Concordia Volleyball has moved up another rung to No. 7 in the 2021 NAIA preseason coaches' poll. Head Coach Ben Boldt's program also ranked fourth in the GPAC.
Assistant Volleyball Coach since late 2017, Angie Boldt has helped the Bulldogs reach new heights. A University of Nebraska alum, Angie is a native of St. Paul, Neb., with 12 years of NCAA D-I coaching experience.
After leading the Bulldogs to the NAIA national quarterfinals, Ben Boldt was recognized as a finalist for the Midlands Women's Coach of the Year award, as selected by the Omaha World-Herald.
Concordia Volleyball has extended its national best streak of consecutive AVCA Team Academic Awards to 23. The Bulldogs achieved team GPA's of 3.74 for the fall and 3.76 for the spring.
Not long after reaching the national quarterfinals, Concordia Volleyball has announced its 2021 schedule. The Bulldogs will open up a new season on Aug. 25 versus Mount Marty.
As disjointed and unique as it was, the 2020-21 season provided plenty of rewards for staff, players and supporters of the Concordia Volleyball, which finished ranked No. 8 in the NAIA.
In landing at No. 8 in the NAIA postseason poll, Concordia Volleyball achieved the highest ranking in the history of the program. The ranking followed a run to the national quarterfinals.
A key figure in the run to the national quarterfinals, senior setter Tara Callahan has been named an NAIA honorable mention All-American. She ranked fourth nationally in assists per set.
Seward's own Camryn Opfer produced 59 kills and 60 digs over four national tournament matches and was named to the NAIA Championship All-Tournament Team.
All-GPAC selections Tara Callahan and Gabi Nordaker were also chosen as NAIA all-region honorees by the AVCA. Callahan starred at setter while Nordaker was a force in the middle.
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.
Ranked seventh in the NAIA in the preseason, Concordia Volleyball is ready to follow up a national quarterfinal run this past spring. "GPAC championship level effort" is the expectation.
As disjointed and unique as it was, the 2020-21 season provided plenty of rewards for staff, players and supporters of the Concordia Volleyball, which finished ranked No. 8 in the NAIA.