For Immediate Release
Monday, October 16, 2023
NSIC Media Relations
Media Packet

NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
#21 Jordan Kuper (MB, 6-2, Sr., Scotch Grove, Iowa / Monticello HS) - Sioux Falls
- Averaged 4.57 kills per set, second best in the NSIC last week
- Hit .464 with 32 kills on 56 swings
- Tied for NSIC high 1.29 blocks per set
- Was second in the NSIC last week with 5.57 points per set
- Career high 20 kills in a 3-1 win versus  Augustana

NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#12 Grace Daak (MB, 6-3, Sr., Hutchinson, Minn. / Hutchinson HS) - Minnesota Duluth
- Had nine blocks for a 1.29 blocks per set averaged
- Moved into the program’s top 10 in career blocks (292)
- Tied for a conference-best 1.29 blocks per set last week
- Recorded at least five total blocks in four of the last five matches
- Added 18 kills with a .389 hitting percentage for  3.21 points per set
- Recorded 10 kills and a .350 hitting percentage in Thursday’s road win at No. 8 St. Cloud State

NSIC Setter of the Week
#5 Teagan Starkey (S, 5-8, Jr., Lakeville, Minn. / South HS) - Concordia-St. Paul
- Averaged 14.25 assists per set (57 total assists) in CSP’s four-set win over No. 7 SMSU
- Added 3.25 digs per set (13 total digs) 
- Picked up her third double-double of the season
- Leads the nation with 13.38 assists per set and 883 total assists on the season
- Named NSIC Setter of the Week for the fifth time this season

Others Under Consideration
OFFENSE
Rylie Bjerklie (BSU)
- Tallied 32 kills, hit .500, added a service ace, two blocks and two digs in the 2-0 week
- Started the week with 15 kills and hit .609 against Minnesota Crookston
-  Added 17 kills and hit .419 in a 3-1 win over No. 8 SCSU
- Averaged 4.0 kills per set and 4.31 points per set in the eight sets
Jasmine Mulvihill (CSP) 
- Averaged 4.50 kills per set (18 total kills) and 3.75 digs per set (15 total digs) in the win over #7 SMSU
- Hit .432 with just two errors on 37 attempts in the match
- Collected her ninth double-double of the year and her fourth in five matches
- Ranks fifth in the NSIC with 3.62 kills per set and 12th in hitting percentage at .323
- Sits in second all-time at CSP with 1,700 career kills
Bridget Witzmann (MSUM) 
- Averaged 5.75 kills per set across MSUM's three matches 
- Had a career-high 26 kills against Northern State on Tuesday
- Also registered a total of five service aces in those three matches
- Had an overall hitting percentage of .207 in those three matches
- Totaled 54.5 points for the week, including a 4.5 points per set clip
Abby Brooks (NSU) 
- Tallied 26 kills and 12.0 blocks in the Wolves 3-0 week
- Hit .421 and averaged 2.60 kills and 1.2 blocks per set
- Recorded a week high 14 kills against MSU Moorhead in NSIC play
- Notched a .556 attack percentage against Minot State
Kelsie Cada (WSC) 
- Averaged 4.17 kills with .396 hitting percentage in sweeps at AUGIE and vs. MSU
- Had 13 kills with .571 hitting percentage and two aces in 3-0 sweep over MSU
- Added 12 kills with three service aces in Thursday's 3-0 sweep at Augustana

DEFENSE
Lilly Bandle (BSU)
- Recorded 10 blocks (six solo) and 19 kills in the 2-0 week for the Beavers
- Opened the week with 13 kills to hit .333 and added three blocks against Minnesota Crookston
- Added seven blocks (four solo), along with six kills and an assist in a 3-1 win over No. 8 SCSU
- Averaged 1.25 blocks and 2.38 kills per set and hit .308
Ellie Sieling (CSP) 
- Led the Golden Bears with 5.00 digs per set (20 total digs) in the four-set win over #7 SMSU
- Added a pair of service aces as she sparked several key runs in the match from the service line
- Ranks 16th in the NSIC with 3.18 digs per set
Abby Meister (NSU)
- Anchored the NSU defense in their 3-0 week with 52 total digs
- Averaged 5.20 digs per set
- Added three service aces and one assist
- Recorded a week high 20 digs against MSU Moorhead
Jordan McCormick (WSC) 
- Averaged 5.33 digs per set in sweeps over Augustana and Minnesota State
- Recorded 20 digs in Thursday's 3-0 sweep at Augustana
- Had 12 digs and two service aces in Saturday's 3-0 home sweep over Minnesota State
Rylee Vaughn (WSU) 
- Averaged 6.0 digs-per-set
- Had 20 digs in a 3-set match vs. SMSU
- Tallied 16 digs in a 3-set sweep vs. Upper Iowa

SETTER
Elise Gillen (USF) 
- Dished out 86 assists on the weekend followed by a career high 14 digs against Augustana
- Broke the 1,100+ career assists mark this weekend
- Landed a season high three kills on Minnesota State
Walker Rachel (WSC) 
- Paced the Northern State offense to a .300 attack percentage in their 3-0 week
- Tallied 114 total assists, averaging 11.40 assists per set
- Added nine kills, hitting .533
- Recorded 19 digs, three aces, and three blocks
Jaci Winchell (WSU) 
- Averaged 12.17 assists per set for WSU
- Dished out 40 helpers vs. Upper Iowa
- Had 22 assists vs. Southwest Minnesota State
- Racked up 73 assists total for the week
- Also had 16 digs

 
NSIC Volleyball Players of the Week
9/5/23
O: #13 Taya Beller - Wayne State
D: #2 Kaylyn Madison - Minnesota Duluth
S: #5 Teagan Starkey – Concordia-St. Paul
9/11/23
O: #8 Kenzie Foley - St. Cloud State
D: #3 Abby Meister - Northern State
S: #5 Teagan Starkey – Concordia-St. Paul (2)
9/18/23
O: #13 Taya Beller - Wayne State (2)
D: #2 Kaylyn Madison - Minnesota Duluth (2)
S: #5 Teagan Starkey – Concordia-St. Paul (3)
9/25/23
O: #8 Kenzie Foley - St. Cloud State(2)
D: #18 Maggie Brahmer - Wayne State
S: #18 Emma Berran - St. Cloud State
10/2/23
O: #18 Maggie Brahmer - Wayne State
D: #14 Claudia Stahlke - Concordia-St. Paul
S: #14 Rachel Walker - Wayne State
10/9/23
O: #18 Maggie Brahmer - Wayne State (2)
D: #8 Emma VanHeel  - SMSU
S: #5 Teagan Starkey – Concordia-St. Paul (4)
10/16/23
O: #21 Jordan Kuper - Sioux Falls
D: #12 Grace Daak - Minnesota Duluth
S: #5 Teagan Starkey – Concordia-St. Paul (5)

About the NSIC
The NSIC is a 15-team, 18-sport, NCAA Division II conference with institutions located in Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The NSIC is a model Division II conference that uses high-level athletics competition to develop champions in the classroom and community while empowering student-athletes to be impactful and positive leaders. Formed in 1992 by the merger of the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (men’s league) and the Northern Sun Conference (women’s league), the NSIC has flourished over the past quarter century, maturing into a union of Upper Midwest colleges and universities. The NSIC has won 25 team national championships and crowned 110 individual national champions. For additional information, visit NorthernSun.org.

About NCAA Division II
The NCAA, the national governing body for college athletics, is a volunteer association of more than 1,000 colleges and universities that classify their athletics programs in one of three membership divisions. The 300+ institutions in NCAA Division II support a balanced approach in which student-athletes can earn scholarships based on their athletic ability, pursue their desired academic degree, and participate in all the campus and surrounding community have to offer. Division II student-athletes annually graduate at rates higher than their student body peers, and they have access to the best championships-participant ratio among the NCAA’s three divisions. Division II gives student-athletes the unique opportunity to compete in the classroom, on the field, in their career, for their causes, and on their terms. For additional information, visit NCAA.org.