ST. PAUL, Minn. – This Tuesday at 6 p.m., Concordia-St. Paul opens the 2021-22 season at home with a non-conference game against North Central University at Gangelhoff Center, and remain at home this Saturday afternoon with a 2 p.m. tip-off against Northern Michigan.
 
BUY TICKETS TO HOME GAMES ONLINE
New this year to Golden Bears is online ticketing. Buy tickets in advance and bring your QR code to the gates to skip the line! Friends and families who utilize the pass list will also be utilizing the online ticketing service while all students, faculty & staff will access their free CSP tickets through the service. Fans do not need to create a login, remember a username or password or download an app to purchase tickets, and tickets can still be purchased with cash at the gates. Find out more in the partnership announcement between CSP Athletics and HomeTown Ticketing.
 
WATCH ONLINE – NSIC NETWORK
All Golden Bear football games will be available to watch online, free of charge, powered by the NSIC Network, supported by BlueFrame Technology. Visit nsicnetwork.com/cspbears on a laptop or desktop computer, download the NSIC Network app on your mobile device or watch on your supported OTT provider such as Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Android TV. Search "NSIC Network" and download the app for the league's full sport and team lineups. NSIC NETWORK FAQ
 
All home games will feature the play-by-play broadcasting provided by Dan Flanagan, the voice of the Golden Bears for over a decade. The St. Paul, Minnesota native studied broadcasting at Fordham University (N.Y.) where he was the voice of the Rams' football and basketball teams in the NCAA Division I Patriot League.
 
DOWNLOAD THE APP
Fans can download the CSP Bears fan app, free of charge and available in the App Store or on Google Play. The app contains rosters, schedules, scores, stats, news, social media and more! Customize your options to get notifications to your favorite teams, as well. Search "CSP Bears" in the app store to stay up-to-date on Golden Bear athletics.
 
SERIES HISTORY: CSP 12, North Central 1
Concordia and North Central enter the 14^th meeting in the all-time series but just the second since CSP moved from the UMAC and NAIA where North Central resides for the NSIC and NCAA Division II ranks in 1999-2000. Located across the river in downtown Minneapolis, Concordia last welcomed the Rams to St. Paul in the 2001-02 season for a 99-34 victory.
 
Concordia has topped 90 points in each of the last three meetings and has never allowed North Central to score more than 72.
 
SERIES HISTORY: CSP 5, Northern Michigan 4
The Golden Bears and Wildcats play in the non-conference nearly every year, meeting nine times between 2006 and 2019 with six of those contests played at Gangelhoff Center where the teams have split. While the Wildcats have won two of the last three overall in the series, the Golden Bears have won four of the last six outings.
 
Games are typically close between the two programs, too, with eight of the nine matchups decided by seven points or less including a pair of overtime contests in 2010-11 and 2014-15 – another split.
 
PRESEASON PREDICTIONS: WHERE THEY ALL STAND
The Golden Bears enter 2021-22 picked ninth overall in the 16-team Northern Sun and sixth in the NSIC South Division after finishing second in the NSIC South (9-5) during the shortened 2020-21 season, good for fifth in the league overall on their way to an 11-6 overall finish.
 
The Rams, off to a 3-0 start to the non-conference season with double-digit wins in all three games, were picked third in the 8-team Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC). Last year, North Central won the UMAC with a 7-1 league record, tied with Northwestern, and finished 18-4 overall finishing as runner-up in the UMAC Tournament.
 
The Wildcats are off to a 2-0 start with regional wins over William Jewell (61-41) and Lewis (61-56) in the GLIAC/GLVC Challenge, and they'll get a Tuesday night home opener against Minnesota Crookston before heading to St. Paul. Last year, Northern Michigan went 10-9 overall and 10-8 in the GLIAC prior to being picked fourth in the 6-team GLIAC North Division preseason poll this year. The GLIAC does not conduct an overall preseason ranking of its 11 total teams.
 
SETTING THE STAGE
Concordia basketball has a strong, dominant history rich with exceptional talent that rivals the best of Division II. The players in the program have excelled in a variety of ways: point guards & floor generals, slashing wings, three-point sharp-shooters, athletic posts and dominant bigs.
 
It's a program that is no stranger to the postseason, heading to the NCAA Tournament 10 times from 2002-03 to 2013-14, winning four NSIC Tournament championships and six conference regular season titles.
 
In 2007-08, Concordia won its first 18 games led by dominant center Amanda Behnke as the Golden Bears won the NSIC regular season and tournament titles for a second year in a row behind the two-time NSIC Player of the Year.
 
"I loved (former head coach Paul) Fessler as my coach and he was one of my all-time favorite coaches, I knew what he expected out of me and I knew what I expected of myself. For me, it was all about confidence – the confidence Fess had in me, what he thought of me and knowing what kind of impact I could have on the court, that they wanted me to be dominant and get me the ball and that was the role that was expected of me on those teams."
 
She helped the team to the Sweet Sixteen as a junior just a year earlier as Concordia finished her senior year ranked No. 14 in the country by the USA Today/ESPN Division II Coaches Poll.
 
As a coach, Amanda Johnson was instrumental in helping her predecessor construct a roster and develop the student-athletes into champions again. The 2013-14 Concordia squad featured a loaded roster that got hot late, winning 17 of 19 games down the stretch including titles in the NSIC Tournament, the program's first NCAA regional title and trip to the Elite Eight.
 
Concordia finished the year ranked No. 12 in the country.
 
Reflecting on how her playing career has shaped her own coaching style, she continued, "That goes into my post players as a coach, and includes Lindsey Becher right now. We're stressing the confidence in her to be that player. She is so unbelievably talented, and with her, it's not just offensively, but also being dominant defensively inside. As a coach, I stress that I'm available for those 1-on-1 post workouts anytime they need on the court with me. That's helped in recent years with (Lindsay) Dorr, she came in as a Division I transfer and was a little timid at first, but we worked together on her confidence, she came in all the time for workouts and it really paid off because she worked her butt off to become the player she was her senior year and really helped our team along with it. We want a dominant post player, and that's Lindsey, and we're here for those 1-on-1 instructs and the confidence building that comes along with that development. She could graduate as one of the top post players offensively and defensively with everything she's been doing. Her potential is unreal."
 
Just two years later, Johnson would be tabbed to lead the program that she had been a part of turning into a league, regional and national power as a player before climbing the ranks as an assistant coach.
 
"Going from a player, to graduate assistant coach, to the top assistant to head coach quickly was an adjustment. Looking back, I think I was a bit nervous. I didn't want to mess up and replacing a great coach, I felt pressure. I was learning a lot," Johnson explains. "I was under a great coach who I looked up to. He had his ways, what he liked and didn't like and I listened to that. I was learning from him. He had great programs."
 
She continued, "Doing things as a head coach, I was learning as I went and being the assistant is such a different role than being a head coach – I have the final say now, and you have to own decisions, whether it's in game calls or putting together a recruiting class and putting an offer on the table. I know what I'm looking for, and feeling comfortable in that role now, more confident and prepared, and that comes with experience."
 
She's been a part of Golden Bear basketball for six 20-win seasons, five NCAA Tournament appearances, four NSIC regular season and three NSIC tournament championships.
 
Her experiences as a key cog in a dominant program have certainly shaped how she builds rosters in the present day, now in her seventh season as head coach.
 
"When you look back at some of those dominant teams we've had here, the key is that we had a really successful point guard and a dominant post player," said Coach Johnson. "I value having the type of point guard who is a floor general who can carry the responsibility of knowing the play calls and understands the team dynamics, who needs the ball and when to get it inside. And we've always had a dominant post, players who wanted the ball and looked to score but could also rebound and defend, too."
 
Having just announced a 5-player recruiting class that covers three states and brings length, depth and athleticism at all five positions, Johnson seems locked in on what it means to be committed to Concordia.
 
"You want recruiting classes to feel good that they'll make an impact right away, and want to be proud to be at Concordia. Some coaches give players timelines to commit in the recruitment process, and I'm not one of those coaches. I've been through the process as a player, and thinking back to some of the pressures that come along with the recruitment process has shaped how I recruit – it was hard as a player. I want the girls to know that if you're choosing Concordia, it's because you've made the right decision – go visit other schools, I know what you're going through. When you come back and choose Concordia, it's because it's the right feel, the right place and you want to be here. Let these kids, who are young, make the right decision. We don't pressure our recruits here, if I need to wait a little bit, I will."
 
It's a commitment that Johnson also provides to her program, "I'm very passionate about Concordia from being here for a long time and playing here, and when I'm coaching these girls and talking about the past years in the program - it means a lot to me. I want to be at Concordia, love the school, my co-workers and everything about it. I'm proud to be the coach, we're looking to bring in good kids who will represent Concordia, who want to compete and what has been established from the women's basketball side. We want to get back to a regional tournament again, we want to win the NSIC South again and keep the legacy going of what Fess has really created and hopefully I can keep that going."
 
NEW YEAR BRINGS STAFF CHANGES
With Coach Johnson at the helm of the program, the basketball team hasn't had major staff shakeups, but in the world of small college basketball, attrition comes with the territory.
 
Top assistant Kristen Lee had been with the program for three years before relocating to a different community in the offseason.
 
That opened the door for the promotion of Madison McKeever, who joined the program in 2020-21 after a strong Division I playing career as a guard for the University of South Dakota.
 
"Madison is a young, talented coach with great experience from her time at USD. Her perspective being fresh out of college gives the girls someone to look up to, she is both relatable and also pushes the girls because she was pushed at USD and is just coming from that experience. She has an on-court IQ, especially with the guards, that really brings a key element to our staff."
 
The program also brings back a male coach to the mix, the first on Johnson's staff since being elevated to the head coach position, with the addition of Dean Stambaugh. In addition to a male presence on the staff, Stambaugh brings over 25 years of coaching to the sidelines.
 
"He is a more experienced coach and brings a lot to the table behind the scenes, he has a lot of plays, he brings more of a calm, experienced background that has been good for the girls, too. Having a male on the staff is an asset, too, he brings a different perspective to bounce ideas off. He has a great heart, the girls really enjoy having him around, he has two daughters and really works his butt off all the time.
 
NON-CONFERENCE SLATE
Concordia opened its preseason with a pair of exhibition contests, hosting and defeating Division III St. Kate's (64-40) from across town before heading to Brookings, South Dakota to face a strong Division I South Dakota State program that topped CSP 71-46.
 
In the exhibition season, Lindsey Becher led the team with 15.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.0 blocks per game while making 11-of-18 from the field and 8-of-11 at the line in 22 minutes per game. She had a triple-double against St. Kate's with 19 points, 10 rebounds and 10 blocked shots.
 
Meghan DuBois also fared well in exhibition play, averaging 8.0 points, 5.5 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 3.0 steals.
 
"We learned a lot in the exhibition games, and one of the things we talk about is not letting up on the gas, to keep pushing and keep getting better," Johnson commented. "So we went from learning not to let up on the gas or play down to the level of a D3 opponent in game one, to facing an unbelievable D1 program at SDSU. It was a good experience for the girls to play in a packed stadium, so when we get to the conference tournament and the championship stage that they are more comfortable in that setting. In the first half at SDSU, we were intimidated, we had quick turnovers and only Becher was scoring. It was a learning experience, and that's the whole point of those games."
 
The Golden Bears open the regular season with a strong NCAA Division III opponent, the reigning champions of the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference with North Central University on November 16 before hosting an in-region contest against NCAA Division II member Northern Michigan on November 20 from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Conference (GLIAC).
 
While conference play picks up in the middle of non-conference action with a home game against Minnesota State on November 23, the team closes out its non-conference action in Florida with a road game against Southeastern in Lakeland before heading to Naples for a neutral site meeting with University of the Sciences (Pa.).
 
"Scheduling our non-conference was harder this year," lamented Coach Johnson. "There were departmental challenges that some of the teams we were trying to schedule couldn't overcome to do a regional exempt preseason tournament, teams just couldn't travel for various reasons whether budgetary or COVID-related, so it hindered our ability to play a full non-conference. But we start with a Division III game where we need to go into that with the right mindset before getting Northern Michigan on the weekend. There's a lot of history with us and NMU, they are long and tough and it should be good competition. Our Florida trip is a crossover with Bemidji State and will provide us with a good test to be ready for the conference season."
 
LEAGUE LANDSCAPE
In a 16-team league with 22 conference games, the schedule doesn't allow for a lot of tinkering with rotations and learning to run new sets or defensive strategies. The Golden Bears open conference play in just over a week and have seven league games before the mandatory NCAA holiday break in December from Christmas to New Year's Day.
 
When Johnson came to Concordia as a Division I transfer from Winthrop in 2005, the league schedule didn't commence until after the New Year and consisted of eight teams and 14 games along with 13 non-conference opponents. Expansion happened during her career, with the league bringing Upper Iowa and University of Mary aboard in 2006-07. The league added Minnesota State, Minnesota Duluth, St. Cloud State and Augustana the year after she graduated in 2008-09 before bringing in Minot State and Sioux Falls in 2012-13 for the current 16-member landscape.
 
"I think our league has always been very dominant back to when I played, and years before. Our league does a good job recruiting within the metro area where there's so much talent, and there's a lot of strong Iowa and Wisconsin kids, too. It's a great, competitive conference, and when I played we didn't have Mankato, Augie, St. Cloud, Sioux Falls and Duluth. We want that, though, we want a good, competitive league so when it comes time for regional play, we are ready to face those teams. We have one of the tougher leagues in Division II and I really hope it stays that way."
 
MEET THE BEARS: GUARDS
The Golden Bears return a majority of the backcourt from the 2020-21 season led by senior Riley Wheatcraft and junior Meghan DuBois. They played in all 17 games, clocking at least 27 minutes per outing. They'll be joined by sophomores Jadyn Hanson and Shawna Mell, redshirt freshman Alyssa Daugherty, second year freshman Sarah Kuma and incoming freshman Caela Tighe.
 
"We really need to have that floor general from the point guard spot, a player who recognizes where the ball needs to go, when to get it inside or what play call we need," said Johnson. "Meghan is the starting point for us, she understands what we want, when the shot clock is down what decisions need to be made with in-game situations."
 
While DuBois will handle the responsibilities at the point, Wheatcraft is expected to fill up the scoring charts once again. Entering her fourth year, the two-time All-NSIC First Team guard has averaged at least 13.5 points the last two seasons, is a 37.5 percent three-point shooter including 45.2 percent (33-73) last year.
 
"We need Riley to shoot and open up our offense while Jadyn Hanson and Sarah Kuma have been good at attacking the rim and making reads. With the guards, we have length with Riley and Z but we also have shorter and quicker guards with Sarah and Jadyn. It will depend on the lineups and what we're looking for. We're stressing on Sarah and Jadyn to be up in the passing lanes and up on the ball with pressure while Riley uses her length defensively and will go up against bigger guards."
 
Hanson and Kuma clocked in the mid-teens for minutes last year in reserve roles and each averaged close to five points per game.
 
"The guard play has been doing very well so far, and I'm hoping they continue to push each other. Alyssa Daugherty is coming off an injury and she'll bring a spark coming back, she plays tough. Shawna Mell has come along with her three-point shot. She came in more of a mid-range shooter but her three-shot has really come along. She brings length and can play the 3 or 4 position, can get a stop and a rebound and is someone who we look to for a quick three-point shot. Our lone guard newcomer, Caela will redshirt this year."
 
MEET THE BEARS: FORWARDS
The biggest hole to fill on the roster is at the forward, or 4 position where Sidney Wentland started all 17 games and averaged 26.8 minutes while bringing an all-around game to the roster. In three years, Wentland started in 71 of the 74 games she played, averaging 9.5 points and 4.5 rebounds while scoring inside and outside and filling the stat sheet with assists, blocks and steals.
 
The pieces the Golden Bears have to slot in for her minutes will come from a combination of players who are versatile and bring different skill sets to the roster, including junior Sydney Schultz, sophomore Sydney Zgutowicz and incoming freshmen Megan Gamble and Faith Alberts.
 
When discussing the roster, the interesting dynamic is that Johnson mentions Zgutowicz with the guards and mentions Alberts as a 4/5 post player, giving the lineup and rotation versatility and the ability to matchup differently within the flow of a game.
 
"Schultzy is a strong player, she'll bang and work hard, she'll go get that loose ball and then want to go up with it. She's a consistent, all-around great teammate, great kid to coach. Meanwhile, Z is getting comfortable with her three-point shot, she'll work hard and get after it, get a lot of rebounds and use her length defensively."
 
Last year, Zgutowicz started in nine games, averaging over 21 minutes per game, scoring 6.7 points with 3.8 rebounds while knocking down 40.0 percent from the arc. Schultz pitched in 5.5 points in a reserve role, shooting a solid 60.0 percent from the floor.
 
Gamble clocked 24 minutes during the exhibition season, scoring six points with four rebounds in the two games. "She brings her athleticism, is up-and-down the floor, she moves like a guard, she's so quick. She brings a lot of energy, on offense will attack the rim and is good off the bounce but she can also shoot the ball. Defensively, she's just all over the court, I don't think I've ever seen her tired yet. Faith, as a 4/5 player has a great three-point shot, has great length and it's just getting her more comfortable with sets and getting used to being in those post-player situations."
 
She continued, "As a group, they're hard-working kids at the 4-spot and despite losing Wentland, between Faith, Gamble, Schultzy and Z – they'll work hard, they'll get after a lot of rebounds and use their length defensively to go match-up with other 4-players as well."
 
MEET THE BEARS: CENTERS
The Golden Bears feature the reigning NSIC Freshman of the Year in Lindsey Becher, who started 16 games as a rookie during the shortened COVID season and gets another round at a freshman season after shooting 52.2 percent from the field, leading the team with 58 free throw attempts and converting at a strong 79.3 percent rate, averaging 11.2 points and a team-high 5.3 rebounds while blocking nearly three shots per game.
 
She'll be backed up by redshirt freshman Makayla Johnson, who saw six minutes per game last year and made 46.7 percent from the floor while scoring 14 points and collecting 17 rebounds. If the exhibition slate is any indicator, Johnson saw 25 minutes (12.5 per game), putting her in position to potentially double her playing time over a year ago.
 
"Our bigs will be Lindsey and Mak and they have been going at each other in practice and it's been good. Lindsey is more of a finesse post player. She's quick up-and-down the floor with a great basketball IQ and she's been knocking down the mid-range shots in our read-react offense, she's been stretched out to even hit some three's and has been looking really good. Defensively, Makayla and Lindsey bring length, they're shot blockers. Makayla is really strong, has been good pushing Lindsey defensively in the post. Mak is more of a power-post player, she'll get the ball and use her strength on the block, and has been a great communicator. In practice, she's been one of our loudest players, and being a post player and calling out screens, you do need to be a loud communicator and she brings it."
 
She continued, "With Lindsey, we really expect a lot out of her this year and moving forward, she has been adapting at being more comfortable this year with the players, play calls and getting the ball inside and being confident."