Men’s basketball hopes to bounce back from lat year’s losses
Senior MJ Coffey rings the bell after a victory over Clarke University last year.
Photo credit: Kai Olbrich
By Victor Tavares
The Concordia University, Nebraska men’s basketball team enters the 2026–27 season with unfinished business after a 19-win season that ended in the Great Plains Athletic Conference tournament championship game last year.
The Bulldogs came close to capturing a conference title last season but ultimately fell short of their goal of reaching the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletic national championship.
Concordia is now preparing to take the next step with experienced leaders returning, new players competing for expanded roles and a renewed emphasis on defensive consistency.
The GPAC released its 2026–27 men’s basketball preseason coaches’ poll naming Concordia the conference favorite with 96 points and six first-place votes. Morningside University finished second with 91 points, while Dordt University placed third with 84.
The most important lesson from last season for Coach Ben Limback was the need to perform consistently. Concordia demonstrated its ability to compete with some of the strongest teams in the conference, while they also experienced stretches when the team struggled to execute at the level required to finish games successfully.
“I think the biggest lesson from last year was that we were inconsistent at times,” Limback said. “We had moments where we played really well. We got to the GPAC championship and had some really big wins over ranked teams, but then we would lose or not play well in different situations where we just didn’t execute well enough or didn’t perform at our best consistently.”
The transition from last season also presented challenges, as Concordia lost several All-American players and returning teammates had to adjust to new responsibilities.
“I think some of that was the previous year,” Limback said. “We lost All-Americans from that team, and so we had kind of a new team last year, a lot of new roles. I feel like last year we definitely felt like we could have ended in a different way, certainly, and made the national tournament.”
Missing the national tournament has become a source of motivation for the returning Bulldogs, and Limback believes that the returning players’ understanding of atmosphere and demands of national competition and what it takes to reach that stage will help the team approach the upcoming season with greater urgency.
“I think this year’s team, not making the national tournament, is hungry now,” Limback said. “I think they know what to expect, and they want to get back to that point.”
That motivation was evident during the summer, according to Limback, who emphasized that Concordia’s immediate responsibility to establish itself as one of the strongest teams in the GPAC and demonstrate that it can sustain its performance throughout the season before it can return to the national stage.
Senior Brooks Kissinger is one of the players expected to lead that effort, entering his senior season after an outstanding junior campaign, when Kissinger established himself as one of Concordia’s primary offensive threats and a player that opposing teams’ defense must account for on every possession, averaging 22.1 points and 6.4 rebounds per game last season.
Kissinger is not simply looking to repeat his scoring production with another season of experience. His off-season work has focused on expanding his shooting ability, particularly from beyond the three-point line, and becoming more reliable at the free-throw line.
“The biggest areas that I tried to focus on this year were shooting catch-and-shoot threes and making myself a threat in that way, instead of just getting to the hoop all the time,” Kissinger said. “Confidence at the free-throw line is a big thing, too. Last year, I got to the free-throw line a lot, but didn’t make a lot, quite frankly. And so just making sure I’m confident at the line, being able to knock down that free throw.”
Kissinger’s offensive production will likely attract even more defensive attention this season. Opponents may use double-teams and other defensive adjustments to limit his opportunities, making his ability to recognize defensive coverage and find open teammates increasingly important.
Kissinger believes the Bulldogs will be more successful if he trusts the players around him to take advantage of the opportunities created by the attention he receives, rather than carrying the responsibility of scoring on his own.
“I think it comes down to trust in my teammates and taking the pressure off myself, allowing me to trust them to be able to score, too, and not just myself,” Kissinger said. “I think that’s going to play a big role in the success we have this year.”
Limback sees an opportunity for Kissinger to become a more complete player, extending his influence beyond just scoring, by expanding his impact defensively and embracing a greater leadership role. The coach described Kissinger as a tremendous athlete and emphasized that his ability to defend at a high level can be just as valuable as his offensive production.
Limback wants Kissinger to help younger players understand the work ethic, preparation and commitment required to succeed, beyond his performance on the court.
Kissinger also plans to lead through his actions, bringing his best effort to practice, communicating more intentionally and encouraging freshmen who may be overwhelmed by the amount of information they receive during their first season. He understands the importance of having teammates who are willing to offer guidance and reassurance, having experienced that adjustment himself.
Junior Dane Jacobsen gives Concordia another experienced guard capable of influencing the game in several different way. Jacobsen averaged 13.3 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game while shooting 46.4 percent from three-point range during his first season as a starter.
Jacobsen’s emergence made him one of the Bulldogs’ most versatile offensive contributors, as his shooting ability forces defenses to respect him beyond the arc, while his passing and decision-making allow him to create opportunities for teammates.
Limback described Jacobsen as a player who is willing to do whatever the team needs to succeed.
“He’s kind of that guy that he’s willing to do anything the team needs to be successful,” Limback said. “I think he’s a tremendous passer. He does a great job of taking control of our offense when we need it. He just is a very dynamic player because he makes not only other guys better, but he has the ability to also score.”
Jacobsen wants to improve in every statistical category as he enters his second starting season, and his coaches have challenged him to become more aggressive offensively, continue taking open shots and contribute more consistently on the boards.
“Honestly, the coaches have focused on improving in all of them,” Jacobsen said. “They really get on me for being more aggressive, and they want me to continue shooting because my shooting percentages are pretty high in comparison with the rest of the league.”
Rebounding is particularly important to Concordia’s preferred style of play, as the Bulldogs want to play at a fast pace, and having a guard who can secure a defensive rebound and immediately initiate the offense creates opportunities to attack before the opposing defense is organized.
“When your point guard can rebound, there’s no outlet pass that has to happen,” Jacobsen said. “So if I can just get the ball, that way I can get the ball to the floor and let my teammates do their job and go score in transition, which they’re really good at.”
Jacobsen also believes that increased aggressiveness will create more opportunities for him to distribute the ball. Passing lanes can open for teammates when defenders are forced to react to his scoring threat, allowing the offense to become less predictable.
“The more aggressive I am, the easier it will be to find passes to my teammates,” Jacobsen said. “I trust my teammates to knock them down. They’ve proved it in practice. They proved it the last couple of years.”
Kissinger and Jacobsen have played together since approximately fourth or fifth grade, building a longstanding relationship that gives them chemistry and allows them to understand each other’s tendencies and make decisions with confidence.
Jacobsen believes that familiarity was an important part of their success last season and expects it to continue benefiting the Bulldogs as the returning players develop stronger connections with the rest of the roster.
Kissinger believes that scoring will not be their primary challenge this season, as the Bulldogs possess considerable offensive talent. The team must improve its ability to prevent opponents from finding easy baskets, force difficult shots and create turnovers that lead to transition opportunities instead.
“This year, it’s defensively and just really locking in on the defensive end,” Kissinger said. “We have plenty of guys throughout the whole team that can score at any given moment they want.”
Kissinger pointed specifically to the GPAC championship loss to Northwestern College as a reminder of what can happen when the team fails to perform at its best, and the defeat also reinforced the importance of remaining focused on scouting reports, executing assignments and maintaining the same level of intensity regardless of the opponent.
Jacobsen echoed that message, explaining that the team’s defensive approach has already influenced its pace and intensity during preseason practices. The Bulldogs are looking to make opponents uncomfortable defensively while using stops and rebounds to create more opportunities on offense.
Defensive improvement will also help determine which players earn larger roles this season for Limback, and among the promising returning players Limback identified were Garrett Johnson and Jacob Dutzman, who contributed significant minutes last season, and senior Hayden Frank who is returning after injuries limited his involvement during last season.
Limback also noted the potential of the incoming freshman class, particularly the team’s inside players and forwards, who bring size and talent but have yet to establish themselves in collegiate competition.
The coaching staff is using practices to evaluate which players demonstrate the greatest consistency and can be relied upon during critical moments rather than immediately assigning every role.
“There’s a lot of guys that I can name right now, but I think we’re trying to figure a lot of that out in practices,” Limback said. “Who’s going to be most consistent? Who can we count on the most, especially in critical moments, and kind of let them play into those roles?”
Beyond the basketball court, Limback also described a theme that reflects the values the team hopes to carry throughout the season: “All for Him.”
This theme, selected by the players, emphasizes faith, humility and the idea that individual abilities should be used for a purpose greater than personal recognition. Limback explained that sports can sometimes encourage athletes to focus too heavily on individual statistics, achievements and personal goals, making it important for the team to remember what it represents beyond the game.
“Our goal is for everything we do to glorify God,” Limback said. “Instead of focusing on our own selfish desires, it’s about doing our best every day and using the God-given talents we have.”
The coach believes that maintaining this mindset can help the Bulldogs prioritize their teammates, approach adversity with humility and build a stronger collective identity.
Concordia will open its regular season on Oct. 29 against Kansas Wesleyan University, followed by another on-the-road match-up against Bethel College on Oct. 30.
