Interview With Director of Athletics Ross Douma
(Monday, May 15; Sioux Center, Iowa) Dordt University Athletics has claimed the 2022-23 All-Sports Trophy, according to the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) league conference's announcement regarding the final standings of the GPAC All-Sports Award. This is the first time Dordt has claimed the conference's all-sports trophy.
Dordt University Athletics claimed six total conference championships, placing 12 teams in the top four GPAC standings. The conference championships were won by men's cross country, women's cross country, women's basketball (regular season), men's basketball (postseason), men's indoor track & field, and men's outdoor track & field.
"I am extremely happy for and proud of our athletes and coaches for winning this award for the first time in school history," says Director of Athletics Ross Douma. "While we celebrate this championship, I'm reminded this is a part of our living out the Defender Way. We want to use the platform of athletics as part of the Great Commission, to develop servant-leaders, develop our athletes academically, and pursue championships. We are blessed as an athletic department to be a part of an institution with a supportive administration and forward-thinking leaders who recognize we are attempting to do athletics in a different, God-honoring way and are supportive of our endeavors.  Personally, I'm grateful for the opportunity to work alongside Christian coaches who daily lead our programs and together share in the joys and burdens of this work."
The year also saw success on the national stage for the Defenders as the men's cross country team claimed the first team national title, and the women's cross country team finished 8
th at the event in November. The men's indoor track & field program finished third at the national championship, and the men's and women's basketball teams both won games in the national championship field.
The year also included seven Dordt coaches being named GPAC Coach of the Year.
The GPAC all-sports standings are also broken down between women's and men's offerings. Dordt ranked first in the GPAC in both men's and women's sports. Dordt's best previous finish in the all-sports standings was in 2021-22 when the Defenders claimed third.
2022-23 Team Championships
- Men's Cross Country
- Women's Cross Country
- Women's Basketball Regular Season
- Men's Basketball Postseason
- Men's Indoor Track & Field
- Men's Outdoor Track & Field
Dordt teams that placed fourth or better in 2022-23
- Men's Cross Country: 1st
- Women's Cross Country: 1st
- Women's Basketball: 1st
- Men's Basketball: 3rd
- Men's Indoor Track & Field: 1st
- Men's Outdoor Track & Field: 1st
- Men's Soccer: 3rd
- Women's Indoor Track & Field-3rd
- Cheer: 4th
- Women's Outdoor Track & Field: 2nd
- Softball: 3rd
Dordt coaches named GPAC Coach of the Year
- Nate Wolf: Women's Cross Country/Men's Cross Country
- Craig Heynen: Men's Indoor Track & Field/Men's Outdoor Track & Field
- Ryan Gresse: Men's Soccer
- Bill Harmsen: Women's Basketball
- Mel Knobloch: Dance
2022-23 GPAC All-Sports Award Calculations
| School |
Points Earned |
Total Points Available |
Calculation |
| Dordt |
149.5 |
203 |
74% |
| Concordia |
159.5 |
227 |
70% |
| Northwestern |
147.5 |
227 |
65% |
| Doane |
140.5 |
227 |
62% |
| Morningside |
139.5 |
227 |
61% |
| Midland |
125 |
227 |
55% |
| Jamestown |
100 |
195 |
51% |
| Hastings |
114.5 |
227 |
50% |
| Mount Marty |
88.5 |
218 |
41% |
| Briar Cliff |
77.5 |
195 |
40% |
| Dakota Wesleyan |
76.5 |
195 |
39% |
| College of Saint Mary |
43.5 |
114 |
38% |
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