Scholastica Volleyball Piced Second in UMAC Poll

Aug 27, 2012

Northland Sports Online

Winner of at least a share of four of the last five Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) regular season championships, Northwestern College was the overwhelming favorite to win the league title again in 2012 according to a poll of the UMAC coaches. The Eagles shared the 2011 conference trophy with St. Scholastica and will look to claim the hardware outright in the upcoming campaign.

2012 UMAC Volleyball Coaches’ Poll

1. 48 Points – Northwestern College (Minn.) (6 First Place Votes)

2. 43 Points – College of St. Scholastica (2)

3. 38 Points – University of Minnesota Morris

4. 31 Points – Martin Luther College

5. 25 Points – Bethany Lutheran College

6. 18 Points – Crown College

7. 14 Points – Northland College

8. 7 Points – North Central University (Minn.)

1. Northwestern College (Minn.) Eagles

2011 Overall Record: 27-7

2011 UMAC Record: 13-1

2011 UMAC Finish: T-1st

Starters Returning: 5

Starters Lost: 2

Northwestern returns five starters and three all-conference players from last year’s squad that went 27-7 overall and received an at-large bid to the 2011 NCAA Tournament. Last season featured an 18-match winning streak for the Eagles which were the second-most in program history. Headlining the list of NWC returners is setter Krista Stoltz. Stoltz finished last season second among all Division III setters in assists per set (11.33). A first team All-UMAC honoree, Stoltz was also named to the AVCA All-Region Honorable Mention list for her performance on the hardwood.

Stoltz will need some help from new hitters this year after the Eagles graduated both of its starting outsides from 2011 in Greta King and Chelsea Koth. In the front row, Northwestern brings back three offensive threats from their 2011 campaign. Senior Courtney Jonas led the team with 135 blocks, earning all-conference first team recognition, while Cari Miller returns for her sophomore season after starting all 34 matches and finishing third on the team in kills. Defensively, Lexi Bertsch will captain the back row for the second year in a row. Bertsch dug 478 balls during last year’s run, an average of 3.92 per set.

2. College of St. Scholastica Saints

2011 Overall Record: 27-7

2011 UMAC Record: 13-1

2011 UMAC Finish: T-1st

Starters Returning: 3

Starters Lost: 3

St. Scholastica is coming off its first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history in 2011 where the Saints won their first tournament match against Saint Benedict, but fell to eventual regional champion St. Thomas. The Saints have won at least a share of the UMAC regular season title the past two seasons and have won the UMAC Tournament championship two of the past three years.

The Saints return AVCA Honorable Mention All-American and 2011 UMAC Player of the Year Anna Zyvoloski (Sauk Rapids, Minn. /St. Cloud Cathedral HS (Minn.-Duluth)). Also returning is two-time honorable mention All-UMAC choice Taylor Tyllia (Duluth, Minn. /Duluth East HS). Back up front are middle blockers Megan Windschitl (Sartell, Minn. /St. Cloud Cathedral HS) and Caitlin McKernon (Coon Rapids, Minn. /Fridley HS) along with hitter Kayla Horbacz (Isanti, Minn. /Cambridge-Isanti HS).

St. Scholastica does have some holes to fill this season as gone is defensive specialist and 2011 UMAC Tournament MVP Nikki Hughes (Lake Nebagamon, Wis./Northwestern HS), along with 2010 UMAC Player of the Year Paige Hardy (Hibbing, Minn./Hibbing HS) and two-time All-UMAC setter Sarah Kurtovich (Andover, Minn./Andover HS). Head coach Dana Moore has an incoming class of 10 and she expects big things from those newcomers this season.

3. University of Minnesota Morris

2011 Overall Record: 19-13

2011 UMAC Record: 8-6

2011 UMAC Finish: 4th

Starters Returning: 5

Starters Lost: 2

Minnesota Morris head coach Chad Braggelman is entering the 2012 campaign with high expectations again for his team. Morris lost Natalie Thomas and Stephanie Schmiesing from last year’s roster, but a good amount of depth returns for UMM. All-UMAC players Emily Auch, Kaylie Clark and Allie Humphrey are all back for the Cougars this year with fellow returners Brita Humphrey and Michele Hanson each having three years of court experience.

Clark earned UMAC Defensive Player of the Year accolades in 2011 after leading the conference in digs per set (4.2) while posting 3.11 kills per set on offense. Auch was named a UMAC Honorable Mention player in her first season, sharing the conference co-rookie of the year award. The sophomore ended her 2011 campaign on a strong note, recording a career-best 17 kills in the UMAC Tournament against St. Scholastica. In addition to his returning class, Braggelman is excited about freshman setter Brooke Decker, who was an all-state selection at Maple Lake.

4. Martin Luther College Knights

2011 Overall Record: 18-13

2011 UMAC Record: 10-4

2011 UMAC Finish: 3rd

Starters Returning: 5

Starters Lost: 2

Martin Luther returns a group of experienced players with the hopes of building off last season’s third place finish in the UMAC. The Knights could return as many as 12 players with experience from last season, led by First Team All-UMAC performers Rachel Hein and Rebecca Engelbrecht. Hein led the team with 123 blocks from her middle hitter position and also tied for the team lead in kills with 232. Engelbrecht came on strong as the season progressed and finished the season with a team-best 2.89 kills per game in 2011.

Joining Hein and Engelbrecht up front will be returning players Rachel Larson and Heather Danell, each looking to help fill the void left by departed seniors Emily Boldt and Katelyn Hauf. Also returning this season will be 2011 UMAC Co-Rookie of the Year Miranda Maasz, who finished last year with 949 assists and 265 digs. In the back row, senior Jennifer Draeger returns at libero after leading the team with 364 digs last season, while sophomores MacCartney Mendolla and Alex Anthon also return after strong freshman campaigns in 2011.

5. Bethany Lutheran College Vikings

2011 Overall Record: 9-18

2011 UMAC Record: 6-8

2011 UMAC Finish: 5th

Starters Returning: 3

Starters Lost: 3

Bethany Lutheran had a multitude of new players on the court for their 6-8 UMAC performance last year. Despite the added season of experience for many from last season’s team, the Vikings will still have a young squad as roster is comprised of 10 sophomores and three freshmen.

Bethany lost senior Amanda Edmison, who led the team in kills in 2011. However, Bethany does return it’s second and third leaders in kills as Shelby Wiederhoeft and Caitlin Decker had 2.30 and 1.61 kills per set respectively. Wiederhoeft also led the team in blocks with 54. Jessi Jurries, who stepped-up dramatically at the end of the season last year, is back as a defensive specialist. Other returners on head coach Sue Forrey’s roster to keep an eye on are Kasslin Swenson, Allie VanHee and Emily Franzen. Newcomer Nikita Coonrad joins the Vikings this season after posting 220 kills and 390 digs at North Iowa Area Community College a year ago.

6. Crown College Storm

2011 Overall Record: 8-15

2011 UMAC Record: 3-11

2011 UMAC Finish: 6th

Starters Returning: 3

Starters Lost: 3

Coming off its best season since fully joining the NCAA in 2008, Crown has questions to answer in 2012. Led by second-year head coach James Yang, Crown will need to replace almost all of its offensive firepower from a year ago. The team saw over 75 percent of its kills move on after last season, and will rely on newcomers, and the return of the talented Trisha Birr, to maintain its offensive punch.

Birr returns from a major knee injury that cost her over half of the conference season a year ago. Until suffering her injury, Birr was averaging 2.65 kills per set with a .216 hitting percentage, both second best for the Storm in 2011. Birr will be joined by the experienced Judy Mundt, who will once again direct the Crown offense. Mundt averaged 8.32 assists per set during UMAC play a year ago, earning All-UMAC honors in the process. In addition to seven returners, Crown will welcome in seven newcomers, including six-footer Katie Marcusen and another tall player in Haily Unferdorfer.

7. Northland College LumberJills

2011 Overall Record: 1-25

2011 UMAC Record: 0-14

2011 UMAC Finish: 8th

Starters Returning: 5

Starters Lost: 1

Northland will feature a mix of returning starters with new faces for 2012. The LumberJills return five starters for 2012 including starting setter Megan Zynda, the school’s all-time assists record-holder since Northland became an NCAA member. Three other returning seniors join Zynda as hitters Erin Roembke, Gabby Jukkala and Alaina Donovan are all back after each averaged more than one kill per set in 2011. Roembke and Jukkala both hovered around the 2.5 digs per set mark last year.

Northland also returns sophomore Tayler Viegut, who led all LumberJills with a .140 attacking percentage and 1.31 kills per set. Junior Dianna Martin, who started as the team’s libero last year, will move back to outside hitter in 2012 with the addition of freshman Cassie Baumgarten and returning sophomore Taylor Lepak.

8. North Central University (Minn.) Rams

2011 Overall Record: 6-22

2011 UMAC Record: DNP*

2011 UMAC Finish: DNP*

Starters Returning: 3

Starters Lost: 3

North Central turns a page in its volleyball history in 2012 as first year head coach Stephanie Schmidt takes the reins of the program as the Rams join the UMAC as an associate member. Outside hitter Mariah Simonson returns for her final season this fall after leading NCU in total attacks, kills, and service aces as well as in blocks solo and block assists to earn Division III Independent First Team honors. The senior averaged 2.67 kills per set and a .215 hitting percentage last year. Junior Anna Bird chipped in 1.23 kills per set in 2011, adding almost a half of a block per set too. Freshman Karlee Cox will be a key newcomer for North Central at the setter position as the Rams replace their assist leader from 2011.

UMAC teams will begin their seasons beginning on August 31 at various tournaments around the country. Minnesota Morris and Northland will fly west for a season-opening tournament in California, while Crown, Bethany Lutheran and Martin Luther will head east to Milwaukee, Chicago and Eau Claire, Wis. to begin their campaigns.

St. Scholastica starts off in Oneonta, N.Y and North Central in Ankeny, Iowa, while Northwestern will host its own tournament in St. Paul. Conference matches begin the weekend of September 21-22 as eight teams battle for the UMAC Championship trophy. An automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament will be on the line again for the winner of the UMAC Tournament. Semifinals are scheduled for October 31 with the championship game taking place the night of Nov. 3.

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