our team in 2023.”
Burtwistle and Opfer will combine with middle Gabi Nordaker (who enters her fourth season in 2023) to give Concordia three returning All-Americans on next season’s roster. Before thinking about the fall, the focus is now about the return to the offseason grind. For most volleyball seniors in the second semester, a major life transition away from the sport becomes reality. No more early weightlifting sessions. No more grueling conditioning. No more practice.
For Burtwistle and Opfer, the volleyball lifestyle carries on. Said Opfer, “That’s one of the hardest things – to stay motivated throughout your fifth year. I think you have to think about it in terms of doing it for your teammates and the program. You’re bettering yourself and the team.” She also joked, “I feel so much older than some of my teammates.”
Older, wiser and battle-tested. While it will be Burtwistle’s fifth year of college volleyball, it will be her fourth at Concordia. Her freshman season of 2019 was spent at Midland. Said Burtwistle, “I’ve only been here three years and it just didn’t seem like the right time to go. I might as well take the extra year if I can and take advantage of it. I’m going to try not to be an adult for as long as possible.”
Burtwistle and Opfer both mentioned the culture of the program as a reason why they couldn’t yet part ways with Concordia Volleyball. Fortunately for both sides, everything fell into place from an athletic and academic standpoint. On a walk together before their decisions were made final, Burtwistle and Opfer discussed the pros and cons. There was some initial fear of commitment.
If they were going to go in, they had to be all the way in. The pursuit of a GPAC Championship starts now.
As Opfer stated, “It says a lot about this program’s culture and relationships that make it so hard to leave. Bree and I are very happy we decided to come back because we know it’s going to be a good year. Those relationships are going to be there, and the coaching is amazing. Shoutout to Concordia Volleyball for making it hard to leave.”