In match No. 1 of 2023, Concordia shook off a rough stretch in the third set and staved off the upset bid from McPherson. Camryn Opfer led the way with 15 kills while Kya Scott supplied 10 in a defensive battle.
Concordia Volleyball continues to rub elbows with the elite squads on the NAIA national scene. The Bulldogs appeared at No. 4 in the preseason coaches' poll released on Wednesday (Aug. 16) while equaling the highest ranking in program history.
For a second August in a row, Concordia volleyball will welcome McPherson to Friedrich Arena. The two sides will open the 2023 season on Saturday with first serve at 3 p.m. Both squads were picked in the top four of their conference polls.
Four-consecutive trips to the final site of the NAIA National Championships lead the Concordia Volleyball program into 2023, or the “Jordan Year,” as the team has dubbed it. Coach Boldt's Bulldogs were picked to finish second in the GPAC.
Expectations are high for Concordia Volleyball, which was narrowly edged by Jamestown for the top spot in the 2023 GPAC Preseason Volleyball Coaches’ Poll. The Bulldogs earned three first-place votes and were ranked No. 2.
The distinction for longest streak of consecutive AVCA Team Academic Awards continues to be held by Concordia Volleyball. The program earned the award for the 25th year in a row thanks to another accolade in 2022-23.
All-American Gabi Nordaker may have turned down Concordia after the initial offer, but she's learned to love life as a Bulldog. In three collegiate seasons, Nordaker has been a major reason why the program has reached great heights.
Once Rachel Miller experienced it, she held on and never let go. The former All-American volleyball star and past Bulldog head coach remains deeply rooted within the Concordia and Seward and communities.
A veteran and battle-tested bunch of Bulldogs picked up where they left off in the fall and enjoyed a spring of continued development. The spring season, which included a matchup with a Big Ten foe, was about preparing to 'level up' in 2023.
It will be another highly anticipated Concordia Volleyball season. The 2023 schedule was announced on Friday (April 28). The regular season is slated to feature 24 matches, including 12 at home.
A veteran and battle-tested bunch of Bulldogs picked up where they left off in the fall and enjoyed a spring of continued development. The spring season, which included a matchup with a Big Ten foe, was about preparing to 'level up' in 2023.
Four seasons of college volleyball are in the books for Bree Burtwistle and Camryn Opfer, but they aren't ready to let go. The two All-Americans will return in 2023 in pursuit of a GPAC championship Concordia Volleyball covets.
It was another season of national prominence for Concordia Volleyball, which was led by a senior class that trusted the process throughout four years. The likes of Gabi Nordaker and Camryn Opfer helped lead the Bulldogs to a No. 4 national ranking.
It's a transcendent class that has helped Concordia Volleyball reach heights it had never before seen. Collectively, the group has set a new standard while living out the program's values: love, hard work, sacrifice and trust.
Bree Burtwistle knew her time was coming. It just took some patience and persistence before she could burst onto the scene as one of the NAIA's best setters. A transfer in her third year as a Bulldog, Burt is soaking up a 2022 season of winning with her best friends.
Three-straight NAIA top 15 finishes lead the Concordia Volleyball program into a 2022 campaign that comes with high hopes. The Bulldogs believe they are primed to take things a step farther after back-to-back national quarterfinal appearances.
Camryn Opfer has continued to make a name for herself within the community she has always called home. The Seward High School alum has a habit of playing big in big moments for a Concordia Volleyball program that has grabbed the national spotlight.
In terms of the approach and the goals of the Concordia Volleyball program, not much has changed since the 2021 season ended in the national quarterfinals. The Bulldogs grew in confidence this spring while 'leaning in' in anticipation of the 2022 campaign.
In a season that came with its share of challenges, the Bulldogs never gave up while advancing to the national quarterfinals for the second season in a row. The 2021 Bulldogs earned the program's best ever final national ranking.
Four years was just not enough for Tara Callahan, who returned to the Bulldogs in 2021 to provide steady leadership and consistently excellent play on the court. Her journey has included many mountaintop moments and unshakable bonds.