Bracket | National Tournament Press Guide
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – There’s no debating it. The Concordia University women’s basketball program is truly one of elite status. The Bulldogs are headed back to the semifinals of NAIA Division II for the third year in a row and for the seventh time in school history. Junior Grace Barry and freshman Mackenzie Koepke were the headliners on Saturday (March 9) in the 73-53 rout of No. 7 Indiana Tech in the quarterfinals.
Thirteenth-year head coach Drew Olson has now led the program to five semifinal advancements (2012, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019) during his tenure. In order to reach the title game for the third time since 2015, Concordia now must get past rival and second-ranked Northwestern in the semifinals on Monday (March 11).
Monday, March 11 | 6:05 p.m.
NAIA Division II Women’s Basketball National Championships (Semifinals)
No. 1 Concordia (33-3) vs. No. 2 Northwestern (29-4)
Sioux City, Iowa | Tyson Events Center
Webcast: NAIA Network / ESPN3.com
Radio: 104.9 Max Country (Tyler Cavalli)
Live stats: Dakstats
Seward watch parties: THOM Auditorium (on campus)/Bottle Rocket Brewing Co.
The national tournament path to the semifinals for the Bulldogs has included wins over Wilberforce University (Ohio), 100-62, No. 17 Cardinal Stritch University, 82-71, and No. 7 Indiana Tech. Of those opponents, Cardinal Stritch gave Concordia the most trouble. The Bulldogs faced a five-point fourth quarter deficit in that clash before Taylor Cockerill emerged with a 19-point final period. In the quarterfinals, the game was never really in doubt in the second half. Barry and Koepke (combined 32 points) spurred a first half frenzy that provided a 43-24 lead at the break.
Staying true to this team’s identity, the Bulldogs have had a different leading scorer in each of their first three games at the national tournament. Koepke’s big-time production (15 points and eight rebounds) wasn’t necessarily expected on Saturday, but it certainly was appreciated. The balance means that a star player can have an off game and Concordia can still get along just fine. Lammers fouled out in both the second and quarterfinal rounds of the tournament. Additionally, Quinn Wragge had just two points versus Indiana Tech. However, the Crofton native pulled down a team high 11 rebounds.
The current run under Olson’s direction is unprecedented for the program. Prior to Olson, the only national semifinal appearances for Concordia came in 2003 and 2005 under the leadership of then head coach Todd Voss. The Bulldogs are the first NAIA Division II women’s basketball program to reach the semis three years in a row since Northwestern did it six-straight years (2008 through 2013). The constants on the past three national tournament runs have been Wragge, Lammers, Colby Duvel and MacKenzie Helman.
A third berth in the title game since 2015 will not come easy for Concordia. The Bulldogs and Red Raiders split their two regular-season meetings with the home team winning in both instances. Northwestern (29-4) now has a day off to come down from the high of defeating fifth-ranked College of the Ozarks (Mo.), 71-70, on a buzzer by Darbi Gustafson in the quarterfinal round. The Red Raiders rallied all the way back from a 16-point deficit in the second half. They also have earned national tournament wins over eighth-seeded Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) and fifth-seeded Indiana Wesleyan.
Head coach Chris Yaw’s squad boasts its own cavalcade of star players, including Gustafson. This is the swan song for Gustafson and fellow standout seniors in Haley Birks and Kassidy De Jong. Winner of five national titles in program history, the Red Raiders lead the nation in rebound margin (+11.2) and field goal percentage (.485). Monday’s clash will give Northwestern a chance at avenging its 84-77 national semifinal loss to Concordia one year ago.
Three of the four national semifinalists are the same as last year in GPAC powerhouses of Concordia, Dakota Wesleyan and Northwestern. In the other semifinal battle, No. 4 Dakota Wesleyan will take on No. 3 Southeastern University (Fla.). All four remaining national title hopefuls are No. 1 seeds. The championship game will be contested at 7:05 p.m. CT on Tuesday (March 12).
Projected lineups
*Scoring average in parentheses
Concordia (33-3)
G – Grace Barry, Jr., 5-7 (11.2)
G – Taylor Cockerill, So., 5-9 (15.6)
G – Riley Sibbel, Jr., 5-9 (5.3)
F – Quinn Wragge, Sr., 6-0 (10.3)
F – Philly Lammers, Jr., 5-11 (14.5)
Northwestern (29-4)
G – Sammy Blum, Jr., 5-7 (11.1)
G – Kassidy De Jong, Sr., 5-10 (18.0)
G – Breana Schuiteman, So., 5-8 (7.3)
F – Haley Birks, Sr., 6-0 (12.2)
C – Darbi Gustafson, Sr., 6-1 (14.9)