For Immediate Release
Monday, September 18, 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
- Had 13 kills with .481 hitting percentage in a 3-0 sweep over No. 1 Concordia-St. Paul
- Did not record an attack error in 27 attempts
- Posted a team-high six blocks
- Led the NSIC with 5.83 points per set after ranking up 17.5 points in their lone contest of the week 
- Named NSIC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season (9/5/23)

NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#2 Kaylyn Madison (DS, 5-10, Sr., Eagan, Minn. / Eagan HS) – Minnesota Duluth
- Recorded 36 digs for a 6.00 dig per set average on the week
- Tied for the second-most digs in a match this season with 23 vs. Minot State
- Helped the team that held opponents to a .087 hitting percentage
- Had her second kill of the season vs. Minot State and added five assists
- Named NSIC Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season (9/5/23)

NSIC Setter of the Week
#5 Teagan Starkey (S, 5-8, Jr., Lakeville, Minn. / Lakeville South HS) – Concordia-St. Paul
- Led the NSIC with 14.00 assists per set as the Golden Bears went 2-1
- Had 44 assists against No. 6 SCSU and No. 3 WSC
- Led CSP to a .287 team hitting percentage, second best in the NSIC last week
- National leader in assists per set on the season (13.05)
- Pacing a CSP attack that leads the country with 15.08 kills per set on the year
- Named NSIC Setter of the Week for the third week in a row

Others Under Consideration
OFFENSE
Cianna Selbitschka (UMD)
- Recorded 33 kills with 5.5 kills/set, a .536 hitting percentage and 5.75 points/set
- Recorded a team-high 16 kills on a career-best .667 hitting percentage vs. Mary
- That is the most kills by a NSIC player this season with a .667 hitting percentage or better in a match
- Committed only three hitting errors out of 56 attempts all weekend
- Had her fourth double-double of the season vs. Minot State (17 kills, 11 digs)
- Totaled at least 17 points in each match over the weekend
Natalia Szybinska (NSU)
- Led the Northern State offense with 22 kills against Bemidji State and Minnesota Crookston, averaging 3.14 kills per set
- Hit .352 in the two league victories
- Added three digs and three blocks
- Tallied a season high attack percentage of .474 against the Golden Eagles
Saari Kuehl  (SMSU)
- Helped the Mustangs to a 2-0 start in the NSIC
- Tallied 23 kills on a .355 hitting percentage (23-5-51)
- Posted five digs and two total blocks
Gianna Vollrath (WSU) 
- Hit .431 across 8 sets played
- Racked up 24 total kills
- Averaged 3.0 kills per set
- Also registered three blocks defensively 

DEFENSE
Abby Meister (NSU)
- Led the Wolves defense in their 2-0 weekend with 41 digs, averaging 5.86 per set
- Added three aces and one assist
- Sits atop the NSIC in total digs and digs per set
Emma VanHeel  (SMSU)
- Posted eight total blocks over the weekend
- Five total blocks against Minnesota State and three against Sioux Falls
- Tallied nine digs with 13 kills on a .391 percentage (13-2-26)
Jordan McCormick (WSC)
- Recorded team-high 16 digs in Friday's 3-0 sweep over #1 Concordia-St. Paul
- Had perfect 1.000 reception percentage with 21 attempts and no errors
- The 5.33 digs per set ranked fifth best in the NSIC last week
Taylor Pagel (WSU)
- Had 11 total blocks over 8 sets played
- Racked up 4 solo blocks and 7 block assists
- Also had three digs and added 20 kills offensively

SETTER
Madison Gordon (UMD)
- Racked up 78 assists (13.00 assists/set) 
- Led UMD to a .385 hitting percentage for the weekend, including a conference-best .488 vs. UMary 
- Her 41 assists vs. Mary and 37 assists vs. Minot State were personal-highs this season in a 3-set match
- One of only three NSIC players this season to record at least 40 assists in a three-set match this year
- Eclipsed 2,700 career assists vs. Minot State
Keri Walker (NSU) 
- Paced the Northern State offense in the opening weekend of NSIC play with 79 total assists, averaging 11.29 per set
- Was second on the team with 17 digs and seven blocks defensively
- Added a team best six aces, as well as three kills
- Averaged a season high 12.33 assists per set in the Wolves 3-0 victory over UMC
Jaci Winchell WSU) 
- Racked up 86 total assists across 8 sets played
- Averaged 10.75 assists/set
- Also registered 2 service aces and 2 kills
- Racked up 22 digs defensively

 
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)

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.