Archive for November 2013
Catching up on regional news
The last month or so was busy. From compiling all-conference teams to Academic All-District teams and All-Region teams and All-America teams, from tracking conference tournaments through the daily NCAA tournament posts, from creating Regional Guides and a Nationals Guide, from continually updating the Standout Stats page to following the future championship host selection process and posting other volleyball tidbits in the interim, some news has slipped through the cracks.
Here’s some Central and Midwest region news that got pushed to the background.
• Kelly Bethke was named the new head coach at Augustana College. She was most recently an assistant at Edgewood College.
• UW-Stout head coach Jill Jolliff stepped down after 21 seasons.
• Maranatha lost its two pool matches at the NCCAA D-II national tournament and did not advance to the championship round. Clearwater Christian College won the 2013 NCCAA D-II title.
• Maranatha’s Laci Peterson was named the Association of Division III Independents Player of the Year. Peterson was also selected to the National Christian College Athletic Association D-II All-America team and named NCCAA Midwest Region Player of the Year.
• Maranatha’s Pam Borchardt and Lauren Schulz were named NCCAA All-Midwest Region and NCCAA D-II Second Team All-America.
• Maranatha’s Regina DeLozier was named the NCCAA Midwest Region Coach of the Year.
• Named NCCAA 2013 scholar-athletes were: North Central’s (Minn.) Veronica Parks; Crown’s Beth Steward, Rochelle Robertson, Victoria Foley, Lauren Hickman; and Maranatha’s Laci Peterson, Pam Borchardt, Emily Thompson, Erin Steuerwald, Megan Rasmussen, and Stacie Ross.
Upcoming news includes Academic All-America (Dec. 10), NCAA announcement of championship and regional hosts (Dec. 11), and AVCA National Coach and Assistant Coach of the Year (Dec. 19).
I’ll also do some housecleaning posts, including how I did with my preseason predictions.
-Ricky Nelson
AVCA final 2013 poll: Pointers leap 15 spots to #4
As expected, national champion Calvin is the unanimous top team and runner-up Cal Lutheran is the unanimous No. 2 team in the final AVCA poll of 2013. Hope, UW-Stevens Point and Emory round out the top five.
The No. 4 ranking is a high-water mark for UWSP. The Pointers’ previous highest ranking was 19th, accomplished both on Nov. 6, 2012, and the Nov. 12 poll this season.
Other teams reaching their highest-ever rankings in the final poll (previous best): No. 2 Cal Lutheran (3rd, several times); No. 18 Clarkson (22nd, Nov. 12, 2013).
Other Central and Midwest region teams in the final 2013 poll: No. 6 St. Thomas; No. 7 Elmhurst; No. 9 Saint Benedict; No. 13 Washington-St. Louis; No. 16 Augsburg; No. 17 Chicago; No. 23 Cornell.
Central and Midwest region teams receiving votes in the final poll: UW-Whitewater; Wartburg; Coe.
My final top 10 and the AVCA’s were comprised of the same teams. I’ve disagreed with the poll fairly often this season, especially regarding particular teams. All’s well that ends well, voters.
-Ricky Nelson
2013 NCAA stats: Saint Benedict (2), Principia end season as national statistical leaders
The following are Central and Midwest players and teams in the top 10 nationally, according to the final stats release of the season. The national leader is listed regardless of region. Players and teams not from the Central or Midwest regions are listed in italics.
Stats are through Nov. 23.
Aces/Set
1. Sarah Durocher, Daniel Webster 0.92
1. Maine Maritime 3.66
Assists/Set
1. Jessica Gieselman, Stevenson 11.57
2. Taya Kockelman, Saint Benedict 11.56
4. Emily McCourt, Augsburg 11.44
5. Krista Stoltz, Northwestern 10.95
8. Molly Hurrle, Hamline 10.81
10. Alexis Hartman, UW-Stevens Point 10.72
1. Saint Benedict 13.28
2. St. Thomas 13.09
7. Augsburg 12.89
9. Nebraska Wesleyan 12.83
10. Elmhurst 12.62
Blocks/Set
1. Zoe Zwegat, Wooster 1.43
4. Sam Kersting, Webster 1.40
5. Allison Davis, UW-Stevens Point 1.33
6. Megan Reynolds, Elmhurst 1.31
8. Cari Miller, Northwestern 1.25
1. Richard Stockton 2.77
3. UW-Stevens Point 2.67
5. Webster 2.61
6. St. Thomas 2.49
7. Maranatha 2.47
8. Carroll 2.43
Digs/Set
1. Morgan Buterbaugh, Penn State Berks 7.06
3. Camille Benson, Carleton 6.30
10. Kylea Weber, Cornell 5.98
1. Principia 23.05
3. Edgewood 20.45
6. Dominican 20.05
Hitting Percentage
1. Raea Rasmussen, Williams .434
5. Kelly Foley, St. Thomas .395
8. Bailey Wilson, Wartburg .386
1. Springfield .297
7. St. Thomas .265
Kills/Set
1. Allie Frappier, Pomona-Pitzer 5.96
2. Audrey Krajec, Millikin 5.04
3. Tess Rountree, Principia 4.73
6. Laci Peterson, Maranatha 4.56
7. Ashley Peper, Augsburg 4.49
9. Shelby Switzer, North Park 4.42
1. Saint Benedict 14.17
2. St. Thomas 14.13
5. Elmhurst 13.88
6. Augsburg 13.88
9. Nebraska Wesleyan 13.79
Points/Set
1. Allie Frappier, Pomona-Pitzer 6.40
2. Audrey Krajec, Millikin 5.80
3. Tess Rountree, Principia 5.71
4. Laci Peterson, Maranatha 5.40
8. Kathleen O’Connor, Cornell 5.00
9. Ashley Peper, Augsburg 4.99
10. Shelby Switzer, North Park 4.97
Winning Percentage
1. Calvin .972
5. St. Thomas .909
7. Elmhurst .881
8. Cornell .875
8. UW-Stevens Point .875
-Ricky Nelson
Ricky Nelson’s 2013 final top 10
The final 2013 AVCA poll comes out Tuesday.
My rank, (my Wk 11 rank, AVCA), record, last wk results
1 (1, 1). Calvin (35-1) Won national title.
2 (2, 3). Cal Lutheran (35-2) National runner-up.
3 (4, 7). Emory (34-5) National semifinalist.
4 (5, 19). UW-Stevens Point (35-5) National semifinalist.
5 (3, 2). Hope (32-3) National quarterfinalist.
6 (6, 4). St. Thomas (30-3) Idle.
7 (7, 5). Elmhurst (37-5) Idle.
8 (9, 6). Saint Benedict (27-4) Idle.
9 (10, 10). Wittenberg (25-9) Idle.
10 (8, 17). Eastern (32-5) National quarterfinalist.
-Ricky Nelson
11/23: #1 Calvin overcomes 0-2 hole to down #3 Cal Lutheran, wins 2nd volleyball national championship
National championship match
• #1 Calvin 3, #3 Cal Lutheran 2 Set 5 ended 20-18; CC’s Maggie Kamp had 27 kills, 18 digs.
Deja vu at DeVos Fieldhouse, only this time Calvin was on the winning side of an epic comeback in the title match. AVCA 2013 National Player of the Year Megan Rietema went on two for the winning point, just like she did as a freshman in 2010.
2013 All-Tournament Team
Maggie Kamp, Calvin sophomore outside (Most Outstanding Player)
Megan Rietema, Calvin senior setter
Kristen Zietse, Calvin senior libero
Kylie McLogan, Cal Lutheran junior outside
Allie Eason, Cal Lutheran sophomore outside
Emma Brunkhorst, Wisconsin-Stevens Point sophomore middle
Jessica Holler, Emory freshman middle
Video replays
Calvin vs. Cal Lutheran final
Cal Lutheran vs. Wisconsin-Stevens Point semifinal
Calvin vs. Emory semifinal
Wisconsin-Stevens Point vs. Hope quarterfinal
Cal Lutheran vs. Clarkson quarterfinal
Calvin vs. UMass Boston quarterfinal
Emory vs. Eastern quarterfinal
2013 post-match press conferences
-Ricky Nelson
11/22: #1 Calvin, #3 Cal Lutheran to play for title
National semifinals
• #1 Calvin 3, #7 Emory 0 CC’s Maggie Kamp went 20-3-38.
• #3 Cal Lutheran 3, #19 UW-Stevens Point 0 CLU’s Jackie Russell had 47 assists.
-Ricky Nelson
11/21: #1 Calvin, #3 Cal Lutheran, #7 Emory, #19 Wisconsin-Stevens Point advance to semis
National quarterfinals
• #7 Emory 3, #17 Eastern 0 Emory’s Jessica Holler went 12-2-23 with 7 blocks.
• #1 Calvin 3, UMass Boston 1 CC’s Maggie Kamp went 21-4-39 with 12 digs.
• #3 Cal Lutheran 3, #22 Clarkson 1 CLU’s Kylie McLogan had 22 kills, 16 digs.
• #19 UW-Stevens Point 3, #2 Hope 0 UWSP’s Emma Brunkhorst went 13-0-22.
-Ricky Nelson
AVCA announces 2013 All-America teams; Calvin’s Rietema, WUSTL’s Dupont earn top honors
The American Volleyball Coaches Association released its 2013 All-America teams.
Calvin setter Megan Rietema was named the AVCA Division III National Player of the Year.
Washington-St. Louis middle Caroline Dupont was named the AVCA D-III National Freshman of the Year.
The following are Central and Midwest region players who garnered All-America accolades. See the release for the full teams.
First Team
Caroline Dupont, Washington-St. Louis freshman middle
Kelly Foley, St. Thomas junior middle
Audrey Krajec, Millikin junior outside
Kathleen O’Connor, Cornell senior outside
Ashley Peper, Augsburg sophomore opposite
Second Team
Jill Greenfield, St. Thomas junior outside
Alexis Hartman, Wisconsin-Stevens Point junior setter
Emily McCourt, Augsburg senior setter
Megan Reynolds, Elmhurst senior middle
Third Team
Emma Brunkhorst, Wisconsin-Stevens Point sophomore middle
Taya Kockelman, Saint Benedict junior setter
Marci Novak, Elmhurst senior opposite
Colleen Ourada, Augsburg senior outside
Honorable Mention
Lexi Alm, Saint Benedict senior outside
Sara Atkinson, St. Thomas junior opposite
Ariel Feiertag, Wisconsin-Whitewater junior opposite
Kim Frei, Wisconsin-Whitewater junior setter
Alivia Holman, Wisconsin-Whitewater junior middle
Maddie McGinnis, Wheaton (Ill.) junior outside
Jackie Nelligan, Washington-St. Louis sophomore middle
McKenna Reagan, St. Thomas senior libero
Lexi Rinde, Saint Benedict junior opposite
Kelly Schuh, Wisconsin-Eau Claire senior outside
Ramey Sieck, Wartburg senior setter
Sam Szarmach, Elmhurst junior outside
Kylea Weber, Cornell senior libero
Kaitlyn Wilks, Elmhurst senior middle
Bailey Wilson, Wartburg senior middle
-Ricky Nelson
DIII Women's Volleyball 