Coming off an appearance in the national round of 16, the Concordia volleyball program has announced its slate for the 2020 campaign. The Bulldogs will open the season, and GPAC play, in August.
A half a dozen Bulldogs from the 2019 national qualifying team picked up All-Nebraska Team honors, as chosen by the Omaha World-Herald. The list includes two freshmen, three juniors and one senior.
The 2019 Concordia volleyball team surpassed all expectations and set new standards for the program by reaching the national round of 16 and by finishing at No. 14 in the NAIA postseason poll.
The program's first team to reach the final site of the national tournament and first to win at the national tournament has landed at No. 14 in the NAIA postseason poll. It's the highest ever finish for Concordia volleyball.
Tara Callahan and Emmie Noyd have represented the Concordia volleyball program with NAIA All-America honors. The duo helped lead the Bulldogs to the round of 16 at the NAIA National Championship.
A breakthrough season for the Concordia volleyball team concluded with a loss to fourth-ranked Missouri Baptist in the round of 16 at the national tournament. The Bulldogs broke new ground in 2019.
By forcing five sets, the 15th-ranked Bulldogs advanced to bracket play at the NAIA Volleyball National Championship. The 2019 squad continues to break ground as the first in program history to reach the final site.
Tara Callahan, Emmie Noyd and Camryn Opfer represented the Concordia volleyball program with 2019 AVCA West Central Region Team honors, as announced on Thursday (Dec. 5).
So far so good in pool play for the 15th-ranked Bulldogs, which defeated the University of Saint Mary in straight sets on Wednesday (Dec. 4). Concordia is 2-0 in pool play with No. 3 Indiana Wesleyan up next.
Freshman Kalee Wiltfong has received plenty of support from her family, which is proud to see her repping Bulldog blue, just like her older brother Riley and sister-in-law Taylor used to do in the recent past.
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.