Women's Golf

2021-22 Women's Golf Schedule/Results

5th place in the GPAC (351-353-365-343–1,412) | Season Stats

FALL      
Date Event Location Time/Result
Sep. 2-3 Mount Marty University Invite Fox Run GC & Hillcrest CC | Yankton, S.D. 7 of 14
Sep. 17-18 Briar Cliff Lila Frommelt Invite Two Rivers GC | Dakota Dunes, S.D. 6 of 12
Sep. 21 CSM Mathew Goette Invite Tiburon GC | Omaha, Neb. 3 of 8
Sep. 25-26 Nebraska Wesleyan Fall Invite Mahoney GC | Lincoln, Neb. 2 of 5
Oct. 4-5 GPAC Fall Championships The Bluffs GC | Vermillion, S.D. 7 of 12
Oct. 8-9 Nebraska Intercollegiate Norfolk CC | Norfolk, Neb. 2 of 3
SPRING      
Date Event Location Time/Result
March 28-29 Southwestern Invitational Quail Ridge | Winfield, Kan. 4 of 4
April 5 Concordia Bulldog Invite Highlands GC | Lincoln, Neb. 4 of 13
April 11-12 Hastings Bronco Invite Lochland CC | Hastings, Neb. 2 of 7
April 18-19 Siouxland Invite Orange City/Sioux Center, Iowa CANCELED
April 25-26 GPAC Spring Championships Norfolk CC | Norfolk, Neb. 5 of 12

2021-22 Women's Golf Roster

Name Year Hometown Previous School
Logan Eschliman So. Lincoln, Neb. Lincoln Lutheran HS
Ashley Gerczynski So. Elizabeth, Colo. Elizabeth HS
Lauren Havlat So. Lincoln, Neb. Norris HS
Emily Jensen So. Kearney, Neb. Kearney Catholic HS
Mya Nurse So. West Des Moines, Iowa West Des Moines Valley HS
Kendra Placke Jr. Seward, Neb. Seward HS
Sarah Wilson Fr. Papillion, Neb. Omaha Gross HS

STAFF

Brett Muller, Head Coach (11th Year)

Kaitlyn Howe, Graduate Assistant Coach

Season Preview: 2021-22 Concordia Women’s Golf

Aug. 24, 2021

Head Coach: Brett Muller (11th year)
2020-21 GPAC Finish: 3rd (368-359-327-339–1,393)
Key Returners: Logan Eschliman; Lauren Havlat; Emily Jensen; Kendra Placke.
Key Losses: Mia Martin; Andrea Peterson.
2020-21 GPAC All-Conference: Kendra Placke (7th); Andrea Peterson (13th); Mia Martin.

Outlook
Momentum has built for a Concordia Women’s Golf program that has placed third in the GPAC in back-to-back seasons. While two all-conference performers have graduated and moved on, Seward’s own Kendra Placke returns with an opportunity to stake a claim as perhaps the greatest golfer in program history. Considering Placke’s status as one of the very best competitors in the GPAC, the outlook is potentially rosy once again.

Head Coach Brett Muller, who enters his 11th season leading the men’s and women’s golf teams, knows there is work to do to replace Mia Martin and Andrea Peterson, but the makings are there for another solid campaign.

“The biggest difference with the women’s program is just the depth,” Muller said. “We’ve had more capable players able to shoot in the 80s or low 90s, which really helps the team score. I believe our girls have improved in terms of consistency. With the returners we have, I look for our top five to be pretty competitive again.”

The Bulldogs entered this past spring with a legitimate chance to place as high as second in the conference. They came up a bit short of that lofty placement, but on the season’s final day, three Concordia golfers shot an 82 or lower. In order for the Bulldogs to remain as one of the league’s top three squads, continued improvement from the likes of Lauren Havlat (92.7 average in 2020-21), Logan Eschliman (95.2) and Emily Jensen (96.6) will be a key.

Muller knows what to expect from Placke, who is known for her ability to crush the ball off the tee. Over 18 rounds last season, Placke shot in the 70s on eight separate occasions. She was the champion of both the Lila Frommelt Classic and the Buena Vista Fall Invite.

“Probably the biggest thing for Kendra is her approach to the game,” Muller said. “She’s pretty laid back. Sometimes I wish she’d have a little more of an edge. However, she doesn’t get too upset in a round. Then you have her ability to hit the long ball off the tee. When she’s hitting it well of the tee, she can really take advantage and make the golf courses a lot shorter.”

The accolades have been nice for Placke, but she has taken more pride in accomplishing goals as a team. Not only did Concordia place third in the GPAC last season, it also won the Matthew Goette Classic, placed second at the Buena Vista Invite and took third (out of 15 teams) at its own Concordia Bulldog Invite.

“I feel like we have a great group of girls right now that just love the game,” Placke said. “We go out and work hard and love to be with each other and we love to play. That’s a great advantage when you like being at the golf course and you work hard in the summers. It’s been so much fun. I don’t really think about the past that much. I just think about the future. We definitely had a good group of girls last year. It’s fun to walk by the record board downstairs (in the Walz Complex) and see all of our names down there now. That was exciting to see.”

The roster includes a freshman in Sarah Wilson, a native of Papillion, Neb. Not previously mentioned returners are Ashley Gerczynski and Mya Nurse. The entire roster will likely have the opportunity to compete at many of the team’s events. The fall season gets going with the Mount Marty Invite on Sept. 2-3. The fall portion of the GPAC Championships will take place Oct. 4-5 in Vermillion, S.D.

Says Muller, “On the women’s side, we might be little behind on paper from where we were last year, but I really think we have some talent to be right around where we finished last season.”

Having Placke and her long drives at the top of the lineup is a good place to start. She has a clear advantage on longer courses. “I’ve always been a big hitter – it’s a strength and a weakness, I guess,” Placke said. “When you get in tight courses with trees or hazards on both sides it gets a little intimidating. I definitely thrive on a longer-style course because I can pull out my longer clubs and whack away.”

Even when the weather turns cold, members of the program will be able to sharpen their game through the use of the new simulator that exists inside the Hitting Center. The new piece of equipment could provide an advantage heading into the second half of the season in the spring. By that time, the Bulldogs hope they have established themselves as one of the top teams in the GPAC once again.

Nurse shoots career best, Bulldogs in sixth at Mount Marty Invite

Sept. 2, 2021

YANKTON, S.D. – The season is underway for Concordia University Women’s Golf. The Bulldogs shot a team total of 342 in the first of two rounds at the Mount Marty Fall Invite. The first 18 holes were contested at Fox Run Golf Course in Yankton, S.D., on Thursday (Sept. 2). Heading into day two, Concordia stands in sixth place out of 14 teams, 13 of which reside in the GPAC.

Head Coach Brett Muller’s squad hopes to follow up back-to-back third-place GPAC finishes with another solid campaign. The team score on Thursday came in below the 2020-21 squad’s season average of 348.1.

On the individual leaderboard, three-time All-GPAC performer Kendra Placke ranks in a tie for fifth out of 71 golfers. She shot a five-over-par 77 in the first round at the Mount Marty Invite. Placke led the way for a group of seven Bulldogs. Most notably, Mya Nurse carded a career low round of 87 while sharing 31st place with teammate Logan Eschliman. The remaining four Concordia players in action were Emily Jensen (91; T-40th), Lauren Havlat (91; T-40th), Ashley Gerczysnki (98; T-54th) and Sarah Wilson (99; T-57th).

In the team race, the Bulldogs are sitting behind Morningside (308), Dakota Wesleyan (316), Briar Cliff (320), York College (333) and Mount Marty (337). With a strong round on Friday, Placke still could contend for the individual title. She is four strokes out of first place and just two out of second place.

Placke notches 21st career top 10 finish; Bulldogs place seventh

Sept. 3, 2021

YANKTON, S.D. – The Concordia University Women’s Golf team lost ground on day two of the Mount Marty Invite (Sept. 2-3) but managed to place in the middle of the pack amongst 14 teams in the field. The season opening tournament covered 36 holes played at Fox Run Golf Course and Hillcrest Country Club in Yankton, S.D. Individually, standout Kendra Placke claimed the 21st tournament top 10 finish of her career.

Head Coach Brett Muller’s squad finished the event with a score of 342-364–706. The Bulldogs beat out GPAC rivals such as College of Saint Mary (eighth), Dordt (ninth) and Doane (10th). Hillcrest presents golfers more challenges than Fox Run.

“The greens are faster at Hillcrest so we expected the scores to be a little higher today,” Muller said. “I think there were only three scores in the 70s. I was very pleased with our team performance yesterday. 342 was a good starting point. It definitely showed that we have the capability to fill those spots left by Andrea (Peterson) and Mia (Martin). We just to develop some consistency.”

The Seward High School product Placke is expected to take the lead throughout the 2021-22 campaign. She entered Friday’s round with a shot at a tournament championship (four strokes behind the leader). Placke wound up 14 strokes out of first place with her two-round score of 77-85–162 (tied for seventh). The performance was right in line with her career scoring average of 81.0.

After shooting a career low round of 87 on Thursday, Mya Nurse landed at 33rd place out of 71 golfers on the individual leaderboard. She fired a two-day total of 87-93–180. Another five Bulldogs competed at the Mount Mart Invite: Logan Eschliman (87-96–183; T-37th), Lauren Havlat (91-92–183; T-37th), Emily Jensen (91-94–185; T-42nd), Ashley Gerczynski (98-100–198; T-52nd) and Sarah Wilson (99-105–204; T-60th).

The season will resume with the Lila Frommelt Invite hosted by Briar Cliff on Sept. 17-18. Two Rivers Golf Course in Dakota Dunes, S.D., will serve as the venue.

Bulldogs card 360 on first day of Lila Frommelt Invite

Sept. 17, 2021

DAKOTA DUNES, S.D. – The Concordia University Women’s Golf team returned to action on Friday (Sept. 17) after having last competed at the Mount Marty Invite two weeks earlier. The Bulldogs carded a team score of 360 and reside in eighth place (out of 12 teams) after day one of two at the Lila Frommelt Invite hosted by Briar Cliff. Two Rivers Golf Course in Dakota Dunes, S.D., serves as the venue for the tournament.

Head Coach Brett Muller’s squad placed seventh out of 14 squads at the Mount Marty Invite that opened the 2021-22 campaign. In Friday’s round, Concordia beat out the likes of Doane, Buena Vista University (Iowa) and Midland.

Six Bulldogs are in competition at the Lila Frommelt Invite. Below are the totals they posted on Friday (par 71). The tournament field includes 69 golfers.

·        Kendra Placke – 81 (T-13th)

·        Lauren Havlat – 89 (T-39th)

·        Sarah Wilson – 90 (T-42nd)

·        Mya Nurse – 91 (T-44th)

·        Logan Eschliman – 99 (57th)

·        Emily Jensen – 104 (63rd)

The Lila Frommelt Invite will resume at 9:30 a.m. CT on Saturday from Two Rivers Golf Course. Live results can be followed via Golf Genius and by using the Golf Genius ID of 2021LILA.

Placke, Nurse fuel strong finish to Lila Frommelt Invite

Sept. 18, 2021

DAKOTA DUNES, S.D. – With Kendra Placke and Mya Nurse as the ringleaders, the Concordia University Women’s Golf team slashed 24 strokes off its day one total as it concluded the two-day Lila Frommelt Invite hosted by Briar Cliff. Placke and Nurse both shot in the 70s on Saturday (Sept. 18), helping the Bulldogs place sixth out of a field of 12 teams. A total of 66 individuals competed in both rounds at the Frommelt Invite, which was staged at Two Rivers Golf Course in Dakota Dunes, S.D.

Head Coach Brett Muller’s squad turned in a score of 360-334–694 while in action for the first time since the Mount Marty Invite two weeks earlier.

“Yesterday we really struggled off the tee. We had too many balls in the trees,” Muller said. “And then had trouble around the green. Today was night and day different. We probably played a little more conservative off the tee to make sure we were in the fairway. We also putted much better.”

It’s never a surprise when Placke places inside the top 10 of a tournament, as she did again this weekend. It’s a good sign when someone else on the team is rivaling Placke for the honor of low round. Placke finished in eighth place with her total of 81-76–157 (+15). As for Nurse, she cut 14 strokes off her Friday round and moved into the top 20 of the leaderboard (91-77–168).

A native of West Des Moines, Iowa, Nurse may be the most improved Bulldog. Her previous career low was the 87 she carded in round one of the Mount Marty Invite. Nurse’s top score in 2020-21 was a 92.

Said Muller, “Mya got off to a great start. She birdied on 7, which she was very excited about. She played within herself and didn’t try to do more than she was capable of. Her coaches and her teammates are really excited for her.”

Four others represented Concordia at the tournament: Lauren Havlat (89-85–174; T-28th), Sarah Wilson (90-98–188; T-49th), Logan Eschliman (99-96–195; 54th) and Emily Jensen (104-97–201; 58th). In sum, five of the six Bulldogs lowered their scores from day one to day two.

Placke has now earned 22 top 10 tournament finishes in her career. She also shot 85-77–162 at this fall’s Mount Marty Invite and placed seventh.

Concordia will be back in action on Tuesday for the Matthew Goette Invite hosted by College of Saint Mary. The one-day tournament will be held at Tiburon Golf Course in Omaha and scheduled to tee off at 11 a.m. CT.

Placke wins Goette Classic, claims fourth career tournament title

Sept. 21, 2021

OMAHA, Neb. – For the fourth time in her collegiate career, standout Kendra Placke has claimed a tournament championship. Placke paced a Concordia University Women’s Golf team that finished third at Tuesday (Sept. 21)’s Matthew Goette Fall Classic hosted by College of Saint Mary. The event was staged at Tiburon Golf Course in Omaha, Neb., and featured eight teams and 53 golfers.

Head Coach Brett Muller’s program entered the annual tournament as the reigning Goette Classic champion. This time around, the Bulldogs finished five strokes off the lead. Their team total of 371 placed them behind Northwestern (366) and Mount Marty (370).

“They had the course stretched out a little bit longer than normal today and the greens were probably about as fast as the girls have played in their careers,” Muller said. “When you only lose by five shots, I think everyone can look at a couple shots in their round that could have gone another way. Across the board, the scores were definitely higher for all teams. That speaks to how tough the course was, but I thought we really competed.”

While taking on the challenging course, Placke shot a 12-over-par 84 that put her in a tie with Mount Marty’s Kelsey Heath atop the individual leaderboard. The Seward High School alum Placke was rewarded with the tournament victory via a scorecard playoff. A 38 on the front nine carried her to the win. Placke placed second at last year’s event at Tiburon with a score of 83.

The following is a rundown of Placke’s four career collegiate tournament titles:

·        2019 Nebraska Wesleyan Fall Classic – 79 (+8)

·        2020 Lila Frommelt Fall Classic – 72-77–149 (+7)

·        2020 Buena Vista Fall Invite – 77 (+5)

·        2021 Matthew Goette Fall Classic – 84 (+12)

As the team’s No. 2 performer on Tuesday, Lauren Havlat (Lincoln, Neb.) earned a tournament medal for placing sixth with a score of 91 (+19). It marked the second year in a row Havlat has placed in the top 10 at the Goette Classic (ninth in 2020).

Concordia was represented by five others at the tournament: Mya Nurse (98; T-19th), Logan Eschliman (98; T-19th), Emily Jensen (102; T-27th), Ashley Gerczynski (103; T-30th) and Sarah Wilson (109; T-37th). Nurse had been coming off a career low round of 77 on day two of the Lila Frommelt Fall Classic.

Before focusing on the GPAC Championships (Oct. 4-5), the Bulldogs will be in action this Saturday and Sunday at the Nebraska Wesleyan Fall Invite. The tournament will be staged at Mahoney Golf Course in Lincoln, Neb.

Bulldogs in three-way tie for second after round one of Prairie Wolf Invite

Sept. 25, 2021

LINCOLN, Neb. – Following one round of action at the Prairie Wolf Fall Invite, the Concordia University Women’s Golf team resides in a three-way tie for second place. The tournament field hosted by Nebraska Wesleyan includes the Bulldogs, Central College (Iowa), College of Saint Mary and Buena Vista University (Iowa). The event is being held at Mahoney Golf Course in Lincoln, Neb., over the weekend (Sept. 25-26).

Head Coach Brett Muller’s squad also placed third (out of eight teams) at the Matthew Goette Classic hosted by College of Saint Mary this past Tuesday. Concordia carded a team score of 357 on Saturday.

Below are the scores posted in round one by Bulldogs. The tournament features 40 individual golfers. Kendra Placke sits one stroke out of first place atop the individual leaderboard.

·        Kendra Placke – 74 (2nd)

·        Lauren Havlat – 88 (T-13th)

·        Mya Nurse – 97 (T-29th)

·        Logan Eschliman – 97 (T-29th)

·        Emily Jensen – 97 (T-29th)

·        Sarah Wilson – 97 (T-29th)

·        Ashley Gerczynski – 107 (T-36th)

Round two is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. CT on Sunday from Mahoney Golf Course. This will be the final tournament prior to the GPAC Championships (Oct. 4-5).

Big improvement made on day two; Placke places second at NWU Invite

Sept. 26, 2021

LINCOLN, Neb. – As a team, Concordia University Women’s Golf slashed 21 strokes off its score from Saturday while completing the two-round Prairie Wolves Fall Invite (Sept. 25-26) hosted by Nebraska Wesleyan. Kendra Placke made a run at another tournament title while placing as the runner up in a field of 40 golfers who took to Mahoney Golf Course in Lincoln, Neb. The Bulldogs placed second in a five-team field, finishing behind only Central College (Iowa).

Head Coach Brett Muller’s squad shot a 36-hole score of 357-336–693. The 336 represented the team’s second lowest score of the season – two strokes off the 334 Concordia carded in round two of the Lila Frommelt Classic.

“We had great improvement from day one to day two,” Muller said. “I knew it was something we were capable of. Now we need to refocus and put together two good days and not just one in these two-day events. That’s the expectation as we get ready for the GPAC tournament next Monday and Tuesday.”

Fresh off an individual title at the Matthew Goette Fall Classic, Placke wound up four strokes out of first place at the Prairie Wolves Invite. She entered Sunday’s round just one stroke back of eventual champion, Katie Graham (74-74–148) of Iowa Western Community College. Placke shot a rock solid 75-77–152 for the weekend. Her five-over-par 75 on day one represented a season low. Placke was the individual champion of the 2019 Nebraska Wesleyan Fall Classic played at Pioneers Golf Course.

Five of the seven Bulldogs to compete this weekend managed to lower their scores from round one to round two. Lauren Havlat just missed out on a second top 10 tournament finish this season thanks to her total of 88-82–170, tying for 11th place (one stroke out of 10th). The other five Concordia competitors were Mya Nurse (97-86–183; T-21st), Logan Eschliman (97-91–188; 27th), Emily Jensen (97-95–192; 31st), Sarah Wilson (97-99–196; 33rd) and Ashley Gerczynski (107-93–205; 34th). Gerczynski showcased the largest improvement, cutting 14 strokes off her Saturday round.

The Bulldogs will have this coming week off from competition while they prepare for the fall portion of the GPAC Championships to be held at The Bluffs Golf Course in Vermillion, S.D., Oct. 4-5. Concordia placed third in the GPAC in both the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons.

Tournament Preview: 2021 GPAC women's golf fall championships

Oct. 1, 2021

SEWARD, Neb. – The most significant even of the fall season is nearing for Concordia University Women’s Golf. The Bulldogs are gearing up for the fall portion of the 2021-22 GPAC Championships, set to take place next Monday and Tuesday (Oct. 4-5) at The Bluffs Golf Course in Vermillion, S.D. Concordia has been idle since placing second at last weekend’s Prairie Wolves Fall Invite. The first tee time on Monday is slotted in for 10:50 a.m. CT.

Head Coach Brett Muller’s program has placed third in the GPAC in back-to-back seasons. Led by three all-conference performers, the Bulldogs carded a 2020-21 four-round GPAC score of 368-359-327-339–1,393. Last season’s four conference rounds were split between Dakota Dunes Country Club in Dakota Dunes, S.D., and Bent Tree Golf Club in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Seward High School product Kendra Placke is again the team’s top golfer and could contend for the GPAC individual title. Based on her most recent outings, Placke may be hitting her stride at the right time. She won the Matthew Goette Fall Classic (Sept. 21) and placed as the runner up at the Prairie Wolves Invite (Sept. 25-26). Placke’s 75 on day one of the Prairie Wolves Invite represented a season low. Her current scoring average of 79.3 paces the team and would be a career low if it holds up over the course of the season.

Placke placed seventh in the GPAC last season while turning in a four-round total of 90-82-76-81–329. In order to make a serious run at a conference title, the top contenders likely won’t able to afford any rounds of 80 or higher. The rest of the lineup looks a bit different as compared to last season when the now departed Andrea Peterson and Mia Martin joined Placke on the all-conference team. Returners Logan Eschliman (93-96-91-100 – 380; 31st) and Lauren Havlat (110-95-89-95–389; T-36th) competed in all four GPAC Championship rounds in 2020-21. The GPAC squad next week will include Placke, Eschliman and Havlat in addition to Mya Nurse and Emily Jensen.

As a team, the Bulldogs possess a season scoring average of 352.0. Their season low of 334 came on day two of the Lila Frommelt Fall Classic. The improvement of Nurse has helped make up for the graduations of Peterson and Martin. Nurse has cut her scoring average from 105.1 last season to 89.9 this season. Nurse shot a career low 77 in the second round of the Frommelt Classic. At the top of the lineup, Placke will be aiming for her fourth-straight All-GPAC award.

Pairings and tee times for round two (Oct. 5) of the GPAC Championships will be based off the scores from round one. Rounds three and four of GPAC women’s golf will be staged at Norfolk Country Club in Norfolk, Neb., April 25-26, 2021.

The GPAC will offer live scoring for the tournament via https://www.golfgenius.com/. The tournament’s live results can be accessed by using the Golf Genius ID of 2122WGPAC.

Bulldogs shoot 351 in round one of GPAC Championships

Oct. 4, 2021

VERMILLION, S.D. – The 2021-22 GPAC Women’s Golf Championships opened on Monday (Oct. 4) with the 12 conference schools convening at The Bluffs Golf Course in Vermillion, S.D. The Concordia University Women’s Golf team carded a score of 351 and currently slots in at seventh on the GPAC leaderboard. Four total conference rounds (two in the fall and two in the spring) are played each season to decide a GPAC champion.

Head Coach Brett Muller’s program entered this season having placed third in the GPAC in both 2019-20 and 2020-21. The Bulldogs have work to do in order to move into that territory again this season. However, they are within 12 strokes of second-place Briar Cliff (339).

Monday marked the start of Kendra Placke’s quest for a fourth-straight all-conference award. The Seward High School product shot an eight-over-par 80 in round one and sits in sixth place out of 59 conference golfers. Placke is six strokes behind tournament leader Sofia Castelan of Morningside. Over the previous three seasons, Placke has turned in respective GPAC place finishes of fifth, sixth and seventh.

Lincoln, Neb., native Lauren Havlat has the ability to challenge for an all-conference placement. She is currently tied for 14th after carding an 86 on Monday. She placed 36th in the GPAC last season. The rest of the lineup includes Mya Nurse (92; T-39th), Logan Eschliman (93; T-42nd) and Emily Jensen (97; 48th). Eschliman and Havlat both competed in all four GPAC championship rounds last season.

Concordia carded a four-round GPAC total of 368-359-327-339–1,393 last season. Placke was joined on the 2020-21 All-GPAC honor list by teammates Mia Martin and Andrea Peterson.

Round two is set to begin from The Bluffs at 10 a.m. CT on Tuesday. Rounds three and four of the conference tournament are slated to take place at Norfolk Country Club in Norfolk, Neb., April 25-26, 2022.

Live results from the GPAC tournament can followed via Golf Genius. The Golf Genius ID is 2122WGPAC.

Placke moves up, Dawgs hold steady at seventh in GPAC

Oct. 5, 2021

VERMILLION, S.D. – Concordia University Women’s Golf will have work to do in the spring if it is to place inside the top three of the GPAC for a third year in a row. With two rounds of conference championship play in the books, the Bulldogs reside in seventh place in the GPAC standings. Thirty-six holes of conference action took place Monday and Tuesday (Oct. 4-5) at The Bluffs Golf Course in Vermillion, S.D. Kendra Placke carded a season best 74 on Tuesday.

Head Coach Brett Muller’s squad turned in a two-day total of 351-353–704. The performance was exactly in line with the team’s season scoring average of 352.0.

“We knew going in that Morningside was the frontrunner in the conference and teams two through eight or nine were all pretty close,” Muller said. “They’re teams that we’ve been competitive with this fall. It really shows the depth of the conference. We were optimistic going into the day, but we were plagued by some big numbers and that hurt our team score.”

Placke will enter the spring of 2022 with a chance to compete for an individual GPAC title. A top 10 conference place finisher in each of the previous three seasons, Placke carded a score of 80-74–154 over the past two days. Placke’s 74 was second best among all 60 players in round two and moved her from sixth to fifth place on the overall individual leaderboard. She is four strokes behind GPAC leader Sofia Castelan of Morningside.

Four of the five Bulldogs on this fall’s GPAC roster possessed previous experience at the conference tournament. Placke (seventh in 2020-21), Logan Eschliman (31st) and Lauren Havlat (T-36th) are each hoping to improve from their GPAC finishes from last season. Next in line after Placke, Havlat is situated one stroke out of the top 20. She shot a consistent two-round total of 86-87–173 this week. Each of the Bulldog scores are listed below.

Concordia golfers at 2021-22 GPAC Championships:

·        Kendra Placke – 80-74–154 (5th)

·        Lauren Havlat – 86-87–173 (T-21st)

·        Logan Eschliman – 93-90–183 (41st)

·        Mya Nurse – 92-102–194 (48th)

·        Emily Jensen – 97-102–199 (51st)

Concordia finished third at the 2020-21 GPAC Championships while shooting 368-359-327-339–1,393. Placke was joined with All-GPAC honors by teammates Mia Martin and Andrea Peterson. Over the previous three seasons, Placke has turned in respective GPAC place finishes of fifth, sixth and seventh. In the spring, Placke will vie to become the first Bulldog to win the GPAC individual title since Amy Ahlers accomplished that feat in 2016-17. Said Muller, “She’s right in the hunt. The big difference for Kendra is she’s made a ton of birdies the last two days. She made five in round one and four in round two.”

The third and fourth rounds of the 2021-22 GPAC Women’s Golf Championships will be held at Norfolk Country Club in Norfolk, Neb., April 25-26, 2022. The Bulldogs will wrap up their fall schedule this Friday and Saturday at the Nebraska Intercollegiate. The event will feature many Nebraska teams and will also take place at Norfolk Country Club.

Concordia in second after round one of Nebraska Intercollegiate

Oct. 8, 2021

NORFOLK, Neb. – For the first time in the event’s history, the Nebraska Intercollegiate includes a women’s tournament. On day one, the Concordia University Women’s Golf team shot a score of 355 and resides in second place out of three teams. The light tournament field features 20 golfers from the likes of Concordia, Hastings and Wayne State College. The action is being held over two days (Oct. 8-9) at Norfolk Country Club in Norfolk, Neb.

The weekend event will serve as the final tournament of the fall season for Head Coach Brett Muller’s squad. Earlier in the week, the Bulldogs shot a two-round total of 351-353–704 at the GPAC Championships.

Standout Kendra Placke highlighted Concordia’s performances on Friday by shooting a six-over-par 78. She sits five strokes behind tournament leader Jazmine Taylor of Wayne State. Placke entered the weekend with a season scoring average of 78.8 (with a low round of 74). The full list of Bulldog scores can be found below.

Nebraska Intercollegiate round one

·        Kendra Placke – 78 (T-3rd)

·        Lauren Havlat – 89 (12th)

·        Mya Nurse – 93 (16th)

·        Logan Eschliman – 95 (17th)

·        Emily Jensen – 97 (T-18th)

Round two of the Nebraska Intercollegiate is slated to get underway at 10 a.m. CT from Norfolk Country Club on Saturday. Wayne State (308) is the leader heading into day two. Live results can be followed via https://www.golfgenius.com/ (use the Golf Genius ID of DHZDAB).

Placke places sixth, Bulldogs finish second at Nebraska Intercollegiate

Oct. 9, 2021

NORFOLK, Neb. – Kendra Placke showed she can compete with the top collegiate golfers in the state of Nebraska while leading Concordia University Women’s Golf at the Nebraska Intercollegiate held Friday and Saturday (Oct. 8-9) at Norfolk Country Club in Norfolk, Neb. This marked the first time that a women’s tournament was included as part of the event. The Bulldogs placed second out of a three-team field.

Head Coach Brett Muller’s squad shot a 36-hole total of 355-351–706 for the weekend. It was the final outing of the fall for Concordia.

Placke wound up tied for sixth (only four strokes out of second place) with her score of 78-83–161. Four of the five Bulldogs to compete in the tournament improved their scores on the second day (see below). The small tournament included 20 individual golfers.

Nebraska Intercollegiate scores:

·        Kendra Placke – 78-83–161 (T-6th)

·        Lauren Havlat – 89-86–175 (12th)

·        Mya Nurse – 93-88–181 (15th)

·        Logan Eschliman – 95-94–189 (17th)

·        Emily Jensen – 97-95–192 (19th)

The season will resume in the spring of 2022. The spring season will include two more rounds of conference championship action.

Bulldogs shoot 353 while opening spring season at Moundbuilder Invite

Mar. 28, 2022

WINFIELD, Kan. – In its first official action since back in October, the Concordia University Women’s Golf team got the spring started at the Southwestern College Moundbuilder Invitational on Monday (March 28). In the first of two rounds, the Bulldogs shot a team score of 353 while navigating Quail Ridge Golf Course in Winfield, Kan. Concordia is in fourth place heading into day two. The top three teams are Dakota Wesleyan (336), Friends University (337) and the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma (352).

The 353 team score is right in line with the team average of 352.2 over 11 fall rounds. Head Coach Brett Muller’s squad capped the fall with a seventh place standing within the GPAC.

Day one scores for each of the seven Bulldogs at the Mounbuilder Invite are listed below. With her 12-over-par 84, Kendra Placke is currently tied for eighth place. She’s seven strokes behind the tournament low score of 77. The field is made up of six teams and 27 total players.

Day 1 totals:

·        T8. Kendra Placke – 84

·        T13. Mya Nurse – 87

·        T17. Emily Jensen – 90

·        19. Lauren Havalat – 92

·        23. Logan Eschliman – 97

·        24. Sarah Wilson – 105

·        27. Ashley Gerczynski – 117

Results are being entered on Golfstat at the conclusion of each round. The tournament page can be found HERE. The second and final round of the Moundbuilder Invite is set to get underway at 10 a.m. CT on Tuesday from Quail Ridge.

Placke battles wind, places sixth; Bulldogs finish fourth as a team

Mar. 29, 2022

WINFIELD, Kan. – Blustery conditions made scores rise on the second and final day of the Southwestern College Moundbuilder Invitational. The Concordia University Women’s Golf team capped the tournament by shooting a score of 365 on Tuesday (March 29) while placing fourth in a small field that took to the Quail Ridge Golf Course in Winfield, Kan. Individually, Kendra Placke paced the Bulldogs by placing in a tie for sixth out of 27 golfers.

The Moundbuilder Invite served as the opener to the spring portion of the season for Head Coach Brett Muller’s squad. Concordia wound up shooting a two-round team score of 353-365–718 on the par 72 course. Muller noted that consistent winds of 25-30 miles per hour and gusts of up to 50 miles per hour resulted in adverse conditions for every competitor on the course.

The Bulldogs hope this outing will help knock off the rust – this was the first official tournament since the Nebraska Intercollegiate way back in October. The team’s No. 1 golfer her entire career, Placke nearly equaled her total from Monday while carding a two-round total of 84-85–169. The Seward High School alum ended up eight strokes behind the tournament champion. Placke’s average round during the fall season was a 79.1.

The next closest in line for Concordia at the Moundbuilder Invite were Mya Nurse (87-94–181) and Emily Jensen (90-93–183), who placed 14th and 17th, respectively. The team’s top five was rounded out by Logan Eschliman (97-93–190; T-21st) and Lauren Havlat (92-98–190; T-21st). Two other Bulldogs also competed: Sarah Wilson (105-95–200; 24th) and Ashley Gerczynski (117-106–223; 27th).

Placke is a perfect 7-for-7 this 2021-22 season in terms of placing in the top 10 of every event. This past September, Placke claimed the tournament title at the Matthew Goette Fall Classic.

Concordia will expect to post lower scores next week when it hosts the Concordia Bulldogs Invite on April 5-6. Action is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. CT from Highlands Golf Course in Lincoln, Neb., on both days.

Tournament Preview: 2022 Concordia Bulldogs Invite

Apr. 4, 2022

SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University Women’s Golf program is making final preparations for the 2022 Concordia Bulldog Invite set to take place Tuesday and Wednesday at Highlands Golf Course in Lincoln, Neb. The tournament field will include 84 players from 14 different institutions, including eight from within the GPAC. With the exception of the spring of 2020, Head Coach Brett Muller’s program has hosted the invite each year since 2018.

2022 Concordia Bulldog Invite
April 5-6 | Highlands GC | 10 a.m. (both days)
--Live scoring: Golf Genius (GGID = 22BGINVITE)

Field of teams
Baker University (Kan.)
Bellevue University
Briar Cliff University
College of Saint Mary
Concordia University
Doane University
Dordt University
Hastings College
Iowa Western Community College
Mount Marty University
Nebraska Wesleyan University
University of Nebraska-Kearney
Northwestern College
York College

At the 2021 Concordia Bulldog Invite, the Bulldogs placed fifth out of 15 teams with a score of 354-324–678. Individually, Kendra Placke led the way by placing in a tie for third (78-75–153). Morningside took the team title with a two-round total of 304-313–617 while Bellevue’s Dominika Gradecka won individual medalist honors by shooting 80-68–148. Iowa Western, Bellevue and Briar Cliff placed two through four in the team standings.

The home tournament will mark the second outing of this spring for Placke and company. At the Southwestern College Moundbuilder Classic on March 28-29, the Bulldogs carded a score of 353-365–718 and placed fourth out of a small field. Placke is a perfect 7-for-7 this 2021-22 season in terms of placing inside the top 10 at every event. At the Moundbuilder Classic, Placke shot an 84-85–169 (tied for sixth). Next in line were Mya Nurse (87-94–181) and Emily Jensen (90-93–183), who placed 14th and 17th, respectively. The team’s top five was rounded out by Logan Eschliman (97-93–190; T-21st) and Lauren Havlat (92-98–190; T-21st). Two other Bulldogs also competed: Sarah Wilson (105-95–200; 24th) and Ashley Gerczynski (117-106–223; 27th).

Through seven events (13 rounds) this season, Concordia has been paced Placke’s season average of 79.9. Below are the lists of season averages for Bulldogs in 2021-22.

·        Kendra Placke – 79.9

·        Lauren Havlat – 88.9

·        Mya Nurse – 91.2

·        Logan Eschliman – 94.3

·        Emily Jensen – 96.5

·        Sarah Wilson – 99.7

·        Ashley Gerczynski – 103.4

Next up for Concordia following its own invite will be the Hastings College Bronco Invite on April 11-12. It will take place at Lochland Country Club in Hastings, Neb.

Placke claims fifth career tournament win; Bulldogs place fourth at own invite

Apr. 5, 2022

LINCOLN, Neb. – In her final official home meet, Kendra Placke went out in style. One of the all-time greats for Concordia University Women’s Golf, Placke carded a three-over-par 75 in rainy and windy conditions at Highlands Golf Course in Lincoln, Neb., on Tuesday (April 5). She beat out a field of 82 golfers at the 2022 Concordia Bulldog Invite. Fourteen colleges/universities were represented in an event that was shortened to one day due to strong winds in the forecast for Wednesday.

Head Coach Brett Muller’s squad placed fourth while shooting a 342. Iowa Western Community College came away with the team championship by way of a 315 team score.

“Every time we play on our home course it seems like there’s a little anxiety – we want to play really well,” Muller said. “Some of our girls didn’t get off to the best start, but I was proud of our finish. The 342 was one of our lowest team scores of the season and our lowest score of the spring. I’m very proud of the way Kendra played. She was just solid all day. That really helped our team score. It was great to see her pick up another tournament victory.”

The Seward High School product Placke kept out of trouble on Tuesday and led the tournament field with 13 pars. She also birdied once while coming up one stroke shy of a season low. Placke was one of eight golfers to shoot in the 70s at Highlands and held off Briar Cliff’s Helene Getz Bergmo (77) and Bellevue University’s Allison Temple (77) atop the individual leaderboard.

Below is a listing of Placke’s five career collegiate tournament championships.

·        2019 Nebraska Wesleyan Fall Classic – 79 (+8)

·        2020 Lila Frommelt Fall Classic – 72-77–149 (+7)

·        2020 Buena Vista Fall Invite – 77 (+5)

·        2021 Matthew Goette Fall Classic – 84 (+12)

·        2022 Concordia Bulldog Invite – 75 (+3)

Said Placke, “It feels really good. I’ve played the course for the last four years so I know it like the back of my hand. I knew where to miss and where to place the ball. That experience helped … I just tried to keep the ball low. We had some wind today. I was trying to do some pitch and runs and hit some good putts that helped me out. I’m a big hitter. I was able to power through the wind a little bit. I made some clutch putts – that was my biggest help today.”

Added Muller, “Kendra’s had a little bit different spring with her student teaching. She’s not around as much for practice, but she practices more on her own and had a great mindset coming into today knowing it was her last home invite. Her ball-striking was pretty strong today, especially off the tee. She gave herself some opportunities for birdies and stayed away from the big numbers.”

Next in line for the Bulldogs at the home invite was Mya Nurse with an 87, which put her in a tie for 24th place. The rest of Concordia’s group of five featured Lauren Havlat (90; T-35th), Emily Jensen (90; T-35th) and Logan Eschliman (92; T-45th). Two Bulldogs also competed as individuals: Ashley Gerczynski (98; T-61st) and Sarah Wilson (100; T-69th).

The 342 team score was tied for Concordia’s third best throughout the 2021-22 season. The top two low rounds of 334 and 336 were carded back in the fall. Placke has carded eight rounds (out of 14) in the 70s this season.

The season will continue next Monday and Tuesday (April 11-12) with the Hastings Bronco Invite at Lochland Country Club in Hastings, Neb. The tournament is set for a shotgun start at 10 a.m. CT on both days.

Placke, Bulldogs lead the field after round one of Hastings Invite

Apr. 11, 2022

HASTINGS, Neb. – She’s making a push for another tournament title. After the first of two rounds at the Hastings Invite, Kendra Placke leads the field of 39 golfers thanks to her five-over-par 77 on Monday (April 11). With Placke holding down the top spot, Concordia University Women’s Golf is also the tournament leader as a team by a seven-stroke margin. The field of teams is seven deep and includes GPAC rivals Mount Marty (second), Hastings (third), Dordt (fourth) and Doane (sixth).

Head Coach Brett Muller’s squad is coming off a fourth-place team finish at its own Concordia Bulldog Invite (April 5). The Bulldogs shot a team score of 346 at Lochland Country Club on Monday.

Champion of the Concordia Bulldog Invite, Placke will head into day two of the Hastings Invite with a two-stroke lead over Valdisa Andov of Tabor College (Kan.). Placke shot a three-over-par 75 while claiming her fifth career tournament title last week. In order to stay on top of the team race, Placke can’t do it alone. Concordia got solid performances on Monday out of the Nos. 2 and 3 spots in the lineup as Lauren Havlat and Mya Nurse turned in identical 87s (tied for 10th). The rest of the team’s group of five included Logan Eschliman (95; T-20th) and Sarah Wilson (100; 27th). While competing individually, Ashley Gerczysnki shot a 95 (T-20th).

Placke has shot a 77 or lower for the seventh time this 2021-22 season. She entered this week with a season scoring average of 79.6. The Seward native has placed in the top 10 of all eight events this season. Havlat is aiming for her second tournament top 10 placement of the campaign.

Round two will begin with a shotgun start at 10 a.m. CT on Tuesday from Lochland Country Club. The event includes both a men’s and women's tournament. Live results can be followed by visiting https://www.golfgenius.com/ or the Golf Genius app and by using the GGID of HCSPRINGINVITE22.

Placke earns another title; Bulldogs come up just short as a team

Apr. 12, 2022

HASTINGS, Neb. – Kendra Placke has found a groove despite windy conditions for most of the spring. The star Bulldog claimed a second-straight tournament championship while winning the individual Hastings Invitational championship at the two-day event (April 11-12). Placke shot an 82 on Tuesday and nearly led Concordia University Women’s Golf to a team title at Lochland Country Club. The Bulldogs and Mount Marty both carded a two-day score of 309. The Lancers were rewarded the Hastings Invite championship based on the score of the No. 5 player in both lineups.

Head Coach Brett Muller’s squad shot a 346 on Monday and a 363 on Tuesday. While edged out by Mount Marty, Concordia defeated GPAC rivals Hastings, Dordt and Doane as part of a seven-team field that included 39 individual golfers.

“Overall it was a pretty solid two days,” Muller said. “Having a seven-hole lead after yesterday was new territory for our women’s team. I thought they went out today with a great mindset. Ultimately, we had too many big numbers on the scorecard today and tied for first with Mount Marty. Kendra got her second tournament win in a row and played solid as she has her entire career. Mya Nurse cracked the top 10 and got a medal. That was good to see. Lauren Havlat is definitely close. She just had a couple big numbers that prevented her from finishing in the top 10.”

Fresh off winning the Concordia Bulldog Invite last week, Placke can now boast of six career tournament championships. She shot a two-day score of 77-82–159 (+10) at the Hastings Invite and held off second-place Valdisa Andov (79-82–161) of Tabor College (Kan.) at the top of the leaderboard. Placke was joined in the top 10 by teammate Mya Nurse, who moved from 10th place at the end of Monday’s round into a tie for sixth by tournament’s end. It marked the first career top 10 claim for the West Des Moines, Iowa, native Nurse, who carded a total of 87-89–176.

Below is a listing of Placke’s five career collegiate tournament championships.

·        2019 Nebraska Wesleyan Fall Classic – 79 (+8)

·        2020 Lila Frommelt Fall Classic – 72-77–149 (+7)

·        2020 Buena Vista Fall Invite – 77 (+5)

·        2021 Matthew Goette Fall Classic – 84 (+12)

·        2022 Concordia Bulldog Invite – 75 (+3)

·        2022 Hastings Invite – 77-82–159 (+10)

The rest of the Concordia lineup in Hastings included Lauren Havlat (87-94–176; 14th), Logan Eschliman (95-98–193; 23rd) and Sarah Wilson (100-104–204; 28th). Competing as an individual, Ashley Gerczynski turned in a two-round score of 95-102–197; T-24th). Havlat has placed inside the top 20 (one top 10) of four tournaments this season.

The Bulldogs had been aiming for their first team tournament title of the season. They have placed second at three events in 2021-22. Concordia shot a 342 last week and placed fourth out of 13 teams at its own invite.

As the final event prior to the spring portion of the GPAC Championships, the Bulldogs will compete at the Siouxland Invite co-hosted by Northwestern and Dordt next Monday and Tuesday (April 18-19). The first round will be contested at Landsmeer Golf Club in Orange City, Iowa, before play shifts to The Ridge Golf Club in Sioux Center, Iowa, for round two.

Placke rakes in fifth career GPAC weekly honor

Apr. 13, 2022

SEWARD, Neb. – A championship at the Concordia Bulldog Invite resulted in Concordia University Golf standout Kendra Placke being named the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Golfer of the Week, as announced on Wednesday (April 13). Placke has earned the Golfer of the Week honor for the first time in the 2021-22 season and for the fifth time in her career. A week earlier, Jake Hagerbaumer of the Bulldog Men’s Golf program was recognized with the conference weekly award.

The voting for this particular award came prior to Placke also winning this week’s Hastings Invitational. At the Concordia Invite at Highlands Golf Course on April 5, Placke shot a three-over-par 75 and beat out a field of 82 golfers. At the time, it marked the Seward High School alum’s fifth career collegiate tournament win. Then at the Hastings Invite (April 11-12), Placke outperformed a field of 39 individuals by carding a two-round score of 77-82–159 (+10). Placke has now won six tournament titles during her impressive career. Each of her titles are listed below.

·        2019 Nebraska Wesleyan Fall Classic – 79 (+8)

·        2020 Lila Frommelt Fall Classic – 72-77–149 (+7)

·        2020 Buena Vista Fall Invite – 77 (+5)

·        2021 Matthew Goette Fall Classic – 84 (+12)

·        2022 Concordia Bulldog Invite – 75 (+3)

·        2022 Hastings Invite – 77-82–159 (+10)

Placke has placed in the top 10 of all nine events during the 2021-22 season. Her team best season scoring average stands at 79.6. In 54 career rounds, Placke owns an 18-hole average of 80.7. Placke and the Bulldogs will return to action next Monday-Tuesday (April 18-19) at the Siouxland Invite co-hosted by Northwestern and Dordt.

Placke reels in second-straight GPAC Golfer of the Week award

Apr. 20, 2022

SEWARD, Neb. – Two tournament titles in a row have yielded two GPAC Golfer of the Week awards in a row for Concordia University Women’s Golf standout Kendra Placke. The Seward High School alum earned the award for the sixth time in her career when the recognition was made official on Wednesday (April 20) by the GPAC. Placke and Morningside’s Laia Badosa are the only two players in the GPAC to have twice been named conference golfer of the week during the 2021-22 season.

In last week’s action, Placke beat out a field of 39 golfers at the Hastings Invite (April 11-12) by shooting a two-round 77-82–159 (+15) while navigating Lochland Country Club in Hastings, Neb. A week earlier, Placke won the Concordia Bulldog Invite with a three-over-par 75. She has won three tournaments in 2021-22 and boasts six event titles in her career (full list below). On the season, Placke owns a team best scoring average of 79.6 and has placed inside the top 10 of all nine events. Her career average in 54 rounds stands at 80.7.

·        2019 Nebraska Wesleyan Fall Classic – 79 (+8)

·        2020 Lila Frommelt Fall Classic – 72-77–149 (+7)

·        2020 Buena Vista Fall Invite – 77 (+5)

·        2021 Matthew Goette Fall Classic – 84 (+12)

·        2022 Concordia Bulldog Invite – 75 (+3)

·        2022 Hastings Invite – 77-82–159 (+15)

Currently situated fifth in the GPAC (80-74–154 in the fall), Placke will be in action, along with her Bulldog teammates, for rounds three and four of the conference championships next Monday and Tuesday (April 25-26) at Norfolk Country Club in Norfolk, Neb.

Tournament Preview: 2022 GPAC women's golf spring championships

Apr. 21, 2022

SEWARD, Neb. – Rounds three and four of the 2021-22 GPAC Women’s Golf Championship will tee off next week as the Concordia University Women’s Golf team joins the rest of the conference at Norfolk Country Club in Norfolk, Neb. Action is scheduled to get underway at 10 a.m. CT both Monday and Tuesday (April 25-26) in Norfolk. Following the two conference rounds in the fall, Head Coach Brett Muller’s squad resides in seventh place out of the 12 GPAC teams.

2022 GPAC Women’s Golf Championship
April 25-26 | Norfolk CC (Norfolk, Neb.) | 10 a.m. (both days)
--Live Scoring: https://www.golfgenius.com/ (GGID = 2122WGPAC)
--GPAC Women’s Golf webpage

By the numbers

·        Over the first two rounds of GPAC golf (Oct. 4-5) in Vermillion, S.D., the Bulldogs shot a team total of 351-353–704. That score puts Concordia behind Morningside (304-308–612), Dakota Wesleyan (343-323–666), Briar Cliff (339-341–680), Dordt (348-336–684), Jamestown (342-348–690) and Mount Marty (348-343–691). Under Muller, Concordia placed third in the GPAC in both 2019-20 and 2020-21. Behind star Kendra Placke, the ’20-21 team carded a four-round total of 368-359-327-339–1,393).

·        Entering the spring portion of the conference tournament, Placke sits in fifth place (80-74–154) and is four strokes behind GPAC leader Sofia Castelan of Morningside. Placke hopes to make a run at an individual conference championship, a feat accomplished only once in program history. The 2016-17 GPAC Golfer of the Year, Amy Ahlers took home the GPAC title that season while shooting 83-76-77-83–319 (final two rounds in Columbus, Neb.). In her previous three seasons, Placke has turned in GPAC place finishes of fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively.

·        Next in line after Placke on this season’s GPAC leaderboard are Lauren Havlat (86-87–173; T-21st), Logan Eschliman (93-90–183; 41st), Mya Nurse (92-102–194; 48th) and Emily Jensen (97-102–199; 51st). The Bulldogs lost two all-conference performers from the 2020-21 lineup in the form of Mia Martin (80-81–161 in the spring) and Andrea Peterson (93-86-82-82–343; 13th). Last season, Eschliman (93-96-91-100–380; 31st) and Havlat (110-95-89-95–389; T-36th) also qualified for the overall GPAC leaderboard.

·        Seven Bulldogs have seen regular action throughout the 2021-22 campaign. Those competitors, in order of lowest season scoring average, are: Placke (79.6), Havalat (89.2), Nurse (90.5), Eschliman (94.4), Jensen (96.0), Sarah Wilson (100.1) and Ashley Gerczysnki (101.9). Placke has placed inside the top 10 of all nine events, including three tournament titles. Placke has been named the GPAC Golfer of the Week in two-straight weeks after winning the Concordia Bulldog Invite and the Hastings Invite. Havlat and Nurse also own one top 10 tournament placement apiece.

NAIA Women’s Golf National Championship

National qualifiers that come out of the conference championships will continue their seasons with the 2022 NAIA Women’s Golf National Championship set to be played in Oklahoma City, Okla., May 24-27. For more information on the national tournament, click HERE.

Bulldogs tied for seventh; Placke moves up with one GPAC round left

Apr. 25, 2022

NORFOLK, Neb. – One round is all that remains in the 2021-22 GPAC Women’s Golf Championship. After shooting a 365 on a breezy Monday (April 25) in Norfolk, Neb., the Concordia University Women’s Golf team remains in seventh place, the spot it held down at the close of two fall conference rounds. Individually, Kendra Placke has moved up two positions into a tie for third on the GPAC leaderboard. She is aiming for a fourth all-conference medal in a row.

Through three rounds of conference competition, Head Coach Brett Muller’s squad has shot 351-353-365–1,069. The Bulldogs are within 14 strokes of fourth place with 18 holes left to be contested.

The previous three seasons, Placke has turned in GPAC place finishes of fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively. The Seward High School alum entered this week four shots out of first place. Placke shot a 12-over-par 84 on Monday and is now 10 strokes behind conference leader Sofia Castelan (74-76-78–228). Placke has shot a three-round conference score of 80-74-84–238. Only two golfers in the field carded a lower score than Placke on Monday.

The other three Concordia players who counted towards the team score on Monday were Mya Nurse (91), Lauren Havlat (94) and Emily Jensen (96). In addition, Logan Eschliman shot a 100. Each of the five Bulldogs in this week’s lineup also qualify for the overall conference individual leaderboard. While Placke is tied for third, Havlat is tied for 22nd (86-87-94–267), Eschliman sits 39th (93-90-100–283), Nurse is 40th (92-102-91–285) and Jensen resides in 44th (97-102-96–295).

The teams currently situated above the Bulldogs are Morningside (947), Dakota Wesleyan (1,031), Briar Cliff (1,039), Mount Marty (1,055), Dordt (1,063) and Jamestown (1,063). Concordia is tied with College of Saint Mary in seventh place.

The first two rounds of the 2021-22 GPAC Women’s Golf Championship were held at The Bluffs Golf Course in Vermillion, S.D., Oct. 4-5. Norfolk Country Club in Norfolk, Neb., is serving as the venue for the final two rounds of the event.

The fourth and final round of the GPAC Championships will tee off from Norfolk Country Club at 10 a.m. CT on Tuesday. Live scoring can be followed by using the Golf Genius app (https://www.golfgenius.com/) along with the GGID of 2122WGPAC.

Placke completes career with third place GPAC finish; Concordia moves up to fifth

Apr. 26, 2022

NORFOLK, Neb. – Spurred by Kendra Placke in the final round of her collegiate career, the Concordia University Women’s Golf team leapt two spots into fifth place in the conference as the 2021-22 GPAC Women’s Golf Championship concluded on Tuesday (April 26). The Bulldogs carded a team score of 343 in the final round of conference action, which took place at Norfolk Country Club in Norfolk, Neb. While placing third individually, Placke notched the best GPAC tournament finish of her impressive career.

The 343 turned in by Head Coach Brett Muller’s squad on Tuesday marked its lowest round of the season within GPAC championship play. Concordia shot a four-round conference score of 351-353-365-343–1,412. The first two rounds were held at The Bluffs Golf Course in Vermillion, S.D.

“We came into today tied for seventh and finished fifth. I’m very proud of the girls,” Muller said. “Talking with them about the round yesterday, we were disappointed with how we played. We knew that if we played well today we could move up a couple spots – and that’s what we did.”

Placke entered Tuesday’s round 10 strokes in back of eventual GPAC Champion Sofia Castelan of Morningside. Placke shot a 79 on Tuesday and tied for the lowest score of any individual in round four. The Seward High School alum’s four-round GPAC championship total ended up at 80-74-84-79–317. Placke’s score broke the program record for lowest 72-hole GPAC championship score previously held by Amy Ahlers, who won the conference with a 319 in 2016-17.

It will be hard to say goodbye to Placke, who won six career tournament titles and shot an 18-hole average of 80.7 in 56 rounds as a Bulldog.

“Kendra had an awesome career,” Muller said. “She’s one of the top players in the history of our women’s golf program. She’s someone we could count on in our lineup all four years. She made an immediate impact as a freshman and continued to improve every year. These last two years, most of her rounds were in the 70s. It’s huge to have someone like that at the top of your lineup. To finish with six career tournament wins is pretty special.”

School records owned by Kendra Placke

·        Lowest 72-hole GPAC Championship score – 317

·        Lowest career scoring average – 80.7

·        Lowest single-season scoring average – 79.8 (2021-22 season)

As a team, Concordia slashed 22 strokes off its round three score. Four of the five Bulldogs in the lineup improved from round three to round four. Norris High School product Lauren Havlat jumped into the top 20 of the final GPAC leaderboard after shooting an 86 on Tuesday. She wound up in a tie for 17th place via a four-round score of 86-87-94-86–353. In a lineup that remained the same for all four conference rounds, Concordia was also represented by Logan Eschliman (93-90-100-90–373; T-36th), Mya Nurse (92-102-91-88–373; T-36th) and Emily Jensen (97-102-96-100–395; 43rd).

The team’s final cumulative conference score of 1,412 was 19 strokes short of the program record for lowest GPAC score of 1,393 accomplished last season. The Bulldogs have placed in the top five of the GPAC in each of the past three seasons.

Placke, Havlat recognized with All-GPAC accolades

May 13, 2022

SEWARD, Neb. – As a cap to her accomplished career, Kendra Placke has officially been named a 2022 GPAC All-Conference award winner. Placke has earned the honor for the fourth time in her career. Meanwhile, teammate Lauren Havlat was chosen as an Honorable Mention All-GPAC recipient. Placke and Havlat helped Concordia University Women’s Golf place fifth in the conference as a team in 2021-22.

Placke has been a four-year constant in the lineup for Head Coach Brett Muller’s program. Placke locked in all-conference honors while placing third in the GPAC in 2021-22 with a four-round total of 80-74-84-79–317. That score broke former GPAC champion Amy Ahler’s previous school record for lowest four-round total at the GPAC Championships. Placke also graduated with program records for lowest career scoring average (80.7) and lowest single season scoring average (79.8 in 2021-22). As a senior in 2021-22, Placke earned the fourth, fifth and sixth tournament wins of her collegiate career. Placke put together a spring that saw her win two events and collect two GPAC Golfer of the Week awards all while student teaching. Placke’s year-by-year conference tournament place finishes were fifth, sixth, seventh and third, respectively. The Seward High School product also led the program to two third place GPAC finishes as a team.

This is the first career all-conference recognition for Havlat, a Lincoln, Neb., native and Norris High School alum. Havlat placed in a tie for 17th on the 2021-22 GPAC leaderboard. She carded a four-round conference total of 86-87-94-86–353. In terms of season scoring average, Havlat was the team’s No. 2 golfer behind Placke. Havlat shot an average 18-hole score of 89.3 while playing in each of the team’s nine events (18 holes) in 2021-22. Havlat earned a medal for placing sixth at the Matthew Goette Classic back in the fall. She finished just outside the top 10 in three other tournaments this past season. Havlat has played in 43 career collegiate rounds and owns a career scoring average of 91.7.