For the first time in program history, Concordia volleyball has claimed victory at the NAIA national tournament. Behind 16 kills from Emmie Noyd and a 13-3 block advantage, the Bulldogs defeated No. 19 Montana Tech.
The 15th-ranked Concordia volleyball team has been assigned to Pool C of the NAIA Volleyball National Championship. Pool C also includes No. 3 Indiana Wesleyan, No. 19 Montana Tech and Saint Mary (Kan.).
By embracing the idea of 'being the woman,' Emmie Noyd's career has taken off and has helped lift Concordia volleyball to new heights. The first team All-GPAC performer now gets set for an appearance at nationals.
Tara Callahan and Emmie Noyd collected first team All-GPAC honors while Camryn Opfer was named the GPAC Freshman of the Year. Five total Bulldogs earned some form of all-conference mention.
The 2019 Concordia volleyball team has made history as the first in program history to advance all the way to the final site of the NAIA National Championship. The announcement came on Monday (Nov. 18).
Five of the 11 GPAC Setter of the Week awards in 2019 have been handed out to Tara Callahan. The junior from Brady, Neb., piled up 85 assists last week in action against No. 1 Northwestern and Doane.
Concordia will vie for its first trip to the GPAC title match since 2015 when Wednesday's semifinal gets underway at No. 8 Jamestown. The Bulldogs would host the title match Saturday with a victory.
Despite three closely contested sets with the number one team in the nation, the Bulldogs were swept in three straight sets at Northwestern. Now the attention turns to Saturday, when they host the opening round of the GPAC Tournament.
Marissa Hoerman totaled 40 digs over two GPAC matches last week and was named the GPAC Defender of the Week. The Bulldogs have now raked in six GPAC weekly awards this season.
Top-ranked Northwestern and the opening round of the GPAC tournament will make up this week's slate for the nationally-ranked Bulldogs. After heading or Orange City, Concordia will be at home on Saturday.
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.