2009 DAKTRONICS ALL-AMERICA SECOND TEAM
OH Sadie Kessler Sr. Concordia-St. Paul St. Michael, Minn.
L/DS Mary Slinger Sr. Concordia-St. Paul Faribault, Minn.

2009 DAKTRONICS ALL-AMERICA THIRD TEAM
OH Megan Carlson So. Concordia-St. Paul Andover, Minn.

CU Plays For National Championship Third National Championship

December 4, 2009 | Box Score | Tournament Site |

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The #1 Golden Bear volleyball team has reached the pinnacle of their season, a shot to three-peat as Division II National Champions!!  They play in the NCAA title match against #5 West Texas A&M (39-3) on Saturday at 7:30 pm.  A full house is expected at the Gangelhoff Center in St. Paul as the Golden Bears aim to cap an undefeated season, currently 36-0 on the year with an NCAA record 73 match win streak.  The championship match is a rematch of the 2007 national semifinals, which CU claimed en route to their first championship. 

The Golden Bears earned the trip to the title bout after coming out victorious in the most anticipated match of the season, taking on #2 Cal State San Bernardino in the tournament semifinals.  A repeat of the thrilling 2008 national championship match, the Coyotes are the last team to have beaten the Golden Bears, taking a win in the 2008 season opener. 

The tension ran high in the Gangelhoff Center, which was packed with 1,378 rowdy fans who got behind their team after the Coyotes took the first set.  San Bernardino came out firing on all cylinders and dominated the first set of play.  They hit at a .367 average and held CU to .143 hitting, giving the Golden Bears a rare 20-25 loss.

Concordia regrouped from the loss and picked up a swift 6-0 lead in the second set.  They kept firing away, allowing freshman Cassie Haag (MB, Plymouth, Minn.) to turn the momentum back in their favor.  The rookie middle hitter put up five kills and three blocks to guide her team to a 25-18 to tie the match up one set each.

The Golden Bears largely controlled the remainder of the match, dominating the net play to stifle Coyote hitters and getting their groove back on offense.  CSUSB made a number of runs, showing heart especially late in the sets to challenge CU, but a variety of uncharacteristic flaws on the Coyote side spelled out the win for CU. 

Blocking was a crucial part of Concordia's ability to turn the match around following the first set loss.  The team marked a season high 13 blocks, which was just a small portion of the number of touches they got on the Coyote hitters.  Haag put up nine blocks in the match.

Concordia hitters warmed up to the task at hand as well.  Showing their balance just as they have all season, CU had four hitter finish in double figures for kills.  Haag and senior Sadie Kessler (RS, St. Michael, Minn.) topped the kills list with 12 each followed by Emily Palkert (Jr., MB, Excelsior, Minn.) and Megan Carlson (So., OH, Andover, Minn.). 

CU's defense out-played the Coyotes 62-53 in digs.  Their 13 blocks were nearly twice San Bernardino's 7.  Carlson led the team with 18 digs, while Mary Slinger (Sr., L, Faribault, Minn.) pitched in with 16.  Maggie McNamara (Sr., S, Zumbrota, Minn.) had 10 digs to go with her 45 assists.

CU's Quarterfinal Win Sets Up Anticipated Reunion With Coyotes

December 3, 2009 | Box Score | Tournament Site

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The table has been set for the most anticipated matchup of the year in Division II volleyball, a Championship Tournament rematch between Concordia University (35-0) and Cal State San Bernardino (33-1).  The Golden Bears snatched up a 3-0 win over #9 Indianapolis (38-2) in front of a raucous crowd of 1,269 in the quarterfinal round of the 2009 NCAA Championships on Thursday evening.  They will now have to defend their 72-match win streak against the team that last beat them, Cal State San Bernardino.  The Golden Bears avenged the 2008 season-opening loss to the Coyotes in a 5-set thriller that gave CU the 2008 National Championship trophy.  The semifinal match will be served up Friday evening at 7:30 pm at the Gangelhoff Center in St. Paul. 

"We are excited to play them (CSUSB) again," junior Emily Palkert noted of the rematch against Cal State San Bernardino.  "They gave us a run for the money last year and we're looking forward to tomorrow's match."

Concordia set the tone for the matchup with the Greyhounds of UIndy in the first two points, as Megan Carlson (OH, So., Andover, Minn.) shoved Indy's first attack attempt back with a solo block, then combined with Cassie Haag (MB, Fr., Plymouth, Minn.) to roof the Greyhounds' second attack for a 2-0 lead.  UIndy was caught on their heels against a Concordia offense that hit .516 in the first set.

Junior middle hitter Emily Palkert (Excelsior, Minn.) had her offensive game smoking in opening appearance of the Elite Eight.  She had six kills in seven attempts in the first set and went on to lead the squad with 13 kills on the night.  Fed by the 2009 Division II Player of the Year, CU setter Maggie McNamara (Sr., Zumbrota, Minn.), Palkert had her best offensive match in a month, finishing with a .478 average.  The two-time All-American is CU's leading hitter this season.

The Golden Bears took another 25-17 win in the second set of the match, cooling to a .316 hitting average but letting their defense pick them up.  CU allowed UIndy just nine kills in the set and they added another five blocks to their match total.

The Greyhounds composed themselves between sets and came back to the court for the final set rejuvinated and ready to challenge CU.  Freshman middle Kristina Kerrigan gave her team seven kills in the set, while All-American libero Kyleigh Turner did a wonderful job reading CU hitters and keeping her team in system as often as possible.

The Golden Bears used an arsenal of weapons to distance themselves from a knotted 21-21 score.  Haag reached high to terminate the go-ahead kill, followed by a decisive swing from Palkert and two no-doubters from senior Sadie Kessler (RS, St. Michael, Minn.) to close out a 4-1 finish for the win.  Following protocol on set point, McNamara fed Kessler until she found the court and sent the crowd into applause.

The Golden Bears had 56 kills and a .375 hitting average with nine blocks in the game.  All-star libero Mary Slinger (Sr., Faribault, Minn.) led the team with 23 digs and a service ace.  The offense was paced by Palkert's 13 kills, followed by a 12-kill, 12-dig, 5-block performance by Carlson.  Haag also added 12 kills, while Kessler had 10.  McNamara had assists on 51 of the team's 56 kills.

The Greyhounds finished the match with 37 kills and a .189 average.  They were able to pick up 47 digs.  Kerrigan was the only player to finish in double figures for kills, topping the list at 13.

CU's McNamara Repeats As AVCA DII Player of the Year

December 2, 2009 | AVCA Release

ST PAUL, Minn. - Concordia University's Maggie McNamara has been named the NFinity/AVCA Division II Player of the Year for the second straight year, as announced tonight at the NCAA Championships banquet.  This is the highest honor awarded each year for a volleyball player, as voted on by Division II committee members and head coaches.  Maggie has led the NCAA in assists each of her four collegiate seasons and became the all-time assists leader earlier this season.  She is leading her Golden Bears down the final stretch of the postseason in an attempt to three-peat as National Champions.

McNamara (Zumbrota, Minn.) has had an illustrious career as the headline setter for the Concordia University volleyball team.  She came into the program in 2006 and overtook the role as a starting setter and led the team to the Central Region Tournament championship match.  She began filling her shelves with awards that season, being named the AVCA DII Freshman of the Year and a Second Team All-American.

McNamara has only grown from that first season, improving her accuracy for the team's mighty hitters and providing the court with a calming influence.  She is now a rare four-time All-American, making the First Team in each of the past three seasons, including this year.  McNamara has brought the Golden Bears to three Central Region Championships and a set of National Championship titles. 

In her senior year of competition, McNamara sealed her named in the NCAA record book as the all-time leading setter, putting up a new record for career assists.  She has a current mark of 7,217 assists with the potential to add three more matches worth of statistics to her total.  For the fourth season in her career, McNamara leads the nation in assists per set, this year with a mark of 13.24.

Behind her handiwork, the Golden Bears lead the nation in kills per set and are second for hitting average.  Ranked #1 natinally all season, they look to claim a third straight NCAA trophy this weekend, hosting the Elite Eight at the Gangelhoff Center in St. Paul.  The team's quarterfinal match is Thursday night at 7:30 pm against #9 University of Indianapolis.

McNamara has also been a huge defensive asset to Concordia over the years.  She cleared the 1,000 dig mark last season and sits with 1,273 career digs, 7th best in CU history.  She also ranks 10th for blocks (229) and 3rd for service aces (138) at Concordia.  The Golden Bears have gone 143-8 since McNamara arrived on campus.

AVCA Releases All-American Teams

December 2, 2009 | AVCA Release

LEXINGTON, Ky. (November 30, 2009) -  The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) is proud to announce the 29th annual AVCA All-America teams for NCAA Division II women's volleyball.

Many new faces dot the AVCA All-America teams in 2009, with 32 athletes being honored for the first time. Headlining this year's selections is Concordia University-St. Paul senior setter Maggie McNamara, who earns her third-straight First-Team mention, and fourth overall All-America nod.  Joining McNamara are three-time All-America recipients Pamela Cartagena (Pittsburgh State University), Sara Hoffman (California State University, San Bernardino) and Renata da Silva (California University of Pennsylvania).

The 2009 All-America selections were made by the AVCA Division II All-America Committee: Laurie Lokash, Slippery Rock University, chairperson; Mario Andaya, Central Washington University; Christy Benner, Wheeling Jesuit University; Todd Caughlin, St. Mary's University;  Shelton Collier, Wingate University; Debbie Hendricks, Metropolitan State College of Denver; Stephanie Radecki, University of North Alabama; Deanne Scanlon, Grand Valley State University and Gail Wasmus, New York Institute of Technology.

2009 AVCA Division II First-Team All-America

2009 AVCA Division II Second-Team All-America

2009 AVCA Division II Third-Team All-America

* indicates 2008 AVCA First-Team All-America selection
% indicates 2008 AVCA Second-Team All-America selection
& indicates 2008 AVCA Third-Team All-America selection
$ indicates 2007 AVCA First-Team All-America selection
^ indicates 2007 AVCA Second-Team All-America selection
@ indicates 2007 AVCA Third-Team All-America selection
! indicates 2006 AVCA Second-Team All-America selection

2009 AVCA Division II Freshman of the Year: Megan Sharpe, Truman State University, MB

AVCA Releases All-Region Team

November 25, 2009 | AVCA Release

Central Region

Region Freshman of the Year: Mary Groth, Southwest Minnesota State, MB

Honorable Mention: Mary Groth (Southwest Minnesota State, MB, Fr.), Cassie Haag (Concordia-St. Paul, MB, Fr.), Laura Tvrdik (Minnesota State-Moorhead, RS/Opp., Jr.), Darcy Jennings-Calkins (Adams State, MB, Sr.), Cola Svec (Nebraska-Kearney, S, Jr.), Jen Walkowiak (Nebraska-Kearney, MB, Jr.)

CU's Take 5 of 7 First Team Spots on Daktronics All-Region Team

November 25, 2009 | Full Release

Concordia University took 5 of the available 7 spots on the 2009 Daktronics All-Central Region First Team. Maggie McNamara has repeated for the second straight season as the Daktronics Central Region Player of the Year. Joining McNamara on the All-Region list are seniors Mary Slinger and Sadie Kessler, junior Emily Palkert and sophomore Megan Carlson.

Maggie McNamara (S, Sr., Zumbrota, Minn.) enters the final stretch of her collegiate career as the top player in the NCAA Division II Central Region.  She has led the NCAA Division II in assists for all four years of her career, including this season with a current 13.24 assist average.  With her handiwork and the help of a full field of powerful hitters, Maggie became the NCAA all-time assists leader earlier this season and currently has 7,217 career assists. 

As an All-Region First Team honoree, McNamara has the chance to three-peat as a Daktronics All-American.  She was the 2008 Division II Player of the Year and has been the NSIC Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons.  This is the third Daktronics All-Region honor for McNamara.

First Team
Megan Carlson , Concordia-St. Paul, sophomore, outside hitter, Andover, Minnesota
Sadie Kessler, Concordia-St. Paul, senior, rightside hitter, St. Michael, Minnesota
Maggie McNamara ^ ! # , Concordia-St. Paul, senior, setter, Zumbrota, Minnesota
Bri Morley, Metro State (Colo.), sophomore, outside hitter, Parker, Colorado
Emily Palkert ^ @ , Concordia-St. Paul, junior, middle hitter, Excelsior, Minnesota
Mary Slinger %, Concordia, St. Paul, senior, libero, Faribault, Minnesota
Nikki Scott, Nebraska-Kearney, senior, middle hitter, Broken Bow, Nebraska

Second Team
Amanda Beekman, Minnesota State, junior, outside hitter, Marshall, Minnesota
Chelsea Flaming, Fort Lewis, junior, outside hitter, Durango, Colorado
Jennifer Hefner %, Wayne State (Neb.), junior, middle hitter, Archer, Nebraska
Darcy Jennings-Calkins, Adams State, senior, middle hitter, Lakin, Kansas
Elizabeth Serra-Hsu , Colorado School of Mines, junior, outside hitter, Davis, California
Brittany Stamer, Minnesota State, sophomore, setter, Hutchinson, Minnesota
Cola Svec, Nebraska-Kearney, junior, setter, Elkhorn, Nebraska
Amy Watanabe, Metro State (Colo.), senior, libero, Littleton, Colorado
           
Note – Due to a tie in voting, two setters (Stamer and Svec) made Second Team

Central Region Player of the Year
Maggie McNamara, Concordia, St. Paul, senior, setter, Zumbrota, Minnesota
            (second straight season McNamara has been named Central Region Player of the Year)

^ = First Team selection in 2008 (Central Region)
% = Second Team selection in 2008 (Central Region)
! = First Team selection in 2007 (North Central Region)
@ = Second Team selection in 2007 (North Central Region)
# = First Team selection in 2006 (North Central Region)
$ = Second Team selection in 2006 (North Central Region)

CU's Kessler Named AVCA National Player of the Week

November 24, 2009 | AVCA Release

LEXINGTON, Ky. -  Concordia University’s Sadie Kessler has been announced as the Sports Imports AVCA Division II Volleyball Player of the Week following an unstoppable run through the Central Region Tournament.  Kessler, a senior rightside hitter for Concordia, was the leading force in the Golden Bears winning their third straight Central Region Volleyball Championship.  The title advances the team to the Elite Eight Championship Tournament for the third straight year and gives them a chance to three-peat as Division II National Champions!

Kessler (RS, Sr., St. Michael, Minn.) averaged 4.00 kills per set and only committed ONE TOTAL HITTING ERROR throughout the Central Region Tournament!  She led the squad in wins over Colorado Mines, #17 Wayne State and #20 Metro State, putting down 36 kills in 61 attempts for a .574 hitting average.  Kessler also averaged 1.00 assists per set and 1.78 digs per set for her Golden Bears.  Her weekend’s play bumped her season hitting average up to .393, one of the best marks in DII play this year, in fact, the 10th best among all NCAA DII athletes.

On the season, Kessler has put down 349 kills and ranks third on the hot-hitting Golden Bear squad with 3.26 kills per set.  She has 244 digs (2.28/s) and 57 blocks.  The Golden Bears sandwiched the year's National Player of the Week award, with Maggie McNamara earning the first honor of the year and Kessler bringing in this final honor of the season.  Mary Slinger also earned the distinction in the middle of the season.

NSIC Volleyball Weekly Release No. 14

November 23, 2009 | PDF Release | NCAA Bracket

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Concordia University is pleased to announce that they have been chosen to host the 2009 Division II National Championship Volleyball Tournament December 3-5!!  The #1-ranked Golden Bear volleyball team (34-0) is the champion of the Central Region and will join seven other regional champions in the Elite Eight as they defend their back-to-back Division II titles.  CU is matched up against Indianapolis in the quarterfinal round on December 3.  Concordia successfully hosted the National Tournament at the Gangelhoff Center in 2008.  Look for more information to come out later this week!!!

CU Wins NCAA Volleyball Central Region Tournament

November 21, 2009 | Box Score | Tournament Website

POST GAME PRESS CONFERENCES

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The #1-ranked and top seed Concordia University volleyball is the champion of the Central Region Volleyball Tournament. The Golden Bears defeated No. 7 seed #20 Metro State (25-23, 25-17, 25-15) in front of a home crowd of 1,222 on Saturday evening. Concordia goes to the Elite Eight with a record of 34-0 and has won 71 consecutive matches. Metro State ends their 2009 campaign with a record of 26-7.

Concordia was led by senior Sadie Kessler who ended the match with 14 kills while hitting .583 percent on the match (14-0-24). Senior setter Maggie McNamara recorded 39 set assists to add to her NCAA leading number of assists.

Metro State started the match out very strong while Concordia took the first set 25-23. The teams traded scores as Bri Morley of Metro State recorded 11 kills hitting at .194 percent. Senior setter Gabe Curtis ended her career second all time in career assists at Metro State with 3,331 career assists.  The Golden Bears emerged from a late-set timeout to regain a lead and set up for the win.

Megan Carlson and Cassie Haag contributed to the scoring attack for Concordia as both of them recorded 10 kills in the match. Metro State countered Concordia's aggressive attack with a great blocking game and forced Concordia to spread their kills around throughout the team. Senior Amy Watanabe recorded 18 digs in the match and accounted for a strong passing game by Metro State.

Concordia advanced to the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament with their third straight Central Region Championship.

2009 Central Region All-Tournament Team
Amy Watanabe, Metro State
Gabe Curtis, Metro State
Bri Morley, Metro State
Julie Causseaux, Metro State
Alyssa Nelson, Minnesota Duluth
Rachel Jacobson, Minnesota Duluth
Jennifer Hefner, Wayne State College
Cassie Haag, Concordia University
Maggie McNamara, Concordia University
Mary Slinger, Concordia University
Sadie Kessler, Concordia University
Megan Carlson, Concordia University

All times are Central Time; National rankings (#) based on Nov. 16 AVCA Division II Coaches Top 25 Poll.
The top-seeded team listed will be considered the home team on the scoreboard and for bench assignments

NSIC Volleyball Weekly Release No. 13

November 16, 2009 | PDF Release

NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
#11 Sadie Kessler
RS, 5-9, Sr.,
St. Michael, Minn.
St. Michael-Albertville HS
Concordia-St. Paul

Sadie Kessler finished out the regular season with a 15-kill, 6-dig performance to lead the Golden Bears to their fifth undefeated NSIC season (20-0) in six years. Kessler hit at a jaw-dropping .700 average, terminating 15 of her 20 attempts from the rightside and committing only one error on the afternoon. She also aced St. Cloud State’s passers twice.

NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#3 Brie Groskreutz
OH, 5-7, Jr.,
Reedsburg, Wis.
Reedsburg Area HS
Bemidji State

Brie Groskreutz averaged 9.17 digs per set in the final two matches of the season, as the Beavers went 1-1. She had 55 total digs, including 38 in a 3-0 sweep of Upper Iowa in the season finale. The dig total established a BSU single match record and was the largest dig total by an NSIC player this season. She also added a .926 service percentage and a .897 serve-receive percentage.This marks the third time this season Groskreutz has been named NSIC Defensive Player of the Week.

NSIC Setter of the Week
#10 Jessi-Beth McCannell
S/DS, 5-7, So.,
Brandon, Manitoba Neelin HS
Bemidji State

Jessi-Beth McCannell had a career-high 46 set assists (.807 set percentage), averaging 15.33 assists per set in a 3-0 sweep of Upper Iowa to cap-off the 2009 season. She also added 13 digs (4.33 d/s) to earn her first career double-double. She led the team to a .239 hitting percentage, while posting three kills (1.00 k/s) and a .273 attacking percentage of her own. She added a service ace and a perfect 1.000 serve percentage.

NCAA Volleyball Tournament Field Announced

November 15, 2009 | NCAA Bracket

INDIANAPOLIS---The NCAA Division II Women's Volleyball Committee has selected the 64 teams that will be participating in the 2009 NCAA Division II Women’s Volleyball Championship. Eight teams were selected from each of the following eight regions: Atlantic, Central, East, Midwest, South, South Central, Southeast and West. The NSIC had five teams make the top eight including #1 Concordia-St. Paul, #2 Southwest Minnesota State, #4 Wayne State, #5 Minnesota State and #6 Minnesota Duluth.

Eight eight-team regionals will be played at on-campus sites. The central region will again be played at the Gangelhoff Center on the campus of Concordia University on Nov. 19-21. Regional competition will be single-elimination, best three-of-five game matches and will not include a third-place match. The winners of each of the eight regionals will advance to the finals, December 3-5, on the campus of a participating institution. Competition at the finals site will be single-elimination, best three-of-five game matches.

Central Region
Hosted by Concordia University, St. Paul, St. Paul, Minnesota – November 19-21
No. 1 Concordia-St. Paul (31-0) vs. No. 8 Colorado School of Mines (21-9)
No. 2 Southwest Minnesota State (25-7) vs. No. 7 Metropolitan State (24-6)
No. 3 Nebraska-Kearney (31-2) vs. No. 6 Minnesota Duluth (22-8)
No. 4 Wayne State (28-7) vs. No. 5 Minnesota State (25-6)

NSU Upsets #14 MSU

November 13, 2009 | Box Score

ABERDEEN, S.D. – Friday the 13th turned out to be very good to the Northern State University Wolves.  Not so much for Minnesota State University, Mankato.

NSU used a pair of 17-kill performances from junior Jordan Schaffer and senior Kelsey Aden to turn back the visiting Mavericks by a 3-1 margin.  The Wolves claimed the victory over the 14th ranked Mavericks in dramatic fashion by final set scores 25-23, 19-25, 25-23, 26-24.

The win, NSU’s third in the last five matches, avenged an earlier 3-1 loss to the Mavericks on Sept. 26 and moved the Wolves to 12-16 overall and 7-12 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.  MSU, which was also ranked fifth in the latest Central Region poll, slipped to 25-6 overall and 15-4 in the conference loop.

The match provided plenty of dramatic moments throughout.  After trading set wins to open the match, the Wolves nearly gave away a 24-18 lead in the third.  MSU’s Kimber Kuhl started the late rally with her only kill of the stanza, while Alecia Fruechte followed with a pair of service aces sandwiched around two Chelsea Fogarty kills to bring the Mavericks back to within one at 24-23.  NSU salvaged the win, however, on a set-ending service error from Fruechte, as her offering sailed wide to give the Wolves the 25-23 victory and the 2-1 edge.

MSU rebounded to open the fourth set with an 8-1 run to take a commanding 10-4 lead after the Wolves had opened with a 2-0 lead.  NSU fought back, forcing a tie at 17-all on three straight kills from Aden and junior Whitney Morsching only to see the Maverick regain control with a mini 3-0 run to go up 20-17.

The Wolves again rallied to force another tie at 22-all on a Maverick attacking error, then took their first lead since the early going on a Megan Gilbraith service ace.  That lead proved to be short lived, as MSU used an Ally Kwikkel kill and a block at the net to set up their first and only set point.

NSU squelched that with a Schaffer kill before forcing their own set and match point with Claire Kopfmann’s sixth kill of the night.  Sophomore outside hitter Amber Bloom put the finishing touch on the match with her ninth kill on the evening to give the Wolves the upset victory.

The win is NSU’s second over a nationally ranked opponent this season, the first coming during the opening weekend of the year against Augustana, who was ranked 22nd in the preseason set of the national rankings.

Gilbraith had 43 assists and 22 digs for the Wolves, while freshman libero Stephanie Drake chimed in with 23 digs defensively, as the Wolves held MSU to just a .162 hitting percentage.

Fogarty put down a match-high 23 kills to pace the Mavericks, while Amanda Beekman added 14.  Fruechte and Brittany Stamer combined for six of the Mavericks’ nine service aces on the night.

NCAA Regional Rankings Release No. 3

November 12, 2009 | Full NCAA Release

Indianapolis -  The NCAA Division II Women's Volleyball Committee has released this week's regional rankings.  The rankings include the top 10 teams in each of the eight regions, with records through November 8.

Dropped out: None

NSIC Volleyball All-Conference Release

November 10, 2009 | PDF Release

NSIC Player of the Year
#12 Maggie McNamara
S, 5-9, Sr.
Zumbrota, Minn.
Zumbrota-Mazeppa HS
Concordia-St. Paul

For the second straight year, Maggie McNamara has been named the NSIC Player of the Year. McNamara leads the NSIC and the NCAA in assists per set (13.26) yet again and, with a comfortable cushion in the national statistics, should wrap up her career leading the NCAA in assists every year of her illustrious career. Maggie is currently just 20 assists away from the all-time NCAA Division II career assists record, which she should be able to reach in the final match of the regular season this weekend. Having already overcome Cailin Terhaar’s sturdy school record for assists this season, McNamara has a total of 7,070 assists in her career.
McNamara has put up 40 or more assists in 18 of the season’s matches and has gone over 50 assists in a match eight times, no small task with her Golden Bears sweeping all but four opponents in 3-0 decisions this year. Her season’s highest assists level came with a 61 assist performance against Bemidji State on Oct. 9. Behind her sets, the Golden Bears lead the nation in kills (15.40/s) and hitting percentage (.318). McNamara has always been a solid defender for Concordia, as well. She has five double-doubles this season in assists and digs and has a total of 209 digs on the year. In her career, McNamara has racked up 1,243 digs and is 7th on CU’s all-time digs list.
Maggie’s excellence was recognized nationally following the first week of play as she was named 2009’s first Sports Imports/AVCA National Player of the Week on September 1. She has been the NSIC’s Setter of the Week six times. McNamara is already a three-time AVCA All-American. She was honored as the 2006 National Freshman of the Year and, after bringing her team to back-to-back National Championships, was deemed the 2008 AVCA National Player of the Year.

NSIC Libero of the Year
#3 Mary Slinger
Lib, 5-8, Sr.
Faribault, Minn.
Bethlehem Academy HS
Concordia-St. Paul

Slinger earned her third straight NSIC Libero of the Year honor this season. Slinger has been the staple of the Concordia University defense since she became the team’s regular libero in 2007. Slinger has a total of 473 digs so far this season, an average of 4.98 per set which is second in the NSIC. Just this past weekend, Slinger overtook Megan Graham on the CU all-time digs list and has a total of 2,246 digs in the navy and gold.
Slinger has put up double figures for digs 24 times this season, including a season high 31 digs that pushed her team over the hump in a four-set win against Bemidji State on Oct. 9. She has put up 20 or more digs eight times this year. Additionally, Slinger’s passing on serve receive has been vital to the Concordia offense. As the leading passer on the team, Slinger has taken 399 attempts on serve receive and has made just 16 errors on the season for a staggering .960 receiving average. Only once has an opponent aced Slinger more than one time in a match.
Mary was honored on October 13 as the Sports Imports/AVCA National Player of the Week, recognizing her as the best Division II volleyball player that week. She has been named the NSIC Libero of the Week twice this season and the CU Athlete of the Week twice. Slinger was a member of the 2008 AVCA All-America Second Team and was the only libero named to any of the All-America teams. As the regular season winds down and the postseason looms ahead, the Golden Bears will continue to look at Slinger to make miraculous saves and get the ball up to the net for the powerful offense.

NSIC Freshman of the Year
#10 Mary Groth
MB, 6-1, Fr.
West Bend, Wis.
Kettle Moraine Lutheran HS
Southwest Minnesota State

Mary Groth put together a veteran-like performance during her rookie campaign at Southwest Minnesota State. Groth recorded 313 kills (3.52 set) with one week left in the season, and was twice named NSIC Offensive Player of the Week. The freshman made her way into the Mustang record book on Oct. 3 when she compiled a .714 hitting percentage against Minnesota, Crookston, setting a single-match record at SMSU. Groth has also posted 21 double-figure kill matches and tallied 50.0 blocks on the season.

NSIC Coach of the Year
Scott Kneifl
5th Season
Wayne State

Scott Kneifl is in his fifth season as head volleyball coach at Wayne State College. He has directed the Wildcats to a 127-46 mark, including a 64-23 record in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. In 2009 his Wildcats have amassed a 26-6 overall record and a 14-3 NSIC mark with three matches to play. This marks the second time in his career that Kneifl has been NSIC Coach of the Year. He was selected as Co-Coach of the Year back in 2005 when he shared the award with SMSU’s Terry Culhane.

NSIC All-Conference Team

NSIC Volleyball Weekly Release No. 12

November 9, 2009 | PDF Release

NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
#11 Amber Meyer
OH, 6-2, Jr.,
Paxton, Neb.
Paxton Consolidated HS
Minnesota, Crookston

Amber Meyer set a career-high with 31 kills in a five set win against St. Cloud State this weekend. She added 10 defensive digs and three block assists in the win. On the weekend, Meyer totaled 36 kills for a 4.50 k/s average.This marks the second time this season Meyer has been named NSIC Player of the Week (10/19/09).

NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#1 Shannon McGowan
DS, 5-7, So.,
Naperville, Ill.
Neuqua Valley HS
Winona State

Shannon McGowan had 57 digs (6.33 per game) as the Warriors picked up a pair of home wins. She posted 34 digs against U-Mary and 23 against Northern State. In the match with Northern State she surpassed the 1,000-dig mark for her collegiate career. This marks the fourth time this season McGowan has been named NSIC Defensive Player of the Week.

NSIC Setter of the Week
#11 Cara Carson
S, 5-10, So.,
Omaha, Neb.
Gross Catholic HS
SMSU

Cara Carson tallied a match-high 39 assists (13.00/set) for No. 15 Southwest Minnesota State on Saturday as the Mustangs rolled to a 3-0 victory over No. 13 Minnesota State, Mankato. The sophomore directed a potent SMSU offense that went off for a .352 hitting percentage. Not only did Carson quarterback a power corps of hitters, she also recorded a career-high six blocks in helping the Mustang defensive effort. Carson also dug up six balls in the win. For the second straight weekend, Carson and the Mustangs knocked off a higher nationally ranked team.

Golden Bears Seal 7th Straight NSIC Title

November 7, 2009 | Box Scores

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Concordia University Golden Bear volleyball team secured its 7th consecutive Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) title on Saturday evening with a win over MSU Moorhead (20-10, 10-7 NSIC) to go up 19-0 on the league schedule (30-0 overall).  Senior rightside hitter Sadie Kessler (St. Michael, Minn.) surpassed the 1,000 kill mark of her career in the 3-0 win, as well, finishing the night with 11 kills.  The team finishes up the regular season slate at St. Cloud State next Saturday. 

The Dragons of MSUM had a defense that lengthened many rallies and made the Gangelhoff Center fans appreciate the night's action.  The Golden Bears took the match with healthy leads of 25-11, 25-11, 25-12, but the matchup proved to be much tighter when viewed in person.

Blocking was a sticking point for both squads.  The box score shows seven team blocks for MSUM and six for CU, but the additional touches that slowed down attacks were plentiful and added to the excitement of the evening.  The Golden Bears took the edge in the match by winning the long rallies and never allowing the Dragons a run.

Emily Palkert (MH, Jr., Excelsior, Minn.) finished the evening as the Golden Bear's leading hitter with 12 kills and just a single error for a .458 hitting average.  She also had her hand in three of the team's six blocks on the night.  Kessler followed with 11 kills, eight digs and four assists in the match that will forever leave her in the CU career book as a member of the 1,000 Kill Club.  The Golden Bears walked away with a .284 hitting average and held their opponent to a negative figure (-.019) for the second straight match.  They lead the NSIC in opponent hitting average, holding teams to a combined .118 average on the season (NCAA does not track this stat).

Mary Slinger (Faribault, Minn.) was the Golden Bear defensive leader with 18 digs on the night.  She senior libero made a number of jaw-dropping saves to entice the crowd of 610 in the final regular season match at the Gangelhoff Center.  Megan Carlson (OH, So., Andover, Minn.) also finished in double figures for digs with 11.  The team's defense eventually wore down the Dragon hitters and was the difference in the match.  They led MSUM 54 digs to 35.

The Dragons were led by Laura Tvrdik with eight kills.  Kristen Kleven was a force at the net with five block assists.  The Dragon digs leader was libero Katy Ness with 12.

NSIC Volleyball Weekly Release No. 11

November 2, 2009 | PDF Release

NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
#12 Devin Diedrich
MB, 6-0, So.,
Braham, Minn.
Braham HS
SMSU

Diedrich recorded 30 kills (5.00/set) in a pair of matches this past weekend in helping No. 16 Southwest Minnesota State pick up wins over No. 11 Minnesota Duluth and Bemidji State. Diedrich’s 16 kills on Friday against UMD led the Mustangs to a sweep over the nationally ranked Bulldogs, and her 14 kills and five blocks against BSU on Saturday was also key for a Mustang sweep. The sophomore also put together a .379 hitting performance for the weekend. Other weekend totals for Diedrich included three aces, 12 digs and six blocks. This marks the second time this season Diedrich has been named NSIC Player of the Week (10/12/09).

NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#3 Brie Groskreutz
OH, 5-7, Jr.,
Reedsburg, Wis.
Reedsburg Area HS
Bemidji State

Groskreutz led the Beavers in digs in the two losses to No. 14 MSU and No. t-16 SMSU last weekend. She posted 30 digs (5.00 d/s) in the two matches lifting her career total to 1,249, which moved her to sixth on BSU’s career digs chart (since 1980). She had a .930 serve reception percentage with 43 total attempts and three errors. This marks the second time this season Groskreutz has been named NSIC Defensive Player of the Week (8/31/09).

NSIC Setter of the Week
#4 Maggie McNamara
S, 5-9, Sr.,
Zumbrota, Minn.
Zumbrota-Mazeppa HS
Concordia-St. Paul

McNamara once again reached the 14 assist per set mark throughout last week’s play. In two matches, McNamara racked up 84 assists, edging her even closer to the NCAA career assists mark. She topped out with 46 assists against #15 Wayne State on Saturday evening, also adding seven digs and two blocks to the night’s performance. McNamara had 2.17 digs per set on the weekend, as well. Behind McNamara’s hands, the Golden Bears put up 16.00 kills per set and hit at a .319 average.This marks the sixth time this season McNamara has been named NSIC Setter of the Week.

Volleyball Matches Aired Live on Midcontinent Cable
Fri: #11 UMD at #16 SMSU & Sat: BSU at #16 SMSU

October 30-31, 2009

Marshall, Minn. - Midcontinent Cable subscribers can watch #16 SMSU host #11 Minnesota Duluth on Friday, Oct. 30th at 7:00 p.m. and Bemidji State at #16 SMSU on Saturday, Oct 31st at 3:00 p.m. Midco subscribers check your local listings for the channel in your area. Not a Midcontinent subscriber? Watch all NSIC Football and Volleyball matches (include games from SMSU) live and free on the web at www.NorthernSun.tv.

NCAA Regional Rankings Release No. 2

October 29, 2009 | Full NCAA Release

Indianapolis -  The NCAA Division II Women's Volleyball Committee has released this week's regional rankings.  The rankings include the top 10 teams in each of the eight regions, with records through October 25.  The next rankings will be released November 12.

Dropped out: #7 Regis (RMAC)

NSIC Volleyball Weekly Release No. 10

October 26, 2009 | PDF Release

NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
#16 Emily Palkert
MH, 5-11, Jr.,
Excelsior, Minn.
Southwest Christian HS
Concordia-St. Paul

Emily Palkert averaged 4.33 kills per set with a .463 hitting average in two Golden Bear wins last week. She also averaged 1.67 blocks per set, adding four solo and six assisted blocks to help stifle opponents to a combined .035 hitting average. Palkert had a tremendous blocking night on Friday against Northern State, taking care of four blocks on her own and combining with teammates for another three to make it seven on the night. Against the Marauders on Saturday, Palkert was lights out offensively with 17 kills and a .636 average. She added another three blocks, as well. The junior middle blocker is third in the NSIC with 3.77 kills per set.

NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#3 Kenzie Niesche
DS, 5-8, Fr.,
Chaska, Minn.
Chaska HS
SMSU

Kenzie Niesche tallied a team-best 67 digs (7.44/set) for No. 15 Southwest Minnesota State this past weekend in two conference matches. Niesche collected a career-high 37 digs against No. 18 Wayne State on Saturday and was equally effective with 30 digs against Augustana on Friday. The freshman also had three assists on the weekend. This marks the second time this season Niesche has been named NSIC Defensive Player of the Week (9/14/09).

NSIC Setter of the Week
#4 Maggie McNamara
S, 5-9, Sr.,
Zumbrota, Minn.
Zumbrota-Mazeppa HS
Concordia-St. Paul

Maggie McNamara averaged 12.17 assists and 3.67 digs per set in two wins put up by the Golden Bears last week. She guided her offense to 14.67 kills per set with a .317 hitting average and also saw the most action defensively in a single week this year. McNamara’s 22 digs matched her with the team’s libero for the team lead for digs. In addition to her 30 assists, McNamara rung up a team high 16 digs against Northern State. She leads the nation in assists per set with a season average of 13.47. This marks the fifth time this season McNamara has been named NSIC Setter of the Week.

#18 Better Than #15 On this Day

October 24, 2009 | Box Score

#18 Wayne State beat its second nationally ranked opponent in as many nights as the Wildcats defeated #15 Southwest Minnesota State 3-2 (25-22, 26-24, 25-20, 25-22, 15-13) Saturday evening at Rice Auditorium in Wayne. Sophomore Tali Fredrickson had 19 kills on the evening and added a team high 30 digs, her 16th double-double of the season to lead the Wildcats. The victory makes Wayne State 23-4 overall and 11-2 in the NSIC and the loss drops Southwest Minnesota State to 19-7 overall and 9-5 in the NSIC.

The Wildcats defeated the Mustangs 25-22 in game one while only hitting .213. SMSU hit .331 in games two and three to defeat WSC 26-24 in game two and 25-20 in game three. Wayne State battled back in game four hitting .314 and holding Southwest Minnesota State to a .246 hitting percentage to win 25-22. In the fifth game the Wildcats found themselves down 12-9, but battled back earn the victory.

WSC was led offensively by Jennifer Hefner who had 20 kills on the night. Fredrickson added 19 and freshman Madison Pernicek added 12 kills. Sophomore Shelby Schultz had a game high five services aces and setter Diedra Artz was credited with 56 set assists. Defensively, Fredrickson had 30 digs followed by Leigh Connot who added 21 for WSC. Hefner and Artz each added two blocks for Wayne State in the match.

SMSU was led offensively by Brooke Burmeister who had a game high 26 kills. Tory Brouwer and Devin Diedrich added 19 kills each for the Mustangs. Setter Sara Graf was credited with 54 set assists. Defensively, Kenzi Niesche had 37 digs and Diedrich added five Blocks for the Mustangs.

The Wildcats will be on the road next weekend as WSC travels to St. Cloud State on Friday at 7:00 p.m. and then pay a visit to #1 Concordia, St. Paul Saturday afternoon at 5:00 p.m.

#18 Better Than #10 Tonight

October 23, 2009 | Box Score

Jennifer Hefner’s match high 15 kills helped #18 Wayne State take down #10 Minnesota State 3-0 (25-18, 25-18, 25-23) Friday night at Rice Auditorium in Wayne. The win makes the Wildcats 22-4 overall and 10-2 in the NSIC and the loss drops Minnesota State to 21-4 overall and 11-2 in the NSIC.

The Wildcats took control early in game one jumping out to a 21-13 lead. WSC held MSU to a .056 hitting percentage in game one. In game two the Wildcats held the Mavericks to a .022 hitting percentage. Minnesota State took a early 6-2 lead over Wayne State, but the Wildcats battled back to tie the score at 13-13. Both teams battled in the third set, but the Wildcats pulled out a 25-23 win to take the match.

Hefner led the Wildcats offensively with 15 kills on the night. Sophomore Mindy Moody added eight kills for WSC and setter Diedra Artz added five kills. Artz was also credited with 26 set assists on the evening. Defensively, Jennifer Hefner had seven blocks on the night, Artz added four more and sophomore Tali Fredrickson added three. Leigh Connot had 27 digs in the game followed by Fredrickson with 18 and Artz with 12.

 Minnesota State was led offensively by Chelsea Fogarty and Amanda Beekman each with nine kills on the night. Setter Brittany Stamer was credited with 28 set assists for MSU. Defensively, Kimber Kuhl had five blocks with Fogarty adding four. Samantha Dale and Stamer each had 25 digs to lead the Mavericks.

The Wildcats will be at home tomorrow afternoon at 5:00 p.m. when they host #15 Southwest Minnesota State in a NSIC matchup. Tomorrow, the Wildcats will be wearing pink jerseys as part of ‘Cats Against Cancer.

NSIC Volleyball Weekly Release No. 9

October 19, 2009 | PDF Release

NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
#11 Amber Meyer
OH, 6-2, Jr.,
Paxton, Neb.
Paxton Consolidated HS
Minnesota, Crookston

Amber Meyer finished the U-Mary match with 18 kills and a .371 (18K-5E-35TA) attack percentage to go along with a team-high three block assists. Against MSU Moorhead, Meyer led the way again recording a match-high 18 kills and a team-high .385 (18K-3E-39TA) attack percentage. Her attack percentage against the Dragons was her second highest this season behind a .714 attack percentage against Quincy on September 11. In total, Meyer tallied 36 kills (5.14 k/s) and earned a team high .378 (36K-8E-74TA) attack percentage in seven sets. At the net she recorded five block assists in two matches. Meyer led all NSIC players this week in kills per set (5.14) and points per set (5.79).

NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#1 Shannon McGowan
DS, 5-7, So.,
Naperville, Ill.
Neuqua Valley HS
Winona State

Shannon McGowan recorded 24 digs against Augustana and 33 in match with Wayne State for a total of 57 digs, a 8.14 dig per game average, the highest average of any player in the NSIC this week. She lead the NSIC is digs with 5.88 per set. This marks the third time this season McGowan has been named NSIC Defensive Player of the Week.

NSIC Setter of the Week
#8 Diedra Artz
S, 5-7, Jr.,
Mellette, S.D.
Northwestern HS
Wayne State

Diedra Artz led the NSIC in assist average this week with 13.83 assists per set. She added 3.50 digs per set for the Wildcats in a weekend road sweep at Winona State and Upper Iowa. Artz had 38 set assists and 18 digs in a 3-0 win at Winona State Friday night and added 45 assists with four blocks in Saturday’s 3-0 win at Upper Iowa.

Blocking Key In #1CU's Win Over #15 SMSU

October 17, 2009 | Box Score

MARSHALL, Minn. - The Golden Bears (23-0, 12-0 NSIC) put up a double figure blocking effort in a road match against #15 Southwest Minnesota State (18-6, 8-4 NSIC) on Saturday afternoon.  Their work at the net helped keep the Mustangs to a season low .054 hitting average and gave Concordia a sweep of a difficult road trip, facing two ranked opponents this weekend.  CU finished the win in three sets, 25-12, 25-22, 25-14. 

The Mustangs have seen continual difficulties in matches against the Golden Bears in recent years and Saturday's match was no different.  With Concordia putting up a wall at the net, the Mustangs committed far more hitting errors than they are accustomed to.  The team gave Concordia an entire set's worth of points off of hitting errors alone in the match (25) and nearly sunk to a negative hitting average as the match wore on.

The Golden Bears, on the other hand, opened the match with only one hitting miscue in the first set as they powered their way to a .481 hitting average and a 25-12 first set win.  Their hitting average dipped a bit in the resulting two sets, but settled out to be a final .326 average.

Emily Palkert (MB, Jr., Excelsior, Minn.) was the top blocker for the Golden Bears, spreading out eight blocks throughout the match.  She was involved in eight of the team's total ten blocks.  Palkert also matched Megan Carlson (OH, So., Andover, Minn.) with a team high nine kills in the win.  The Golden Bears did not get as many offensive chances as they are used to in the match due to the high number of Mustang mistakes.  Their total of 38 kills in the match actually marked a season low figure.

The only set that kept the crowd of 474 enthralled was set two, which ended with a final score of 25-22.  The Mustangs bounced back from an early deficit that spread out as far as 17-9 and got back to within two points, 19-17.  Southwest Minnesota State then actually tied the score at 21-21 with their offense finding more success and the Golden Bears committing a series of errors on their own.  Concordia ripped off three more kills and Mary Slinger (L, Sr., Faribault, Minn.) finished the match with a service ace to take the 25-22 win.

The Golden Bears have now won 60 straight matches.  They return home to the Gangelhoff Center next weekend to host Northern State and the University of Mary.

CU Cruises To Win Over #10 Minnesota State, McNamara Becomes Assists Leader

October 16, 2009 | Box Score

MANKATO, Minn. - Concordia University cruised to a 3-0 win in another meeting between two top-10 ranked teams on Friday evening.  The victory gave the Golden Bears (22-0, 11-0 NSIC) their 59th straight win and ended Minnesota State's (20-3, 10-1 NSIC) 12-match winning streak, handing them their first NSIC loss in the process.  In the win, CU senior Maggie McNamara became the new all-time assists leader for the Golden Bears and moved into fifth place on the NCAA career assists list with 6,745. 

The Golden Bears went into the Taylor Center ready to compete and opened the first set with a 10-3 run.  Kills from Emily Palkert and aces from Sadie Kessler contributed to the run, notable because the Mavericks are one of the best defending and receiving teams in the conference.  Minnesota State would get to within two points late in the set at 22-20 behind kills from Ally Kwikkel, but the Golden Bears sealed the 25-20 win with impressive defense and another service ace from Kessler.  Megan Carlson led the set with five kills, eventually ending with a team high 13 on the match.

Concordia's second set was more typical of how their season has run, putting up a score of 25-16 against their formidable foe.  The Golden Bears once again started the set with a momentum-shifting 9-2 run with additional kills from Palkert, including three straight to end the run. 

The third and final set was a barn-burner for the Mavericks.  Minnesota State figured out a way to hang with the Golden Bears through most of the set, leading 19-16 when things got heated.  Concordia refused to give up another set in NSIC play, however, and finished the win with a solid 9-1 run.  Carlson was behind the line for seven points, serving up a set of aces and relying on her offense to do the rest of the work.

The Golden Bears outmatched the Mavericks (.188) with a .321 hitting average and 47 kills.  Carlson led the way offensively with 13 kills followed by Palkert with 10.  The defense held the Mavericks to 37 kills on the night with a team high 11 digs from Mary Slinger and 10 from Carlson.  McNamara completed her notable assist run with 39 on the night.

The Mavericks did not have a player finish in double figures for kills, although they had numerous players share the offensive putout.  Chelsea Fogarty finished with a team high eight kills, followed by Amanda Thompson and Kwikkel with seven each.  Minnesota State topped CU with 41 digs, including a match high of 15 from Alli Rice.

The Golden Bears are in action again tomorrow afternoon, taking on #15 Southwest Minnesota State.

NCAA Regional Rankings Release No. 1

October 15, 2009 | Full NCAA Release

Indianapolis -  The NCAA Division II Women's Volleyball Committee has released this week's regional rankings.  The rankings include the top 10 teams in each of the eight regions, with records through October 11.  The next rankings will be released October 29.

Dropped Out: None

Volleyball Market/AVCA Play of the Week

October 15, 2009 | AVCA Play of Week Page

To see and vote for the Volleyball Market / AVCA Play of the Week Click Here

 Concordia-St. Paul vs. Minnesota Duluth Rally to Start Set 2 of Last Weekend's Match

CU's Slinger Named AVCA National Player of the Week

October 13, 2009 | AVCA Release

LEXINGTON, Ky. -  Mary Slinger, a senior libero for top-ranked Concordia University, St. Paul, has been named the Sports Imports/AVCA Division II National Player of the Week after helping the Golden Bears remain perfect on the season at 21-0. Slinger, a 2008 AVCA Second-Team All-America selection, began the week with a solid defensive outing, tallying 31 digs, one ace and one assist in a 3-1 defeat of Bemidji State. The defensive sparkplug continued to wreak havoc on the opposing hitters, leading all players with 20 digs in CSP's sweep of then-No. 10 Minnesota Duluth. For the week, Slinger averaged 7.29 digs per set, which is over two digs per set above her season average, and good for the second-best mark in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). Her weekend totals also moved her up to second-place on the Golden Bears' career dig list with 2,117 digs. This is the eighth time an athlete from Concordia St. Paul has received the Sports Imports/AVCA Division II National Player of the Week award, the last honor going to Maggie McNamara after the first week of action this season (Sept. 1). The Concordia-St. Paul is coached by Brady Starkey.

NSIC Volleyball Weekly Release No. 8

October 12, 2009 | PDF Release

NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
#12 Devin Diedrich
MB, 6-0, So.,
Braham, Minn.
Braham HS
SMSU

Diedrich compiled an impressive offensive performance for No. 14 Southwest Minnesota State this past weekend, recording 38 kills (5.43/set) in two matches to lead her Mustangs to victories over Winona State and Upper Iowa. The sophomore had 15 kills against the Warriors on Friday and 23 kills against the Peacocks on Saturday. Diedrich was efficient, too, checking in with a .403 hitting percentage for the weekend. Other totals included two assists, eight digs and six blocks.

NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#3 Mary Slinger
Lib, 5-8, Sr.,
Faribault, Minn.
Bethlehem Academy HS
Concordia-St. Paul

Slinger picked up 51 digs for a 7.29 average as the Golden Bears improved to 10-0 on the NSIC slate. Slinger helped keep her Golden Bears undefeated on the year by taking in 31 digs and working hard on serve receive in a 3-1 win over BSU. In a 3-0 win over #10 Minnesota Duluth on Saturday evening, Slinger led all players with 20 digs. Slinger pressured the Bulldog passers in a school record 25-5 third set, keeping UMD out of system during an 11-0 run. Slinger’s 7.29 average on the weekend brought her season average up to 5.21 digs per set, which is second best in the NSIC. This marks the second time this season Slinger has been named NSIC Defensive Player of the Week (9/28/09).

NSIC Setter of the Week
#4 Maggie McNamara
S, 5-9, Sr.,
Zumbrota, Minn.
Zumbrota-Mazeppa HS
Concordia-St. Paul

McNamara jetted closer to the Concordia assists record and a position among the top five setters in the NCAA record books with 96 assists last weekend. The senior setter, who leads the NCAA for the fourth straight year in assists, put up a 13.71 average through wins over Bemidji State and #10 Minnesota Duluth. She is now 18 assists away from the CU assists record of 6,724, held by Cailin Terhaar (5th in NCAA). Her season high mark jumped to 61 assists in CU’s 3-1 win over the Beavers. In addition to her excellence leading the CU offense, McNamara also averaged 2.43 digs per set. This marks the fourth time this season that McNamara has been named NSIC Setter of the Week.

#1 CU Drops First Set in NSIC Play

Oct. 9, 2009 | Tonigt's Box Scores

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Golden Bear volleyball squad, ranked #1 in the nation all season, went into extra sets against an NSIC opponent for the first time this season.  Despite the slight blemish, Concordia topped Bemidji State 3-1 (25-11, 25-13, 21-25, 25-18) to improve to 20-0 on the year and 9-0 in league play.  They return to action against #10 Minnesota Duluth (16-3, 9-0) tomorrow night in a WHITE OUT event at the Gangelhoff Center.  BOX SCORE

The Beavers of Bemidji State have been playing especially strong volleyball of late, bringing Minnesota Duluth and Wayne State to five sets last weekend and downing Augustana College 3-2, as well. 

The Golden Bears played a typical dominant style of play to go up two sets to none before the Beavers managed to throw them off of their game.   A first set .625 hitting average was put up by Concordia while the Beavers were held to 14 kills in the combined first two sets.  The tide turned as Bemidji State out-hit the Golden Bears in the third set, however.

Nicole Olson, Bemidji's leading hitter in the match, got her team off to a strong 4-1 start.  The Golden Bears played with an uncharacteristic lack of control, struggling to run their offense in system and allowing the Beavers 14 kills in the third set.  Bemidji led 15-10 before Concordia made a slight comeback run, getting to within three points, but the Beavers never relinquished the lead.  They hit .200 in the set while the Golden Bears hit only .175 to take the 25-21 win.

This was the first set given up to an NSIC opponent all season.  The Golden Bears had won each of their prior 12 matches in three sets and had only gone to four sets two other times on the year, both times against ranked opponents.

The Golden Bears continued to struggle with their hitting in the fourth set, but they saw much better play from their passers and defenders to even things out.  Megan Carlson delivered five kills in the final set to lead the offense, while Mary Slinger came up with eight digs.

Emily Palkert put up a new season high kills total for the Golden Bears by smashing the ball 21 times.  She hit at a .500 clip, committing only four errors in the match.  Carlson added 14 kills to Concordia's total, followed by Sadie Kessler with 13 and Cassie Haag with 10.  By holding the Beavers to a low number of kills in the majority of the match, aside from the third set exception, the Golden Bears out-hit BSU 65 kills to 36.  They had a .298 average, compared to .152 for their opponent.

Another new season high total came from Slinger on the defensive end.  By snagging 31 digs in the match, Slinger reached a Concordia season high and hit the rare 30-dig threshold.  Maggie McNamara also added 61 assists to her season total.  She is now only 53 assists away from matching the CU all-time assists mark of 6,724, which ranks 5th all-time in the NCAA.

The Beavers were led offensively by Olson with 13 kills and Laura Slinger, Mary's younger sister, with eight.  Brie Groskreutz had a team high 14 digs for BSU.

NSIC Volleyball Weekly Release No. 7

October 5, 2009 | PDF Release

NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
#10 Mary Groth
MB, 6-1, Fr.,
West Bend, Wis.
Kettle Moraine Lutheran
SMSU

In three 3-0 matches this week, Groth tallied 44 kills (4.89/set) and posted a stellar .489 hitting percentage. Her best performance came against Minnesota, Crookston on Saturday when she set a school record for hitting percentage in a single match by killing 15 balls in 21 swings with no errors for a .714 mark in the category. She broke the previous record of .700 held by current Mustang Devin Diedrich and Renne Barenz. Groth led SMSU in kills in every match last week, finishing with at least 14 in each contest. Other week totals for the freshman included four digs and 10 blocks. This marks the second time this season Groth has been named NSIC Offensive Player of the Week (8/31/09).

NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#1 Shannon McGowan
DS, 5-7, So.,
Naperville, Ill.
Neuqua Valley HS
Winona State

McGowan played in 10 sets and dug up 59 balls for a 5.90 dig per set average to lead all NSIC players in digs this week. Her best match of the week was in a 3-1 win at Northern State, when McGowan dig up 37 balls, the highest total by an NSIC player this season in any match. She also had 5 assists and a service ace. This marks the second time this season McGowan has been named NSIC Defensive Player of the Week (9/21/09).

NSIC Setter of the Week
#8 Eleena Iisakka
S, 5-10, So.,
Esko, Minn.
Esko HS
Minnesota Duluth

Iisakka racked up 94 set assists (13.43 per set) in the Bulldogs’ weekend sweep at Romano Gym. Iisakka saved her best effort for Saturday afternoon, when she spread 52 assists out to five UMD attackers, all of whom finished with double-digit kill performances, in a 3-1 win over Augustana College. Iisakka also dug 12 balls and got in on six block assists to help the Bulldogs improve to 14-3 on the year. This marks the second time this season Iisakka has been named NSIC Setter of the Week (9/21/09).

CU's Slinger Represents Central Region With Scholar-Athlete Award

October 2, 2009 | Full CCA Release

Orlando, Fla. -  Concordia University's Mary Slinger has been declared the 2008-09 Division II Central Regional Scholar-Athlete of the Year, as named by the NCAA Division II Conference Commissioners' Association (DII CCA).  Slinger, who was a junior on the 2008 National Championship volleyball team, is currently the leading defender for the top-ranked and undefeated 2009 squad.  She is a chemistry and biology major with a 3.95 cumulative GPA.

The awards, which celebrate the top male and female student-athletes of each region, along with a male and female National Scholar-Athlete of the Year, are sponsored by Disney Sports Attractions.  The awards provide the opportunity for Division II to highlight the extraordinary achievements of its student-athletes.  With a strong commitment to education and a long-standing relationship with Division II athletics, the involvement of Disney Sports with the Division II Scholar-Athlete of the Year Awards is a natural fit.

Mary Slinger was a natural pick for the Central Region's female Scholar-Athlete of the Year award.  Slinger's athletic capabilities were crucial the Golden Bears winning their second consecutive national championship.  She led the defense with 588 digs on the season and maintained a virtually flawless .971 serve receive percentage.  In 586 attempts on serve receive, Slinger committed only 17 errors all season.  She was named an AVCA Second Team All-American and for the second straight year, was deemed the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference's Libero of the Year.  She was named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team following her defensive efforts en route to the title. 

Slinger has found a way to balance her athletic responsibilities with her academics and has been a model student-athlete.  Double majoring in chemistry and biology, Slinger flaunted a 3.94 cumulative GPA at the end of the 2008 season, which earned her a selection as an Academic All-American (Third Team).  Her academic average has since climbed a notch to 3.95.

Slinger is a native of Faribault, Minn. and a graduate of Bethlehem Academy High School.  Concordia University, St. Paul is an NCAA Division II member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference and is located in St. Paul, Minn.

#1 Golden Bears Tested, Come Out On Top

September 29, 2009 | Box Score

WAYNE, Neb. - In an anticipated NSIC battle between to nationally ranked and streaking squads, the Golden Bears of #1 Concordia University (18-0, 7-0 NSIC) saw their fiercest competition in league play on Tuesday night.  The Wildcats of Wayne State College (16-3, 4-1 NSIC), newly adorned with their #22 ranking, scored more points against the Golden Bears than any other league squad this season before suffering a 3-0 loss with set scores of 29-27, 25-21, 25-21.  The Golden Bears keep their winning streak alive at 55 matches, while a program high 15-match winning streak ends for the Wildcats. 

The Wildcats have a history of playing well against the Golden Bears and Tuesday night's matchup proved to be no different.  In the lengthiest NSIC match of Concordia's season, running an hour and 20 minutes, the Golden Bears were pitted against a solid offense and a fiesty defense.

Wayne State opened the match with a 4-0 run and kept the Golden Bears on their heels through most of the first set.  They churned out a 17-12 lead and, using several kills from Lea Hartigan along with Concordia mistakes, forced a rare timeout from CU head coach Brady Starkey before going on to lead 21-14. 

The Golden Bears woke from their apparent slumber just in the knick of time, however, going to a player who has shown time after time that she can handle pressure.  A fearless Sadie Kessler stunned the Wildcat audience by ripping off an incredible six straight kills to tie the set up at 24-24.  A kill from WSC's hitting leader, Jennifer Hefner, gave the Wildcats their sixth set point of the night and forced another Concordia timeout.  Ellie Duffy knotted the set at 25-25 before Concordia got a first set point, but again the tables turned as Wayne took off with a 27-26 lead.

The Golden Bears took the set back in a fashion that reminded some of their 2008 NCAA championship comeback, blocking back-to-back balls before Kessler fittingly ended the long set with an ace serve.

And that was just the first set!

The Wildcats never eased up, but Concordia fared much better in the remainder of the match.  They improved their hitting average and continued to play strong defensively, with Mary Slinger's expertise in the back row being an invaluable asset that could not be overlooked.    The Golden Bears did not allow the Wildcats a lead past the opening points for the remainder of the match, although the score remainded close and even tied at several points.

Emily Palkert boosted her team with six kills in the second set, also adding two blocks along the way.  Megan Carlson rocketed out seven kills without an error in the final set of the match, also adding two blocks, to guide her team to a continued undefeated season.  The Wildcats hit well in the final two sets, but the Golden Bears simply hit better and did a better job defending their side of the court.

Carlson put up a double-double with a match high 15 kills and 10 digs.  Kessler finished the night with 12 kills, but none as important as her eight in the first set.  She also had eight digs and two service aces.  Duffy had eight kills, followed by Palkert with seven.  Maggie McNamara gave her squad 41 assists, ten digs and three block assists in the win.

Causing the Golden Bears the most headache in the match was Lea Hartigan who matched the high of 15 kills.  She also had five digs and three blocks.  Hefner added 10 kills and two blocks.  Leigh Connot paced her defense with 17 digs.  The Wildcats finished with a .216 hitting average and held the Golden Bears, who lead the nation in the category, to a .254 average.

MSU's Beekman Named AVCA National Player of the Week

September 29, 2009 | AVCA Release

LEXINGTON, Ky. -  Amanda Beekman, a junior outside hitter for then-No. 11 Minnesota State University, has been named the Sports Imports/AVCA Division II National Player of the Week after propelling the Mavericks to three league victories, allowing the squad to remain undefeated at 5-0 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). She started the week with her best performance against St. Cloud State, hitting at a .500 clip with 22 kills, four digs, two blocks and an ace in a sweep of the Huskies. She continued action by drilling 11 kills (.346), while also contributing three blocks and a dig against the University of Mary. She finished the week with 16 kills, five digs, one ace and one block in a 3-1 win over Northern State. For the week, Beekman averaged 4.90 kills, 1.00 digs and 5.45 points per set, while hitting .380. This marks the fourth time an athlete from Minnesota State University has received the Sports Imports/AVCA Division II National Player of the Week award, with the last honor given to Brittany Stamer on Nov. 4, 2008. The Mavericks are coached by Dennis Amundson.

Beekman is the fourth Maverick to ever win the award. Other Minnesota State volleyball players to win the award are Leslie Pederson in 1994, Melanie Jude in 2003 and Brittany Stamer in 2008. Beekman is also the third NSIC Player named to this award this year (Maggie McNamara-CU 9/1/09 & Jennifer Hefner-WSC 9/15/09)

NSIC Volleyball Weekly Release No. 6

September 28, 2009 | PDF Release

NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
#7 Amanda Beekman
OH, 6-0, Jr.,
Marshall, Minn.
Marshall HS
Minnesota State

Beekman helped the Mavericks finish undefeated this past week with her offensive attack. Beekman finished with 49 kills (4.90 per set) and a .384 hitting percentage. Beekman also earned two service aces, ten digs and six blocks. Her 5.45 points per set were tops among players in the NSIC this week. The Mavericks finished the week 3-0 with wins over St. Cloud, Mary and Northern State. Beekman now owns a team high 213 kills, 3.67 per set with a 3.67 hitting percentage on the season. The Mavericks are now 15-2 overall and 5-0 in the NSIC.

NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#3 Mary Slinger
Libero, 5-8, Sr.,
Faribault, Minn.
Bethlehem Academy HS
Concordia-St. Paul

Slinger recorded a season high 25 digs to push the Golden Bears to a 3-0 win over #14 Southwest Minnesota State on Tuesday night. The performance pushed her career over the 2,000 dig mark as she steadily makes her way toward becoming CU’s all-time digs leader. Slinger finished her week of play with a 6.00 dig per set average to increase her season balance to 5.00. She ranks second in the conference among all defenders.

NSIC Setter of the Week
#4 Maggie McNamara
S, 5-9, Sr.,
Zumbrota, Minn.
Zumbrota-Mazeppa HS
Concordia-St. Paul

McNamara averaged 14.33 assists per set and 2.11 digs per set as she led her team to a continued winning streak last week. She went over 40 assists in each of the swift 3-0 wins and put a double-double in the books with 12 digs against MSUM. McNamara’s hitters, who already lead the nation in attacking, put up a .399 hitting average and the squad improved to 17-0 on the year. McNamara leads the nation for the fourth straight year in assists with a season average of 13.77. This marks the third time this season McNamara has been named NSIC Setter of the Week.

NSIC Volleyball Weekly Release No. 5

September 21, 2009 | PDF Release

NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
#4 Alyssa Nelson
MB, 5-11, Jr.,
Hayfield, Minn.
Hayfield HS
Minnesota Duluth

Alyssa Nelson opened the conference season with a bang, averaging 4.17 kills per set in UMD’s first two home matches of 2009. Nelson registered 13 kills in Friday night’s win over the University of Minnesota, Crookston before adding another 12 in Saturday’s triumph over Minnesota State University Moorhead. In addition to her impressive kill totals, Nelson was incredibly efficient, as she committed just two errors and hit .590 for the weekend to help lead UMD, which did not lose a set against either of its opponents at Romano Gymnasium. She also averaged 4.67 points per match, the third highest total of any player in the NSIC last week.

NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#1 Shannon McGowan
DS, 5-7, So.,
Naperville, Ill.
Neuqua Valley HS
Winona State

Shannon McGowan lead all NSIC players in digs this past week as she dug 62 balls for a 6.20 per game average. She added 4 assists and 2 service aces. She had 21 and 23 digs in respective matches against St. Cloud State.

NSIC Setter of the Week
#8 Eleena Iisakka
S, 5-10, So.,
Esko, Minn.
Esko HS
Minnesota Duluth

Eleena Iisakka finished the weekend with 72 kill assists in just two matches at Romano Gymnasium, good for an average of 12.00 per set. Iisakka’s steady hand helped the Bulldogs hit a league leading .434 as a team in two NSIC victories, both of which came in straight sets. She also added four service aces in the six sets played.

VB: Wayne State Upsets #10 SMSU

Sept. 15, 2009 | Box Scores

Sophomore Tali Fredrickson (pictured) recorded a career-high 23 kills to go with 21 digs to help the Wayne State College volleyball team rally for a thrilling five-game win at #10 Southwest Minnesota State to open Northern Sun Conference play Tuesday evening in Marshall, Minnesota.  Scores of the match were 21-25, 25-21, 24-26, 26-24 and 15-13.  WSC has now won 11 straight matches, improving to 12-2 overall and 1-0 in the NSIC while Southwest Minnesota State is now 10-3 overall and 0-1 in league play. SMSU-WSC Box

The host Mustangs opened the match with a 25-21 win in the first game.  WSC rallied from an early 8-3 deficit in the second game to win 25-21.  After the Wildcats held a 21-17 lead in the third game, SMSU rallied for a 26-24 win to take a 2-1 lead.  In the fourth game, SMSU held a 15-12 advantage, but the Wildcats stormed back and with the score tied at 24-24, got kills from Lea Hartigan and Mindy Moody to win the fourth game 26-24.  The fifth game saw SMSU take a 10-8 lead, but WSC scored six straight points to earn match point with a 14-10 lead.  However, the Mustangs responded and scored five straight points to make the score 14-13.  But WSC got a kills from Hartigan to end the match as the Wildcats won 15-13 in the fifth game to rally for the 3-2 win.

Fredrickson, a 5-7 outside hitter from Grand Island Central Catholic HS, surpassed her previous career-high of 18 kills set last season at Colorado Mines.  Her 21 digs is two shy of a career-high and it was Fredrickson’s sixth double-double of the season.  Hartigan finished with 18 kills, matching her career-high set last season vs. Minnesota Duluth at the NCAA Tournament while Jennifer Hefner, named earlier today the Sports Imports/AVCA Division II National Volleyball Player of the Week, added 17 kills in the Wildcat win.

As a team, WSC hit .292 for the match with just 14 errors compared to Southwest Minnesota State’s .270 hitting percentage and 24 hitting errors.

Defensively, sophomore libero Leigh Connot notched 24 digs followed by Fredrickson with 21 and Diedra Artz with 10.  Artz also was credited with 58 set assists.  Hartigan accounted for a team-high three service aces.

Wayne State will be at home this weekend, hosting Northern State Friday evening (7:00 p.m.) and the University of Mary Saturday afternoon (4:00 p.m.) in Northern Sun Conference play.   

September 15, 2009 Results

WSC's Hefner Named AVCA National Player of the Week

September 15, 2009 | AVCA Release

LEXINGTON, Ky. - For the second time in the first three weeks, the NSIC has the AVCA National Player of the Week. Jennifer Hefner, a junior middle blocker for Wayne State College (Neb.), has been named the Sports Imports/AVCA Division II Player of the Week after leading her team to a 5-0 record, including a 4-0 mark at the Rockhurst Tournament last weekend. Hefner started the week by hitting .375, while drilling 13 kills with three assists, two blocks and two digs in a sweep of Chadron State. She then began the Rockhurst Tournament by hitting at a .526 clip with 12 kills, four blocks and three digs in a 3-0 win against Fort Hays State. In the Wildcats' next match, Hefner scored 18 kills with two aces, two digs and a block in the 3-1 victory over host Rockhurst. Hefner followed that up with her best performance of the weekend hitting an impressive .727, drilling 16 kills with no errors in yet another sweep, this one against Illinois-Springfield. Hefner finished the weekend off by leading WSU to its fourth sweep against Missouri Western hitting .468 and clubbing 11 kills with zero errors. She also tallied in two digs and an ace to lead the team to the tournament championship. For the week, Hefner averaged 4.38 kills, 0.62 blocks and 5.06 points per set. This is the third time an athlete from Wayne State has received the Sports Imports/AVCA Division II National Player of the Week award, with Emily Schroeder earning the previous accolade on Nov. 12, 2007. The Wildcats are coached by Scott Kniefl. CU's Maggie McNamara was named AVCA POW on September 1, 2009.

NSIC Volleyball Weekly Release No. 4

September 14, 2009 | PDF Release

NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
#7 Jennifer Hefner
MB, 6-1, Jr.,
Archer, Neb.
Central City HS
Wayne State

Hefner averaged 4.38 kills and 0.62 blocks while hitting .468 in five matches during the week as WSC posted a 5-0 record. Hefner was consistent during the week recording 11 or more kills in all five matches with a high of 18 kills in a 3-1 win over Rockhurst. She also had 16 kills with no attack errors on 22 attempts for a .727 hitting percentage in Saturday’s 3-0 win over Illinois-Springfield at the Rockhurst Tournament in Kansas City.

NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#3 Kenzie Niesche
DS, 5-8, Fr.,
Chaska, Minn.
Chaska HS
SMSU

Niesche used a 88-dig performance last weekend to help No. 12 Southwest Minnesota State to a 4-0 record at the Radisson-Roseville/Concordia University Tournament in St. Paul, Minn. Niesche averaged 5.50 digs per set on the weekend and also aced a pair of serves. A 33-dig outing against Bemidji State on Friday highlighted the freshman’s solid performance.

NSIC Setter of the Week
#4 Maggie McNamara
S, 5-9, Sr.,
Zumbrota, Minn.
Zumbrota-Mazeppa HS
Concordia-St. Paul

McNamara averaged an outstanding 14.44 assists per set as she guided her Golden Bears to an NCAA record 48 straight wins with a 3-0 weekend at home. McNamara has one of the highest assist averages in the nation and is more than 1.5 assists/set ahead of any other NSIC setter. She had a high of 45 assists against Augustana College and helped her team go 3-0 in all three matches. McNamara also picked up 14 digs and four blocks to go with six serving aces.

CU's VB Sets New NCAA Consecutive Win Streak - 47 & Counting

September 11, 2009 | Box Score

ST. PAUL, Minn. - With a 3-0 decision over Dowling College (5-2) on Friday evening, the Concordia University volleyball team set a new NCAA Division II record for consecutive matches won, marking 47 straight wins dating back to August 29, 2008.  The Golden Bears took 37 straight wins en route to a 2008 national championship and have started the 2009 campaign at 10-0.  They aim to increase their record as they host Augustana College in a non-conference meeting on Saturday at 4:00 pm.

The Golden Bears had a worthy opponent in the Golden Lions of Dowling College.  Both squads displayed fireworks offensively, but Concordia used a 14 kill edge to take the win (25-23, 25-18, 25-17).  They had 47 total kills in the match, including 11 from outside hitter and sophomore Megan Carlson and 10 from junior middle hitter Emily Palkert. Defense eventually proved to be the difference maker, however, as the Golden Bears continually forced up digs to save rallies and allow their offense to go to work.  Mary Slinger led all players with 14 digs. (Read More)

CU's McNamara Not Just a "Face in the Crowd"

September 10, 2009 | SI Release

Concordia University senior setter Maggie McNamara is one of six athletes from around the nation featured in this week's Sports Illustrated Faces in the Crowd!!  McNamara is the first Concordia athlete to ever be featured in Faces in the Crowd segment, which gives recognition to the top up-and-coming athletes.  Pick up the latest Sports Illustrated to see Maggie's highlights or visit the ONLINE VERSION.

Maggie McNamara, the premier setter for the Golden Bear volleyball team, has guided her team to a perfect 8-0 start and has brought the squad to two NCAA National Championships (2007 & 2008).  Behind her work, Concordia has a current 45-match winning streak going with the opportunity to set a new NCAA DII record for consecutive wins this weekend (NCAA record is 46 set by Ferris State in 1985).  She was named the AVCA Division II Player of the Week following a 13.23 assist per set average through four matches in the opening weekend of the 2009 season.  She then went on to average 14.00 assists per set as the team improved to 8-0 on the year last weekend.  Overall, McNamara has a 13.62 a/s average with her offense putting down 15.81 kills per set with a .294 hitting average.

McNamara and her Golden Bears are in action this weekend, playing their home opener at the Radisson-Roseville Classic Friday and Saturday at the Gangelhoff Center in St. Paul, Minn.  Concordia University is an NCAA Division II member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).

NSIC Volleyball Weekly Release No. 3

September 8, 2009 | PDF Release

NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
#18 Laura Tvrdik
RS, 6-0, Jr.,
Farwell, Minn.
Minnewaska HS
MSU Moorhead

Tvrdik hit an outstanding .468 in four matches at the Comfort INNvitational where she was named to the all-tournament team while she aided the Dragons in taking the tournament title. She had 50 kills averaging 3.85 per set and also picked up eight blocks. She had three matches where she hit above .400 including a .700 against Northwest Missouri State where she was 15-for-20 with one error. Against Quincy (Ill.) she was 12-for-21 hitting .571 and hit .417 against Texas A&M Commerce with 13 kills.

NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#7 Jennifer Hefner
MB, 6-1, Jr.,
Archer, Neb.
Central City HS
Wayne State

Hefner averaged 1.86 blocks per game (6 solo, 20 assisted) to go with 3.43 kills per game to help WSC to a 4-0 record at the St. Cloud State Tournament. She led all NSIC players this past week as she averaged 4.71 points per set. She was also named to the All-Tournament Team, marking the second straight weekend Hefner captured All-Tournament honors after being named to the Marriott Invitational All-Tournament Team at Colorado Springs last weekend.

NSIC Setter of the Week
#2 Brittany Stamer
S, 5-7, So.,
Hutchinson, Minn.
Hutchinson HS
Minnesota State

Stamer finished the week with a total of 163 assists giving her an average of 13.58 per set while leading the Mavericks to a .353 hitting percentage over the week, the highest of any team in the NSIC. Stamer also earned six kills, one service ace and 27 digs. Her opponents were Shepherd University, Webber International, Rollins College and Barton College. The Mavericks finished the weekend 4-0, sweeping all four of their matches.

CU's McNamara Named AVCA National Player of the Week

September 1, 2009 | AVCA Release

LEXINGTON, Ky. - #1 Concordia University has another top-ranked status this week, as senior setter Maggie McNamara has been named the Sports Imports/AVCA Division II Player of the Week.  McNamara helped lead the Golden Bears to a 4-0 start on the season, dishing out a phenomenal 13.23 assists per set.  This is the second career Sports Imports/AVCA Division II Player of the Week honor for McNamara, her last coming on Sept. 8, 2009.

McNamara's (Zumbrota, Minn. / Zumbrota-Mazeppa HS) continued excellence on the court helped to extent Concordia's winning streak to 41 matches as they cruised past all four opponents at the West Florida Comfort Inn-vitational, including two wins over teams ranked in the top 15 nationally.  McNamara kicked the season off with a double-double, tallying 38 assists and 11 digs along with two blocks and an ace in a sweep of Eckerd.  In the Golden Bears' next match, she dished out 36 assists in addition to adding six digs, one block and one ace in a 3-0 win over then-#15 West Florida.  The 2008 AVCA Division II National Player of the Year opened Saturday's play with 51 assists, eight digs and one ace in a five-set win over then-#12 Central Missouri and finished things up with 47 assists, three digs and two blocks in a whitewashing of Florida Tech.

For the week, McNamara averaged 13.23 assists, not far from her NCAA best pace in 2008, and 2.15 digs per set. 

This is the seventh time that an athlete from Concordia University has earned the Sports Imports/AVCA Division II Player of the Week honor.  The Golden Bears look ahead to stifling competition at the Regis/Metro Premiere Challenge this weekend before opening their home schedule Sept. 11-12 at the Gangelhoff Center.

NSIC Volleyball Weekly Release No. 2

August 31, 2009 | PDF Release

NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
#10 Mary Groth
MB, 6-1, Fr.,
West Bend, Wis.
Kettle Moraine Lutheran
SMSU

Groth opened her collegiate volleyball career in style, leading No. 8 Southwest Minnesota State to a perfect 4-0 record to christen the 2009 season this past weekend at the Augustana/SpringHill Suites Invitational. The true freshman killed 54 balls (3.86/set) in four matches as the Mustangs picked up wins against Missouri Western State, Chadron State (Neb.), Reigs (Colo.) and Northern State. Groth was extremely efficient in her eye-catching offensive campaign, hitting a sparkling .449 on the weekend. She recorded just six errors in 107 swings and had six blocks. The middle blocker’s best performance came on Friday against Chadron State when she tallied 16 kills and posted a hitting percentage of .500. For her performance, Groth landed on the all-tournament team.

NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#3 Brie Groskreutz
OH, 5-7, Jr.,
Reedsburg, Wis.
Reedsburg Area HS
Bemidji State

Groskreutz was named to the Best Western/Runza Fall Classic All-Tournament Team after helping the Beavers to a 3-1 record in the tournament hosted by the University of Nebraska-Kearney. She led the team in digs with 68 (5.67 d/s) and posted the second most set assists (10, 0.83 a/s) and third most kills (24, 2.00 k/s). Groskreutz had three service aces and a .984 receiving percentage.

NSIC Setter of the Week
#4 Maggie McNamara
S, 5-9, Sr.,
Zumbrota, Minn.
Zumbrota-Mazeppa HS
Concordia-St. Paul

McNamara dished out 172 assists for the 4-0 and #1 nationally-ranked Golden Bears last weekend. She had an average of 13.23 assists per set, keeping up the assist pace from last season, which was tops in the nation. Behind her work, the Golden Bears out-hit their opponents .273 to .133 and averaged 15.31 kills per set. McNamara also had 28 digs and five block assists on the weekend.

NSIC Starts 2-0 on Day 1 of Season

August 27, 2009

The Minnesota State University Moorhead Dragons notched the first win of the 2009 campaign today.  The 3-0 victory came against Western State of Colorado in the 2009 Holiday Inn Denver West Village Oredigger Volleyball Classic. The Dragons pulled out a tightly place match 3-0 with wins by the score of 25-22, 26-24, 26-24. Also in action today, the Augustana volleyball team started its season off with a win as the Vikings defeated the Regis Rangers 3-1 in the first match of the SpringHill Suites Invitational at the Elmen Center. The Vikings won 25-18, 25-19, 16-25, and 25-21.

NSIC Volleyball Weekly Release No. 1

August 24, 2009 | PDF Release

St. Paul, Minn. - The 2009 NSIC Volleyball season will starting serving up some action this week as non-conference matches begin on Wednesday night. All 14 teams will see action this weekend, with Augustana College having the only home matches as they host the SpringHill Suites Invitational. The Vikings will host Regis University Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. MSU Moorhead will take on Western State at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday out in Golden, Colo to officially get the 2009 season underway. Click Here for Full Release

Concordia-St. Paul Voted Preseason Favorite in AVCA Division II Coaches Top 25 Poll

August 20, 2009 | AVCA Release

Lexington, Ky. - Concordia University, St. Paul debuts the 2009 volleyball season as the nation’s top squad according to the AVCA Division II Coaches Top 25 Preseason Poll, released Thursday afternoon by the organization. CSP, under head coach Brady Starkey, earned a unanimous 32 first-place votes and 800 total points after turning in a 37-1 record and capturing its second-consecutive national championship in 2008.

The Golden Bears enter 2009 hungry for their third-straight title. Reigning AVCA Division II National Player of the Year Maggie McNamara returns to the setter spot for her senior season and will anchor the roster along with junior middle blocker and AVCA First-Team All-American Emily Palkert. Defensive ace Mary Slinger also returns to her libero position which saw her earn AVCA Second-Team All-America accolades a year ago, as the Golden Bears welcome back nine total letterwinners to the court this season.

The NSIC had three teams ranked in the top ten and five in the top 25 in the poll. Minnesota Duluth (7th), Southwest Minnesota State (8th), Augustana College (22nd) and Wayne State (25) were all regional participants last season and were ranked in the preseason poll. Minnesota State received votes, but was not ranked in the top 25. The NSIC volleyball season begins Thursday, August 27th.

Others Receiving Votes and listed on two or more ballots: Minnesota State 39; Saginaw Valley State 25; Northern Kentucky 13; Dowling 11; Indianapolis 11; Sonoma State 10; Chico State 9; Wingate 9; Armstrong Atlantic State 6; Northern Michigan 2

Concordia University, St. Paul Selected as Preseason Favorite in Volleyball Coaches’ Poll

August 10, 2009 | Full Release

St. Paul, Minn. - For the sixth consecutive season the Concordia University, St. Paul Golden Bears have been picked by the league coaches in the NSIC Preseason Volleyball Poll. After winning the 2007 & 2008 NCAA National Championship, the Golden Bears received all 13 of the possible first place votes (coaches cannot vote for their own team). The Golden Bears return All-American senior, setter Maggie McNamara, the coaches’ choice for Preseason Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. Minnesota Duluth finished in second in the coaches poll as they edge out Minnesota State University, Mankato by two points. The Mavericks received the only other first place vote. Wayne State (128) and SMSU (125) round out the top five in the poll.

The 2009 NSIC Volleyball season serves up its first action on Thursday August 27 with multiple teams in competition.

2009 NSIC Preseason Player of the Year

#12 Maggie McNamara
S, 5-9, Sr.,
Zumbrota, Minn.
Zumbrota-Mazeppa HS
Concordia University, St. Paul

A three-time AVCA All-American, setter Maggie McNamara enters her senior season at Concordia after being named the 2008 AVCA Division II National Player of the Year. McNamara has guided the Golden Bears to back-to-back National Championships and has led all other setters in the nation in assists for the past three years. She has racked up 5,800 total assists in her career, averaging an NCAA all-time high mark of 14.36 assists per set. Behind McNamara’s sets, the Golden Bears led the nation in kills per set in 2008 and had the nation’s third highest hitting average. McNamara is also a defensive leader for the Concordia, accumulating 1,034 digs in three seasons. This is her second straight bid as the NSIC Preseason Player of the Year. She also has a set of NSIC Player of the Year honors and three All-Region accolades.

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