For Immediate Release
Monday, Novmeber 18, 2013
NSIC Media Relations
Full PDF Release

NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
# 7  Kate Lange
 OH, 6-1, Sr.,  
 Hibbing, Minn.
 Hibbing HS
 Minnesota Duluth


NSIC Setter of the Week
#15  Emilee Gutzmer  
S, 5-8, So.,
Jordan, Minn.
Jordan  HS
Southwest Minensota State


NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#9  Julie Rainey  
DS, 5-9, Jr.,
Stewartville, Minn.
Stewartville HS
Minnesota Duluth
2013 NSIC VOLLEYBALL TEAM NOTES
Augustana College Vikings (22-7, 14-6 NSIC)
www.goaugie.com
Head Coach: Ashley Buckley • Penn State ‘05 • 6th Season • W-L: 106-76, 68-49 NSIC
Assistant Coach: Ashley Petak                    2012 Record: 17-13, 11-9 NSIC (8th)
Augustana closed the regular season with a pair of conference wins and earned the No. 4 seed in the US Bank/NSIC Tournament after finishing 22-7 overall, 14-6 in the NSIC. The Vikings couldn’t maintain their lead in a non-conference match with No. 8 Southwest Minnesota State and fell in four sets on Tuesday. The Vikings bounced back and swept Minot State and U-Mary on their final weekend road trip. The Vikings were ranked No. 7 in the second edition of the NCAA Central Region ranking released last Wednesday and look to improve with this Wednesday’s match with No. 22 Northern State.
Holly Hafemeyer (MB, 6-3, Sr., Faribault, Minn./Bethlehem Academy) led the Vikings in kills and blocks this weekend as she averaged 4.2 kills per set and 1.3 blocks per set to register 51 points on the weekend. Hafemeyer reached double figures in each of Augustana’s matches, and hit just one error with 28 kills over the weekend. Against Minot State, Hafemeyer finished her second match of the season without hitting a single attack error with 12 kills for a .545 attack percentage and also chipped in three solo blocks and three block assists. In the regular season finale, Hafemeyer hit 16 kills, seven in the second set alone, with one error for a .536 attack percentage. In all three matches, Hafemeyer finished the week with 42 kills, a .336 attack percentage and 13 total blocks.
Marissa Johnson (S, 5-8, So., Omaha, Neb./Burke HS) led Augustana’s offense with 133 assists over three matches as the Vikings went 2-1. Johnson dished out 45 assists in the season finale against U-Mary for a 15.0 assists per set average as she helped the Vikings hit .358 as a team. Johnson also picked up her seventh double-double of the season with a 37-assist, 14-dig performance on Friday night against Minot State. Johnson averaged 13.3 assists per set over the weekend and chipped in with 27 digs and three service aces.
Kayla Wallerich (L, 5-8, Sr., Marshall, Minn./Marshall HS) picked up 4.6 digs per set as she led the Vikings in digs in all three matches this week. Wallerich tallied 19 in Augustana’s non-conference loss to Southwest Minnesota State, before totaling 27 over the weekend as the Vikings bounced back with a pair of wins. Wallerich recorded 17 digs in the three-set win over Minot State that limited the Beavers to a .096 attack percentage.
11/12/2013    Southwest Minnesota State L 1-3     11/15/2013    Minot State W 3-0
11/16/2013    University of Mary W 3-0     11/20/2013    Northern State 6 p.m.
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Bemidji State University Beavers (6-22, 2-18 NSIC)
www.bsubeavers.com
Head Coach: Wayne Chadwick • Wisconsin-Whitewater ‘88 • 4th Season • W-L: 28-83, 15-67 NSIC
Assistant Coaches: Jerry Hulla &  Hannah Wilson     2012 Record: 4-23, 2-18 NSIC(t-15th)
Jessica Yost (OH, Fr., Bemidji, Minn.) finished the season with a pair of stellar performances against Upper Iowa and Winona State. Yost totaled 35 kills and 17 digs on the weekend. Yost ends the season as the team leader in kills (341). She is the first freshman to lead Bemidji State in kills since 2007.
Courtney Volkmann (S, Jr., Wadena, Minn.) finished her second straight season as the starting setter against Upper Iowa and Winona State, complied 83 assists and 23 digs. Volkmann finished the season leading the Beavers in assists (879), service aces (27) and was second on the team in digs (244).
Kayla DeJong (DS, So., Jefferson, Wis.) completed her first season as the libero for BSU as the team leader in digs (407). It was the best dig total for a BSU player since 2010. DeJong contributed 31 digs in the final weekend of the season, and also chipped in four service aces.
11/15/2013    Upper Iowa  W 3-2     11/16/2013    Winona State     L 1-3
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Concordia University-St. Paul Golden Bears (27-2, 19-1 NSIC)
http://www.cugoldenbears.com/
Head Coach: Brady Starkey  • Metropolitan State ‘02 • 10th Season • W-L: 366-33, 193-7 NSIC
Assistant Coach: George Padjen, Hailey Cowles & Ellie Duffy 2012 Record: 33-4, 18-2 NSIC (t-1st)
Emily McDonough (OH, 5’9”, So., Stillwater, Minn. / Stillwater Area HS) led the Golden Bears with 27 kills in their two matches with the St. Cloud State Huskies and she collected double-doubles in both matches.  Against the Huskies, McDonough hit .391 and had 11 kills and 12 digs and followed it up with a team-high 16 kills and 17 digs against the #3 Bulldogs.
Amanda Konetchy (S, 5’7”, Sr., Victoria, Minn. / Chaska HS) collected 99 assists (12.38 per set) in CU’s split with SCSU and UMD.  Konetchy nearly missed a double-double in both matches with eight digs in each.  She led the Concordia offense to hit .360 on Friday with 40 assists before contributing 59 assists on Saturday in Duluth.
Concordia (27-2, 19-1 NSIC) ended their NSIC regular season with a split against the St. Cloud State Huskies and #3 Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs.  CU clinched the conference title outright with a straight set win in St. Cloud (25-16, 17, 11) to give themselves an opportunity to finish the NSIC slate unblemished.  The Bulldogs had other ideas on Saturday as they jumped on the Golden Bears early and grabbed the first two sets.  Concordia bounced back by winning the next two and forcing a fifth set, but the Bulldogs closed the door with a win in the fifth to give CU their first loss in 25 matches and their first conference loss in 33 matches (23-25, 18-25, 25-21, 25-22, 11-15).
11/15/2013    St. Cloud State W 3-0     11/16/2013    Minnesota Duluth L 2-3
11/20/2013    Minnesota Crookston  7 p.m.
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University of Mary (N.D.) Marauders (4-23, 1-19 NSIC)
www.goumary.com
Head Coach: Steve Novacek  • Minnesota Duluth ‘05 • 4th Season • W-L: 9-75, 5-55 NSIC
Assistant Coach: Christa Jung & Maureen Moriarty  2012 Record: 3-24, 3-17 NSIC (14th)
The University of Mary volleyball team finished its 2013-14 season with one of its best efforts of the season against Augustana College Saturday night. U-Mary hit  a season best .292 against Augustana, but was ultimately defeated by the Vikings. Alexis Jacobs (OH, RFr., 5-11, Bismarck, N.D. / Century) led the Marauders with 10 kills on the night, but it was Allison Adams (MB, Jr., 6-0, Minneapolis, Minn. / Southwest HS) who was U-Mary’s top offensive performer finishing with nine kills while hitting  a career-best .529. Emily Turkowski (S, Sr., 5-9, Naperville, Ill. / Central HS) finished with a season-high 34 assists and Alicia Ewen (DS, Sr., 5-4, St. Francis, Minn. / St Francis HS) added a season best 11 digs. Defensively U-Mary had a 42-40 advantage in digs and a 7-3 edge in blocks. On Friday against Wayne State, U-Mary came out energized, but quickly faded. Adams, Jacobs and Paige Smith (MB, 5-11, So., Jordan, Minn.  / Jordan HS) each had six kills for the Marauders. Turkowski paced the U-Mary with 21 assists.
11/15/2013    Wayne State L 0-3     11/16/2013    Augustana L 0-3
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University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles (15-13, 10-10 NSIC)
www.goldeneaglesports.com
Head Coach: Lee Anderson  • University of Ottawa ‘98 • 7th Season • W-L: 55-146, 34-101 NSIC
Assistant Coach: Heather Grieser 2012 Record: 11-16, 7-13 NSIC (11th)
The University of Minnesota Crookston volleyball program ended the regular-season on a great note as they swept Winona State and Upper Iowa at home in order to punch their ticket to the NSIC Tournament. The Golden Eagles reached 15 wins on the season, a school record for the program. UMC has now won 38 games in the last three years, turning around the program after the winless season in 2010.
Brittany Looker (Jr., OH, Rochester, Minn.) averaged 4.43 kills per set last weekend as she helped lead the Golden Eagles to a NSIC Tournament berth with a 3-0 win over Winona State University, a team they were swept by earlier in the season, and a 3-1 win over Upper Iowa University, who UMC lost to 3-2 earlier this year. Looker had 14 kills and hit .250 in three sets against Winona State. She tallied 17 kills and hit .200 with 15 digs versus Upper Iowa. Looker also became the fifth person in program history to surpass 1,000 kills, breaking the mark against Upper Iowa.
Katie Miedtke (Sr., MH, Maple Grove, Minn.) was a force on the offensive and defensive ends for the Golden Eagles as the senior played some of her best volleyball in her final weekend at Lysaker Gymnasium. Miedtke had one solo block and four block assists to help the Golden Eagles throttle Winona State 3-0 on Friday and had four block assists in the 3-1 win over Upper Iowa to punch UMC’s ticket to the NSIC Tournament. Miedtke added eight kills and hit .316 against Winona State and had nine kills and hit .438 versus Upper Iowa.
11/15/2013    Winona State University W 3-0     11/16/2013    Upper Iowa University W 3-1
11/20/2013    Concordia-St. Paul 7 p.m.
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University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs (28-2, 18-2 NSIC)
www.umdbulldogs.com
Head Coach: Jim Boos  • UW–Oshkosh ‘94 • 12th Season • W-L: 323-59, 130-23 NSIC
Assistant Coach: Christyn May   2012 Record: 29-5, 18-2 NSIC (t-1st)
The No. 3 Bulldogs closed regular season action with a pair of home wins, downing Minnesota State in straight sets before knocking off No. 1 Concordia-St. Paul in five. A crowd of 1,800+ came to Romano Gym to see the battle of the top two teams in the NSIC on Saturday afternoon, seeing UMD jump out to an early 2-0 lead before the Golden Bears battled back to force the fifth set. The Bulldogs hit .391 in the fifth set to close out the win.
Senior outside hitter Kate Lange smacked 43 kills on the weekend, an average of 5.38 per set while hitting .357 on the weekend. She added a pair of solo blocks and three service aces while also hauling in 24 digs (3.0 per set). Lange had five kills in the deciding fifth set against No. 1 Concordia.
Junior libero Julie Rainey broke the Bulldog career digs record when she saved number 1,704 for her career on Saturday night, boosting the mark to 1,710 by the end of the match. She had 56 digs on the weekend, an average of 7.00 per set without a single reception error in 45 opportunities. Rainey added nine set assists and one service ace to her strong defensive effort.
Sophomore setter Ashley Hinsch had 94 assists on the weekend, an average of 11.75 per game. Hinsch had six kills as she set UMD to a .286 attack percentage on the weekend, including .337 against Minnesota State on Friday night. She added eight blocks and 10 digs in the pair of wins.
11/15/2013    Minnesota State  W 3-0     11/16/2013    Concordia-St. Paul     W 3-2
11/20/2013    Sioux Falls 7 p.m.
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Minnesota State University, Mankato Mavericks (13-15, 8-12 NSIC)
www.msumavericks.com
Head Coach: Dennis Amundson  • St. Cloud State ‘69 • 9th Season • W-L: 165-109, 76-44 NSIC
Assistant Coaches: Lori Rittenhouse-Wollmuth, Bre Payton 2012 Record: 18-11, 12-8 NSIC (t-6th)
The Minnesota State volleyball team had its season come to a close as it fell to No. 3 Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State, both in straight sets on the final weekend of conference action. The Mavericks finished their season with a 13-15 overall record and a mark of 8-12 in NSIC action. The sophomore tandem of outside hitter Chandra Honebrink (Waconia, Minn.) and setter Ellie Van De Steeg (Hutchinson, Minn.) led the way for the Mavericks as Honebrink posted a team-high 304 kills while Van De Steeg tallied 1,098 assists. Both athletes received second team All-NSIC honors.
11/15/2013    Minnesota Duluth L 0-3     11/16/2013    St. Cloud State L 0-3
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Minnesota  State University Moorhead Dragons (15-13, 8-12 NSIC)
www.msumdragons.com
Head Coach: Tammy Kath-Blake • South Dakota ‘89 • 19th Season • W-L: 331-253, 186-139 NSIC
Assistant Coach: Katy Peterson & Kelsey Hennessy • 2012 Record: 17-12, 9-11 NSIC (10th)
Kaitlin VanWinkle (MB, 5-11, So., Farmington, Minn. / Lakeville South HS) had a solid week offensively for the Dragons. She has 27 kills, averaging a team-best 3.0 kills per set, in home losses to No. 8-ranked Southwest Minnesota State and Sioux Falls. She had 16 kills during a five-set loss to Sioux Falls on Saturday after recording 11 kills -- and hitting .375 -- in the loss to SMSU on Friday. VanWinkle led the Dragons with 309 kills on the season.
Maggie Gruber (MB, 6-2, Jr., Belgrade, Minn. / Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa HS) was a dominant force at the net in two matches for MSUM, recording one solo block and 16 assists. She had one solo block and seven assists in a four-set loss to No. 8-ranked SMSU on Friday. She followed with nine block assists in a five-set loss to Sioux Falls on Saturday. She averaged a NSIC-best 1.89 blocks per set this past week.
Casie Baer (S, 5-8, So., Canby, Minn. / Canby HS) had a solid week as part of the Dragons’ two-setter attack, averaging 5.3 assists per set. She had 21 assists in a four-set loss to No. 8-ranked SMSU on Friday and then had 27 set assists -- just two away from a season-high -- in a five-set loss to Sioux Falls.
11/15/2013    Southwest Minnesota State University L 1-3     11/16/2013    University of Sioux Falls (S.D.)  L 2-3
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Minot State University Beavers (12-18, 7-13 NSIC)
www.msubeavers.com
Head Coach: Travis Ward • Western Oregon • 2nd Season • W-L: 17-43, 9-32 NSIC
Assistant Coach: Kody DuBarry  • 2012 Record: 6-24, 2-18 NSIC (t-15th)
Minot State played some of their best volleyball of the season in weekend losses to Augustana and Wayne State. The Beavers had chances to win multiple sets against both teams who are receiving votes or ranked in the top 25 in the latest American Volleyball Coaches’ Association Poll. Friday night against Augie, MISU dropped sets two and three both by two points (27-25, 26-24). Lauren Dunkle (Fr., OH, Aurora, Colo.) had a solid game notching 13 kills while also collecting nine digs. On Saturday night against No. 20 Wayne State, the Beavers jumped out to a fast start taking the first set from the Wildcats. But again, MISU lost another close set in the fourth (26-24) to end their season. Jen Dixon (Jr., OH, Brandon, Manitoba) led Minot State with 18 kills in the loss while Dunkle and Mallory Sall (So., OH, Port Coquitlam, British Columbia) had 17 kills and 16 kills in their season finale. Dixon, who ended the 2013 season with a team-high 387 kills, now sits second on the all-time kills list at Minot State with 1,257 career kills. She sits just 185 kills shy of all-time leader Lisa Webb (1,442). The Beavers end their year with a 12-18 overall record, doubling their win total from the 2012 season.
11/15/2013    Augustana College L 0-3     11/16/2013    Wayne State College L 1-3
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Northern State University Wolves (21-6, 14-6 NSIC)
www.northernstatewolves.com
Head Coach: Brent Aldridge  • South Dakota ‘92 • 3rd Season • W-L: 53-31, 35-25 NSIC
Assistant Coach: Emily Foster, Sonja Markanovich, Chelsea Chavez  2012 Record: 19-11, 13-7 NSIC (5th)
The 22nd-ranked Northern State volleyball team ended its regular season Saturday night as the Wolves feel to No. 8 Southwest Minnesota in four sets. Set scores 27-29, 25-21, 25-19 and 25-20. The loss was just Northern’s second at home this season.
After winning a thrilling first set, 29-27, the Wolves couldn’t keep up with Southwest at the end of sets the rest of the match as the Mustangs controlled much of the second and third sets. Kelsey Chambers led the Wolves (21-6, 14-6 NSIC) with 13 kills in the match. Tori Biach was also in double figures for NSU as she finished with 11 kills. Whitney Kemink, Cari McGarvie and Jussy Tuscherer each added seven kills. The seven kills for Kemink are a career-high for her.
11/15/2013    Sioux Falls W 3-0     11/16/2013    Southwest Minnesota State L 1-3
11/20/2013    Augustana 6 p.m.
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University of Sioux Falls Cougars (19-11, 10-10 NSIC)
http://www.usfcougars.com/
Head Coach: Joel McCartney • Graceland College ‘87 • 3rd Season • W-L: 392-209, 15-25 NSIC
Assistant Coach: Andrea McCartney, Alyssa Chambers  2012 Record: 14-16, 5-15 NSIC (13th)
The Sioux Falls Cougars went 1-1 last week to reach their season-long goal of qualifying for the postseason. After falling in straight sets at No. 22 Northern State (25-19, 25-22, 26-24) on Friday night, the Cougars cleared the final hurdle on Saturday by outlasting the MSU-Moorhead Dragons in a five-set thriller (25-23, 23-25, 25-22, 18-25, 17-15) to secure seventh place in the final NSIC standings and earn the right to face Minnesota-Duluth next Wednesday night in the opening round of the conference tournament. The loss was the Dragons’ second straight and dropped them out of contention for an NSIC postseason berth, as Minnesota Crookston held onto eighth and will face No. 1 Concordia-St. Paul in the first round. Against the Dragons, Kate Hart pounded 19 kills to match her career-best while Emily Johnson floored 11 kills and tallied 10 digs for her fifth double-double of the season, in 11 kills and 10 digs. Senior setter Alexa Reed also posted a double-dip, dishing 52 assists and chipping in 10 digs. Michelle Ritland had 12 kills.
Freshman Jordan Calef paced the defensive attack for the Cougars, registering a career-high 11 block assists, while Hart and Ritland added five apiece. Kaitlin VanWinkle paced the Dragons with 16 kills and Maggie Gruber added 13 terminations. Sioux Falls surprised the Dragons by mixing up their attack on the front line with dinks, tips, bumps and kills, to both keep MSU-Moorhead off-balance and avenge a 3-1 loss to the Dragons earlier in the season. The squads traded the first four games and USF scored the first point of the tie-breaker with a Ritland kill but MSUM countered with a termination and the sides were still tied at 8-8 after trading the next 16 points. The Dragons moved in front 11-9 with back-to-back USF errors but the Cougars cut the distance to 11-10 inspired by the spike from Hart and then Reed added an ace and MSUM committed an error for the 12-11 score in favor of the Cougars. The sides battled through four more ties to stand knotted at 15-all and force the match past regulation. At 15-all, a Dragon attack sailed long and Samantha Lovell and Johnson blocked Moorhead’s final attack to clinch the match for USF with the 17-15 set five win.  With the victory, the Cougars have doubled their NSIC win total from a year ago. USF went 14-16 overall (5-15 NSIC) during its inaugural 2012-13 NSIC campaign.
11/15/2013    Northern State L 0-3     11/16/2013    MSU Moorhead     W 3-2
11/20/2013    Minnesota Duluth 7 p.m.
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Southwest Minnesota State University Mustangs (23-6, 17-3 NSIC)
http://www.smsumustangs.com/
Head Coach: Terry Culhane • Southwest Minnesota State ‘78 • 10th Season • W-L: 259-69, 150-34 NSIC
Assistant Coach: Raftyn Rignell, Tyler Boddy, Paul Soupir, Mike Dalager
2012 Record: 30-2, 18-2 NSIC (t-1st)
Abbey Thissen (RS, 6-0, So., Clara City, Minn. / MACCRAY) hit .243 and racked up 47 kills to lead SMSU to a perfect 3-0 record in the final matches of the 2013 regular season. Thissen averaged 3.92 kills per set in SMSU’s 12 sets played this week, while also collecting two solo blocks and seven block assists. Thissen finished the regular season with 407 kills, a 3.88 kill per set average, a .283 hitting percentage and 59 total blocks in 105 sets played.
Emilee Gutzmer (S, 5-8, So., Jordan, Minn. / Jordan) had her best week of the season as she accumulated 171 assists for a 14.25 assist per set average in Southwest Minnesota State’s wins over Augustana, Minnesota State Moorhead and No. 22 Northern State to conclude the 2013 regular season. Gutzmer paced the offense to a .224 hitting percentage and 16.58 kill per set average.  Gutzmer also chipped in with four block assists, four kills and three service aces. Gutzmer set a new SMSU single-match record on Saturday versus No. 22 Northern State with 67 assists in a four-set match. Gutzmer finished each match this week with at least 50 assists. Gutzmer finishes the regular season with 1,219 set assists and an assist per set average of 12.19, which ranks her 5th all-time in SMSU single-season history. In her two-year career, Gutzmer ranks first in assists per set (12.50) and sixth in assists (2,600).
Rachel Wesby (L, 5-7, Sr., Marshall, Minn. / Marshall) gave Southwest Minnesota State three strong defensive performances to close out the 2013 regular season versus Augustana, Minnesota State Moorhead, and No. 22 Northern State this week. Westby finished each match with at least 20 digs, including setting a new career mark with 32 on Tuesday versus Augustana. In total, Westby finished with 74 digs and a dig per set average of 6.17. Westby finishes the season with 501 digs – the highest single season output in her career. Her 4.77 dig per set average this season currently ranks her seventh all-time. Westby will look to lead the three seed Southwest Minnesota State over sixth seed Wayne State (Neb.) this Wednesday in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference / US Bank first round.
11/12/2013    Augustana W 3-1     11/15/2013    MSU Moorhead W 3-1
11/16/2013    Northern State W 3-1     11/20/2013    Wayne State 7 p.m.
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St. Cloud State University Huskies (14-14, 8-12 NSIC)
www.scsuhuskies.com
Head Coach: Michelle Blaeser • Minnesota State ‘89 • 4th Season • W-L: 44-68, 25-55 NSIC
Assistant Coach: Marci Peniata, Kari Turkowski 2012 Record: 10-18, 6-14 NSIC (12th)
The St. Cloud State University volleyball team took on #1 ranked Concordia University, St. Paul Friday evening in Halenbeck Hall. The Huskies fell in straight sets to the Golden Bears with set scores of 16-25, 17-25, and 11-25. The Golden Bears hit .360 as a team during the three sets, while St. Cloud State averaged just a .039 attack percentage. Ellie Dietzen (Black Creek, Wis.) led all players for St. Cloud State with eight kills while hitting .353. Dietzen also collected two blocks. Allison Butler (Burnsville) dug up a team-high seven balls. On Saturday St. Cloud State took the court at Halenbeck Hall for their final match of the 2013 season this evening. The Huskies matched up against Minnesota State University, Mankato and showed no mercy toward the Mavericks. St. Cloud State defeated MSU in straight sets with scores of 25-23, 25-21 and 25-21. St. Cloud State finished the 2013 season with a 14-14 overall record and an 8-12 mark in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). This is the Huskies best finish since the 2010 season (14-14 overall, 9-11 in the NSIC) and their first victory over Minnesota State since the 2008 season (Oct. 18, 2008).
Senior Ellie Dietzen finished her career with a bang. Dietzen led the Huskies with 10 kills and a .500 attack percentage. She also posted a team-high five blocks. The SCSU volleyball players celebrated Dietzen’s accomplishments prior to this evening’s match. She finished her career ranked 4th in total blocks with 367, ranked 5th in block solos with 72 and 5th in block assists with 295. Her 410 sets played are the 4th most in school history. Kellan Flynn (Tomahawk, Wis.) also had a big night for the Huskies. Flynn collected eight kills and hit .286.
11/15/2013    Concordia University, St. Paul  L 0-3     11/16/2013    Minnesota State University - Mankato W 3-0
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Upper Iowa University Peacocks (8-22, 4-16 NSIC)
www.upperiowaathletics.com
Head Coach: Aaron Nelson  • St. Cloud State ‘99 • 3rd Year • W-L: 39-50, 22-29 NSIC
Assistant Coach: Kasey Uran 2012 Record: 16-13, 10-10 NSIC (9th)
The Peacock volleyball team’s season came to an end this weekend after a pair of losses at Bemidji State Universtiy and the University of Minnesota Crookston.  UIU lost to BSU on Friday (3-2) and then dropped a 3-1 decision on Saturday at UMC.  With the losses, UIU’s record dropped to 8-22 overall and 4-16 in the conference.  Melanie Behnke is the lone senior on the team as the Peacocks will return a wealth of experience for the 2014 season.  Upper Iowa University is teaming up with the Cedar Rapids Convention and Visitor’s Bureau in December to host the NCAA Division II Championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa at the U.S. Cellular Center from Dec. 12-14.
11/15/2013    Bemidji State University L 2-3     11/16/2013    University of Minnesota Crookston L 1-3
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Wayne State College Wildcats (21-9, 12-8 NSIC)
www.wscwildcats.com
Head Coach: Scott Kneifl • Wayne State College ‘95 • 9th Season • W-L: 223-79, 125-45 NSIC
Assistant Coach: Kim DePew (Edwards) & Korie Lebeda  2012 Record: 22-10, 14-6 NSIC (4th)
Elizabeth Gebhardt and Alyssa Frauendorfer had big weekends for the Wildcats as #20 Wayne State won NSIC road matches at Mary 3-0 and Minot State 3-1.  Gebhardt averaged 3.14 kills and 0.86 blocks per set while hitting .419 for the weekend, highlighted by 15-kill and five block effort in Saturday’s 3-1 win at Minot State.  Frauendorfer averaged 2.86 kills and 1.29 blocks per set while hitting .386 for the weekend, fueled by 14 kills and a career-high eight blocks Saturday at Minot State.
Sophomore libero Courtney VanGroningen averaged 5.43 digs per set for the weekend, notching 13 digs at Mary and 25 digs at Minot State Saturday while sophomore setter Leisa McClintock handed out 11.00 assists per set with 31 assists against Mary and 46 assists vs. Minot State.
11/15/2013    University of Mary W 3-0     11/16/2013    Minot State     W 3-1
11/20/2013    Southwest Minnesota State 7 p.m.
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Winona State University Warriors (11-18, 8-12 NSIC)
www.winonastatewarriors.com
Head Coach: Dave Simon • Minneosta State ‘83 • 5th Season • W-L: 58-79, 44-54 NSIC
Assistant Coaches: Selene Teitelbaum, Lea Hartigan 2012 Record: 20-11, 12-8 NSIC (t-6th)
Bekah Saugen, OH, Sr., Chaska, Minn. (Chaska) had an outstanding weekend in her final two games as a Warriors, posting 20 kills and 20 digs while splitting with Minnesota Crookston and Bemidji State. Saugen recorded a double-double – 14 kills and 10 digs – in the season finale against BSU. She also had six kills and tallied 10 digs against Minnesota Crookston. The senior also passed out an assist for the Warriors.
Katie Froehle, OH, Sr., Eden Prairie, Minn. (Eden Prairie) recorded a double-double in her final match as a Warrior, posting 11 kills and 18 digs against Bemidji State. Froehle averaged 2 kills and 3.86 digs per set, accumulating 14 kills and 27 digs total. She also had three kills and nine digs Friday against Minnesota Crookston. Froehle added seven aces – four against UMC, three against BSU – while totaling two solo blocks.
11/15/2013    Minnesota Crookston  L 0-3     11/16/2013    Bemidji State     W 3-1



Past NSIC Players of the Week
9/9/13
Off: Kate Lange - UMD
Set: Marissa Johnson - Augie
Def: Julie Rainey - UMD

9/16/13
Off: Kayla Koenecke - CU
Set: Amanda Konetchy - CU
Def: Holly Hafemeyer  - Augie

9/23/13
Off: Abbey Thissen - SMSU
Set: Ashley Hinsch - UMD
Def: Whitney Burmeister - SMSU

9/30/13
Off:  Heather Schiller - CU
Set:  Amanda Konetchy - CU (2)
Def:  Kaitlin VanWinkle - MSUM

10/07/13
Off:  Holly Hafemeyer - Augie
Set:  Amanda Konetchy - CU (3)
Def:  Julie Rainey - UMD (2)

10/14/13
Off:  Kate Lange - UMD (2)
Set:  Amanda Konetchy - CU (4)
Def:  Amber Krenske - MSUM


10/21/13
Off: Kelsey Chambers - NSU
Set: Drew Smith - NSU
Def: Bekah Saugen - WSU

10/28/13
Off: Samantha Lovell - USF
Set: Ashley Hinsch - UMD (2)
Def: Julie Rainey - UMD (3)


11/4/13
Off: Alyssa Frauendorfer - WSC
Set: Ashley Hinsch - UMD (3)
Def: Chelsea Wiesner - UMC

11/11/13
Off:  Holly Hafemeyer - Augie (2)
Set:  Amanda Konetchy - CU (5)
Def:  Julie Rainey - UMD (4)

11/11/13
Off:  Kate Lange - UMD (3)
Set: Emilee Gutzmer - SMSU
Def:  Julie Rainey - UMD (5)