Head Coach: Brett Muller (16th season)
2025-26 GPAC Finish: 4th (353-344-335–1,032)
Key Returners: Makenzie Hughes; Maddie Lewis; Savannah McFalls; Olivia James; Amelia Ptacnik.
Key Loss: Emery Custer.
2025-26 GPAC All-Conference: Emery Custer (First Team); Maddie Lewis (Honorable Mention); Savannah McFalls (Honorable Mention).
Outlook
Numerous school records were broken as the 2025-26 Bulldogs established themselves as one of the top teams in the GPAC and a group to be reckoned with on a regional scale. The 2026-27 Concordia University, Nebraska Women’s Golf team has a tough act to follow, but it is well-positioned for another strong season thanks to the return of four of the five Bulldogs who represented the program at the 2026 GPAC Championships. The return of Maddie Lewis provided a boost for what will be an overall more experienced lineup this season. As a major storyline, star Emery Custer transitioned to a coaching role as a graduate assistant.
Entering his 16th season as head coach of both golf programs, Brett Muller has high expectations for the women’s team. Concordia has placed in the top five of the conference in four of the previous seven seasons. Another top five placement is a reasonable expectation come spring 2027.
“With four of our top five coming back from last year and having some record-breaking performances, they've definitely raised the bar and the expectations for the women's program,” Muller said. It's a competitive group. They definitely want to do well and want the team to do well. Obviously, losing Emery from the playing side will hurt us, but I feel like our returners and freshmen will give us more depth. I think Emery will provide great value with her experience as a top player in the conference.”
A native of Treynor, Iowa, Lewis began her Concordia career as a member of the volleyball program before making the switch to golf. With her accounting degree in hand, Lewis is back as a graduate student to serve as an anchor at the top of the lineup. Custer (first team), Lewis (honorable mention) and now junior Savannah McFalls (honorable mention) each earned 2026 GPAC All-Conference awards. They were joined on last season’s GPAC roster by now sophomores Olivia James and Amelia Ptacnik.
They collaborated on new program records for lowest 18-hole team score (320), lowest 36-hole tournament team score (336-322–658) and lowest single season average (335.9). The ’25-26 Bulldogs shattered the previous scoring average standard of 348.1 set by the 2020-21 team. At the 2026 conference tournament, Concordia shot 353-344-335–1,032 on the strength of three top 15 individual finishers.
It’s too early to say whether the Bulldogs can duplicate or surpass those achievements, but the preseason indications have been positive. Says Lewis, “It's been amazing. Honestly, the three freshmen have come in and been wonderful. I think they've really pushed us as returners, and we really need that. We need people to push us and keep making us better each and every round. We want to improve every round. You can look at our scores from last fall. We kind of got second at a lot of our tournaments, and we're really hoping that we can turn those seconds into first this year.
“I've been really impressed with Sav, Liv and Amelia in the top four that came back from GPAC last year. I'm really proud of how they're working and really working hard.”
The 2026-27 roster includes Lewis, seniors Abigail Kollbaum and Emma McCoy, juniors Makenzie Hughes and Savannah McFalls, sophomores Brielle Cook, Olivia James and Amelia Ptacnik and freshmen Emma Anderson, Lucy Nothwehr and Mia Ochsner. The returning scoring average leaders are Lewis (83.7), McFalls (84.4), James (86.9), Ptacnik (90.7), Hughes (94.8) and McCoy (97.4). Lewis posted four top 10 tournament place finishes while McFalls notched three and James added one of her own.
At least so far, Lewis and McFalls have led the team during its preseason outings and qualifying rounds. It will take a collective effort to replace the four-time all-conference honoree Custer, who put together a 2025-26 season that ranks among the best in program history. Custer and Lewis have developed a particularly close relationship as teammates over the past three seasons. The dynamics have changed a bit this season.
“I've been really happy with how she's done,” Lewis said of Custer. “I think everyone has been really receptive to it, even the boys' team as well. I think it's been amazing. She's really stepped into that role really well, and I'm really excited to see what she's going to do.
Muller added, “She can be a great liaison between the players and myself, and she'll be a great addition to our coaching staff.”
In highlighting the freshmen, Oakland-Craig Public Schools alum Anderson adjusts to collegiate golf after placing 13th at the state tournament as a prep senior while Mia Ochsner, a Sutton High School product, qualified for state as a junior and senior.
The Bulldogs are preparing themselves to play in five fall tournaments, beginning with next week’s Mount Marty Invite. The focus is on the process that will hopefully yield consistency and a high GPAC placement in the spring.
Says Muller, “Being able to stack days and continue to improve is important. The offseason is so important with the fall season and then transitioning into the spring. Winters can be pretty tough, but taking advantage of the hitting center, putting in extra time there and making sure we're really ready to go will be important.”
Lewis and her teammates have embraced high expectations coming off a record-breaking season, but the results aren’t what they are zeroing in on at this moment. Said Lewis, “Even though we have high expectations, we're just going to take it day by day and keep working hard. I think if we can keep working hard and building relationships with each other, those results will come.”
The Bulldogs will remain in the region (Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota) for the fall season, which will be capped by the annual Nebraska Intercollegiate. The 2027 GPAC Women’s Golf Championship is tentatively scheduled to be played at Dakota Dunes Country Club in Dakota Dunes, S.D., with dates to be determined. View the complete 2026-27 schedule HERE.