CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston volleyball team will open up their 2018 season this weekend at the Parkside Hampton Inn Tournament at Desimone Gymnasium on the campus of University of Wisconsin-Parkside in Kenosha, Wis.
Tournament Info
Fri., Aug. 24 – Desimone Gymnasium, Kenosha, Wis.
1 p.m. – Wisconsin-Parkside
5 p.m. – Purdue Northwest
Live Stats -
http://www.sidearmstats.com/uwp/wvball/
Video -
https://team1sports.com/Parkside/
Sat., Aug. 25 – Desimone Gymnasium, Kenosha, Wis.
9 a.m. – Bemidji State
3 p.m. – Saginaw Valley State
Live Stats -
http://www.sidearmstats.com/uwp/wvball/
Video -
https://team1sports.com/Parkside/
The Golden Eagles will play four matches at the Parkside Hampton Inn Tournament as they look to get ready for a daunting Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) season. Minnesota Crookston opens up the 2018 season Fri., Aug. 24 at 1 p.m. against the host institution Wisconsin-Parkside. The Golden Eagles continue play on Friday at 5 p.m. versus Purdue University Northwest. On Sat., Aug. 25, Minnesota Crookston will commence the day at 9 a.m. against NSIC rival Bemidji State University. The Golden Eagles will conclude tournament play at 3 p.m. versus Saginaw Valley State.
Minnesota Crookston Preview
Minnesota Crookston is heading into their second season under Head Coach
Sarah Rauen. The Golden Eagles will have a young squad in 2018 with eight underclassmen and 10 players who are either first or second year players. The Golden Eagles will be led by their lone senior
Callie Schapekahm (MH, Eagan, Minn.), who averaged 1.28 kills and 0.54 blocks per set. Minnesota Crookston also returns
Kaitlin Sikkink (R-Jr., MH, St. Charles, Minn.), who averaged 1.47 kills and 0.59 blocks per set.
Defensively,
Ali Schueler (R-Jr., DS/Lib., Howards Grove, Wis.) guides the team after averaging 1.88 digs per set last season. Schueler shared the libero role last season and will be vital in the back row for the Golden Eagles as either a libero or defensive specialist.
Katie Lienemann (Fr., DS/Lib., Rosemount, Minn.) also saw time in the back row last season with 1.33 digs per set.
Also returning to the fray is
Deaira Gresham (So., OH, Maplewood, Minn.), who is the leading returnee offensively with 1.57 kills per set.
The Golden Eagles have five newcomers with
Melissa Rodriguez (Jr., MH, Sarchi, Costa Rica),
Lauren Ulibarri (Jr., DS/Lib., Flagstaff, Ariz.),
Porsha Porath (Fr., OH, Windom, Minn.),
Hannah Stark (Fr., OH, Esko, Minn.), and
Natalie Koke (Fr., S, Caledonia, Minn.). In addition, Minnesota Crookston boasts
Lauren Wallace (R-Fr., OH, Bloomington, Minn.),
Sabrina Leuer (R-Jr., OH, Hamel, Minn.), and
Alyssa Thomas (R-So., OH, Marion, Iowa), who all sat out last season.
Sydney Kruisselbrink (So., S, Rochester, Minn.) also returns after seeing limited game action as a freshman.
The Golden Eagles will look to improve upon a 7-21 (4-16 NSIC) record. Minnesota Crookston battled several injuries last season, but they were able to compete in most of their matches as they tested some of the best teams in the nation's toughest NCAA Division II conference.
Wisconsin-Parkside
The first opponent for the Golden Eagles will be Wisconsin-Parkside. The Rangers went 13-17 last season with an 8-10 mark in the GLIAC. Wisconsin-Parkside is in their first season under Leigh Barea, who was a Division I assistant at Jacksonville State University for the last three seasons.
The Rangers are led offensively by Rachel Hedman, who tallied 2.80 kills for Wisconsin-Parkside last season from her outside hitter spot. The Rangers also return Lexie Calloway, who notched 2.38 kills and 2.85 digs per set. At setter, Katie Adams returns after averaging 9.47 assists per set last season.
Defensively, Wisconsin-Parkside returns libero Ann Leo, who tallied 5.12 digs per set. In addition, the block of Elizabeth Mavis is back for the Rangers. Mavis notched 0.77 blocks per set for Wisconsin-Parkside last season.
Purdue Northwest
The Pride went 6-25 last season overall and 1-15 in the GLIAC. Purdue Northwest only averaged 9.77 kills per set in 2017. The top returnee offensively for Purdue Northwest is Jenna Pasko, who notched 1.81 kills per set. Carissa Jones averaged 1.80 kills per set last season.
At setter, Brooke Ahrens returns after tallying 6.99 assists per set last season.
Defensively, the block of Brooke Carter and Auburn Dodd is back for Purdue Northwest. Carter averaged 0.85 blocks per set, while Dodd picked up 0.74 blocks per set.
Bemidji State
Minnesota Crookston's conference foe Bemidji State enters 2018 after finishing last season with a 3-26 record. The Beavers are in their third season under Head Coach Kevin Ulmer.
Bemidji State was led in 2017 by Mikhaila Ness, who averaged 1.73 kills per set. Also returning is Anna Averkamp, who tallied 1.65 kills per set, and Julie Touchett, who notched 1.63 kills per set. The Beavers notched 10.01 kills per set last season as a team.
At setter, the Beavers will seemingly look to Maddie Mackinac, who is the lone setter on the roster.
Defensively, Bemidji State was led in 2017 by Emma Hallmann's 3.35 digs per set, while Becka Cronin tallied 2.03 digs per set. The BSU block looked to Maddie Filipiak's 0.82 blocks per set.
Saginaw Valley State
The Golden Eagles wrap up tournament play against Saginaw Valley State. The Cardinals went 6-21 overall last season and 4-12 in the GLIAC.
Saginaw Valley State notched 11.0 kills per set in 2017. The Cardinals return their kills leader Sarah Tabit, who tallied 3.31 kills per set last season. Her twin sister Hannah Tabit led the squad with 8.68 assists per set last season.
Defensively, Sarah Tabit returns after tallying 2.16 digs per set. In addition, Abbie Toland is back after notching 2.93 kills per set. The Cardinals' block proves to be strong with Emily Friesl returning following a strong year as a redshirt freshman in which she averaged 1.01 blocks per set. Haley Clum also is back after notching 0.84 blocks per set.
