9/30/16: #25 MU sweeps #21 IWU

UW-Oshkosh Invite
#12 UW-Whitewater, #18 Elmhurst, #19 UW-La Crosse, #23 UW-Oshkosh, Carthage, Edgewood, Dominican, Trinity (Texas), Alma, Saint Mary’s (Ind.)
#12 UW-Whitewater 3, Saint Mary’s (Ind.) 0; #23 UW-Oshkosh 3, Trinity (Texas ) 2; #19 UW-La Crosse 3, Alma 0; #12 UW-Whitewater 3, Carthage 1; #23 UW-Oshkosh 3, Alma 0; Trinity (Texas) 3, #18 Elmhurst 1; #19 UW-La Crosse 3, Saint Mary’s (Ind.) 1.

Illinois Tech Invite
Principia, Illinois Tech, Eureka, Olivet, UC Clermont
Olivet 3, Illinois Tech 1; Eureka 3, UC Clermont 0; Principia 3, Illinois Tech 1; Eureka 3, Principia 2.

Finlandia Invite
Finlandia, Mount Mary, Kalamazoo, Great Lakes Christian, Silver Lake
Finlandia 3, Great Lakes Christian 0; Finlandia 3, Mount Mary 2; Kalamazoo 3, Mount Mary 0.

Coe Invite
Coe, UW-Platteville, Iowa Wesleyan
Coe 3, Iowa Wesleyan 0; UW-Platteville 3, Iowa Wesleyan 0; Coe 3, UW-Platteville 0.

CCIW
#25 Millikin 3, #21 Illinois Wesleyan 0 MU’s Mihalkanin had 30 assists, 6 kills.

MIAC
Bethel 3, St. Catherine 1 BU’s T. Hoppe had 22 kills, 10 digs.
Carleton 3, Macalester 0 CC’s Stevens had 10 kills.
Saint Mary’s 3, Saint Benedict 1 SMU’s Blattner had 16 kills, 14 digs.
Concordia 3, St. Olaf 1 CC’s Carney had 15 kills.

IIAC
Wartburg 3, Buena Vista 0 WC’s Erbes had 17 assists, 7 digs, 6 kills.
Central 3, Loras 2 CC’s Ewoldt had 47 digs.
Nebraska Wesleyan 3, Luther 1 NWU’s Sestak had 11 kills, 6 blocks.
Simpson 3, Dubuque 2 SC’s Luth had 27 kills, 13 digs.

NACC
Concordia Wisconsin 3, Aurora 0 CUW’s Moegenburg had 10 kills, 10 digs.
Edgewood 3, Alverno 1 EC’s Koester had 11 kills.
Benedictine 3, Rockford 0 BU’s Dunwell had 13 kills.
Wisconsin Lutheran 3, Marian 2  WLC’s Pattison had 24 assists, 12 kills, 11 digs.
MSOE 3, Concordia Chicago 1 MSOE’s Pekarek had 14 kills, 11 digs.

UMAC
#22 Northwestern 3, North Central 0 UNW outhit NCU, .341 to -.053.
St. Scholastica 3, Bethany Lutheran 0 CSS’s Elvehjem had 10 kills.

MWC
Ripon 3, Lake Forest 1 RC’s Berrell had 17 kills, 13 digs.

SLIAC
Fontbonne 3, Spalding 2 FU’s McDonough had 18 kills, 16 digs.

Nonconference
St. Thomas 3, #22 Northwestern 2 UST’s Lloyd had 12 kills, 5 blocks.
Maranatha Baptist 3, Moody Bible 0 Maranatha Baptist’s Renz had 16 kills, 5 blocks.
Westminster 3, Berea 0 WC outhit BC, .407 to -.122.

Top 25 upset watch
#2 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 3, Caltech 0
La Verne 3, #4 Cal Lutheran 1
#10 Juniata 3, Bethany 0
#14 Christopher Newport 3, Southern Virginia 0
#17 Mary Washington 3, Frostburg St. 0

-Ricky Nelson

2016 Pre-Championship Manual is online

Rejoice, fellow nerds, for the 2016 NCAA Division III Women’s Volleyball Pre-Championship Manual has been published.

The pertinent information:
• 43 Pool A, one Pool B, 20 Pool C bids
• Regional rankings published on Oct. 19, Oct. 26, Nov. 2, Nov. 6 (Selection Day)
• Online selection show on Nov. 7 at 11:30 a.m. central
• Regionals Nov. 10-12 and Nov. 11-13
• Finals Nov. 17-19 in Oshkosh

The national committee is comprised of chair Ellen Dempsey (AD at Hiram) along with Beth Wilmeth (HC at Northwestern), Matt Schoultz (HC at Lawrence), Moira Long (HC at Springfield), Ed Garza (HC at Austin), Becky Hall (AD at Oglethorpe), Don Perkins (HC at Kean) and Marie Stroman (assoc. ED at Middle Atlantic Conference).

The Pool B bid will (perhaps) go to one of these teams: Trinity (D.C.); Valley Forge; Finlandia; Mount Mary; Maranatha Baptist; Pine Manor; New Rochelle; SUNY Canton; Rust; Mills; UC Santa Cruz.

Maranatha Baptist, SUNY Canton and Valley Forge have traditionally declared for the NCCAA Championship and list NCCAA regionals and finals on their sites again this season. If that’s the case, we’ll see whether UC Santa Cruz can finish above .500 this season.

However there is this caveat written in the Manual:

(Note: The number of berths for Pools B and C may be adjusted based on sponsorship numbers at the time of selections.)

Bear with me here … According to my math, the access ratio for this year’s season is 416 full-member teams in AQ leagues ÷ 43 AQ leagues = 9.674, which gets truncated to 9. With 11 Pool B teams listed in the Manual, there certainly appears to be enough teams for a Pool B bid. But if three declare NCCAA – and I’ve never understood why Rust is eligible for the D III postseason even if it gets a scheduling waiver – it could be a photo finish whether there will be a Pool B berth or 21 Pool C’s. If three declare NCCAA, my math says there should be 21 Pool C berths.

The FAQ page has been updated.

-Ricky Nelson

9/29/16: Webster wins nail-biter at Greenville

MWC
Illinois College 3, Knox 0 IC’s Lowry had 16 kills.

SLIAC
Webster 3, Greenville 2 WU’s Siebenmorgen had 17 kills, 10 blocks.
Iowa Wesleyan 3, Blackburn 1 IWU’s Schwamborn had 18 kills, 27 digs.

Nonconference
Indiana-Southeast 3, Spalding 1 IUS is NAIA.

Top 25 upset watch
#5 Wittenberg 3, Denison 1

-Ricky Nelson

9/28/16: #11 UWSP withstands #12 UWW

WIAC
#11 UW-Stevens Point 3, #12 UW-Whitewater 2 UWSP’s Cefalu had 15 kills.
#19 UW-La Crosse 3, UW-Stout 1 UWL’s Jablonski hit 12-1-20 with 5 blocks.
#23 UW-Oshkosh 3, UW-Platteville 0 UWO’s Elstner had 13 kills.
#24 UW-Eau Claire 3, UW-River Falls 0 UWEC’s Sawchuk had 15 kills, 11 digs.

CCIW
#18 Elmhurst 3, Carthage 0 EC’s Nimrick hit 6-1-11 with 28 assists.

MIAC
St. Thomas 3, Hamline 0 UST’s Lloyd had 14 kills.
Carleton 3, St. Catherine 2 CC’s Stevens had 26 kills.
Augsburg 3, Gustavus Adolphus 1 AC’s Terhell had 37 digs.

NACC
Dominican 3, Edgewood 1 DU’s R. Wyse had 11 kills, 14 digs.

MWC
Cornell 3, Grinnell 0 CC’s Boyd had 15 kills.

Nonconference
Rockford 3, Mount Mary 0 RU’s Hartman had 10 kills.

Top 25 upset watch
#1 Calvin 3, #6 Hope 0
#8 Colorado College 3, Johnson & Wales (Colo.) 0
#13 Eastern 3, DeSales 0
#17 Mary Washington 3, Southern Virginia 1

-Ricky Nelson

9/27/16: BVU remains unbeaten in IIAC

CCIW
#21 Illinois Wesleyan 3, North Park 0 IWU’s Brown had 12 kills, 16 digs.
#25 Millikin 3, Wheaton 1 MU’s E. Syversen had 12 kills, 9 digs, 6 aces.
Augustana 3, Carroll 0 AC’s Kalkhoff had 9 kills.

IIAC
Coe 3, Dubuque 2 CC’s Leisinger had 17 kills.
Buena Vista 3, Nebraska Wesleyan 1 BVU’s Schaap had 18 kills, 14 digs.

NACC
Aurora 3, Concordia Chicago 0 AU’s McKenzie hit 12-1-21 with 4 aces.
Marian 3, Lakeland 1 MU’s Brehm had 9 kills, 13 digs.

UMAC
#22 Northwestern 3, Crown 0 UNW’s Gonder hit 10-1-14.
St. Scholastica 3, North Central 0 CSS’s Elvehjem had 10 kills.
Martin Luther 3, Bethany Lutheran 2 MLC’s St. Germaine had 17 kills.
UW-Superior 3, Northland 0 UWS’s Nightingale had 15 kills.

MWC
St. Norbert 3, Lawrence 0 SNC’s Johnson had 6 kills, 7 blocks.

SLIAC
Greenville 3, Principia 0 GC’s Mitchell had 10 kills, 14 digs.
Westminster 3, MacMurray 0 WC’s Kelley hit 11-1-17.
Webster 3, Blackburn 0 WU’s Siebenmorgen hit 13-1-20.
Eureka 3, Iowa Wesleyan 1 EC’s Dooley hit 12-2-15.

Nonconference
North Central (Ill.) 3, Wisconsin Lutheran 1 NCC’s Elshoff had 14 kills, 26 digs, 5 blocks.
Maranatha Baptist 3, MSOE 0 MBU’s Renz had 15 kills.
Beloit 3, Rockford 2 BC’s Baran had 19 kills, 17 digs.
Robert Morris-Springfield 3, Monmouth 2 RMUS is USCAA.
Fontbonne 3, Lincoln Christian 1 FU’s Eason had 14 kills, 13 digs.

Top 25 upset watch
#4 Cal Lutheran 3, Occidental 1
#9 Texas Dallas 3, East Texas Baptist 0
Clarion 3, #10 Juniata 2
#14 Christopher Newport 3, William Peace 0

-Ricky Nelson

2016 AVCA Week 4 poll: Eau Claire enters top 25

Calvin remained the top-ranked team with 41 first-place votes in the AVCA Week 4 poll.

Second-ranked Claremont-Mudd-Scripps garnered seven top votes while fourth-ranked Cal Lutheran received one. Rounding out the top five were third-ranked Southwestern and fifth-ranked Wittenberg.

Central and Midwest region teams in the Week 4 top 25: No. 11 UW-Stevens Point; No. 12 UW-Whitewater; No. 15 Washington-St. Louis; No. 18 Elmhurst; No. 19 UW-La Crosse; No. 21 Illinois Wesleyan; No. 22 Northwestern; No. 23 UW-Oshkosh; No. 24 UW-Eau Claire; No. 25 Millikin.

Central and Midwest region teams receiving votes this week: Gustavus Adolphus; Bethel; St. Thomas.

For comparison’s sake, here’s my Week 4 top 10.

For the record, my 11-25 teams this week would roughly be: Elmhurst; UW-Stevens Point; Juniata; Trinity (Texas); Washington-St. Louis; Mary Washington; Northwestern; St. Thomas; UW-Eau Claire; Colorado College; Texas Dallas; Eastern; Christopher Newport; Ohio Northern; UW-Oshkosh. Apologies to Gustavus Adolphus, Hendrix, Illinois Wesleyan, Millikin and a few others.

-Ricky Nelson

UNW’s Peterson tabbed AVCA Player of the Week

Northwestern junior outside Lindsey Peterson was named the AVCA Player of the Week for matches played Sept. 19-25.

Peterson averaged 7.25 kills and 3.75 digs per set as the Eagles won their lone match of the week. Peterson collected 29 kills on .404 hitting and 15 digs in No. 25 UNW’s 3-1 win at No. 18 Bethel.

-Ricky Nelson

2016 NCAA stats: Central, Midwest regions home to 4 of top 7 players in digs per set

The following are Central and Midwest players and teams in the top 10 nationally, according to the third 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 Sept. 25.

Aces/Set
1. Cleaya Antes, Notre Dame 1.61
1. Notre Dame 5.43

Total Aces
1. Maddi Richard, Penn State-Abington 45
1. Penn State-Abington 191

Assists/Set
1. Maddie Entinger, UW-La Crosse 11.51
6. Kayla Reeg, Westminster (Mo.) 10.76
8. Emily Lines, Aurora 10.63
1. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 13.90
4. Northwestern 13.04
5. Cornell 12.86
10. UW-La Crosse 12.53

Total Assists
1. Abby Majercik, UW-Stevens Point 653
3. Emily Lines, Aurora 638
4. Maddie Entinger, UW-La Crosse 610
8. Kayla Reeg, Westminster (Mo.) 592
1. UW-Stevens Point 872
6. Aurora 761

Attacks/Set
1. Larysa Iwaskiw, Ramapo 15.06
2. Marissa Ekness, Minnesota Morris 15.04
8. Brandi Blattner, Saint Mary’s (Minn.) 12.34
1. Minnesota Morris 42.41
6. Augsburg 40.45
9. Illinois College 39.54

Total Attacks
1. Larysa Iwaskiw, Ramapo 934
3. Marissa Ekness, Minnesota Morris 842
7. Karrah Davis, Dubuque 680
10. Kelly Cefalu, UW-Stevens Point 668
1. Hanover 2,624
5. UW-Stevens Point 2,438
8. Minnesota Morris 2,375

Blocks/Set
1. Lulu Schulz, Rhodes 1.69
3. Alison Renz, Maranatha Baptist 1.48
10. Jessica Diehl, Spalding 1.28
1. Eastern 2.67
7. UW-Oshkosh 2.47
8. St. Thomas 2.39

Total Blocks
1. Idi Uffen, Stockton 87
6. Katie Shabatura, Luther 68
9. Whitney Lloyd, St. Thomas 66
1. Hanover 162
4. St. Thomas 141
8. Luther 130

Digs/Set
1. Jessie Koster, Dallas 7.19
3. Keiyah Triplett, Knox 6.63
4. Katie Reitsma, Minnesota Morris 6.50
6. Shanee Herd, St. Catherine 6.33
7. Haley Bergan, Loras 6.30
1. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 21.98
5. Minnesota Morris 19.82
6. Principia 19.56
7. Chicago 19.53
10. Augustana 19.49

Total Digs
1. Jessie Koster, Dallas 446
2. Bri Piepenbrok, UW-Stevens Point 396
3. Shanee Herd, St. Catherine 380
5. Katie Reitsma, Minnesota Morris 364
7. Kristina Billie, Benedictine 353
1. Dallas 1,243
6. UW-Stevens Point 1,177
7. Aurora 1,166

Hitting Percentage
1. Laura Danhoff, Calvin .477
2. Elizabeth Kelley, Westminster (Mo.) .443
1. Johnson & Wales .301
3. Northwestern .266

Opponent Hitting Percentage
1. Notre Dame -.153
6. UW-Stevens Point .066

Kills/Set
1. Sarah Szybist, Rochester Tech 5.62
6. Marissa Ekness, Minnesota Morris 4.89
7. Alison Renz, Maranatha Baptist 4.76
1. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 14.71
3. Northwestern 13.88
10. Cornell 13.41

Total Kills
1. Sarah Szybist, Rochester Tech 371
5. Marissa Ekness, Minnesota Morris 274
6. Heather Sawchuk, UW-Eau Claire 255
10. Diamond Boyd, Cornell 246
1. UW-Stevens Point 922
6. Aurora 816

Points/Set
1. Sarah Szybist, Rochester Tech 6.45
3. Alison Renz, Maranatha Baptist 5.95
7. Marissa Ekness, Minnesota Morris 5.45

Triple-Doubles
1. Hannah Nimrick, Elmhurst 4
1. Dakota Pelach, Alma 4
4. Claire Ritchie, Loras 3

-Ricky Nelson

9/26/16: See you tomorrow

No Central and Midwest region or top 25 teams play today.

-Ricky Nelson

Ricky Nelson’s 2016 Week 4 top 10

The AVCA poll comes out Tuesday.

My rank, (my Week 3 rank, AVCA Week 3 rank), record, key results last week
1 (1,2). Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 12-0 W: Cal Lutheran; La Verne.
2 (2,1). Calvin 12-0 [None].
3 (8,5). Southwestern 17-0 W: Colorado College. 
4 (5,7). Hope 13-1 [None].
5 (6,6). Wittenberg 8-3 [None].
6 (7,4). Cal Lutheran 12-3 W: [None]. L: Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.
7 (NR,8). Emory 11-3 W: Hendrix; Birmingham-Southern.
8 (NR,14). UW-Whitewater 12-3 W: Christopher Newport; UW-Oshkosh.
9 (9,17). Carnegie Mellon 15-2 [None].
10 (4,19). UW-La Crosse 11-2 W: Illinois Wesleyan. L: UW-Eau Claire.
Dropped out: No. 3 Colorado College (13-2); No. 10 UW-Stevens Point (18-2).

As a reminder, the Standout Stats and Last Team Standing pages are updated nightly.

-Ricky Nelson