2023-24 Women's Tennis Schedule/Results

11-8 overall | 5-2 GPAC (3rd) | Season Stats | Roster

Date	Opponent	Location	Result	Record
Sept. 8-9	Bethany College (Kan.) Tournament	Lindsborg, Kan.	4 p.m. | 9 a.m.
Sept. 15-16	GPAC Fall Individual Tournament	Woods Tennis Center | Lincoln, Neb.	9 a.m.
Sept. 24-26	NAIA Central-West ITA Regional	Salina, Kan.	9 a.m.
Sept. 24-26	Kansas Wesleyan Invitational	Salina, Kan.	9 a.m.
Oct. 7	William Jewell College	Liberty, Mo.	L, 1-6	0-1
Feb. 9	Mount Marty University	Yankton, S.D.	W, 6-1	1-1
Feb. 10	Baker University	Fremont, Neb. | YMCA	W, 6-1	2-1
Feb. 16	Ottawa University (Kan.)	Lawrence, Kan. | Genesis Health Club South	L, 1-6	2-2
Feb. 17	Tabor College (Kan.)	Seward, Neb. | Walz Fieldhouse	CANCELED
Feb. 22	Kansas Wesleyan University	Grand Island, Neb. | Grand Island TC	W, 5-2	3-2
Feb. 23	Missouri Western University	St. Jospeh, Mo.	L, 0-7	3-3
Feb. 29	University of Saint Mary (Kan.)	Kansas City, Mo. | Genesis HC-Clayview	W, 5-2	4-3
March 2	Sterling College (Kan.)	Seward, Neb. | Outdoor Tennis Center	L, 2-5	4-4
March 3	Iowa Central Community College	Seward, Neb. | Walz Fieldhouse	W, 4-3	5-4
March 5	*Mount Marty University	Lincoln, Neb. | Woods Tennis Center	W, 7-0	6-4, 1-0
March 16	Midland University	Fremont, Neb.	L, 2-5	6-5
March 22	*Morningside University	Sioux City, Iowa	L, 1-6	6-6, 1-1
April 5	*Northwestern College	Seward, Neb. | Outdoor Tennis Center	W, 5-2	7-6, 2-1
April 9	*Doane University	Crete, Neb.	W, 6-1	8-6, 3-1
April 15	*College of Saint Mary	Seward, Neb. | Outdoor Tennis Center	W, 5-2	9-6, 4-1
April 17	*Midland University	Seward, Neb. | Outdoor Tennis Center	L, 3-4	9-7, 4-2
April 20	*Hastings College	Hastings, Neb.	W, 5-2	10-7, 5-2
	GPAC Women's Tennis Tournament
April 25	Northwestern (Quarterfinals)	South Sioux City, Neb. | First Serve TC	W, 4-1	11-7
April 25	Midland (Semifinals)	South Sioux City, Neb. | First Serve TC	L, 2-4	11-8

2023-24 Roster

Name	Ht.	Yr.	Hometown	Previous School
Teya Badger	5-9	Fr.	Brandon, S.D.	Brandon Valley HS
Tessa Blough	5-9	Jr.	Cody, Wyo.	Cody HS
Chakira Derman	5-6	Fr.	Lome, Togo	Southeast CC
Kylie Freudenburg	5-6	Jr.	Norfolk, Neb.	Norfolk Senior HS
Mia Golka	5-2	Fr.	Grand Island, Neb.	Central CC
Lauren Gottberg	5-8	So.	Lincoln, Neb.	Lincoln East HS
Gabrielle Heiser	5-6	So.	Green River, Wyo.	Green River HS
Brooke Hosick	5-5	Jr.	Bellevue, Neb.	Bellevue West HS
Alana Lopez Pagan	5-2	So.	Forney, Texas	North Norney HS
Mariana Molano	5-3	So.	Bogota, Colombia	Aspaen Gimnasio Iragua
Alexa Richert	5-3	Fr.	Gillette, Wyo.	Campbell County HS

STAFF

Lisa Hart, Head Coach (1st Year)

Jorge Chevez, Assistant Coach

Season Preview: 2024 Concordia Women’s Tennis

January 15

Head Coach: Lisa Hart (1st season at Concordia; 22nd season overall as a college head coach)
2022-23 record: 13-9 overall, 4-3 GPAC (4th)
Key returners: Tessa Blough (Jr.); Kylie Freudenburg (Jr.); Lauren Gottberg (So.); Gabrielle Heiser (So.); Brooke Hosick (Jr.); Alana Lopez Pagan (So.); Mariana Molano (So.).
Key losses: Ella Dean; Tara Ferrel.
Newcomers: Teya Badger; Chakira Derman; Mia Golka; Alexa Richert.
2023 GPAC All-Conference: Tessa Blough (HM singles/doubles); Tara Ferrel (HM singles); Alana Lopez Pagan (HM doubles); Mariana Molano (singles).

Outlook

The announcement that came out of Concordia Athletics on Aug. 8, 2023, likely raised some eyebrows. Formerly the head coach of the women’s tennis programs at Virginia Tech and Washington State University, Lisa Hart was tabbed to fill the vacancy at Concordia. It’s a new type of challenge for Hart, a 21-year head coaching veteran and a University of Nebraska-Lincoln alum. Most recently the Associate Head Women’s Tennis Coach for the Cornhuskers, Hart didn’t have to go far to find Seward.

The position interested Hart because she saw strong administrative leadership in place and a strong Christian environment conducive to attracting top student-athletes. There’s potential for Concordia Tennis to blow up in a big way.

“I’m really enjoying it,” Hart said. “I keep waiting for things to change, but everyone is so incredibly nice and supportive. They’ve been that way since day one. It’s been a breath of fresh air. We have amazing student-athletes to work with – very appreciative, hard-working. The competition is going to be great this year. We just want to keep trying to improve a little bit every day and maximize our potential on and off the court.”

Hart inherits a women’s tennis program that finished last season at 13-9 overall and in fourth place in the GPAC standings. The Bulldogs more than doubled their win total from the 2021-22 campaign while getting a major boost from now sophomore Mariana Molano. She took over the top spot in the singles lineup and put together an impressive 13-5 record. The team’s list of All-GPAC returners includes Molano, Tessa Blough and Alana Lopez Pagan. Blough and Lopez Pagan hinted at what might be to come this spring when they combined to win a GPAC doubles championship during fall action.

The fall portion of the 2022-23 campaign included three weekends of tournaments and a dual with NCAA Division II William Jewell College. Not only did Blough and Lopez Pagan display their supremacy among GPAC doubles pairs, transfer Chakira Derman showed she will immediately be a player to be reckoned with. She earned a win at No. 1 singles over her counterpart of William Jewell. As for Mariana, she expects to be healthy after battling injury in the fall.

“Chakira and Mariana are great players,” Hart said. “Mariana has been out most of the fall with some injuries. We think she’s recovered and will really contribute for us on the court this spring. Chakira had a great fall and got a little bit better every day. She had a really good win in our last match at William Jewell at No. 1 singles. We had Tessa and Alana win the GPAC doubles tournament. I’m really excited about our depth. We have a bunch of freshmen and some great sophomores. I’m excited about the whole entire team, but Chakira and Mariana will definitely help us at the top of the lineup.”

A native of Cody, Wyo., Blough possesses the most collegiate playing experience of anyone on the roster. She’s notched 11 singles wins and 14 doubles victories as a Bulldog. Additional returning players include Kylie Freudenburg, Lauren Gottberg, Gabrielle Heiser and Brooke Hosick. Several of those Bulldogs were joined in the fall lineup at William Jewell by freshman Alexa Richert of Gillette, Wyo. In total, eight of the team’s players are either freshmen or sophomores.

Said Blough of the progress she witnessed in the fall, “I think we’ve seen the most improvement in our dedication and desire to work hard in the offseason to prepare for this season. I think our dedication is a big improvement. We have quite a few freshmen. Based on the fall season, I think they’re really going to help us this spring. Chakira is going to be a great asset to the team. All of them are going to bring their individual skills and teamwork. I think we’re going to have a great season, and I’m looking forward to it.”

Blough also says that Hart has helped bring members of the team closer together while fostering a new type of energy. Hart sees the potential for the program to take off. Concordia Women’s Tennis shared the GPAC regular season title as recently as 2021 and has been the GPAC tournament runner up three times (2008, 2011 and 2019). Eventually, Hart would love to lead the Bulldogs to Mobile, Ala., site of the NAIA National Championships, but for now, the focus is on the process it takes to accomplish such a lofty aim.

“We are trying to solidify with each team what we’re trying to do and keep the focus on the process: getting a little bit better every day,” Hart said. “We want to work as hard as we can, have the best attitude that we can and represent Concordia to the best of our abilities. Be the best teammate and team player we can be. We’re just trying to control the things we have control over. I think the results will take care of themselves.”

The 2023-24 season will resume on Feb. 9 when the Bulldogs will take on Mount Marty (officially a nonconference match). The 2024 spring slate will be heavy on clashes with members of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference. GPAC play is slated to get started in late March and will continue through the month of April. The GPAC Tennis Championships will move to Morningside University in Sioux City, Iowa, this year. Concordia and its GPAC rivals will attempt to dethrone Midland for the title.

The Bulldogs will soon find out where they stand. Says Hart, “I think we have a really good foundation in place with the players we have in the program. We want to continue to get better and be a little more competitive on the court. That’s going to be important. We want to make sure the players we recruit are the right fits for our program and our university. That’s a huge thing – making sure we have the right people on the bus so we can all pull in the same direction and make sure we maximize our abilities.”

View the complete Concordia Women’s Tennis schedule HERE.

Concordia clinches first dual win under Hart

Feburary 9

 The Bulldogs collected their first win of the 2023-24 season, after traveling to Mount Marty on Friday (Feb. 9). Concordia took the doubles point, and the team victory (6-1) over the Lancers in Yankton, S.D. After falling in its only fall dual to William Jewell College (Mo.), CUNE is 1-1 early in the competition year.

First Year Head Coach Lisa Hart commented on the team’s play and sticking to game plans.

“Very impressed with Lauren and Brooke’s confidence and composure today in doubles. They got off to a fast start and were solid throughout the set. In singles, Mariana, Alana and Alexa were impressive and started fast as well. I’m proud of how our team executed and stuck to their game plans!”

In doubles, Lauren Gottberg and Brooke Hosick (No. 2s) were paired together to defeat Kayla Marsh and Alessandra Lopez with ease, in the 6-1 set win. With 3s open for Mount Marty, the doubles point was sealed for the visitors. Tessa Blough and Charika Derman at No. 1s got up early (5-3) over Alexandria Salazar and Kayla Marsh but were tripped up in the final games to fall, 7-6.

With two more open spots at No. 5 and 6, the Bulldogs started to run away with a confident crushing of the Lancers in the latter matches. Molano, in No. 2 singles, clinched the first dual win of her 2023-24 campaign, shutting out Salazar (6-0, 6-0), as Lopez-Pagan followed suit, blanking Marsh (6-0, 6-0) in the No. 3 singles slot.

Alexa Richert at No. 4, decisively finished off the home hosts, only surrendering one game to Lopez in the 6-1, 6-0 straight set win.

Concordia (1-1) won’t get much rest before traveling to the Fremont Family YMCA tomorrow to face Baker University (Kan.). The Wildcats are 0-6 and will face Midland the day before, leaving both teams on short rest.

Dawgs swing through the Wildcats on the road

Feburary 10

 With a chance for Concordia to grab a shorter trip to face Baker University (Kan.), the Bulldogs traveled to the Fremont Family YMCA on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 10). CUNE took full advantage of the Wildcats for a 6-1 victory in their third dual of the season. Mariana Molano continued to dominate in No. 2 singles over the weekend, as Tessa Blough and Chakira Derman went undefeated as a pair, following wins against Mount Marty and Baker.

Concordia has claimed back to back victories for a 2-1 overall record. Head Coach Lisa Hart commented on how proud she was to see consistency over the two days.

“I’m proud of how the girls performed. Tessa and Chakira played extremely well in their doubles match. Mariana and Alana have continued to be very solid in singles. We look forward to more competition and are pushing to grow as a team throughout the year.”

With No. 3 doubles open, Blough and Derman continued to collect games, leading to a 6-1 dominant set. The Bulldogs were up early, after seizing the doubles point and the Wildcats, having No. 5 and No. 6 slots open in singles.

No. 2 Molano worked through Ciarra McWilliams with ease (6-0, 6-2), collecting two victories over the two days, while only giving up two games in the matches. The record leader, out of Columbia, from last season has picked up where she left off and now has 15 dual singles career wins.

Lopez-Pagan dissected her opponent early and defeated Jordan Grabst (6-2, 6-1) at No. 4. Blough at No. 3, blanked her opponent (6-0) in the first set and kept the pressure on in the second, as the opponent retired the win (3-1) to her in the second.

In a tough battle at No. 1, Derman fell in the first set (4-6) to Suri Gomez but showed her grit, winning in the second, 7-6. Gomez was able to take the only Wildcat victory in the tiebreaker set.

Baker stays winless (0-8) on the year but will face the GPAC’s Hastings tomorrow (Feb. 11) to seek its first team victory.

Concordia (2-1) will continue its road stretch against Ottawa University (1-1) on Friday (Feb. 16). The Bulldogs and Braves will step on the courts in Lawrence, Kan. at noon CT.

Molano shines in defeat versus Ottawa

Feburary 16

The Concordia Women’s Tennis team faced off against Ottawa University (Kan.) on Friday afternoon (Feb. 16). The Bulldogs couldn’t keep up with the Braves, falling 1-6 in their fourth dual of the season. Mariana Molano would battle for the squad, keeping the home team from a sweep by winning a third set tiebreaker in her singles match. CUNE takes a step back to 2-2 on the year, as it will look to go back above .500 next week.

Head Coach Lisa Hart commented on the match. “I’m very proud of our team. The dual was a lot closer than the scores showed. It will be great to get back to practice tomorrow and work on some areas where we didn’t execute today. Each player competed hard and represented our program well. We are already looking forward to playing Kansas Wesleyan next Thursday.”

In singles, No. 2 Molano had a rough first set (2-6) loss, but the star out of Aspaen Gimnasio Iragua came roaring back in the second set (6-1), only giving up one game to Paula Persson. In the tiebreaker, Persson responded, climbing to a 9-4 lead over Molano. Only able to allow one more point (10-point tiebreaker), the Bogotá, Colombia native stepped on the gas to take eight straight points in the comeback victory. She has won three straight singles matches, starting a hot streak early in her 2023-24 campaign.

Alana Lopez-Pagan and Molano at No. 2s, pushed Isidora Hrnjak and Lily Keimig to the brink, before losing 6-7 in a doubles tiebreaker. Brooke Hosick and Kemig would also need a second set tiebreaker (6-7) to settle the No. 6 singles slot, in favor of the Braves.

Others competing for the Bulldogs in singles were: No. 1 Chakira Derman (3-6, 3-6), No. 3 Tessa Blough (0-6, 3-6), No. 4 Alexa Richert (2-6, 2-6) and No. 5 Lopez-Pagan (4-6, 2-6).

Ottawa (2-1) has bested two GPAC teams, winning over Hastings in its season opener on Sunday (Feb. 4). They have five more duals before entering KCAC play.

Concordia (2-2) will have a week break before meeting Kansas Wesleyan University (2-1) at the Grand Island Tennis Center. The two teams are set to twist their rackets at 10 a.m. CT. The Bulldogs are 5-3 against the Coyotes since 2009.

Lopez-Pagan and company trap Coyotes

Feburary 22

 Concordia chose a sunny 60 degree day in February to match up with Kansas Wesleyan University at the Grand Island Tennis Center on Thursday morning. The Bulldogs won four straight points for the early clinch and picked up one more victory in the 5-2 triumph. With No. 3 doubles falling, the top two doubles seeds grinded out set wins to hold onto the doubles point. After the win over the Coyotes, the women’s team has seized three out of their last four duals and moves its record to 3-2.

Head Coach Lisa Hart gave high praise to her team and commented on individuals who paced the team in the neutral site dual.

“Kansas Wesleyan is a very well-coached team and their players battled hard throughout the line-up. Mariana (Molano) and Alana (Lopez-Pagan) did a great job closing out their doubles match to secure the double point for us. Alana and Chakira (Derman) were focused and determined in their singles matches, only losing 4 total combined games. I was very impressed with Mariana, who clinched the match for us at No. 1 singles today. She has been competing extremely well and is at her best under pressure. We look forward to another tough challenge tomorrow against Missouri Western State University.”

In collegiate tennis, grabbing the doubles point can seem like a head start to a singles race, which makes it much easier to collect a team win. Tessa Blough and Chakira Derman at No. 1s, were hot out of the gates finishing first of any doubles teams, and defeated McKinnley Evans and Alivia Sherer 6-3 in the early going. Needing the No. 2s to force a loss on the Coyotes, Mariana Molano and Alana Lopez-Pagan did just that, slicing through their competition (6-4) Michaela Crowe and Camrynn Bagwell.

No. 2 Derman and No. 4 Lopez-Pagan ripped through Kansas Wesleyan opponents to put the Bulldogs up 3-0 as singles seemingly just started. Derman crushed Kristi Henderson, 6-2, 6-0, and smashed her way to a 2-0 day as Lopez-Pagan raced Derman to her singles win (6-1, 6-1) over Evans. The Forney, Texas, native pushes her career singles record over .500 (12-11) with her triumph in Grand Island.

All of the other four singles matches needed extra games to winnow out the victors. Molano got ahead early securing the first set (6-3) over Crowe but to the Coyote’s credit, battled back taking the second set (2-6). In a 10-point tiebreak, Molano showed she was a dominant force and pulled away, 10-5, for the individual match and snagged the fourth point garnering the team win.

Alexa Richert at No. 5, took Danielle Slack in the first round (6-2) to six, but needed a tiebreaker to collect the 7-6 second set win. Blough (5-7, 6-7, 1-10) and Brooke Hosick (1-6, 6-3, 8-10) fell in tough tiebreaker matches.

Concordia (3-2) will face Missouri Western State University (4-0) in Saint Joseph, Mo. tomorrow (Feb. 23) at Genesis Health Club. First toss is set for noon CT.

Women’s tennis falls to Missouri Western State

Feburary 23

The Bulldogs faced off against a superior opponent in Division II’s Missouri Western State University at the Genesis Health Club on Friday (Feb. 23) afternoon. The undefeated Griffons showed their NCAA level, as the Dawgs were defeated 0-7 in the match. Concordia drops to 3-3 at the beginning of the season and has three more non-conference bouts before entering GPAC play.

No. 2 Chakira Derman lost the first set (2-6) convincingly but battled against Izzi MacGibbon to tie the second set 6-6. The Lome’, Togo, native forced the tiebreaker but couldn’t find her footing (1-7) in extra points.

The rest of singles play fell in straight sets, as the lineup was Mariana Molano (No. 1), Alana Lopez-Pagan (No. 3), Alexa Richert (No. 4), Brooke Hosick (No. 5) and Gabrielle Heiser (No. 6).

In doubles, Molano and Lopez-Pagan at No. 2s fell (1-6) and No. 3s Gottberg and Hosick lost, 2-6, giving the point to the home team.

Concordia (3-3) will take on the University of Saint Mary (2-4) on Thursday (Feb. 29) at the Genesis Health Club-Clayview in Kansas City, Mo. The players will spin their rackets at 10 a.m. CT.

Dawgs move over .500 with win at USM

Feburary 29

The Bulldogs matched up against the University of Saint Mary (Kan.) on Thursday Morning (Feb. 29) at the Genesis Health Club-Clayview. Concordia got behind early but then won five straight for a 5-2 victory over the Spires. Mariana Molano and Alana Lopez-Pagan collected wins in singles and in their doubles match together.

With this triumph, the Bulldogs are 4-3 overall and can build on their schedule moving forward. Head Coach Lisa Hart commented on the team response to getting down early and the team coming together.

“We dug ourselves in a hole and got down 2-0 quickly. I’m very proud of our depth and how well we competed throughout our lineup in singles. Some teams get down early and fall apart, but our girls were able to stay together. Our team continues to grow and get better. We look forward to playing these four duals in six days.”

Molano and Lopez-Pagan at No. 2s, grabbed the only doubles win (6-3) as Saint Mary took the doubles point. Chakira Derman fell at No. 1 singles as the visitors were back two points in the early going.

No. 2 Molano had to fight for her point, as she grabbed the first set (6-4) then fell in a tiebreak set (5-7). She claimed victory in the third set tiebreak (10-5) over Cortlyn Wolfe. Tessa Blough (No. 3) defeated her opponent in the first set (6-2) but had to hold onto her second set (7-5).

Alexa Richert at No. 5, won over Arsys Rojas, only giving up one game (6-1, 6-0) in the straight set victory. No. 4 Lopez-Pagan claimed the team win with a 6-4, 6-1, clinching the triumph over Mia Rojas.

No. 6 Lauren Gottberg added on for good measure in a three set win (1-6, 6-2, 15-13) comeback over Taimane Cajudoy.

Concordia (4-3) will face Sterling College (1-1) of Kansas at the SC Tennis Facility on Mar. 2. First toss is expected at 11 a.m. CT.

Concordia falls to Sterling in singles

March 2

The Concordia Women’s Tennis team invited Sterling College (Kan.) to Seward to compete at the Bulldog Tennis Courts for the first time this year. Two big doubles wins and Alana Lopez-Pagan, in singles, were the lone wins as the Bulldogs fell 2-5 to the Warriors. The home team sorely missed Mariana Molano, sliding every player up a spot in 1v1 play.

CUNE is back at .500 with a 4-4 record and only one more dual remains before conference play. Head Coach Lisa Hart commented on the dual versus Sterling and tough conditions at the courts.

“We came out and played hard. The wind was a huge factor in every game, but it is a part of playing tennis at a high level in any situation. I’m proud of how the girls continued to fight and Alana continues to get stronger with another singles win. It was good to see passion from the team and we look forward to getting better. We missed Marina big time in singles.”

After No. 2s fell, Tessa Blough and Lopez-Pagan continued to fight against Ana Alvarez and Sofia Tominaga and seized the 6-4 set win. No. 3s Lauren Gottberg and Chakira Derman fought toward the doubles point against Giovana Gaboardi and Natalia Antkowiak and took the victory, 6-4. Both pairs won their first sets together as a duo this season.

Lopez-Pagan at No. 3, had to battle for a third set tiebreaker to remain on top (4-6, 6-3, 10-8) against Nadia Margaritov. The North Forney product has added five singles victories in her sophomore year and 14 in her career.

Other competing in singles were: Derman (No. 1), Blough (No. 2), Alexa Richert (No. 4), Brooke Hosick (No. 5) and Lauren Gottberg (No. 6).

Sterling moves to 3-1, with this being their only dual won without going 7-0 in the matchups. The Warriors will face three more non-conference opponents before heading into the conference play.

Concordia (4-4) faces Iowa Central Community College (3-2) tomorrow (Mar. 3) in Seward. The Men are scheduled to play at the Bulldog Tennis Courts and the women inside Walz Fieldhouse, both at 1 p.m. CT. The Tritons have gone 1-2 against other GPAC competition.

Dawgs come down on Tritons inside Walz

March 3

Concordia hosted another tennis dual on Sunday (Mar. 3), going through their third in four days, this time against Iowa Central Community College. The Bulldogs clamped down on the Tritons, with Alana Lopez-Pagan clinching the team triumph, 4-3. With the singles win, the Forney, Texas product is on a three match win streak and puts CUNE at 5-4 on the year.

Head Coach Lisa Hart spoke about the lineup for Iowa Central and how the women continue to progress.

“Very proud of how we competed today throughout the lineup. They were short handed but the players they had on the court are extremely talented. Our players have been working hard and have made huge strides so far this season. It is very nice to see it pay off today.”

With Iowa Central down two players, Concordia needed one set to take the doubles point. No. 2s Tessa Blough and Chakira Derman were able to get four games on Im Garba and Ayawavi Vania Dotse but fell short, 4-6. No. 1s Mariana Molano and Lopez-Pagan did just that, taking Adjowa Sika Geli and Ayawavi Valentine Talaki, 6-4.  

Lopez-Pagan faced Ima Garba, easily defeating her in straight sets (6-1, 6-0).

No. 1 Molano and No. 3 Tessa Blough had to go to third set tiebreakers to score the match final. Molano took on Ayawavi Vania Dotse as the two went back and forth in the final tiebreak, but the Tritons finished with a win (7-5, 1-6, 7-10).  Blough found herself up (7-6) as well after the first frame, but couldn’t regain control and lost 5-7, 10-12 in the final scores.

The last Bulldog that competed in singles was Derman (No. 2).

Iowa Central moves up to 3-3, showing a great level of tennis for any level of college. The Tritons will continue to have success and will face Grand View University (Iowa) on Wednesday.

Concordia (5-4) is set to play Mount Marty (2-2) in Lincoln, Neb. at the Woods Tennis Center on Tuesday (Mar. 5). First toss is set for 11 a.m. CT.

Dawgs shutout Lancers in conference opener

March 5

Concordia entered GPAC play on Tuesday (Mar. 5) taking on Mount Marty as its first conference challenger. The Bulldogs came out aggressive and shutout the Lancers in a 7-0 victory. The two squads competed at the Woods Tennis Center in Lincoln, Neb., after both teams previously faced Iowa Central Community College. Brooke Hosick had to slide into a starting role and defeated her opponent in two sets without giving up a game.

CUNE moves their overall record up to 6-4 and begins conference play, 1-0, after the win. Head Coach Lisa Hart commented on the rising confidence of her players and what it means to start out the conference with a triumph.

“It was great to start out conference play with a win. It helps get the ball rolling and gives helps us moving forward. We really got things going early and our confidence is growing with each dual. Brooke (Hosick) was not scheduled to play but stepped in and delivered for us. I’m really proud of the girls and we will relish this upcoming break after competing in four matches the past six days.”

With Mount Marty having a couple of players out, the Bulldogs were ahead in the doubles matches before the games started. Concordia put on a master clinic as No. 1s Mariana Molano and Alana Lopez-Pagan took the doubles point by a 6-1 set. No. 2s Chakira Derman and Lauren Gottberg got their brooms out for a doubles sweep (6-2) over Kayla Marsh and Alessandra Lopez.

Hosick made her match look like a breeze, taking a over the No. 4 slot in a 6-0, 6-0 performance over Lopez. No. 1 Molano continued the team's success and delivered a 6-2, 6-0 straight set victory over Suri Gomez.

With the team dual already won in favor of the Dawgs, No. 2 Lopez-Pagan continued to push her singles and doubles win streak to four. The sophomore out of Forney, Texas gave up three games before finding her 12th in the 6-1, 6-2 win in straights.

Alexa Richert found herself in a tiebreaker battle after two sets (6-1, 4-6) and was able to defeat Marsh in the final (10-5).

Mount Marty moves under .500 (2-3) with two losses coming from the Bulldogs. They will stay in GPAC play against Morningside on Mar. 20, receiving a break like many others.

Concordia (6-4) will have a needed 11-day break before continuing against Midland (5-2) on Saturday (Mar. 16) in a non-conference dual. The match is set to start at 11 a.m. CT at the Fremont Family YMCA. The Warriors were the GPAC champions from last season.

 

Women’s Tennis set to face Midland in last non-conference bout

March 14

Concordia Women’s Tennis comes into the week with a two match win streak and a huge victory to start off conference play. The Bulldogs will travel to face Midland in their final non-conference dual of the season on Saturday (Mar. 16). The two teams are set for the first toss at 11 a.m. CT inside the Fremont Family YMCA. Concordia defeated an extremely talented Iowa Central Community College (4-3) and then shutout Mount Marty in Lincoln, Neb. Head Coach Lisa Hart’s squad keeps fighting to stay above .500 with a 6-4overall record and 1-0 in the conference.

This Week

Saturday, March 16 at Midland (6-3), 11 a.m.
--Location: Fremont YMCA (Fremont, Neb.)

By the numbers

·       The Bulldogs have been on a bit of a roller coaster ride, unable to string more than two dual wins in a row. The first pair of wins came against Mount Marty (6-1) in a non-conference match and Baker University (Kan.) in a 6-1 win. Two of their losses came from NCAA Division II opponents but Concordia forged on defeating Kansas Wesleyan University (5-2) and University of Saint Mary (Kan.), 5-2.

·       Most recently, the Dawgs swung through the Lancers, blanking the team (7-0) out of South Dakota. The team wins came from No.1s Mariana Molano and Alana Lopez-Pagan and No. 2s Chakira Derman and Lauren Gottberg. In singles, No. 1 Molano, No. 2 Lopez-Pagan, No. 3 Alexa Richert and No. 4 Brooke Hosick all were on the side of victory at the Woods Tennis Center. Mount Marty had open positions at its last two spots.

·       The Bulldog blue and white have bested 31 individual singles matches and 14 doubles though 10 duals. Lopez-Pagan (seven) and Molano (six) have collected the most triumphs in singles, with Richert (four) not far behind. Molano, the sophomore out of Bogotá, Colombia, has been undefeated (4-0) at the No. 2 slot. The pair, Lopez-Pagan and Molano, have the most wins as a duo (four) plus Derman and Gottberg are unbeaten (2-0) in the couple of times they have been put together.

·       Midland will be a tough out as the returning GPAC champions from a season ago. Coming into the matchup with a 6-3 record, they have lost two out of their last three in tough duals against McPherson College (Kan.) and NCAA Division II’s Colorado College. The Warriors return starting veterans Ari Lumanog (No. 1), Grace Felder, Laine Fanton and Grazi Dallagnol. Felder, out of Lincoln, Neb., paces the team with six singles victories so far this season. Key losses were clutch veterans Ivett Castaneda and Kristina Khmelevskaia.

Next week

Next weekend Concordia will continue conference play competing against Morningside on Saturday (Mar. 23) in Sioux City, Iowa. After, the Bulldogs will have conference matches for the duration of the regular season that includes five more duals, three of which are at home.

Bulldogs come up short against talented Warriors

March 16

 The Bulldogs got a look at the defending GPAC champions on Saturday (Mar. 16) at their home turf. The top seeds showed out against the Warriors, but the bottom of the lineup couldn’t get it done, resulting in a 2-5 loss. The two teams will see each other again as this match was scheduled as a non-conference bout in Fremont.

The Bulldogs drop to 6-5 overall and will get a week break to regroup before re-entering conference play. Head Coach Lisa Hart commented on team play and individuals who stood out in the dual.

“I’m proud of the fight in our girls. They showed up and it felt like we were just a couple of points, here and there, then the result may have been different. Mariana (Molano) and Charika played with confidence, especially in their tiebreaker sets. We have so much to build on from this match with Midland and I can’t wait for us to get back out there.”

No. 2 Chakira Derman fell (2-6) in the first round of play but kept her wits about her and took the second (6-4), forcing a tiebreaker. The freshman, out of Lomé, Togo, bested Lainie Fanton (12-10) in the final. No. 1 Mariana Molano faced a veteran in Ari Lumanog and the two would need a tiebreaker set after a 6-4, 1-6 split. Molano got the better of Lumanog (10-7) in the final points needed for a win.

Down 3-2, No. 3 Tessa Blough faced second year Graziela Dallagnol, and these two would continue in the same tiebreak fashion. Blough lost a tough (6-7) first set but came back in the second with a 6-2 blast. This time Midland would get the better of the Bulldogs and Dallagnol sealed the team victory for the home team.

No. 2s Molano and Alana Lopez-Pagan gave their all in doubles but fell short (4-6) in the set. Other pairs were Derman and Blough (No. 1s) plus Lauren Gottberg and Brooke Hosick (No. 3s).

Lopez-Pagan (No. 4), Alexa Richert (No. 5) and Macee Thompson (No. 6) all finished out the singles lineup.

Concordia (6-5) will take on Morningside (8-3) driving out to Sioux City on Saturday (Mar. 23). The two will clash at the Mason Family Tennis Complex at 12:30 p.m. CT.

Concordia set to face Mustangs in Sioux City

March 19 

Concordia Women’s Tennis has moved its schedule up one day and will compete against Morningside on Friday (Mar. 22) in Sioux City, Iowa. The Bulldogs went to Fremont, Neb. for a non-conference dual against Midland but fell in a 2-5 loss to the Warriors. Head Coach Lisa Hart’s squad is 6-5 overall and 1-0 in the GPAC.

This Week

Friday, March 22 at Morningside (8-3), 12 p.m.
--Location: First Serve Tennis Center (South Sioux City, Neb.)

By the numbers

·       The current GPAC rankings have placed Concordia in third with only two total matches played in the conference so far. The two in front are Morningside and Midland, making this Saturday a huge opportunity for the Dawgs. Finishing fourth last season, the team will look to match as champions from the 2021 season (co-champs).

·       Having only one match in seven days, the Bulldogs traveled to the Fremont YMCA and were able to get two singles wins against the defending GPAC champions. The top two seeds, No. 1 Mariana Molano and No. 2 Chakira Derman, defeated their opponents, putting the win in play late in the dual. The two remaining couldn’t find victories on the road but gained confidence for the match that will count for conference standings in Seward.

·       The Bulldog blue and white have bested 33 individual singles matches and 14 doubles through 11 duals. Lopez-Pagan (seven) and Molano (seven) have collected the most triumphs in singles, with Richert (four) not far behind. Molano, the sophomore out of Bogotá, Colombia, has been undefeated (4-0) at the No. 2 slot. The pair, Lopez-Pagan and Molano, have the most wins as a duo (four) plus Derman and Gottberg are unbeaten (2-0) in the couple of times they have been put together.

·       Morningside comes into the week with an 8-3 overall record and will break into conference play with Mound Marty on Wednesday. The Mustangs are on a two-dual win streak having defeated Missouri Baptist University (Mo.), 7-0, and Principia College (Ill.), 9-0. Morningside is predicted to win the conference from pre-season rankings.

Next week

Concordia will get a two week break before facing Northwestern and Doane. The Dawgs will host the Red Raiders on Friday (Apr. 5) and the Tigers the following Tuesday.

Dawgs fall to Mustangs on the road

March 22

 The Concordia Women’s Tennis team made the trek up to a wintery Sioux City, Iowa, and played indoors against a tough Morningside. The Mustangs jumped out to an early lead and defeated the Bulldogs, 1-6, in their second conference dual. Alexa Richert gathered the lone win in the No. 5 singles slot.

Concordia is 6-6 and 1-1 in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC). Head Coach Lisa Hart commented on her team’s play against the Mustangs.

“Very impressed with how Alexa (Richert) competed today in singles. Credit to Morningside- their team competed hard today. We keep improving as a team and we are hoping we will get another chance at this team at our conference tournament at the end of April.”

Richert and Emily Clotfelter took the first set to extra play pushing the tightly contested battle to extras as the Bulldog won out (7-6). That would prove to be a back breaking set for her competitor as she continued to easy second set win (6-0).  

No. 2 Chakira Derman and No. 3 Alana Lopez-Pagan fell after giving their opponents trouble by taking six games in two sets. Derman challenged Jil Hellerforth (4-6, 2-6) and Lopez-Pagan was defeated by Delfina Stuzynska (2-6, 4-6) in straight sets.

Others starting in singles were Mariana Molano (No. 1), Tessa Blough (No. 4) and Gabrielle Heiser (No. 6).

In doubles, Derman and Blough (No. 2s) made the Mustangs put together a complete effort, but dropped the set, 4-6. Lopez-Pagan and Molano at No. 1s, continued in similar fashion, falling 3-6.

Morningside, picked to finish as conference champions, are 10-3 and 2-0 in the GPAC. The Mustangs will face Northwestern on Wednesday (Apr. 3) in Orange City.

Concordia (6-6, 1-1 GPAC) will have a break before taking on Northwestern (5-4, 0-0 GPAC) on Apr. 5 at the Bulldog Tennis Courts. First toss is set for 4:30 p.m. CT.

Dawgs and Red Raiders clash on Friday

April 4

The Concordia Women’s Tennis team is set to host Northwestern on Friday (Apr. 5) in Seward. Ranked closely in the conference, the Bulldogs will need to bring their A-game against the Red Raiders at the Bulldog Tennis Courts. The tennis squad fell to Morningside in Iowa on Mar. 22, as Concordia has had some much needed rest in between. Head Coach Lisa Hart’s group is 6-6 overall and 1-2 in conference play.

This Week

Friday, April 5 vs Northwestern (7-5, 0-1 GPAC), 4:30 p.m.
--Location: Bulldog Tennis Courts (Seward, Neb.)

By the numbers

·       The current GPAC rankings have placed Concordia in third with only three total matches played in the conference so far. The two in front (Morningside and Midland) have given the Bulldogs their only conference losses, making this Friday an opportunity for the Dawgs. Finishing fourth last season, the team will look to get back on track against the Red Raiders who are currently ranked fourth in the conference.

·       CUNE hit the road to face the top-ranked GPAC team in Morningside and fell to the Mustangs (1-6) in Sioux City, Iowa. Alexa Richert and Emily Clotfelter took the first set to extra play pushing the tightly contested battle to extras as the Bulldog won out (7-6). That would prove to be a back breaking set for her competitor as she continued to easy second set win (6-0). The Campbell County product collected her fifth win on the season, moving her singles record to .500 (5-5) in her freshman campaign.

·       The Bulldog blue and white have bested 34 individual singles matches and 14 doubles through 12 duals. Lopez-Pagan (seven) and Molano (seven) have collected the most triumphs in singles, with Richert (five) not far behind. Molano, the sophomore out of Bogotá, Colombia, has been undefeated (4-0) at the No. 2 slot and .500 (3-3) at No. 1. The pair, Lopez-Pagan and Molano, have the most wins as a duo (four) plus Derman and Gottberg are unbeaten (2-0) in the couple of times they have been put together.

·       The Red Raiders have only competed in one conference match against Morningside, falling in a shutout (0-7). With a 7-5 overall record, Northwestern has won two out of its last three versus Grand View University (Iowa), 5-2, and Central College (Iowa), 5-4. Olya Furmanova has an 8-3 overall record in singles and is undefeated (2-0) at No. 1.

Next week

Concordia at Doane is the only match on the docket next week. The Dawgs will travel to Crete, Neb. to face the Tigers in conference play.

Richert and company slice Red Raiders

April 6

The Bulldogs and Red Raiders were able to get on the tennis courts in Seward, Neb. on Friday night (Apr. 5). Concordia outlasted Northwestern in doubles and finished with a 5-2 triumph over the visitors. With this conference win, the team is 2-1 in the GPAC and 7-6 overall in coach Lisa Hart’s first season.

The head coach commented on the win over Northwestern and the energy the team strived to play with.

“I’m so proud of our women to get another conference win. We really tried to keep the energy high and focus on what we can control—especially our attitude and effort. Alexa Richert was a big time energy and passion driver for us today and it really showed in the team’s play. Dealing with the elements, I thought we pushed through and focused late-especially to get the doubles point.”

If you weren’t at the Bulldog Tennis Courts, you may have still heard how it was going with the enthusiasm that Richert and company brought to the stage. No. 1s Mariana Molano and Alana Lopez-Pagan defeated their opponents (6-3) with ease in their duo competition. Up one game (5-4) in both doubles sets, No. 2s and 3s were able to finish with a sweep of the Red Raiders. Chakira Derman and Tessa Blough at No. 2s, finished with a 7-5 clinching win, plus No. 3s Richert and Gabrielle Heiser won in a tiebreaker set (7-6) over Ainslie Robinson and Hannah Beckloff.

In singles, Richert continued to shine, taking her opponent, Beckloff, in straight sets (6-4, 6-0). The freshman, out of Gillette, Wyo., seems to get stronger as the match continues, winning her second set 6-0 in four of her six singles victories. Usually a primary in the singles lineup, Richert found her first doubles win against Northwestern.

No. 2 Derman made quick work of Olya Furmanova (6-2, 6-2), who had an 8-3 singles record coming into the match. No. 1 Molano and No. 4 Blough were on the same page finishing with 6-2, 6-3 consecutive two-set wins.

Others in singles were Lopez-Pagan (No. 3) and Kylie Freudenberg (No. 6).

The Red Raiders move to 0-2 in the conference and 7-6 overall in their campaign. They were led by No. 3 Julia Anderson and No. 6 Emily Westenberg. They will play Midland on Saturday (Apr. 6).

Concordia (7-6, 2-1 GPAC) looks to face Doane (6-8, 0-0 GPAC) in Crete, Neb. on Tuesday. First toss is set for 4:30 p.m. CT.

Concordia looks for third conference win in bout versus Doane

April 8

The Concordia Women’s Tennis team will take the shortest trip of the season to clash with Doane on Tuesday (Apr. 9). Only three days ago, the Bulldogs hosted Northwestern on a sunny but windy Friday and collected their second conference win of the season. Lisa Hart’s squad continues to show improvement and has totaled a 2-1 GPAC showing and a 7-6 overall record.

This Week

Tuesday, April 9 at Doane (6-9, 0-1 GPAC), 4:30 p.m.
--Location: Haddix Center (Crete, Neb.)

By the numbers

·       Coming off a loss to Morningside, Concordia got back to their winning ways taking the dual (5-2) and all three doubles sets versus the Red Raiders. No. 1s Mariana Molano and Alana Lopez-Pagan defeated their opponents (6-3) with ease in their duo competition. Chakira Derman and Tessa Blough at No. 2s, finished with a 7-5 clinching win, plus No. 3s Alexa Richert and Gabrielle Heiser won in a tiebreaker set (7-6). In singles, No. 1 Molano and No. 4 Blough were on the same page finishing with 6-2, 6-3 consecutive two-set wins. No. 2 Chakira Derman (6-2, 6-2) and No. 5 Richert (6-4, 6-0) took the final singles victories to push the point total to five.

·       The Bulldog blue and white have bested 38 individual singles matches and 17 doubles through 13 duals. Molano (eight) and Lopez-Pagan (seven) have collected the most triumphs in singles, with Richert (six) not far behind. Molano, the sophomore out of Bogotá, Colombia, has been undefeated (4-0) at the No. 2 slot and 4-3 at No. 1. The pair, Lopez-Pagan and Molano, have the most wins as a duo (five) plus Derman and Gottberg are unbeaten (2-0) in the couple of times they have been put together.

·       The passion and relentless positivity of Alexa Richert was on full display at the Bulldog Tennis Courts against Northwestern. A freshman, the Campbell County product has won three out of her last four singles matches and is undefeated (3-0) in conference play. Finding consistency as of late, she and Gabrielle Heiser were able to get their first win as a doubles duo this past dual. The Gillette, Wyo., native seems to get stronger as the match continues, winning her second set 6-0 in four of her six singles victories.

·       The Tigers come into the week with a 6-9 overall record and 0-1 in the GPAC. Doane is on a deafening 7-dual losing streak. Most recently, the Tigers fell to Nebraska Wesleyan University (2-5) and Mount Marty (3-4). They will have a chance to break the streak on Monday against Baker University (Kan.) before facing the Bulldogs. The team from Crete is led by No. 1 Maria Purizaca Soto who has an impressive singles record (13-1) at the initial starting spot, making the top match set to be a good one. She also leads the team in doubles wins (nine).

Next week

Concordia will have a heavy three dual week starting next Monday (Apr. 15). The Bulldogs will host College of Saint Mary and Midland in Seward. Then the team will hit the road for the regular season finale against Hastings.

Dawgs bite down on Tigers for third conference triumph

April 9 

Concordia Women’s Tennis has started to build up momentum in the conference, and the team continued to roll in Crete on Tuesday (Apr. 9). The Dawgs came out with a will to win, taking all three doubles sets and three of the first four points in the 6-1 triumph. In the five singles wins, the visitors outscored the Tigers 60-15 in single games.

The young but talented squad reaches up to a 3-1 GPAC record and an 8-6 overall showing in the current campaign. Head Coach Lisa Hart commented on the play from today and future duals.

“Proud of our entire roster. We competed hard throughout doubles and singles - our players have been working hard and it is starting to pay off! We are excited to get back to practice and begin preparing for our final 3 GPAC matches.”

The doubles teams have now won two in a row and six straight sets after a clobbering by the Dawgs against their conference rivals. No. 3s Gabrielle Heiser and Alexa Richert picked up where they left off against Northwestern and defeated (6-2) Isabella Castillero and Emily Guiton in the first set to finish. No. 2s Chakira Derman and Tessa Blough kept the momentum going with a 6-3 set victory over Kat Johnson and Cierra Schwarzkopf. Finally, No. 1s Mariana Molano and Alana Lopez-Pagan sealed the duo sweep in a 7-5 win over the home team.

No. 5 Richert was the first to drop her opponent, Guiton, (6-2, 6-0) in another second set shutout. Lopez Pagan at No. 3, followed suit with a 6-1, 6-0 dominating performance over Schwarzkopf.

Up 3-1, Concordia only needed one more to take the dual. Unafraid of the pressure, No. 4 Blough finished off the Tigers with a convincing straight set win (6-2, 6-1) against Castillero. This puts the Cody, Wyo., natives’ record at 4-7 in singles and 5-7 in doubles.

No. 2 Derman continued the steamroll and took two sets from Grace Schroller in a 6-3, 6-0 consecutive set win. No. 6 Kylie Freudenburg got off to a spectacular start in her 6-0 first set. Playing from behind one game seemingly the whole set, the junior forced a 6-6 draw and a tiebreaker. Freudenburg took the sixth point with a 7-3 tiebreak win.

Doane moves to 7-10 and 0-2 in the conference. No. 1 Maria Purizaca Soto gathered the lone win against the Bulldogs. The Tigers are set to face Northwestern on Saturday in Orange City.

Concordia (8-6, 3-1 GPAC) will host College of Saint Mary (6-7, 0-3 GPAC) at the Bulldog Tennis Courts on Monday. First serve is set for 5 p.m. CT.

Concordia prepares for final week of scheduled duals

April 15

 The Concordia Women’s Tennis team enters their final week of regular season play, featuring three duals in six days. Bulldog Tennis Courts will host the first two matches between the College of Saint Mary and Midland. The Dawgs will go west for their last dual against Hastings on Saturday (Apr. 20). Lisa Hart’s squad took care of Doane with ease in a 6-1 near-shutout triumph. Concordia stands at 8-6 overall and 3-1 in the conference.

This Week

Monday, April 15 vs College of Saint Mary (7-8, 1-4 GPAC), 5 p.m.
--Location: Bulldog Tennis Courts (Seward, Neb.)

Wednesday, April 17 vs Midland (10-5, 4-0 GPAC), 4:30 p.m.
--Location: Bulldog Tennis Courts (Seward, Neb.)

Saturday, April 20 at Hastings (9-11, 2-3 GPAC), 11 a.m.
--Location: Dorothy R. Becker Tennis Facility (Hastings, Neb.)

By the numbers

·       The Dawgs came out with a will to win in Crete, taking all three doubles sets and three of the first four points in the win over Doane. In the five singles wins, the visitors outscored the Tigers 60-15 in single games. All three doubles teams hit six games before their opponents, but No. 3s Alexa Richert and Gabrielle Heiser kept rolling from their previous match to a 6-2 set. All the singles winners came in straight-set victories with the lineups set at No. 2 Chakira Derman, No. 3 Alana Lopez-Pagan, No. 4 Tessa Blough, No. 5 Richert and No. 6 Kylie Freudenburg.

·       The Bulldog Blue and white have bested 43 individual singles matches and 20 doubles through 14 duals. Molano (eight) and Lopez-Pagan (eight) have collected the most triumphs in singles, with Richert (seven) not far behind. Molano, the sophomore out of Bogotá, Colombia, has been undefeated (4-0) at the No. 2 slot and 4-4 at No. 1. The pair, Lopez-Pagan and Molano, have the most wins as a duo (six) plus Derman and Gottberg are unbeaten (2-0) in a couple of times they have been put together. Blough and Derman are second in doubles wins with a 4-6 record when paired together.

·       The passion and relentless positivity of Alexa Richert was on full display at the Bulldog Tennis Courts against Northwestern. A freshman, the Campbell County product has won three out of her last four singles matches and is undefeated (4-0) in conference play. Finding consistency as of late, she and Gabrielle Heiser were able to get their first win as a doubles duo in the dual against Northwestern and are 2-1 currently. The Gillette, Wyo., native seems to get stronger as the match continues, winning her second set 6-0 in five of her seven singles victories.

·       The records for the upcoming opponents are 7-8,1-4 GPAC (CSM), 10-5, 4-0 GPAC (Midland) and  9-11, 2-3 GPAC (Hastings). The Flames’ Renee Acena has led the team in No. 1 singles with a record of 2-2 in the past four matches. The Warriors are led by No. 1 Ari Lumanog, and she has a 3-1 record with her only loss in the last four coming from Creighton University. Josline Carter competes at No. 1 for the Broncos and her win against Mount Marty sealed the 4-3 win over the Lancers.

·       With the GPAC tournament looming, this will be the final week to move up or down the conference leaderboard. Currently, Morningside (5-0) and Midland (4-0) are the only teams undefeated in the conference. The Bulldogs sit in third with a 3-1 record, while their upcoming opponent, Hastings (2-3), is in fourth. The bottom of the league is as follows: Northwestern (2-4), Mount Marty (1-3), CSM (1-4) and Doane (1-4).

Next week

Concordia will look forward to the GPAC championships hosted in Sioux City, Iowa by Morningside on Apr. 25-27. The tournament will be held at the Mason Family Tennis Complex.

Bulldogs snuff out Flames toward third consecutive win

April 15

The Concordia Women’s Tennis team welcomed College of Saint Mary to the Bulldog Tennis Courts on Monday (Apr. 15). The Bulldogs took all three doubles sets, as Chakira Derman and Brooke Hosick led the charge toward the 5-2 pouncing. Derman and Alana Lopez-Pagan won both their doubles matches and singles for an undefeated day.

Concordia grabs their third consecutive win to move up to 4-1 in the conference and 9-6 overall. Head Coach Lisa Hart commented on moving lineups and people stepping up in a pinch.

“It was great to get our third straight win. A lot of girls stepped up today. With Alexa (Richert) being pulled from the lineup, we pushed Brooke to No. 5 and put in Kylie Freudenburg to No. 6. Both played their hearts out, along with the rest of the team. We have a big match coming against Midland and I’m excited to see how we perform.”

Lopez-Pagan at No. 3, was the Bulldog who clinched the team’s fourth win in the conference after defeating Carolyna Truong (6-3, 6-3). Previous to her win, Brooke Hosick had defeated Blake McDowall (6-2, 6-0) and Chakira Derman took control early over Iyannah Pardiwalla (6-2, 6-0). The freshman out of Lomé, Togo, is 6-8 in singles in her first year and 7-6 in doubles.

Late in singles play, No. 6 Kylie Freudenburg beat out Darece Van Auken in a tight 7-6, 6-4 victory.

In doubles, No. 2s Tessa Blough and Derman won their set, 6-2, and No. 3s Alexa Richert and Lauren Gottberg clinched the doubles point, 6-3. Mariana Molano and Lopez-Pagan at No. 1s, finished off Renee Acena and Pardiwalla in a 6-4 set win.

The Flames are 7-9 overall and 1-5 in conference play. CSM has one regular season match against Mount Marty next Monday (Apr. 22). No. 1 Acena and No. 4 Miranda Swanson led the visitors with singles wins.

Concordia (9-6, 4-1 GPAC) will have a quick turnaround before facing Midland (10-5, 4-0) on Wednesday. Bulldog Tennis Courts are set to host the two teams and first serve is set for 1 p.m. CT.

Nail-biter falls the wrong way versus Midland

April 17

Concordia gave Midland all they could handle before falling 3-4 in Seward, Neb. on Wednesday night (Apr. 17). The doubles point would later prove to be the difference as singles split in a 3-3 deadlock. Mariana Molano won in singles and doubles pushing her solo play to 4-0 in her last four bouts.

The Bulldogs have totaled a 9-7 overall record and a 4-2 GPAC record. Head Coach Lisa Hart commented on the close loss and improving as a team.

“So proud of our team. We have improved so much since we played this team in February. It's always heartbreaking to lose 4-3 but we will be better because of this battle today. We are anxious to finish our conference schedule strong at Hastings and looking forward to the GPAC tourney next week.”

Tied 2-2, No. 5 Alexa Richert played the long game with Grace Felder and was able to best the veteran in a 6-3, 6-4 screamer. No. 3 Grazi Dallagnol and Jeena Carle led the comeback to take the eventual 4-3 final.

The top seeds from Concordia continue to own the Warriors as No. 1 Chakira Derman and No. 2 Molano won in straight sets. Derman defeated newcomer Kissmel Cedano (6-2, 6-3) and Molano turned up the heat on the experienced Ari Lumanog (6-3, 6-0). The sophomore out of Bogotá, Colombia, has seized victory from six of her last eight opponents and remains undefeated (5-0) at No. 2.

Molano and Alana Lopez-Pagan took Lainie Fanton and Lumanog, 6-4, but the other two duos fell to the Warriors, which would eventually be the deciding point. Felder and Kissmel were able to best Tessa Blough and Derman at No. 2s and Macee Thompson and Carle defeated Lauren Gottberg and Richert at No. 3s.

The others in the starting lineup were No. 3 Lopez-Pagan, No. 4 Blough and an improved No. 6 Brooke Hosick.

Midland was led by Jeena Carle who clinched the visitors' win and went undefeated in both matches. The Warriors will take on Doane on this upcoming Saturday.

Concordia (9-7, 4-2 GPAC) will travel to face Hastings (9-11, 2-3 GPAC) this Saturday at the Dorothy R. Becker Tennis Facility. First toss is set for 11 a.m. CT. The Bulldogs have a chance to lock up the third seed for the upcoming GPAC Championships.

Bulldogs finish strong at Hastings; GPAC tournament ahead

April 20 

The Concordia Women’s Tennis team came out strong against Hastings and ended their regular season with a 5-2 victory over their conference rival. With an injury during doubles, the Dawgs had to slide up their lineup and still managed to take a decisive win at Dorothy R. Becker Tennis Facility on Saturday afternoon (Apr. 20). No. 1 Mariana Molano was unable to finish doubles after being retired in her first set of play.

Concordia is now 10-7 overall and 5-2 in the Great Plains Athletic Conference. Head Coach Lisa Hart commented on finishing well and on how the injury didn’t affect the team’s ability to win.

“We finished the year out well, especially with Mariana being out. Chakira (Derman) jumped into the No. 1 spot without hesitation and performed great in the role. Beyond that, everyone stepped up and gave their all for each other today. We are proud to finish the regular season with a win and look forward to taking that momentum into the GPAC tournament.”

The No. 2s and 3s duos weren’t afraid to pick up the slack with No. 1s out. Lauren Gottberg and Gabrielle Heiser (No. 3s) finished first without giving up a game in the 6-0 set route. No. 2s Tessa Blough and Derman were able to best Sasha Richards and Paige Willcoxon (6-4) to grab the first point.

The No. 4 positive powerhouse, Alexa Richert, was unphased in the 6-1, 6-1 win over Willcoxon. No. 1 Derman was able to build on her success in doubles and continued singles to take down Richards in 12 games (6-0, 6-0).

Needing one more point, Brooke Hosick at No. 5, faced off against Amanda Skinner in her set dual. Scraping through a 7-6 (7-2) first set, the junior out of Bellevue, Neb., put the nail in the coffin and defeated Skinner in consecutive sets (6-1).

No. 6 Heiser had to grind out a three frame (6-2, 0-6, 6-2) victory to come out on top against Abby Harveson. Others who made the singles lineup were No. 2 Tessa Blough and No. 3 Alana Lopez-Pagan.

The Broncos drop to 9-13 overall and 2-5 in the conference. Hastings is in a three way tie for fourth place with Doane plus Mount Marty and, therefore has made the GPAC tournament. They were led by No. 2 Josline Carter and No. 3 Victoria Harris.

Concordia (10-7, 5-2 GPAC) will get almost a week's break before traveling to Sioux City, Iowa to the GPAC championship tournament. The bracket play is set for April 26-27 at Morningside University.

2024 GPAC Women's Tennis Tournament Preview

April 23

 Postseason play is up next for Concordia University Women’s Tennis. The third-seeded Bulldogs are preparing to battle sixth-seeded Northwestern in the first round of the 2024 GPAC Women’s Tennis Championship, which is slated to get underway on Thursday from First Serve Tennis Center in South Sioux City, Neb. The tournament boasts the top six teams from the final regular season standings. Head Coach Lisa Hart’s squad finished the regular season last week with a win over College of Saint Mary (5-2), a loss to Midland (3-4) and a win over Hastings (5-2). The Bulldogs enter the postseason at 10-7 overall (5-2 GPAC).

GPAC Tournament – First Round (full pairings at bottom)

Thursday, April 25 vs. Northwestern (9-9, 2-5 GPAC), 11 a.m.
--Location: First Serve Tennis Center (South Sioux City, Neb.)

By the numbers

·        With a youthful roster, Hart’s program has made strides from the 2022-23 season when it finished at 4-3 in the Great Plains Athletic Conference. The 2023-24 team’s 10 overall wins and 5-2 in the conference were the most for the program (GPAC) since the 2021-22 squad set a program standard for wins while going 6-1. With no seniors on the roster, the lineup has regularly featured Tessa Blough, Chakira Derman, Alana Lopez Pagan, Mariana Molano and Alexa Richert.

·        In last week’s action, Concordia was led by Derman and Richert who went 3-0 in singles in the three competitions. Lopez Pagan (CSM) and Brooke Hosick (Hastings) clinched the two wins over their opponents. Lopez Pagan and Molano went 2-0 in doubles before retiring to the Broncos. Derman and Blough went 2-1 as a duo and Lauren Gottberg at No. 3s, went 2-1 with Richert and Gabrielle Heiser. Heiser went 2-0 against Hastings and Kylie Freudenburg finished 1-0 in singles. CUNE lost a heartbreaker to Midland after splitting singles, the doubles point gave the Warriors a win. No. 1 Derman, No. 2 Molano, and No. 5 Richert all bested the 2023 conference champions.

·        Entering the conference tournament, the Bulldog Blue and white have bested 54 individual singles matches and 26 doubles through the season. Molano (nine) and Lopez-Pagan (nine) have collected the most triumphs in singles, with Richert (nine) catching up to them. Molano, the sophomore out of Bogotá, Colombia, has been undefeated (5-0) at the No. 2 slot and 4-5 at No. 1. The pair, Lopez-Pagan and Molano, have the most wins as a duo (eight) plus Derman and Gottberg are unbeaten (2-0) in a couple of times they have been put together. Blough and Derman are second in doubles wins with a 6-7 record when paired together.

·        Concordia will be looking to go further than last year’s exit from the GPAC tournament. The Bulldogs were defeated in the semifinals by Midland, 0-4. In the history of the GPAC tournament (first held in 2001), the program has reached the conference final three times (2008, 2011 and 2019). The ’19 team narrowly missed out on a GPAC tournament title and trip to the national tournament. That squad lost by a score of 5-4 versus Hastings in the championship match. In the 22 all-time GPAC tournaments, Concordia has reached at least the semifinal round 11 times.

·        During the regular season, the Bulldogs captured GPAC wins over Mount Marty, 7-0, Northwestern, 5-2, Doane, 6-1, CSM, 5-2 and Hastings, 5-2. Morningside emerged as the GPAC regular season champion with a perfect 7-0 league mark. Below are the national rankings for each GPAC squad, according to Massey Ratings:

o   36 – Midland

o   37 – Morningside

o   55 – Concordia

o   63 – Northwestern

o   67 – Doane

o   68 – College of Saint Mary

o   72 – Hastings

o   74 – Mount Marty

2024 GPAC Women’s Tennis Tournament

Thursday play will be moved indoors to South Sioux City, Nebraska, at the First Serve Tennis Center because of the projected forecast.  Saturday's location is to be determined.

Thursday, April 25 – Quarterfinals
(4) Mount Marty vs. (5) Doane, 9 a.m.
(3) Concordia vs. (6) Northwestern, 11 a.m. 

Thursday, April 25 – Semifinals
(1) Morningside vs. 4/5 winner, 1 p.m.
(2) Midland vs. 3/6 winner, 3 p.m.

Saturday, April 27 – Championship
11 a.m.

Derman tabbed with weekly conference honor

April 24

Chakira Derman was selected for this week's GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Women's Tennis Player of the Week for her record from Apr. 15-21. The freshman helped the Bulldogs go 2-1 in the conference play taking wins over College of Saint Mary and Hastings. She is the first of the 2023-24 season to receive the award from Concordia.

Derman, out of Lomé, Togo (West Africa), went 3-0 in singles and 2-1 in doubles on the week. Derman was dominant in singles and defeated the number ones from Midland (6-2, 6-3) and Hastings (6-0, 6-0). At No. 2, she defeated CSM (6-2, 6-0) totaling her game differential to +29 in singles. In doubles, the Southeast Community College transfer paired with Tessa Blough to defeat the Flames (6-2) and the Broncos (6-4).

She has improved her overall singles and doubles record to 8-8 on the season. Derman, primarily paired with Blough, are 6-7 as a pair.

Third-seeded Concordia will face off against sixth seeded Northwestern in the quarterfinals of the GPAC championships on Thursday in Sioux City, Iowa.

Dawgs reach Semis; Fall to Midland in singles

April 25

The third seeded Concordia Women’s Tennis team traveled to South Sioux City, Neb. to compete in the GPAC championships on Thursday (Apr. 25). The Bulldogs bested sixth seeded Northwestern (4-1) but fell to second seeded Midland (2-4) after winning the doubles points at First Serve Tennis Center. Concordia finishes its season with an 11-8 overall record in Head Coach Lisa Hart’s first year.

Coach Hart commented on the progression of every player throughout the season and how proud she was of them.

“So incredibly proud of our entire team. Every single player made huge strides on the court this season. More importantly, the way each of our players represented our university in such a positive way, is wonderful to be a part of.  I am proud of how far everyone has come individually and how we came together as a team this season. Always hard to have the season come to an end but we don’t have any seniors and next season can’t come fast enough!”

The doubles squads were able to grab both points from the matches, as Mariana Molano and Alana Lopez Pagan went 2-0 in today’s total. The duo bested the Red Raiders (6-2) and the Warriors (6-2) plus No. 2s Chakira Derman and Tessa Blough were able to defeat Northwestern (6-2). No. 3s Lauren Gottberg and Heiser were going back and forth with the Red Raiders, but did not finish (3-4). Against Midland, Alexa Richert and Gabrielle Heiser at No. 3s, were down 2-5 but showed grit and won five straight games for a 7-5 victory.

No. 1 Derman was able to take Julia Kutz of Northwestern in straight sets (6-0, 6-1) and No. 5 Richert defeated Hannah Beckloff (6-4, 6-1) in singles play. Up 3-1, No. 2 Molano clinched the quarterfinal triumph over Olya Furmanova (6-2, 6-1) in a consecutive set win. Before being stopped, No. 4 Lopez Pagan was up (6-1, 3-5) and No. 3 Blough was down (5-7, 1-2) in their matches.

Against the Warriors, No. 2 Molano defeated Ari Lumanog (6-4, 6-4) and put the Bulldogs in position to make a move to the finals. Tied at two, Concordia couldn’t get it going in individual play as No. 4 Lopez Pagan (0-6, 1-6) and No. 1 Derman (6-7, 4-6) lost in two sets. Richert was battling Grace Felder but did not finish (6-3, 0-6, 2-5) as the dual was already lost to Midland.

The Warriors will take on first seeded Morningside on Saturday for the GPAC Championship.

Concordia finalizes its 2023-24 campaign with an 11-8 record and 5-2 GPAC showing. The Bulldogs will look to improve under Hart as she enters her second year as the head coach of Concordia University Tennis.

Derman, Molano highlight list of All-GPAC tennis honorees

May 7

 A group of five Bulldogs from the 2023-24 Concordia University Women’s Tennis team landed on the list of GPAC All-Conference award winners released on Tuesday (May 7) by the league office. In highlighting the selections, freshman Chakira Derman and sophomores Alana Lopez Pagan and Mariana Molano earned recognition for both singles and doubles (complete list below). In addition, freshman Alexa Richert (singles) and junior Tessa Blough (doubles) were also honored. Blough, Lopez Pagan and Molano are repeat award winners from last season.

2024 All-GPAC

·        Tessa Blough (Cody, Wyo.): HM Doubles

o   2024 GPAC records: 2-4 singles | 4-2 doubles.

·        Chakira Derman (Lome, Togo): Singles / HM Doubles

o   2024 GPAC records: 5-1 singles | 5-2 doubles.

·        Alana Lopez Pagan (Forney, Texas); HM Singles / HM Doubles

o   2024 GPAC records: 3-4 singles | 5-2 doubles.

·        Mariana Molano (Bogota, Colombia): Singles / HM Doubles

o   2024 GPAC records: 3-3 singles | 5-2 doubles.

·        Alexa Richert (Gillette, Wyo.): Singles

o   2024 GPAC records: 6-0 singles | 4-2 doubles.

Molano and Derman headed the lineup as steady performers throughout the 2023-24 season. Molano paced the team with 11 overall singles wins (3-3 GPAC) while Derman was near perfect (5-1) versus GPAC competition (9-9 overall). Meanwhile, Richert went a spotless 6-0 in GPAC singles matches while Lopez Pagan posted a 3-4 conference singles mark. Richert ranked second on the team in overall singles wins with 10.

In doubles, Derman teamed up with Blough for a 4-2 conference record while Lopez Pagan and Molano combined to go 5-2 against GPAC competitors. Additionally, Lopez Pagan and Molano paired up for a 10-5 overall record as the team’s winningest doubles duo this past season.

Head Coach Lisa Hart’s squad finished the 2023-24 season at 11-8 overall (5-2 GPAC). The Bulldogs advanced to the GPAC semifinals before being eliminated from the postseason.

Blough named regional Arthur Ashe award winner; Bulldog Tennis honored by ITA

May 7

Concordia University, Nebraska junior Tessa Blough earned high distinction from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). The native of Cody, Wyo., was named Central Regional Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship award winner on Monday (May 6) by the ITA. In addition, both of Head Coach Lisa Hart’s men’s and women’s Concordia Tennis squads earned ITA Community Service Award Winner Honorable Mention status.

Every year the ITA recognizes coaches and players for their excellence on the court and in their communities throughout the season. The ITA Arthur Ashe Jr. Leadership and Sportsmanship Award recognizes outstanding student-athletes in all five divisions (NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and JUCO) at the regional and national level. This prestigious award, which dates back to 1982, is presented to the men’s and women’s national student-athletes who have exhibited outstanding sportsmanship and leadership, as well as scholastic, extracurricular and tennis achievements.

Blough was one of four NAIA student-athletes nationally to be chosen as a regional Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship award winner. She is a Psychology and Behavioral Science major and represents the Concordia Tennis program on the Bulldog Council of Student-Athletes. Blough leads the team in number of community service hours. She lives with a condition called lupus and is in a constant state of managing her symptoms while competing at the highest levels on the court and excelling in the classroom.

Says Hart, “Tessa embodies what being a servant leader is all about.  She always puts her teammates above herself and is a selfless leader on and off the court. She is willing to sacrifice anything for the good of the team.”

Throughout the 2023-24 academic year, the Concordia Tennis teams combined for 126 community service hours. The service projects have included events at local elementary schools, socializing and fellowship at the Ridgewood Rehab & Care Center, community cleanup and working at the Science Bowl.

“I am happy our team is being recognized for their community service this year,” Hart said. “Our players are always willing and excited to help others. It is important for our program to be about more than just the wins and losses on the court. Giving back to our University community and the Seward community is important and extremely rewarding for all of us to be a part of.”

As a regional winner, Blough will be up for the national Arthur Ashe award. National winners will be announced by the ITA on May 13.

Bulldogs land four members on NAIA Scholar-Athlete list

May 13

Four Bulldogs from the Concordia University Women’s Tennis program have been honored as 2024 Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athletes, as announced on Monday (May 13). The list includes repeat award winners Tessa Blough and Brooke Hosick as well as first-time honorees Gabrielle Heiser and Mariana Molano.

The 2023-24 list of women’s tennis honorees features 300 total student-athletes. In order to be nominated by an institution’s head coach or sports information director, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, must appear on the eligibility certificate for the sport and have attended one full year at said institution.

Winner of the 2023-24 GPAC All-Sports Championship Trophy, Concordia University ranks as the NAIA’s all-time leader in number of Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes with 2,322 entering the 2023-24 academic year. The school record for number of Scholar-Athletes in one academic year is 226 achieved in 2019-20. Concordia has been a regular national leader for both Scholar-Athletes and Scholar-Teams.

2024 Women’s Tennis NAIA Scholar-Athletes

·        Tessa Blough (Cody, Wyo.)

·        Gabrielle Heiser (Green River, Wyo.)

·        Brooke Hosick (Bellevue, Neb.)

·        Mariana Molano (Bogota, Colombia)

Blough wins 2024 ITA National Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award

May 13

Tabbed a regional award winner on May 6, Concordia University, Nebraska junior Tessa Blough earned even loftier distinction from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) on Monday (May 13). The organization announced the Cody, Wyo., native as winner of the NAIA’s National Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award winner. Blough had previously been chosen as the central regional honoree for the Arthur Ashe Award.

Every year the ITA honors coaches and players for their excellence on the court and in their communities throughout the season. The ITA Arthur Ashe Jr. Leadership and Sportsmanship Award recognizes outstanding student-athletes in all five divisions (NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and JUCO) at the regional and national level. This prestigious award, which dates back to 1982, is presented to the men’s and women’s national student-athletes who have exhibited outstanding sportsmanship and leadership, as well as scholastic, extracurricular and tennis achievements.

Blough was one of four NAIA student-athletes nationally to be chosen as a regional Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship award winner. She is a Psychology and Behavioral Science major and represents the Concordia Tennis program on the Bulldog Council of Student-Athletes. Blough leads the team in number of community service hours and has spent significant time volunteering at Ridgewood Rehab & Care Center in Seward. Additionally, she lives with a condition called lupus and is in a constant state of managing her symptoms while competing at the highest levels on the court and excelling in the classroom.

Says Hart, “Tessa epitomizes what being a student athlete should be about.  Her sportsmanship on and off the court is an example for everyone to follow. She is the definition of a servant leader, always putting her teammates above herself. She is a wonderful ambassador of our University, and I am so fortunate to have the opportunity to coach her.”

As part of her candidacy for the Arthur Ashe award, Blough drafted an essay on “the importance of leadership and sportsmanship.” Wrote Blough, “Throughout my athletic career, I have strived to embody the essence of leadership and sportsmanship, and I will continue to uphold those going into my senior year. I have come to realize that leadership and sportsmanship are tied together. I see leadership as not just helping lead your team to success, but also being someone who empowers, uplifts, encourages and supports your teammates on and off the court. As a leader, I want to be a role model for my teammates to where I exhibit good sportsmanship and create a positive environment.”

Molano honored with CSC Academic All-District Award

May 14

An NAIA Scholar-Athlete and GPAC All-Conference honoree, Concordia University Women’s Tennis sophomore Mariana Molano earned another postseason award on Tuesday (May 14). College Sports Communicators (CSC) announced Molano as a 2024 Academic All-District® selection. Molano garnered All-District distinction in her first year eligible for the award.

The 2023-24 Academic All-District® Tennis Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. Student-athletes must achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher in order to be nominated for this award. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA — for each gender.

A native of Bogotá, Colombia, Molano majors in Business Administration. This past 2024 season, Molano was recognized by the GPAC with all-conference honors at No. 1 singles and for doubles (honorable mention). She posted overall season records of 11-5 in singles (most singles wins on the team) and 10-6 in doubles. Over two collegiate seasons, Molano owns a combined 24 singles and 20 doubles victories. She helped lead Head Coach Lisa Hart’s squad to a third-place conference finish this spring.

Academic All-District® honorees advance to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot. First-, second and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced June 4 (women) and June 5 (men).

Bulldog program, six student-athletes lauded academically by ITA

July 25

In recognition announced by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) on Thursday (July 25), the Concordia University Women’s Tennis program and six team members earned academic honors for the 2023-24 year. The Bulldogs garnered All-Academic Team accolades for posting a team grade point average above 3.2.

In addition, the individuals listed below were named ITA Scholar Athletes thanks to achieving grade point averages of 3.5 or above for the 2023-24 academic year. Across the NAIA, there 33 women’s teams and 227 women’s student-athletes to meet the criteria.

2024 ITA Scholar-Athletes

·        Teya Badger (Brandon, S.D.)

·        Tessa Blough (Cody, Wyo.)

·        Gabrielle Heiser (Green River, Wyo.)

·        Brooke Hosick (Bellevue, Neb.)

·        Mariana Molano (Bogota, Colombia)

·        Alexa Richert (Gillette, Wyo.)

Arthur Ashe award winner Blough soaks up US Open, Big Apple experience

September 6

Upon completion of the 2023-24 academic year at Concordia University, Nebraska, student-athlete Tessa Blough had a surprise waiting for her. That surprise eventually led to Blough being lauded as National Arthur Ashe Award Winner and the resulting once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the US Open in New York City. Along with the other national honorees, Blough lived it up in the Big Apple for a week while watching (and even meeting) some of the best tennis players in the world.

If teammates and classmates are to ask Blough about her summer, she has quite the story to tell. It’s a story Blough never saw coming a few short months ago.

“I didn’t know anything about the (Arthur Ashe) award until I won the regional award,” Blough said. “Coach (Lisa) Hart told me that I won and that I was up for the national award, and I had to write a paper. She was like, ‘I think we need this paper done in like two days.’ It all happened really fast. I didn’t know how to process it. When it was announced that I won the national award, I was very honored and shocked. Here’s this smalltown Cody, Wyoming, girl. I just never thought I’d be up for such a prestigious award. I was very honored and very grateful to be recognized for leadership and sportsmanship qualities.”

Now a senior for Coach Hart’s Bulldog Women’s Tennis team, Blough was named a regional Arthur Ashe Award winner by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association on May 6, just after the close of the 2024 tennis season. One week later, Blough was upgraded to a national honoree in recognition of her superior leadership and sportsmanship qualities, as well as her scholastic, extracurricular and tennis achievements. The award is handed out to only one NAIA women’s tennis student-athlete nationally on an annual basis.

A regular in Concordia’s lineup for her entire college career, Blough is studying Psychology and Behavioral Science and represents the Concordia Tennis program on the Bulldog Council of Student-Athletes. She’s also an NAIA Scholar-Athlete who is active in community service and has spent significant time volunteering at Ridgewood Rehab & Care Center in Seward.

Blough’s exceptional qualities as a servant leader make her unique, and so too does her ability to manage a disease called lupus, something she’s dealt with for the past nine years. According to the Mayo Clinic, lupus is “a disease that occurs when your body’s immune system attacks your own tissues and organs. Inflammation caused by lupus can affect many different body systems – including your joints, skin, blood cells, brain, heart and lungs.”

Explains Blough, “It’s been a journey for sure. I’m going on nine years having to deal with it. I kind of know what sets symptoms off and how to manage those symptoms. I’ve gotten pretty good at it. At times I can’t do everything the rest of my team is doing. There are some limitations, but I definitely try to not let lupus come into play in my tennis and athletic life. There are for sure setbacks. Playing in the sun and the heat is very hard for me. It flares up. An outdoor sport in the heat can be hard, but I do my best to work around it.”

On the surface, no one would ever guess that Blough must continually manage a disease that affects about five million people worldwide. That’s because it does not change her attitude or her kind-hearted nature towards others. Following high school graduation, Blough actually took a year off “to take care of her health,” as she told Big Horn Basin Media in 2021. But she wasn’t going to let lupus stop her from earning a college scholarship or from pursuing her passion.

Over time, Blough has learned strategies for keeping her condition at bay. Blough was 14 when she says she first started feeling extreme fatigue. Some days she simply stayed in bed and slept and then large bruises appeared on her arms and legs and sharp joint pain followed. After her freshman season of high school tennis, in response to prolonged sickness, Blough was diagnosed with lupus. The condition changed the way she had to operate. Her routine now involves medication, being especially careful about her diet and keeping as cool as she can on sultry hot days on the tennis court.

Said Blough in that same interview with Big Horn Basin Media, “I will not let lupus take me away from the things that I love. I want to prove to others and to myself – don’t let anything hold you back.” Blough’s perseverance and positive outlook have allowed her to gain the respect of her teammates. When Blough posted photos from her trip to the US Open, her teammates expressed genuine happiness for her.

Wrote one teammate, “You deserve all of this and so much more. You’re an amazing teammate and leader and an even better friend.”

As children of all ages and skill levels gathered at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center for the 2024 Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day, they were met by an exemplary role model in Blough. By Blough’s count, there were roughly 500 children that showed up on Aug. 24 to share their love of the game with the Arthur Ashe award winners. The Intercollegiate Tennis Association chronicled the event with photos that depicted Blough demonstrating how to serve while also clapping, smiling and laughing along with the attendees.

As wide-eyed as some of the children may have been, Blough seemed to experience similar feelings as she found herself up close and personal with some of the sport’s greats. Blough and her parents spent extra time in New York City to soak up the action on the court.

“I got to see a lot of my favorite players,” Blough said. “Aryna Sablenka – No. 2 in the world – I’ve been a huge fan of her for years. My parents and I got to go to her match on Monday (Aug. 26) and Wednesday (Aug. 28). Being able to see her up close and watch – I was trying to take it all in. I was trying to learn and hopefully be able to apply it to my game. I got to talk to some of the players when they got done practicing. I got to talk to Sofia Kenin and walked past some other players. I saw (Novak) Djokovic play and some other big names too.”

The Sunday before classes began at Concordia, Blough attended a banquet that she called “very inspiring.” She accepted her Arthur Ashe award at the banquet and posed with the winners from the other levels of collegiate tennis. During portions of the weekend, Blough proudly wore the Concordia colors. It’s a place she came to, at least in part, because of her family history. Her uncle and cousin attended Concordia.

“I wanted to mention how grateful I was to represent Concordia during my time there,” Blough said. “This college has made such a huge impact on me, so being able to represent Concordia in such a great way was so amazing.”

Back in Nebraska, Coach Hart looked on proudly. Coach Hart had taken the initiative to nominate Blough for the award and set in motion the trip to New York City. As Hart explained of Blough, “Tessa epitomizes what being a student-athlete should be about. Her sportsmanship on and off the court is an example for everyone to follow. She is the definition of a servant leader, always putting her teammates above herself. She is a wonderful ambassador of our University, and I am so fortunate to have the opportunity to coach her.”

The feeling is mutual from Blough, who will always be grateful for her week at the US Open. She is humbled by the recognition, but also honored to be thought of as a leader and a champion for sportsmanship. The attention is something she likely never had thought possible.

“When I got the email saying they were sending me to New York City, I was very excited,” Blough said. “It’s always been a dream of mine to go to the US Open. Being able to go to the US Open this way was even bigger … The importance of leadership and sportsmanship is definitely recognized. To win this award made me realize that people see it. Going forward in life, being a good leader in whatever I end up doing is important. People are watching and your actions matter.”