Concordia Takes Down Southeastern to Become NAIA Champions

Members of the women’s basketball team celebrate in victory at NAIA National Championships. This is the first national championship in the program’s history. Photo courtesy of Stacy Duvel

by Morgan Consier

Concordia’s women’s basketball team made it through six days of games to reach the NAIA Division II women’s basketball championships. They won against Southeastern University from Lakeland, Florida with a score of 67-59.

The Bulldogs came out on top of what started as 32 teams who made their way through the tournament rounds, all with their eyes set on the championship.

After coming in second place at the tournament last season, the team was ready to “focus and finish” as they pushed toward the title. Quinn Wragge, the team’s only senior, has been fighting for a championship win since she first came to Concordia.

The game started with Southeastern in the lead, but the Bulldogs were quick to regain the lead just as they have throughout the season, and the game remained a nail-biter throughout the remaining quarters.

The teams were tied 37-37 at the half and were cheered on by large fan sections filled with both students and alumni.

Concordia pulled ahead by the end of the third quarter to leave the score at 56-47.

Southeastern attempted to eliminate the Bulldogs’ lead in the remaining quarter, but they only succeeded in coming within 3 points with a score of 62-59 with just over a minute remaining in the game.

The Bulldogs pulled away during the last minute to bring the score to 67-59 in time for the buzzer.

Junior Grace Barry was named MVP of the game.