SEWARD, Neb. – A dominant weekend allowed senior Ken Burkhardt Jr. to claim the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Wrestler of the Week award, as announced by the conference on Wednesday (Dec. 14). This marks the first career weekly honor for the two-time All-American. The Concordia University wrestling program has had a stranglehold on the award since the beginning of last season. Out of the last 15 GPAC wrestler of the week awards handed out, the Bulldogs have won nine of them.
A native of Milford, Neb., Burkhardt Jr. made history last week, becoming the first Bulldog ever to record 100 career wins. Now 102-53 as a Concordia grappler, Burkhardt Jr. pinned all five of his opponents last week, extending his run of consecutive pins to six. His 100th victim was Nebraska Wesleyan’s Austin Lampkin, who was wiped out by Burkhardt Jr. in 2:44. Ranked second nationally at 197 pounds, Burkhardt Jr. won his respective bracket at last week’s Doane University Open for his second tournament title of the season.
Burkhardt Jr. now has eight pins on the season and 39 for his career. He’s been named second team All-GPAC each of the last two years. His junior season saw him place second in the NAIA North Group and seventh at the NAIA national championships.
Burkhardt Jr. and the Bulldogs will return to action on Monday (Dec. 19) when they compete at the Oklahoma City Duals. They will wrestle four different teams that day in an event hosted by Oklahoma City University.
Concordia GPAC wrestlers of the week (last two seasons)
2016-2017
Dec. 14 – Ken Burkhardt Jr.
Nov. 16 – Ceron Francisco
2015-2016
Feb. 16 – Jr Lule
Feb. 9 – Andrew Schulte
Feb. 2 – Ceron Francisco
Jan. 26 – Jr Lule
Jan. 12 – *Andrew Schulte
Jan. 5 – Andrew Schulte
*NAIA national wrestler of the week