Concordia baseball preps for season opener, ranks No. 1 in GPAC

By William Swanson

Concordia baseball began its 2026 campaign ranked 16th in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Coaches Poll and No. 1 in Great Plains Athletic Conference preseason conference standings.

The team opens its season in Oklahoma, facing off against the Oklahoma City University Stars and the Bellevue University Bruins on March 7 and 8. The team looks to make another trip to the NAIA World Series and is confident about getting back to Idaho.

 The Bulldogs come off the 2025 season finishing unranked, with a record of 41 wins and 13 losses, and reaching the semifinals of the GPAC tournament. Losing in the semifinals to Briar Cliff University, the Bulldogs missed out on a trip to Lewiston, Idaho, for the NAIA World Series.

Coach Ryan Dupic enters his 11th year at the helm and is ready to kick off the season.  “I’ve enjoyed this team a lot,” Dupic said. ” We have the potential to make great strides through the year, and that’s the part that’s been the most fun: chasing and pursuing the best we can be.”

Concordia is the only ranked GPAC team, but Dupic said it’s not something he thinks about. “It’s an honor from the past team’s success, so it’s a nice honor for the program, but this year’s team will have to create its own future,” he said.

Early season standouts are graduate student Caden Bugarske, who is a returning starting pitcher after having ulnar collateral ligament or “Tommy John” surgery last season.

“Honestly, coming into the season ranked No. 16 doesn’t really do anything for me; the rankings are fully arbitrary and don’t really paint the whole picture,” Bugarske said.

Bugarske knows the success that the Bulldogs have had firsthand, as he was a part of the team that went to the World Series. He hopes that his final season ends in the same place.

“My hope for this season is very simple: win an NAIA World Series. I have been here for six years now. I played in the World Series my freshman year and haven’t been since then.” he said. “I feel that it is 100% within the realm of possibilities to make something special happen this year. ”

Bugarske has been named the starter for opening day against Oklahoma City University. He has also said that his arm has healed up and feels great.

The Bulldogs will play two games against the Oklahoma City Stars, who finished the year 19-25 and finished ranked fifth in the Sooner Athletic Conference, and two games against the Bellevue Bruins, who finished with a record of 40-15. Their first home stand will be on March 14 against Mount Marty University at Plum Creek Park. The GPAC Tournament is on April 29, and the NAIA playoffs begin on May 11.