For Immediate Release
Monday, October 30, 2023
NSIC Media Relations
Media Packet

NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
#13 Taya Beller (MH/RS, 6-2, Jr., Lindsay, Neb. / Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family HS) - Wayne State
- Averaged an NSIC-best 5.00 kills per set in home sweeps over Minot State and UMary
- Had 16 kills and a .652 hitting percentage in Friday’s 3-0 win over Minot State
- Added 14 kills and .545 hitting percentage in 3-0 sweep vs. UMary, with four blocks
- Recorded .600 hitting percentage for the week and had NSIC-leading 5.50 points per set
- Named NSIC Offensive Player of the Week for the third time this season (9/5/23 & 9/18/23)

NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#12 Emily Kern (MB, 5-10, So., Cleveland, Minn. / Cleveland HS) - Minnesota State
- Averaged an NSIC best 2.00 blocks per set last week 
- Had six blocks against Minnesota Crookston in a dominant win for Minnesota State
- Recorded eight blocks (one solo, seven assists) against Bemidji State 
- Is averaging 1.14 blocks per set to lead the NSIC

NSIC Setter of the Week
#5 Teagan Starkey (S, 5-8, Jr., Lakeville, Minn. / Lakeville South HS) - Concordia-St. Paul
- Averaged an NSIC best 12.60 assists per set (63 total assists) in CSP’s two wins
- Added 11 digs (2.20 per set), two blocks (0.40 per set) and an ace (0.20 per set)
- Helped the offense to a .489 hitting percentage with 110 kills and just 17 errors on 190 swings
- Averaged 14.50 assists per set in her two sets of play against UMC
- Leads the nation with 13.21 assists per set
- Named NSIC Setter of the Week for the sixth time this season 

Others Under Consideration
OFFENSE
Emma Schmidt (CSP) 
- Hit an incredible .679 on the weekend, collecting 3.50 kills per set in CSP's two wins
- Picked up 21 kills with just two errors on 28 attempts
- Added 14 digs (2.33 per set) as well as two aces (0.33 per set)
- Fell a dig shy of a double-double against UMC with 13 kills and nine digs
- Picked up eight kills on nine swings against BSU
- Ranks 13th in the NSIC with 3.54 digs per set
Cianna Selbitschka (UMD)
- Had 16 kills, 4 kills/set, 16 digs, 4 digs/set, .260 hitting pct., 17.5 points
- Recorded at least 16 kills and 16 digs in a match for the first time since the season opener vs. Adelphi
- Her 12th double-double of the season
- Became the 23rd player in program history to eclipse 1,000 career kills
- The 16 kills were the most in a road match this season since the opening weekend of NSIC play
Leah Jones (SMSU) 
- Led SMSU to a 3-0 week with 44 kills on 99 attempts with just nine errors. (.372)
- Smashed a career-high 18 kills on .586 hitting in the 3-0 win over MSU Moorhead
- Added five assists and three service aces on offense
- Accommodated the SMSU back line with 32 digs and excelled at the net, posting three total blocks
Hannah Bruskiewicz (SCSU) 
- Led the St. Cloud State offense in a win on the road against Winona State with 15 kills
- Averaged 3.0 kills per set with a .367 hitting percentage
- Added three digs and one service ace

DEFENSE
Erika Bute (AUGIE) 
- Led the NSIC and was one of the best in the nation with 8.50 digs per set and 102 digs in a three game stretch during the week
- Tallied 30 digs in a four-set match against SMSU on Tuesday
- Added 34 digs in a four-set match against MSUM on Friday
- Capped her weekend with a 38 dig effort against NSU on Saturday
Kaylyn Madison (UMD)
- Had 22 digs in a 4-set win over WSU
- Madison is 19 digs away from 1,000 for her career
Abby Meister (NSU) 
- Led the Wolves defense with 46 digs, averaging 6.6 digs per set against SMSU and AU
- Added two aces and an assists against the Vikings
- Leads the NSIC in both total digs and digs per set this season

SETTER
Keri Walker (NSU) 
- Tallied 87 assists against the Mustangs and Vikings
- Averaged 12.43 assists per set
- Added 19 digs, five blocks, two kills, and one aceRachel Walker (WSC) 
- Averaged 10.67 assists and 2.67 digs per set in home sweeps over Minot State, UMary
- Had 10th double-double of the season with 33 assists and 11 digs vs. UMary 
- Credited with 31 assists in Friday 3-0 sweep over Minot State
Alisa Bengen (SMSU) 
- Dished out 107 assists over the week for the SMSU offense (10.70 per set)
- Added 10 kills on the front line, as well three total blocks
- Grabbed a team-high two service aces in the 3-0 win over MSUM
- Bumped 33 digs on the back line (3.30 per set
 
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)
10/23/23
O: #8 Kenzie Foley - St. Cloud State (3)
D: #18 Kiya Durant - Minnesota State
S: #18 Emma Berran - St. Cloud State
10/30/23
O: #13 Taya Beller - Wayne State (3)
D: #12 Emily Kern - Minnesota State
S: #5 Teagan Starkey – Concordia-St. Paul (6)

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.