SEWARD, Neb. – The 25th annual Cattle Classic is set to tip off next Friday (Nov. 1) afternoon inside Friedrich Arena. The basketball classic features a total of four men’s games and four women’s games over the course of the two-day extravaganza. The event, co-sponsored by Concordia and Cattle Bank & Trust, raises money and food for the Blue Valley Community Action's Food Pantry and other local food pantries. Pac N Save of Seward will match all canned food donations.
Fans are encouraged to bring canned goods in exchange for admission. Ten canned items will get an adult a weekend pass. Complete admission information for the Cattle Classic can be found HERE. Tickets will not be sold online for this particular event.
Live webcasts: Concordia Sports Network | Live stats: PrestoStats
2024 CATTLE CLASSIC SCHEDULE
Friday, Nov. 1
- Women: Dakota State University (S.D.) vs. Southern Oregon University, 1 p.m.
- Men: Hastings College vs. Nebraska Wesleyan University, 3 p.m.
- Women: Concordia vs. Oklahoma City University, 6 p.m.
- Men: Concordia vs. Central College (Iowa), 8 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 2
- Women: Dakota State University (S.D.) vs. Oklahoma City University, 10 a.m.
- Men: Hastings College vs. Central College (Iowa), 12 p.m.
- Women: Concordia vs. Southern Oregon University, 2 p.m.
- Men: Concordia vs. Nebraska Wesleyan University, 4 p.m.
The Women’s Field
No. 5 Concordia University Bulldogs
Head Coach: Drew Olson, 19th season
2023-24 Record: 27-7 (NAIA National Round of 16)
Conference: Great Plains Athletic Conference
Location: Seward, Nebraska
Top Player: The headliners coming into the season are guards Kendal Brigham and Abby Krieser. Their speed and athleticism are perfect for Head Coach Drew Olson’s system. Brigham is back for a ‘COVID year’ after she averaged 11.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game (compared to only 1.2 turnovers per game) last season. Krieser averaged 9.3 points per game and is the team’s top backcourt defender.
Overview: This marks year 19 for Drew Olson as head coach of a program that has operated at an elite level throughout his tenure. Concordia landed at No. 5 in the NAIA preseason coaches’ poll after making a run to the final site of the NAIA national tournament this past March. The Bulldogs said goodbye to three high impact seniors (Sadie Powell, Taysha Rushton and Mackenzie Toomey), but there are nine players who saw action in at least 25 varsity games that do return. The program has advanced to the national tournament in 12 consecutive seasons and will expect to be back there in March of 2025. For a complete season preview, click HERE.
No. 6 Dakota State University Trojans
Head Coach: David Moe, 8th season
2023-24 Record: 28-7 (NAIA National Quarterfinalist)
Conference: North Star Athletic Association
Location: Madison, South Dakota
Top Player: Dakota State graduated one of its two 2023-24 first team all-conference honorees (Savannah Walsdorf) but welcomes back star forward Tabor Teel. She was named the North Star’s Defensive Player of the Year. Teel averaged 9.4 points and 6.7 rebounds per game last season.
Overview: The Trojans are a major player on the national scene having reached the NAIA national semifinals in 2023 and then the quarterfinals in 2024. Their run last season finally concluded with a loss at the hands of Carroll College (Mont.) in Sioux City, Iowa. The No. 6 preseason national ranking represents the highest ranking for the program during the era of one division of NAIA basketball (which began in 2020-21). Head Coach David Moe’s squad again enters this season as the favorite in the North Star Athletic Association, a league it has won in each of the past four seasons. This will be Dakota State’s fifth-straight year in attendance at the Cattle Classic. Teel will team up with Angela Slattery (leading returning scorer) for a strong frontcourt. The Trojans will host Concordia in Madison on Nov. 9.
Oklahoma City University Stars
Head Coach: Kris Seigenthaler, 3rd season
2023-24 Record: 6-22
Conference: Sooner Athletic Conference
Location: Oklahoma City, Okla.
Top Player: Now a graduate student, Amaya Gordon averaged 15.3 points and 9.0 rebounds per game last season and was named to the All-Sooner Athletic Conference Third Team. Gordon is entering her third season with the Stars after transferring from Seminole State College in Oklahoma.
Overview: Under third-year Head Coach Kris Seigenthaler, Oklahoma City is looking to improve after finishing last season at 6-22 overall. In addition to the presence of Gordon, the Stars welcome back sophomore guard Jerzie Bryant, who was named the conference’s all-freshman team last season. The ’23-24 OCU team averaged 59.5 points per game and allowed 65.9. Historically, Oklahoma City has been a powerhouse women’s basketball program with 26 all-time national tournament appearances and nine national championships. The Stars reached the national tournament as recently as 2020.
No. 10 Southern Oregon University
Head Coach: Carlotta Kloppenburg-Pruitt, 4th season
2023-24 Record: 28-5 (NAIA National Round of 32)
Conference: Cascade Collegiate Conference
Location: Ashland, Oregon
Top Player: The Raiders welcome back Cascade Collegiate Conference Newcomer of the Year Meghan McIntyre, a 5-foot-6 senior guard from Huntington Beach, Calif. In her first season at SOU, McIntyre averaged 15.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 steals per game while starting all 33 games. McIntyre transferred to SOU via Orange Coast Community College.
Overview: A frequent national qualifier, Southern Oregon has won a combined 81 games over Carlotta Kloppenburg-Pruitt’s first three seasons as head coach. She has twice been named the CCC Coach of the Year. The 2023-24 team finished at 28-5 overall and advanced to the NAIA national round of 32, where it was defeated by No. 23 Menlo College, 62-58, on its home court. The Raiders open 2024-25 as the favorite to repeat as conference champions and were placed at No. 10 in the NAIA preseason coaches’ poll. SOU returns three starters, including McIntyre, and 10 total players from last season’s squad. McIntyre will team up in the backcourt with Sierra Scheppele, who shot 38.6 percent from 3-point range in 2023-24. Concordia and Southern Oregon are set to meet up for the first time since they played each other at the 2002 national tournament in Sioux City, Iowa (71-55 Bulldog win).