(Ann Arbor, MI) – Concordia University announces the hiring of Thad Sankey as the new head coach of the women's basketball team.  The Cardinals welcome Coach Sankey from his most recent position as the graduate assistant at Concordia University Nebraska.  In 2012-13 Coach Sankey helped lead the Lady Bulldogs to a 25-7 record, a berth in the NAIA National Tournament, and a #9 ranking in the NAIA Postseason Poll. The Bulldogs were ranked as high as #1 in the NAIA DII National Poll last season.  Sankey's responsibilities with the Bulldogs included conducting practice and game preparation, national recruiting, basketball operations as well as being the head JV coach.

Sankey graduated from Concordia Nebraska in 2006 with a degree in Secondary Education. He was a member of the Concordia Nebraska men's basketball team from 2002-06, serving as a captain his junior and senior years.  With Sankey leading the way the Bulldogs made two trips to the NAIA National Tournament during his career, finishing in the round of eight in 2003, and as national runner-up in 2005.

After his playing career, Sankey was a graduate assistant on the Bulldog men's basketball team during the 2006-07 season.  He then went on to coach for five years at Immanuel Lutheran Christian Academy in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

"It is exciting to be a part of Concordia Women's Basketball!  The team is a special group who has achieved high levels of recognition and excellence," Sankey said. "I look forward to developing young women to be Christian leaders and preparing them for life-long success on and off the court."

Thad and his wife Sarah live in Ann Arbor with their two sons, Eli and Micah.

(Ann Arbor, MI) – Concordia women's basketball announces the signing of Tiarra (Tiki) Malone.  Tiki comes to Concordia from Jackson Community College where she played two years of basketball for the Jets.  Having two years of collegiate basketball already under her belt will work to Tiki's advantage as she has a great understanding for the game.  Tiki has the ability to knock down 3 pointers from anywhere on the court, even in transition.  She is coming to the Cardinals after running the Grinnell-style offense at Jackson CC.  The Grinnell-style offense is a fast-paced, high scoring system that likes to run and gun with most offensive possessions resulting in a 3-pt. attempt.  Tiki will allow the Cardinals to spread the floor and will keep the opposing defenses honest with her polished shot and quick release.  The Cardinals are excited for Tiki to finish her final two seasons of collegiate ball wearing black and red.

Concordia University would like to welcome their newest Cardinal, Tiarra (Tiki) Malone.

(Ann Arbor, MI) - Concordia University women's basketball team is pleased to announce the signing of Erickah Woods out of Walled Lake Western High School.  Erickah led Walled Lake Western to the District Finals her senior season as they finished the year with a solid 15-4 record.  She became very well known around the league for her defense, strength and relentlessness on the boards.  Woods averaged 14 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 5 blocks per game during her senior season.  She earned 1^st team All-Conference (KLAA) accolades and was voted as the Most Improved Player by her team.  She led Walled Lake Western in rebounds and blocks.  The Cardinals are thrilled to have Erickah wearing the red and black for the next four years.

Concordia University would like to welcome their newest Cardinal, Erickah Woods.

(Ann Arbor, MI) - Concordia University and the Women's Basketball program are honored and pleased to announce that the #11 jersey worn by the Cardinals' sophomore guard Abbey Hengesbach will soon be on display in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame (Monday May 23^th).  Hengesbach's jersey will hang in the Ring of Honor display at the Knoxville, Tennessee museum along with more than 100 other jerseys worn by top female high school and collegiate players each season.

This past season Abbey helped guide the Cardinals to their second consecutive WHAC Regular Season Championship with a conference record of 20-2 and their third straight National Tournament appearance ending the season with an overall record of 28-7.  Hengesbach led the Lady Cardinals in points (643), points per game (18.9), assists (136), assists per game (4), three pointers made (72), three-point percentage (.404) field goal percentage (.468) and was second on the team in rebounds (272) and rebounds per game (8.0). The Pewamo-Westphalia native was named the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Player of the Year, earned 1^st Team All-Conference honors, received WHAC Player of the Week honors five times throughout the season and was also selected as a NAIA 1^st Team All-American.

Congratulations Abbey on this prestigious achievement!

(Ann Arbor, MI) - Concordia University is thrilled to announce the signing of standout guard, Elizabeth (Lizzy) Otten from Grandville High School.  On the basketball court, Lizzy led Grandville to an 18-7 overall record while capturing a District Championship this past season.  She accumulated a number of individual accolades on the court as well as being the team captain and named the team MVP.  During her senior year, Lizzy averaged 14.2 points per game, 3.4 rebounds per game and 5 assists per game.  As a young sophomore, she was named All-Conference Honorable Mention and by her junior and senior year, she was named 1^st team All-Conference as well as 1^st team All-Area and Academic All-State.

Cardinals' Coach Lindsay Klemmer had this to say about Lizzy, "Lizzy is a knock down shooter from all spots on the court.  She is one of those kids that you want to touch the ball every possession.  Her positive attitude and love for the game is infectious and players thrive being on the court with her.  Lizzy brings the hard work, passion and heart that Concordia embodies and will be a huge asset to this program."

Concordia University would like to welcome their newest Cardinal, Elizabeth Otten.

(Ann Arbor, MI) - Concordia University is pleased to announce the signing of Rebecca Sabol out of Regina High School. Becca is the younger sister of Hannah Sabol who was a four year starter and a 3x NAIA All-American Honorable Mention selection for the Cardinals.

Becca will be coming to CUAA from the tough Catholic League here in Michigan. She was a four year starter for Regina HS and quickly became their go-to player in her career. As a senior Becca was named 1^st team All-County, 2^nd team All-Metro East Side, All-Catholic and All-State. Her final year at Regina she averaged 16.6 points per game, 10.8 rebounds per game and was announced as the team MVP.

Cardinals' Coach Lindsay Klemmer had this to say about Becca, "We are thrilled to have another Sabol on our hands for the next four years. Becca brings so much versatility for her size. Her length and athleticism plays well to her advantage as a very aggressive rebounder. Becca's best basketball is still ahead of her and we can't wait for her to put on a Concordia uniform!"

Concordia University would like to welcome their newest Cardinal, Rebecca Sabol.

(Ann Arbor, MI) – Concordia University begins its search for a new Head Women's Basketball Coach.  The search will begin immediately.  A job description as well as the application process is listed below.

Job Summary: The Head Coach is responsible for administering all aspects of the sport program including: coaching, recruiting, game scheduling, supervision of personnel, fund-raising, budget management, compliance with NAIA, and conference rules/regulations.

Job Duties:

1. Demonstrating excellent teaching and coaching competencies with regard to: sport skill instruction, motivation, tactical strategies and physical training and fitness.
2. Exhibiting the highest professional standards and ethical behavior with regard to adherence to NAIA, Conference, University and Department of Athletics rules, policies and expectations including commitment to lifelong learning and sportsmanship on and off the field of play.
3. Design and execute a competitive schedule for intercollegiate contests (including practice planning) that maximizes individual and collective student-athlete development and performance; prioritizing conference play within the academic schedules of the student-athletes.
4. Create team results that are competitive within the WHAC regular season on a consistent basis.
5. Successful recruitment, matriculation, retention and graduation of student-athletes. Required roster numbers will be determined by the Director of Athletics.
6. Managing a cost-effective and administratively efficient sport program working at or within operational budget on an annual basis includes purchasing, inventory and control of sports equipment and uniforms.
7. Participating in whole department and sport specific marketing, public relations, civic and community outreach and fundraising activities.
8. Developing and maintaining collaborative working relationships with all constituents including department colleagues, administration, faculty and other college personnel in the spirit of integration and community with a common mission of Christ First in Everything. 
9. Supervising and utilizing effectively the coaching staff.
10. Assume additional responsibilities as assigned by the Director of Athletics, which may include game or facility supervision duties, including facility care and maintenance, travel arrangements for away contests, attending all department and other assigned meetings and committee work.

Basic Qualifications: 4 year undergraduate degree required. Organized coaching experience required. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, especially in written communication.

Application: A review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Concordia does not discriminate in the employment of individuals based on race, color, national, or ethnic origin, disability, sex or age. As an institution of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, however, and to the extent allowed by law, Concordia University reserves the right to give preference in employment based upon religious affiliation. Submit letter of application, resume, and three (3) letters of reference to:

Important Note: Your application package must contain all required documentation at time of submission or it will not be accepted. Each position you apply for must have its own Concordia Application. Click Here for the Concordia Application

Concordia University

Attn: Human Resources

4090 Geddes

Ann Arbor, MI 48105

Email: hr@cuaa.edu

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the position. It is not intended to be all-inclusive. Administration reserves the right to adjust the duties and responsibilities.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Concordia University Ann Arbor does not discriminate in the employment of individuals on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, disability, sex or age. However, Concordia University Ann Arbor is a Christian educational institution operated by The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and, in compliance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, reserves the right to give preference in employment based on religion.

Southern Illinois Press Release

In 2008, the Concordia women's basketball program took a giant step forward in hiring Andrea Gorski. But after five years, Coach Gorski and the University will part ways as she has accepted a position as Associate Head Coach at Southern Illinois University, leaving a legacy of continual improvements and mile stone achievements here at CUAA.  The Salukis' Head Coach, Cindy Stein, made the announcement this past weekend.

Before Coach Gorski's arrival, the Cardinals had struggled, winning a combined 21 games in the previous two seasons. During her first three years as head coach, Gorski made consistent strides in turning the team around, finishing 8-22 after the first season, 18-13 the year after that, and then sent the red and black to their first ever NAIA Division II National Tournament in the 2010-2011 season after going 23-11 in the regular season.

But Coach Gorski was just getting started. During her fourth year at the helm of the women's basketball program, she and her team broke the University's record for games won in a season with 29 wins (29-6), earning them a first ever Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference title, and sending the Cardinals to another national tournament where they collected their first ever tournament win. The following year, the Cardinals won another 28 games (28-7) and a second consecutive WHAC title, earning their third straight trip to the national tournament, and finishing No. 11 in the national poll.

In her time at Concordia, she has coached three players to All-American honors, two of which earned Player of the Year recognition in the WHAC and a number of other Cardinals who earned All-WHAC accolades.  Gorski was named the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Coach of the Year twice in her five seasons (2010 and 2012). For her five seasons Gorski recorded an overall record of 106-59 and a conference record of 58-26.  The 106 total wins make her the All-Time leader in career wins here at Concordia surpassing CUAA Hall of Famer Walt Harting's mark of 96.

Coach Gorski had this to say about her time at the University and the players and experiences she has encountered, "It is difficult for me to leave Concordia, the players, and coaching staff who have put their heart and soul into taking this program to a nationally ranked level. We not only have great basketball players, but also we have a group of young women who I would be proud to have as daughters. It has been a privilege to call Concordia my home for the past five years. The future is bright for the Cardinals, and I am excited to watch the success they will have over the next several years."

Concordia University would like to congratulate Coach Gorski and wish her the best of luck at SIU.

(Sioux City, IA) - The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has announced the 2012 - 13 Division II Women's Basketball All-America teams. Concordia sophomore guard Abbey Hengesbach was a 1^st All-American Selection.  Hengesbach was named the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Player of the Year this season as well as being named the WHAC Player of the Week 5 separate times throughout the year.  She lead the WHAC in scoring while collecting 11 double-doubles this season.  Senior forward Hannah Sabol earned Honorable Mention All-American status for the 3^rd time in her career (2009-10, 2011-12 & 2012-13).  The Shelby Twp. Native was a WHAC All-Conference selection this season and was named both the WHAC and NAIA Player of the Week back on January 28^th.  Sabol lead the WHAC in rebounding while recording 12 double-doubles of her own this season.

Player of the Year: Kendra De Jong, Northwestern (Iowa)

Phyllis Holmes Coach of the Year: Steve Brooks, Indiana Wesleyan

* denotes NAIA Player of the Year
! denotes 1st team selection in 2012
# denotes 2nd team selection in 2012
@ denotes 3rd team selection in 2012
$ denotes honorable mention selection in 2012

(Ann Arbor, MI) – Before the Concordia University women's basketball program ended their 2012-13 campaign they welcomed another one of its players to the 1,000 point club. Senior guard, and co-captain, Marion Rodriguez became the 15^th Cardinal to break the 1,000 pt. plateau wearing the red and black.  Rodriguez scored her 1,000th point in the Cardinals' opening round win at the NAIA National Tournament against the No. 24 ranked Tigers from Olivet Nazarene University (see below).

Box Score

(Sioux City, IA) – As the second round of the NAIA Division II Women's Basketball National Tournament comes to a close, so too does the 2012-13 season for the No. 10 ranked Concordia Cardinals. Their downfall came at the hands of No. 7 ranked Northwestern College (Iowa), the three-time defending national champions, who now extend their winning streak for the tournament to 17 straight games.

The Red Raiders jumped out to an early and decisive lead in the first few minutes of the game, going on a 14-2 scoring run out of the gate, and converting 41 percent of their field goals to Concordia's 33 percent. But the Cardinals worked their way back to within an arm's reach of the lead, cutting their deficit to just five points after sophomore guard Abbey Hengesbach (Westphalia, MI/Pewamo-Westphalia HS) and senior forward Hannah Sabol (Shelby Township, MI/Regina HS) combined for 15 of the teams last 17 points before the half.

The second half did not go as planned for the Cardinals as CUAA found themselves fighting against a team that would end up shooting 63 percent from the field after the break. Hengesbach, who led the Cardinals' in scoring for the game with 21 points, went down with an ankle injury early in the second half and did not return to action. The Cardinals would fall behind by an insurmountable margin and have three starters foul out of the game; Kelly Cieslak (Brighton, MI/Brighton HS), Mara Mulroy (West Bloomfield, MI/Marian HS) and Megan Stone (Port Huron, MI/Port Huron HS).  Northwestern would go on to beat the Cardinals 92-60.

As their season comes to a close, Concordia finishes with a 28-7 record, and despite their second round exit from the national tournament, they had an amazing record setting season, setting a slew of both individual and team records.  Seniors, Hannah "Double-Double" Sabol, Kelly "No Fly Zone" Cieslak, and Marion "The Jet" Rodriguez have etched their names all over the Cardinals' record books and will leave a legacy on the program that will never be forgotten.

Concordia University would like to congratulate all four seniors, Ashley Cloutier (Hamilton, Georgia/Harris County HS), Hannah Sabol, Kelly Cieslak, and Marion Rodriguez on their astonishing careers' wearing the Red and Black and say that all four of you will be greatly missed!

Box Score

(Sioux City, IA) - In round one of the NAIA Division II Women's Basketball National Tournament the tenth-ranked Cardinals from Concordia University Ann Arbor came out on top against the 24^th ranked Tigers from Olivet Nazarene University, beating ONU 90-80.

In this track meet-like game the Cardinals defense kept the Tigers at bay as they held Olivet Nazarene to 80 points after the Tigers averaged 102 per game throughout the season.  The Tigers came into the contest not only leading the NAIA in points per game but also steals per game as well.  However, senior guard Kelly Cieslak (Brighton, MI/Brighton HS) and sophomore guard Abbey Hengesbach (Westphalia, MI/Pewamo-Westphalia HS) handled the nonstop full court pressure with ease for most of the game.  The two beat ONU's press which led to multiple easy buckets at the other end.  The Tigers were relentless and did pull within 1 with just under 6 minutes left but CUAA would score the next seven points and put the game away.

Senior guard Marion Rodriguez (Northville, MI/Mercy HS) exploded for the Cardinals scoring a career high 32 points against Olivet Nazarene.  Hengesbach recorded her 11^th double-double of the season as she notched 28 points and grabbed 15 rebounds.  Hengesbach came up just three assists shy of recording her first ever triple double.  Rodriguez and Hengesbach combined for 60 of the Cardinals 90 points.

On defense, sophomore forward Mara Mulroy (West Bloomfield, MI/Marian HS) grabbed a career high 18 rebounds, while Megan Stone (Port Huron, MI/Port Huron HS) came away with 12 boards of her own.  Cieslak added 3 blocks, 3 steals, and 9 defensive boards. Concordia also did well to put pressure on the Tigers' shooting, limiting an offensive force that averaged 102 points per game leading up to the tournament, and keeping them to their fourth lowest scoring total for the 2012-2013 season. The Tigers were held to a 28 percent field goal percentage and hit only 9 of their 47 three-point attempts.

Concordia advances to the second round to take on the seventh-ranked Red Raiders from Northwestern College (Iowa) who have won the last three NAIA national championships.  The Red Raiders returned to the big stage as the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) tournament runner-up after loosing to #1 Morningside in the title game 78-73.  The Red Raiders lead all NAIA Division II programs with five national championships.  They have won all five titles since 2001.  NC is one four GPAC teams in the national tournament field, joining #1 Morningside, Concordia and Briar Cliff. This season Northwestern finished 3rd in the GPAC with a 15-5 record.

Kendra De Jong is the backbone of the Red Raiders squad.  The two-time GPAC player of the year, leads Northwestern in scoring (17.6) and rebounding (10.8), ranking fifth in the NAIA on the boards. The senior All-American led the GPAC with a 54% field goal percentage and ranks third all-time in career scoring at NC with 2,319 points.  De Jong is the all-time leader in rebounds at Northwestern with 1,185 boards.

The second round match-up between the No. three-seeded Cardinals and two-seeded Red Raiders will take place on Friday, March 8^th at 11:15am (10:15am CST).

2013 NAIA DII WBB Bracket

 Live Video-Streaming Information

(Ann Arbor, MI) – In just five days' time, the women's basketball team at Concordia University will join 31 other teams from around the country and begin the 22^nd annual NAIA Division II Women's Basketball National Championship Tournament in Sioux City, Iowa. After receiving an automatic bid, the No. 10 ranked Cardinals drew a three-seed in their bracket, setting them up to take on the No. 24 ranked Tigers from Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Illinois who drew a six-seed.  This is the third time in three years the Cardinals have been to the NAIA National tournament.  This is the first time in program history the Tigers will be at the big dance.

The Tigers boast a 23-8 overall record and were 17-5 in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC). Running a Grinnell-style offense, Olivet averages 102.2 point per game while holding their opponents to 87.7ppg. The Grinnell style of offense is a fast-paced, high scoring system.  It's a run and gun offense with each offensive possession only lasting around 5 seconds usually resulting with a 3-pt attempt.  The Tigers average around 58 3-pt attempts a game.  Defensively the Grinnell system consists of full court pressure resulting in potential easy buckets but with the hopes of outscoring their opponents in the end.  Olivet Nazarene is led by Ashley Wilson, a 5-11 sophomore forward from Portage, Michigan. She accumulated 487 total points this season and is ranked fourth in the NAIA for field goal percentage (.626) and offensive rebounds per game (4.00). Their junior guard Miranda Geever (Moline, IL) totaled 336 points this season and shoots 33.3 percent from behind the three-point arc.

The Cardinals head into the game with a 27-6 overall record and a 20-2 mark in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC).  CUAA was crowned back-to-back WHAC Regular Season Champions and finished as the Runner-Up in the WHAC Tournament falling to #6 Davenport University.  The Cardinals are led by the WHAC Player of the Year, sophomore guard, Abbey Hengesbach.  During the regular season Hengesbach lead the WHAC in scoring and points per game scoring 533 points so far this season and averaging 18.38 points per game. Furthermore, she was 3rd in the WHAC in field goal percentage shooting 49% from the floor, 2nd in 3-point field goal percentage shooting 42%, 4^th in free throw percentage shooting 78%, 6th in rebounds per game averaging 7.9, and 3^rd in assists per game averaging 3.9.  Abbey was not the only Cardinal named to the WHAC All-Conference team as senior forward Hannah Sabol (Shelby Twp. MI/Regina HS) also earned the honors for the second year in a row. Sabol the WHAC leader in rebounds during the regular season, averaging 10.27 rebounds per game. Sabol is currently averaging a double-double this season as she was 9^th in the WHAC in scoring averaging 14.7 points per game. Additionally, Sabol is 5^th in the WHAC in field goal percentage and free throw percentage shooting 46% and 77% respectively.  Senior guard Kelly Cieslak (Brighton, MI/Brighton HS) was named to the WHAC All-Defensive team for the 4^th time in her career making her one of only 4 WHAC players in the last 20 years to accomplish this Award all 4 years in their careers. Cieslak also earned Honorable Mention All-Conference honors. Cieslak led the WHAC in blocks per game averaging 2.2 per contest. She was also 5^th in the WHAC in assists per game averaging 3.67 per contest.

The teams have faced two similar opponents this season, Purdue-Calumet and Robert Morris University (Ill.), with Concordia finishing 2-0 and Olivet finishing 2-3. Concordia defeated Robert Morris on November 2 (78-63) and turned around the next night to beat #13 Purdue-Calumet 87-74. The Tigers split in their series with Robert Morris, losing on the road 116-108 on January 19 before defeating them on February 2 at home(102-91). Olivet struggled with CCAC foe Purdue-Calumet losing back-to-back games to them on the road 121-113 on February 13 and 112-99 on February 20. The Tigers did manage to beat them at home on January 3, 108-100.

The Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference landed five squads in the National Championship field: #21 Cardinal Stritch, #24 Olivet Nazarene, #13 Purdue-Calumet, #8 Roosevelt and #18 Saint Xavier.  The WHAC saw three teams make the tourny, #10 Concordia,#6  Davenport, and #20 Siena Heights.

The winner between CUAA and ONU will play on Friday March 8^th against the winner between back-to-back-to-back National Champion #7 Northwestern College (Iowa) and #RV Mayville State University (N.D.).

(Ann Arbor, MI) – Concordia University's sophomore guard Abbey Hengesbach reached the 1,000 point milestone in the WHAC tournament Championship game Monday night.  It took the Pewamo Westphalia native not even two complete collegiate seasons to reach the career milestone.  Hengesbach, just 20 years of age, sits at 1,003 points for her career and still has the NAIA National tournament ahead of her this season.

Hengesbach has scored 594 points so far in her first year at Concordia, which is good for 2^nd All-Time in the Cardinals' Record Books for a single season.  She is 52 points away from the #1 spot set by Cardinal Hall of Famer Kristy Bilbie back in the 1997-98 season (646pts).  Hengesbach transferred to CUAA after spending her first season (2011-12) at Davenport University where she scored 409 points in 33 games for the Panthers.

The Cardinals now look forward to the NAIA National Tournament, which commences on Wednesday March 6^th in Sioux City, Iowa. The NAIA tournament will be held in Souix City, IA from March 6^th-12^th. The Cardinals will await their opponent as the Women's Division II Basketball National Championship selection show will be held on Feb. 27 with the women's 32-team bracket being announced at 7 p.m. CST.

Box Score

(Ann Arbor, MI) – The No. 9 ranked Cardinal women suffered another tough defeat to Davenport University on Monday night, losing to the No. 6 ranked Panthers 91-61 on the road in the WHAC championship game.

Davenport piled on the offense during the first half of this contest and didn't look back, draining nine threes and going eight for ten from the free throw line. Despite falling behind by a large margin early, the game did allow for some bright spots in performance for the red and black. Senior Kelly Cieslak (Brighton, MI/Brighton HS) finished the game with a season high 18 points, seven rebounds and was four for four from the free throw line. She also has over 800 points now in her career at Concordia, which puts her in the top 20 all-time. Sophomore forward Mara Mulroy (West Bloomfield, MI/Marian HS) collected her fourth double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, while teammate Abbey Hengesbach (Westphalia, MI/Pewamo-Westphalia HS) earned a spot in the Cardinal record book with her 16-point performance, giving her a season total of 594, good for second place all-time for a single season. Only a sophomore, Hengesbach also becomes part of the 1000-point club with this performance.

The Cardinals now look forward to the NAIA tournament, which will be held in Souix City, IA from March 6^th-12^th.  The Cardinals will await their opponent as the Women's Division II Basketball National Championship selection show will be held on Feb. 27 with the women's 32-team bracket being announced at 7 p.m. CST.

By Travis Rae, NAIA Communications and Sports Information Intern:

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) is proud to announce that the official brackets of the 2013 Men's and Women's Division I and Division II Basketball National Championships brackets can be seen on the NAIA Facebook Page. Produced by the NAIA for the first time, fans will be offered a live, free selection show with the use of graphics. The selection show will be a visual presentation of seeds, parings and times. You can click here for the location of the show.

"This is an exciting time of the year for the NAIA with the winter championships upon us," said Eric Olson, NAIA Director of Championships. "The selection show adds another piece of excitement for the teams and student-athletes who qualify for the national championships."

WHAC Player of the Week Archive

(Ann Arbor, MI) – For the FIFTH time this season Concordia's sophomore guard Abbey Hengesbach is named the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week. For the WHAC the most that any other player has earned the award is twice; UofM Dearborn's Chelsea Davis and Indiana Tech's Rachael Kruse both earned the award twice this season. The 5x recipient was by far the most in the WHAC.  For her efforts this season Hengesbach has also been named the WHAC Women's Basketball Player of the Year.

The Pewamo Westphalia native has been amazing so far this season and last week was no exception. Hengesbach helped lead the Cardinals to two wins in the first two rounds of the WHAC tournament.  In the WHAC Quarterfinals Hengesbach recorded her 10^th double-double of the season in Concordia's 77-55 win against the University of Michigan Dearborn.  She scored 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.  In CUAA's WHAC semifinal win over #21 Siena Heights Hengesbach went off with a 30 point performance.  It was her second highest scoring effort of the season.  Hengesbach played all 40 minutes in the "W", was perfect from the charity stripe (10/10), grabbed 7 rebounds, dished out 5 assists, and swiped 3 steals.

Congratulations to Abbey Hengesbach on being named the WHAC Women's Basketball Player of the Week.

Box Score

Photo Gallery

(Ann Arbor, MI) – The No. 9 ranked women's basketball team at Concordia University collected their second win of the post season this past Saturday against No. 21 ranked Siena Heights, defeating the Saints 71-63 in a game that saw a great deal of offense.

The Saints opened the scoring for this game, making the Cardinals chase them throughout the first seven minutes of play before the tables were finally turned. Concordia was then able to put together a nice 9-2 scoring run which gave them some breathing room and helped them take a five-point advantage into halftime.

After the break, the red and black came out aggressively, expanding their lead to double digits with the help of a pair of three-pointers from sophomore guard Abbey Hengesbach (Westphalia, MI/Pewamo-Westphalia HS). Hengesbach would have 19 points in the half, including six from the line in as many attempts. But Concordia had their share of troubles. Senior star Hannah Sabol (Shelby Township, MI/Regina HS) suffered a knee injury during the 13^th minute of play that sidelined her for the rest of the contest, and as the game progressed, the Saints would slowly eat away at the Cardinal lead behind the efforts of their own sophomore guard Sierra Calhoun (Toledo, OH/Central Catholic HS), who kept her team within striking distance, scoring an impressive 25 points during the second half. Siena Heights would cut their deficit to as few as two points during the final minutes, but the offensive performance of Marion Rodriguez (Northville, MI/Mercy HS), who had a 13-point half, and the dual rebounding of Megan Stone (Port Huron, MI/Port Huron HS) and Kelly Cieslak (Brighton, MI/Brighton HS), pushed the momentum in the favor of the Cardinals.

The top performance of game goes to Abbey Hengesbach, who scored 30 points, the second highest total of her career, went 10 for 10 from the free throw line, hit four three-pointers, and played all 40 minutes of the game. Teammate Marion Rodriguez also had an excellent game, scoring 20 points of her own, while Sierra Calhoun from Siena Heights had a career high 31-point performance.

Concordia will next play this coming Monday in the tournament championship game against No. 6 ranked rival, and co-WHAC champion, Davenport University. The game will be held in Grand Rapids at 7:30 pm and a live feed will be made available on the Cardinal webpage for the convenience of fans. Go Cards!

(Ann Arbor, MI) – The Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference announced their 2012-13 honors this past Wednesday and the Lady Cardinals were well represented.  Sophomore guard Abbey Hengesbach (Westphalia, MI/Pewamo-Westphalia) is the second Cardinal in the last two years to win the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Year.  Last season CUAA senior guard Kortni Elsworth was named the WHAC Player of the Year and this season Hengesbach brings the award back to Concordia.  Hengesbach lead the WHAC in scoring and points per game scoring 533 points so far this season and averaging 18.38 points per game.  Furthermore, she was 3rd in the WHAC in field goal percentage shooting 49% from the floor, 2nd in 3-point field goal percentage shooting 42%, 4^th in free throw percentage shooting 78%, 6th in rebounds per game averaging 7.9, and 3^rd in assists per game averaging 3.9.

Box Score

Photo Gallery

(Ann Arbor, MI) – The Cardinal women scored a decisive victory in the first round of the WHAC playoffs this past Wednesday, beating U of M Dearborn 77-55 at home.

Seeded in the number two position, Concordia came out to a rather slow start, conceding a seven-point advantage to the Wolves within the first five minutes of the game. The red birds fought through their early difficulties though, pulling ahead for the first time in the game on a three-pointer by junior forward Megan Stone (Port Huron, MI/Port Huron HS). After exchanging leads for the last seven minutes of the half, the Cardinals were finally able to take a two-point advantage with them into the locker room.

The second half of play was a completely different story. Concordia was able to separate themselves from UMD by a large margin after going on a 18-2 scoring run led by the efforts of Hannah Sabol (Shelby Township, MI/Regina HS) and Abbey Hengesbach (Westphalia, MI/Pewamo-Westphalia HS), who had 18 points and 10 points respectively in the half. The Cardinals never looked back from their double digit lead, as they coasted comfortably through the last six minutes before eventually beating the Wolves.

Top performance honors in this game belong to Concordia forward Hannah Sabol, who accumulated 22 points and 12 rebounds, good enough for her 12^th double-double of the season, and Chelsea Davis from U of M Dearborn who, despite her team's loss, racked up 21 points during this contest. Abbey Hengesbach also turned in another solid performance, scoring 15 points and grabbing 11 rebounds to collect her 10^th double-double of the season.

The girl's team looks to take on the Saints from Siena Heights University for their next match this coming Saturday at home starting at 1:00 pm. Come support your Cardinals as they continue their quest for a 2013 tournament championship, and don't forget to wear red and black.

Box Score

Photo Gallery: Senior Day Presentations

Photo Gallery CUAA v Lawrence Tech

WHAC Tournament Bracket

(Ann Arbor, MI) – The women's basketball team celebrated Senior Day this past Saturday as they played Lawrence Tech in their final game before playoffs. The Cardinals honored seniors Ashley Cloutier (Dewitt, MI/Dewitt HS), Marion Rodriguez (Northville, MI/Mercy HS), Kelly Cieslak (Brighton, MI/Brighton HS) and Hannah Sabol (Shelby Township, MI/Regina HS) for their contribution to the program, and ended the regular season on a good note as they went on to beat the Blue Devils 72-60.

With this victory, CUAA will end up 20-2 in conference play (25-5 overall), good enough to tie Davenport University for first place and become Co-WHAC champions for the second year in a row. The Blue Devils finish their season in 11^th place with a 5-17 record (7-19 overall).

Lawrence Tech was able to score first in this contest, but Concordia wasted no time putting together a 9-0 scoring run to quickly go ahead by seven. As the half progressed, the Cardinals were able to retain momentum, their lead reaching a highpoint when Tiffany Karger (Cedar Springs, MI/Cedar Springs HS) hit a three-pointer to put the team up by 17. Sabol and Abbey Hengesbach (Westphalia, MI/Pewamo Westphalia HS) topped the first half scoring list with 14 and 10 points respectively, while Cieslak managed two blocks and three assists.

After the intermission, the Cardinals got back to work, mounting an offensive effort that kept them at a comfortable distance from their opponent. The finishing touches came during the seventh minute, when Cloutier and Megan Stone (Port Huron, MI/Port Huron HS) fashioned a 7-0 run together and helped the red and black coast through the final minutes.

Hannah Sabol finishes as the game's top performer, collecting her 10^th double-double of the season, her 37^th of her career, with 18 points and 12 rebounds.

The Cardinals will head into the WHAC tournament as the #2 seed while Davenport retains the #1 spot after holding the tie-breaker over the Cardinals.  Both team had identical records in conference play with both teams staying undefeated at home and falling twice on the road.  What broke the tie was how each tam faired against NAIA schools outside of the WHAC.  The Panthers were undefeated outside of WHAC play giving them the #1 seed.

The Cardinals will now play host to the University of Michigan Dearborn on Wednesday February 20^th in the opening round of the WHAC tournament.  The Cardinals won both games against the Wolves this season.  Tip-off is set for 7pm. GO CARDS!