SEWARD, Neb. – In late October, the Concordia University women’s basketball program will make its first public appearance in an official game since celebrating its first-ever national title back on March 12. As part of a four-team tournament, the Bulldogs are certain to play an opponent that reached at least 2019 national quarterfinal round in the opening weekend. The complete 30-game 2019-20 schedule is now available to the public. It will include 13 home games.
Next season will mark Drew Olson’s 14th as head coach for Concordia women’s basketball. He was named the 2019 NAIA Division II National Coach of the Year after leading the Bulldogs to the national title victory along with GPAC regular-season and postseason championships. Concordia has said goodbye to Quinn Wragge, but returns eight players who averaged more than 10 minutes of playing time per game last season. That group includes GPAC Player of the Year Philly Lammers.
The season will officially open Oct. 25 against 2019 national qualifier Sterling College at the College of the Ozarks tournament. Pending the results of the first day, a rematch of the national title game between the Bulldogs and Southeastern University (Fla.) could take place on day two. If not Southeastern, Concordia would play another powerhouse program in host College of the Ozarks. The Bulldogs will for sure tangle with the Fire on Dec. 21 in a pre-Christmas classic in Lakeland, Fla.
Olson will first showcase his 2019-20 team in front of the home fans when the 20th annual Cattle Classic plays out Nov. 1-2. Simpson University (Calif.) and University of St. Francis (Ill.) will serve as the opponents on those dates. Utterly dominant the past six CITs, the Bulldogs will play Concordia University, Ann Arbor on the first day of the 2020 Concordia Invitational Tournament (Jan. 24-25) at Concordia University, Chicago. Olson will test his squad against Creighton University in an exhibition game on Oct. 22.
Plenty of challenges will also come in the always rugged GPAC, which had three of the four national semifinalists in 2019. The conference season will open up Nov. 12 when Midland visits Walz Arena. Just like last season, the GPAC slate includes 22 games. Concordia will get an early look at fierce rival Dakota Wesleyan in a matchup in Seward on Dec. 7.
Dates for the GPAC tournament are Feb. 26 for the quarterfinals, Feb. 29 for the semifinals and March 3 for the championship. The 2019-20 season will be the final one of two divisions in the NAIA. The 2020 NAIA Division II National Championship tournament will run March 11-17 at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa.
2019-20 Nonconference Opponents – 2018-19 record
Ave Maria University (Fla.) (Dec. 20) – 21-9
Concordia University, Ann Arbor (Jan. 24) – 8-23
Concordia University, Chicago – 8-17 / Concordia University, Wisconsin – 19-9
College of the Ozarks (Mo.) (*Oct. 26) – 31-4
Simpson University (Calif.) – 18-12
University of St. Francis (Ill.) – 24-9
Southeastern University (Fla.) (*Oct. 26/Dec. 21) – 31-3
Sterling College (Kan.) (Oct. 25) – 27-6
*Potential matchup at College of the Ozarks tournament