May 4 - Softball and Men's Tennis Moving On
Monday was an important day for a pair of Concordia’s sports teams. The softball team and men’s tennis squad played pivotal games to extend their seasons. With a sweep of the visiting Edgewood Eagles, the softball team earned a berth in the NAC tournament. Concordia closed out the regular season with a 13-11 conference record. On Thursday, May 5 the Lady Cougars will travel to Alverno Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, entering the tournament as a six seed. They will face the number three seed, with the first pitch to be thrown out at 5:00 p.m.
The Lady Cougars have been on a hot streak, ending the season on a high note. Concordia has won ten of their last fourteen games beginning in the middle of April. Sophomore pitcher Sami DeFord has played a key role for the Lady Cougars. With 135 strikeouts, DeFord is among the league leaders. DeFord has accumulated a 13-11 record, and her ERA stands at 2.02. On Monday, DeFord pitched a two hitter to help the Lady Cougars secure a spot in the tournament.
Freshman Taylor Golden and sophomore Megan White lead the team in RBIs. They have 25 and 22 respectively. White also leads the Lady Cougars in home runs with five. Be sure to check
www.cucougars.com if you are unable to attend the competitions and find the results from their opening game.
The men’s tennis team cruised to a 9-0 victory in the opening round of the NAC tournament against Aurora University. The Cougars entered the tournament as a three seed with a conference record of 7-2. They finished the regular season on a two match winning streak and went 5-1 at home.
With the victory Monday afternoon at their home courts, the Cougars advance to the semifinals. The men will travel to Kohler Sports Core in Wisconsin to take on the number two seeded Milwaukee School of Engineering Raiders at 11:30 a.m. A win would set up an interesting contest in Friday’s final. The Cougars would face either their rival to the north Concordia Wisconsin or their Division Street rival Dominican University.
Best of luck to both teams. Go Cougars!
April 20 - Checking Out the New Digs
Cougar Field, Concordia’s baseball diamond has a new look. Updates were made to the field over the past number of weeks. The completion of the project is now coming to an end, and those who pass by will notice a significant difference. One of the major changes was the construction of new dugouts. The structures include a brick foundation with a metal roof. The dugouts were patterned with the same brick as the baseline walls, giving the diamond added character. In front of the benches is fencing, protecting the players from stray baseballs. This will better ensure the safety of the athletes. A padded backstop with the Cougar name centered in the middle can also be seen. At the end of each dugout stands a gated entrance to the field of play, which is painted in Cougar maroon.
Not all aspects of the Cougars' game are expected to change. The Cougars still plan on maintaining their winning ways and continue on towards a conference championship. Concordia improved to 19-4 on the season after a weekend sweep of Marian University. They lead the Northern Athletics Conference with a perfect 10-0 start. The Cougars recently entered the American Baseball Coaches Association’s Division III poll at #19 and have climbed to 16th in the national rankings.
Come on out and support your Cougars. See them proudly display their talents in the midst of their newly revamped field!
Go Cougars!
April 12 - Breezing to Victory
The Cougar faithful who endured the wind at Sunday’s baseball game were treated to a comeback thriller. The Cougars faced their rival Concordia University Wisconsin. Early on in the game that lasted over three and a half hours, the Falcons soared to a 13-0 lead. Many of the Falcons hits were finding the right gaps. Wisconsin scored all but two of those runs in the top of the second. In a game in which the Cougars could have accepted a loss, the team did the exact opposite. CUC had their minds set on remaining at the top of the NAC as the conference’s only undefeated team. The Cougars gained momentum midway through the game, slowly chipping away at the Falcons lead. Concordia Chicago scored 19 runs spanning from the bottom of the 5th to the 8th inning.
Complementing the offense was the pitching and defense by the Cougars who held the Falcons scoreless for four straight innings. This scoreless streak began in the third, after Wisconsin’s 11- run inning. The Cougars did not see their first lead of the game until the bottom of the eighth when they pulled ahead 22-17. Wisconsin would score one last run in the top of the ninth. CUC’s rally to a 22-18 victory may have been one of the best come from behind wins in the history of Cougar baseball. Between the two teams, 46 hits were totaled in the game.
After what appeared to be a tiring first game, the two teams still had to play the second game of their doubleheader. The Falcons would begin the game in a similar fashion as in the previous contest. Wisconsin put up two runs in the first. The Cougars made their presence known early by scoring eight runs in the bottom of the first and tacking on another five in the bottom of the second. CUC cruised to a 21-6 victory, defeating the Falcons in seven. Pitcher Dan Kluss picked up his second win of the season for the Cougars. The Cougars improved to 17-4, completing the sweep of their rivals from the north. The baseball team also remains perfect in conference at 8-0. Baseball returns to Cougar Field Sunday, April 17, when Marian University comes into town. The first pitch is set for 1 p.m.
Go Cougars!
March 24 - Net Results
The men’s tennis team begins their season this weekend in St. Louis. They will be competing in the Concordia Invitational Tournament hosted by Concordia Seminary. Last season, the Cougars went 8-6 with a 5-3 Northern Athletics Conference record. The men actually won the majority of their matches on the road. As the away team, the Cougars were 5-2.
See the Cougars open conference play at home against Dominican University on April 7 at 4:00 p.m. Best of luck to the Cougar tennis team this season.
Go Cougars!
March 16 - Diamond Days
Spring Break is now over and classes are back in session. Both the baseball and softball teams have returned from their spring training games out west. They were probably just getting used to the warm weather too.
While many of the students were relaxing, the Cougar baseball and softball teams were preparing for their seasons and competing in the games they are passionate about. The baseball team experienced early success as they left the desert with a 7-2 record. The Lady Cougars met some tough competition on their trip, but managed to come away with a pair of victories. Softball played their final game in La Mirada, California on Friday. They had a quick turnaround as they had to play at Wheaton College on Tuesday.
This weekend, Cougar baseball will travel to Sauget, Illinois for a tournament. They will be playing three games in two days at GCS Ballpark.
The softball team will play their first home games next Thursday, March 24 against North Park. Baseball's home opener is April 2 with a doubleheader against Maranatha. Come on out and support your Cougars this season.
Go Cougars!
Feb. 25 - Spring is (Almost) Here!
The sports seasons are quickly changing as the basketball season is now over. Both teams came close to a tournament berth, but unfortunately came up short. Now baseball and softball are right around the corner. The student athletes have been busy practicing as they are often seen carrying their gear around campus. The teams will travel west for spring break during the second week in March. Baseball will compete in Arizona while softball will continue to the Golden State of California. Before their games back in Illinois the following week, the Cougars will look to get off to a fast start and fine-tune their skills.
Baseball is coming off of a 31-9 season last year. Although they had a remarkable record, the men were left out of the playoffs. This was due to a tight conference race and eventual tiebreaker games that determined their fate. They will surely have their sights set on that tournament appearance that they came so close to last year. Be sure to catch some of the action when the Cougars return home.
Go Cougars!
Feb. 17 - Seniors Relish Win on Special Day
Wednesday night’s game between the Lady Cougars and the Spartans of Aurora was a day the seniors will cherish forever. Marche Smith, Katie Leitermann, and Michaela Thomas were the three seniors playing in their Senior Day game.
The Cougars took an early lead. Concordia led for most of the game, but the Spartans did not give in. The Cougars had several key defensive stands throughout the game, including a string of two steals and a block. Momentum swings and shots from beyond the arc kept the Spartans in the game.
Both teams showcased a three point clinic. Late in the second half, the Cougars went on a 9-0 run after three consecutive triples. Concordia would soon put the game out of reach after Aurora saw its last lead at 46-44. The Cougars closed out the game on a 17-5 hot streak. Northern Athletics Conference all time point’s leader, Marche Smith displayed her veteran leadership by taking charge and playing a significant role in the Cougar’s 63-56 win.
After the game, the seniors received a heartfelt standing ovation from the fans. The university also showed their appreciation for the ladies’ dedication over their collegiate careers. As a memento, the three received their jerseys framed in a nice display. Congratulations to the entire team for a hard fought win.
Go Cougars!
Feb. 9 - Heading Down the Stretch
The Lady Cougars were in action Tuesday night, looking to add an important win to their ledger. Concordia played host to Benedictine in an exciting matchup decided in the final minutes.
Both teams came out strong. Tough defense by the Eagles forced the Cougars to rely on their perimeter game in the first half. With just over a minute to go before halftime, the Cougars tied the game at 34-34 on Bobbie May's steal and Marche Smith's three-pointer. Benedictine made one last basket before the half to go ahead by two.
Benedictine scored the first points of the second half, but their early surge didn't discourage the Cougars. Concordia stayed hungry and closed the gap, taking over the lead with 11 minutes to play. The Cougars slowed the Eagles' offense with a couple of steals, and back-to-back threes by Krystyna Rickett and Smith had Concordia leading 63-59 with 3:41 left. For the remainder of the game, Benedictine stepped up their defense and held Concordia scoreless. Key free throws contributed to the Eagles coming out on top 72-63. Although the end result wasn't what the Cougars were hoping for, they played a great game. Good luck with the remainder of the season!
Go Cougars!
Feb. 1 - Keeping With Tradition
Over the weekend, the Cougars traveled to Ann Arbor, Michigan for the 60th annual Concordia Invitational Tournament. The men's team beat Concordia Nebraska in the opening round, advancing to the finals against Concordia Ann Arbor. Due in part to the strong play of Ann Arbor, the Cougars did not meet conference rival Concordia Wisconsin in the championship game. The Cougars and Cardinals battled it out in Saturday's title game with the Cougarsbeating the hosts 72-63 to win the CIT. There was a strong presence of Cougar fans at the tournament to add to the excitement. Students around campus will surely be talking about the victory in the weeks ahead.
The Lady Cougars took third place at CIT. They played a tough opening game against Nebraska with the Bulldogs winning and setting up a matchup between CUC and Wisconsin in the consolation game. The Cougars secured a79-68 win over the Falcons in overtime, backed by an impressive 45-point performance by Marche Smith who scored all but two of CUC's points in the overtime period.
Go Cougars!
Jan. 26 - Cougars' Week Much Hotter than the Weather
The men’s basketball team nearly won all three of their games last week, but ended up taking two of three. The meetings on Tuesday and Thursday were decided by only two points each night, in which the Cougars went 1-1. Of the two Cougar wins, the box scores caught my eye. The men excelled in their three point percentage, particularly in the second half. After halftime versus Aurora, the men made 6 of their 10 three point attempts, and accumulated 52.6 % for the game. Against Marian University, the Cougars made an astonishing 83.3% of their shots from beyond the arc, and went 61.5% for the night. Clutch play down the stretch helped seal the victories.
The much anticipated CIT will be played this Friday and Saturday on the campus of Concordia University Ann Arbor. Both men’s and women’s teams will be traveling to my home state of Michigan to take on Concordia Ann Arbor, Wisconsin, and Nebraska. I have been hearing a great deal about the tournament over the past week. Since I have been at Concordia for just over a semester, I wasn’t familiar with the CIT. From the sounds of it, the games appear to be a highlight of the season for Cougar fans. The competition will be fierce as it is for Midwest bragging rights between the teams.
Go Cougars!
Jan. 12 - Back at CUC
I hope everyone had a great Christmas and enjoyed winter break. Over break, I missed having the opportunity to watch some of the CUC basketball games. For this reason, I am sure other sports fans here at Concordia who live far away watched plenty of sports on television. The holiday season always produces plenty of great games and interesting matchups in all sports.
Now the excitement has returned to campus surrounding the upcoming basketball games. With a matchup during one of my classes this week and a three game stretch of away games for the men next week, I might have a short wait before I can attend one of their competitions. The Lady Cougars do have a home game this Saturday that I am looking forward to. One hopes that the transition into the new semester is favorable for the basketball teams. Both the men’s and women’s teams have one game apiece heading into the weekend, although practices will continue to keep them busy. Good luck to everyone this semester!
Go Cougars!
Dec. 17 - Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
The semester is over and things are winding down here on campus...that is, for most of the students. Sports are always ongoing at this level of competition. The basketball teams continue to play and have busy schedules throughout the holidays. A few of the upcoming basketball games take place in California. The men are probably looking forward to a change in weather from the cold Chicago winters. While it will probably be much warmer than most of the players are used to at this time of the year, it seems like it would be difficult to be away from home around the holidays. All in all, I’m sure it will be a great experience. The Lady Cougars also play, but will remain in the Midwest. Their games include trips to Michigan and Wisconsin as well as here in River Forest. Best of luck to both teams.
Looking back at the first half of the school year, I have enjoyed my first semester here at Concordia. Writing for the sports blog has been an amazing experience. I never thought I would be writing about sports. It was always something I found to be interesting, though. This opportunity has helped me to learn a great deal of knowledge about our sports teams. It has introduced me to many new aspects of the sports industry. I have also met many great people along the way. Since I am no longer playing competitive sports, the blog has connected me with athletics in a way I may not have had at any other school. I hope you, as the reader, have enjoyed reading my posts. Next year is going to be great!
Go Cougars!
Dec. 9, 2010 - An Exciting Win for the Cougars
Even though finals are fast approaching, students put down their books and headed to the Geiseman Gymnasium on Wednesday night. The men’s basketball team played an exciting non-conference game against Eureka College. The game ended in a 74-65 overtime win for the Cougars.
The game was neck and neck, with the Cougars holding a slight two point margin after twenty minutes of play. The second half proved to be a thriller right to the very end. After completing a 7-0 run, Eureka College forced overtime by denying Concordia’s last second attempts to win in regulation.
The Cougars were unstoppable in overtime. With Larrell Gary leading the way, Concordia’s offense stormed away with the game. Solid defense on the Cougars’ part, along with key free throws, helped prevent the Red Devils from making another late run. The environment inside the gymnasium was amazing. Fan enthusiasm remained high throughout the overtime period, and will undoubtedly carry over into the upcoming games.
Go Cougars!
Dec. 3, 2010 - We'll Get Them Next Time!
The Division Street Rivalry didn’t favor the Cougars on Wednesday. The Lady Cougars were down going into halftime, but the game was not yet out of reach. Dominican came out strong early in the second half and extended their lead. Key shots were falling for the Stars, and the shot percentage differential helped Dominican pull away.
It’s still early in the season, but the Lady Cougars look like they have great potential. Hopefully next game, we have another good Cougar fan section. The fan factor makes a big difference and adds to the energy and intensity of the game.
Go Cougars!
Nov. 22, 2010 - Bring on the Hoops
The basketball season is looking to be an exciting one. Both the men’s and women’s teams are off to good starts. On Saturday, I was able to see some of the men’s competition. The speed and intensity of the game was electrifying. Although the Cougars had built a commanding lead by the time I made it to Geiseman Gymnasium, the guys still kept the pressure on Blackburn. I am looking forward to the start of conference play. I told myself I would have to attend as many games as possible. I would encourage everyone to come out and support the men’s and women’s teams on game day.
GO COUGARS!!
Nov. 12, 2010 - Is It Over Already?
Football is one of my favorite sports. As a fan, it always seems like the season goes by fast. With the regular season ending this weekend, I thought it would be appropriate to reflect on the season. It is incredible the amount of points the football team has been able to put up each week. Prior to week 11, the Cougars averaged an astonishing 43.8 points per game and 501.4 yards. During the season, fans were able to look forward to games full of high-powered offense. Concordia’s defense was limiting their opponents to 22.4 points on average.
In addition to the great team successes this year, individual records were also broken. It is very exciting for fans to have the opportunity to witness records being surpassed. You never know when or if they will ever be broken again. I hope the Cougars can close out the season with one final victory here at home, on Saturday. Best of luck to all the seniors as they come to the end of their collegiate football careers.
As the football season comes to a close, basketball is starting up. I look forward to attending the games. Since I have never been to a Cougar basketball game, it will be interesting to see the fan base at these competitions.
Go Cougars!
Nov. 2, 2010 - Seeing the Game Behind the Scenes
Volleyball had an exciting match against Aurora University over the weekend, winning in three sets. After watching my sister play volleyball for many years, I knew volleyball is a fast-paced sport. I think it is hard to comprehend how quick the game actually is, unless you play or keep stats. During the weekend game, I kept stats. I definitely learned a lot more about the technical side of the sport after just one game behind the scorer’s table. It was a new experience that I really enjoyed.
Go Cougars!
Oct. 27, 2010 - On the Run
The men’s and women’s cross-country teams are preparing for their conference championship meet. Both teams are relatively young. It looks like they have a lot of potential for the remainder of their college careers. They are having successful meets early on in their career and are showing great signs of what to expect in the future.
Speaking of runners, senior running back Khyree Copeland ran for 33 yards in Saturday's game against Lakeland. He is having a spectacular season and wrapping up an unforgettable career as a Cougar. This season he has surpassed 1,000 yards rushing, becoming the first running back in our program to do this. Khyree entered the record books after only three seasons at Concordia, becoming our all-time leading rusher. Also, I forgot to mention that he is climbing in the ranks as one of the best running backs this season in all of college football. I think this definitely deserves some national recognition.
Go Cougars!
Oct. 18, 2010 - We're Behind You, Cougars!
The football team returned to campus Saturday night after shutting out the Rockford Regents 44-0. It was an important win that kept us within one game of Benedictine University.
On Tuesday, volleyball will resume conference play in Milwaukee against Wisconsin Lutheran. They are looking to snap a seven game losing streak after a nice week of rest.
Over the weekend, I attended my first soccer games here at Concordia. Both the men’s and women’s teams had tough matches. Strong offensive play by the visiting Raiders of Milwaukee led their teams to victory. During the competition, I noticed the Cougar fans trying to motivate their team and keep their confidence up. This was great to see. It shows the loyal fan base we have and the strong support for our teams.
Go Cougars!
Oct. 11, 2010 - Weather Warm, Cougars Hot
After losing in the closing seconds of last weekend’s game, the Cougars looked to rebound this week against Wisconsin Lutheran. It couldn’t have been a better day for football. Although it was 80 degrees, the weather was probably the least of their worries. This was another big game for Concordia. It was homecoming and for the second consecutive week, they were playing a team that had beaten them last season. Even though the Cougars were held to less than 100 yards rushing for the first time this season, the passing attack of Mike Marotta led Concordia to victory. Three key interceptions by Concordia, as the Warriors were threatening in Cougar territory, prevented any comeback from Wisconsin.
The fan base this weekend was great, and the band sounded incredible. Seeing all of the returning alumni showing support for their alma mater is always special. It was a perfect environment for any Cougar fan.
Go Cougars!
Oct. 5, 2010 - A Tough Weekend
This past weekend was tough for Cougar athletics. Both men’s and women’s soccer were unable to gain their first conference wins after Concordia Mequon held both teams scoreless. Varsity volleyball fought a tough match against the rival Falcons but lost in three sets. However, JV volleyball took their match against Elgin Community College to five sets after being down 0-2 and secured the victory!
Football may have had the biggest upset of the weekend. There were plenty of emotions leading up to this game against the Eagles. After playing spoiler for the Cougars' season last year, Benedictine University handed us our first conference loss of the season. It was an offensive battle the entire game as both teams recorded a combined total of 1,050 yards. Of these 1,050 total yards, Jamal Thomas had 231 on 10 receptions. This was enough to set the single game record for receiving yards, in place since 1984. The game went right down to the wire. After the Eagles pulled ahead by six with only 13 seconds remaining, time ended up another adversary of the Cougars.
With homecoming this week, it will be another big weekend of athletics. The Cougars are looking for strong performances as many returning alumni will be in attendance.
Go Cougars!
Sept. 30, 2010 - Rivalries and Road Games
Cougar athletics have a big weekend ahead of them. Several teams enter conference play on the road. Football plays at Benedictine, a game which should have extra intensity after last year. Both men’s and women’s soccer are looking to gain their first conference wins against rival Concordia Mequon. Volleyball will also travel to Concordia Wisconsin after a tough tournament last weekend in California. JV football and volleyball have the only home games of the weekend.
Conference play is always exciting. Rivalries are renewed each year not only among the teams but also the players. Competition and intensity are at their peak. Let's hope our Cougar teams are at their peak this weekend!
Go Cougars!
Sept. 27, 2010 - Getting to Know You
Hello everyone! My name is Eric Olgaard. I am a student here at CUC, and will be writing about Cougar athletics this year. A little bit about myself - I am a transfer student from Saginaw Valley State University in Michigan where I spent the last three years. My major is sports management. Sports have always been a passion of mine. In high school, I played baseball, soccer, golf, and was on the ski team. Football is one of my favorite sports. I enjoy attending sporting events and look forward to a great year of Cougar athletics.
Let’s talk Cougar sports. Go Cougars!
