A team full of experience on the national stage met the challenge of facing Hastings for a third time this season. Led by Gabi Nordaker (16 kills, four blocks), the Bulldogs defeated the Broncos in four sets in national tournament pool play.
A top program in the NAIA for what it has accomplished on the court, Concordia Volleyball also ranks as one of the best in the nation for what it achieves in the classroom. Eighteen Bulldogs have been recognized as 2022 NAIA Scholar-Athletes.
A record number of Academic All-District awards, as selected by College Sports Communicators, has rolled in for Concordia Volleyball. The honors have gone to Bree Burtwistle, Rebecca Gebhardt, Camryn Opfer and Carly Rodaway.
Pool play at the NAIA Volleyball National Championship will get started on Nov. 30. As the top seed in Pool D, the fourth-ranked Bulldogs will be up against Hastings and No. 13 Park. Pool winners then advance to bracket play.
Pool play assignments for the national tournament are set. The fourth-ranked Bulldogs are the top seed in Pool D and have been grouped with Park University (Mo.) and Hastings. Action in Sioux City will begin on Nov. 30.
The Bulldogs were not about to be denied another opportunity at the final site of the national tournament. With the help of a dominant outing from Camryn Opfer, Concordia defeated Florida College in straight sets in NAIA Opening Round play.
For the second year in a row, both Gabi Nordaker and Camryn Opfer have been named First Team All-GPAC selections. They were joined with all-conference honors by four teammates, including Bree Burtwistle and Carly Rodaway.
While making the program's fourth straight national tournament appearance, the Bulldogs will welcome Florida College to Friedrich Arena for opening round action. The match will take place on Saturday, Nov. 19.
A spirited rally in the first set gave the fourth-ranked Bulldogs hopes of claiming the program's first GPAC tournament title. However, No. 2 Jamestown responded and won in four sets. Concordia sits at 23-5 entering the national tournament.
Concordia rides wins over No. 12 College of Saint Mary and No. 3 Midland into another GPAC championship matchup with Jamestown. The Bulldogs are making their third appearance in the GPAC final and second in a row.
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.