Deandre Chery got his season started in impressive fashion by winning the 174-pound title at Sunday (Nov. 4)'s Dan Harris Open in Baldwin City, Kan. Three of his teammates also turned in place finishes.
Under the direction of new head coach Levi Calhoun, the Concordia wrestling program is looking for big things this winter. The Bulldogs are led by the likes of three nationally-ranked competitors, including Deandre Chery.
From different parts of the country, four young men converged on Seward, Neb., in 2013, eventually leaving a lasting impression. Now three of them are graduate assistant coaches within the GPAC.
A member of the program for the past four seasons as both a competitor and coach, Junior Lule has been promoted to a full-time assistant wrestling role. He will work under head coach Levi Calhoun.
Sixteen dates prior to the GPAC and NAIA championships make up the upcoming 2017-18 slate for the Concordia wrestling program. It will mark Levi Calhoun's first year of his head coaching tenure.
Sometimes, life comes at you fast. Over the last couple of months, Levi Calhoun has become both a head coach and a father for the first time. He discussed why he's ready for his new roles.
The Concordia wrestling program has landed another top 10 ranking on the NWCA All-Academic Teams list. Led by Walker Fisher, the Bulldogs who were submitted to the NWCA combined for a 3.11 GPA.
The Concordia University athletic department announced the promotion of Levi Calhoun to the position of head wrestling coach on Wednesday (April 11). Calhoun had served three seasons as an assistant on staff.
The 2017-18 wrestling season brought the feel good story of Jerry Stepps III and the tournament All-American run by Giovanni Castillo. The Bulldogs placed 22nd at the national championships behind three qualifiers.
Though Giovanni Castillo fell just short of advancing to the 133-pound national championship match, he became the ninth Bulldog wrestler all-time to claim All-America honors on Saturday (March 3).
Rarely, if ever, has success been set on a tee for Jerry Stepps III to smash out of the ballpark. Rather, it’s been quite the opposite in some cases. It never stopped Jerry from dreaming big or making it big as a senior.
Ceron Francisco will go down as an all-time great Bulldog for the way he has handled himself on and off the mat. A national runner up back in March, Ceron is headed to Charlottesville to join the Cavalier Wrestling Club.
Kirk Kaliszewski and two other national qualifiers return for a wrestling program looking to continue a run of GPAC dominance and national prominence. The Bulldogs will have a different look with 18 newcomers.
In the first season of head coach Andrew Nicola's tenure, the Concordia wrestling program maintained its perch atop the conference and the senior class went out in style.
Ceron Francisco has gone from a fascination – largely because of his stature and physical appearance separated him – to an obvious fan favorite and to one of the most respected student-athletes at Concordia.
This isn’t exactly the way Ken Burkhardt Jr. planned it. First recruited to Concordia as a linebacker on the football team, Burkhardt Jr. has become an accomplished wrestler and owner of the most wins in program history.
As Kodie Cole himself puts it, "I might have a little different story than others." There's a lot of story left to be told for Cole, who has taken a winding path to being ranked No. 1 in the nation at 133 pounds.
Concordia University wrestling has a new leader in Andrew Nicola, but expectations remain sky high. Behind a talented senior class, the Bulldogs are again the favorite in the GPAC and in the region.
Andrew Nicola, most recently an assistant coach at California Baptist University, has been hired as head wrestling coach at Concordia University. He takes the place of former head coach Dana Vote.
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