Following two pivotal GPAC home victories, two members of the top-ranked Bulldogs were honored with player of the week awards. Gabi Nordaker earned NAIA National Attacker of the Week accolades while Bree Burtwistle was also recognized by the GPAC.
Based on the most recent NAIA coaches' poll, the matchup between Concordia and Northwestern will feature the nation's Nos. 1 and 3 teams. The Bulldogs will carry a 17-0 record (10-0 GPAC) into Saturday's clash in Orange City, Iowa.
There were no signs of a letdown as No. 1 Concordia refueled with a little bit of Scooter's Coffee and showed plenty of energy in a straight sets win over Dakota Wesleyan on Saturday (Oct. 7). Gabi Nordaker produced 15 kills in the middle.
These were the moments Camryn Opfer and Bree Burtwistle came back to soak in. In a match dripping with hype, the top-ranked Bulldogs defeated defending national champ Jamestown in four sets in front of a raucous crowd on Friday (Oct. 6).
In a highly anticipated weekend of home action, the top-ranked Bulldogs will welcome defending national champion Jamestown and 2022 national quarterfinalist Dakota Wesleyan to Friedrich Arena.
The awards keep on coming for All-American setter Bree Burtwistle. The Stanton, Neb., native has collected her fourth GPAC Setter of the Week award in 2023. Burtwistle led the top-ranked Bulldogs to two GPAC wins last week.
A successful weekend in Sioux City was completed on Saturday (Sept. 30) as the top-ranked Bulldogs took care of Morningside in straight sets. As part of the win, libero Becca Gebhardt reached 1,000 career digs.
In their first outing since being tagged as the NAIA's No. 1-ranked team, the Bulldogs toppled Briar Cliff in three sets on the road. Concordia absorbed a strong push in the first set before dominating and moving to 14-0 (7-0 GPAC).
Having just been stamped with the NAIA’s No. 1 ranking, Concordia Volleyball will shift its focus to this weekend's road trip to Sioux City. Awaiting the Bulldogs will be Briar Cliff and Morningside as the GPAC grind carries on.
On the strength of a 13-0 start to the season, Concordia Volleyball has leveled up to the NAIA No. 1 national ranking. The Bulldogs have reached that lofty perch for the first time in the program's history.
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.