For Immediate Release
Monday, November 2, 2026
NSIC Media Relations
Media Packet
NPI Ranking

NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
#4 Chloe Hanel (MH, 6-0, Jr., Clarkson, Neb. / Clarkson-Leigh HS) - Wayne State
- Averaged 3.73 kills, 4.14 points, and 0.73 blocks per set while hitting .420 in three matches
- Recorded 18 kills and four blocks while hitting .630 in a 3-1 win over Minnesota State
- Added 12 kills in a 3-1 victory over No. 13 St. Cloud State

NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#14 Ashlynn Schroeder (DS, 5-9, So., Eau Claire, Wis. / Eau Claire Memorial HS) - SMSU
- Led the NSIC with 6.55 digs per set
- Totaled 72 digs across 11 sets during the week
- Recorded 21 digs in a win over No. 2 Wayne State
- Added 24 digs in a sweep of Winona State
- Posted a career-high 27 digs in a five-set match against Concordia-St. Paul
- Named NSIC Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season (10/12/26 & 10/19/26)

NSIC Setter of the Week
#7 Kiylah Franke (S, 5-10, Sr., Burnsville, Minn. / Burnsville HS) - Augustana
- Led the NSIC with 154 assists (12.83 aps) across three matches
- Recorded a double-double with 59 assists and 15 digs in a five-set match against Sioux Falls
- Added 51 assists and nine digs in a four-set win over Minnesota State
- Posted another double-double with 44 assists and 14 digs in a sweep of No. 13 St. Cloud State
- Contributed four service aces, two kills, and two total blocks during the week
- Averaged 3.17 digs per set

Others Under Consideration
OFFENSE
Sydney Tims (Augustana)
- Totaled 26 kills while hitting .375 across three matches
- Recorded 10 kills and hit .400 in a five-set match against Sioux Falls
- Added 10 kills and a .391 hitting percentage in a four-set win over Minnesota State
- Finished the week with six kills in a sweep of No. 13 St. Cloud State
- Added five total blocks during the week
Gracie Adamson (Jamestown)
- Recorded nine kills and 10.5 points in a sweep of Mary
- Set a career high with 22 kills and 24.5 points against Minnesota Duluth
- Added 12 kills, one service ace, and 14 digs in a sweep of Bemidji State
- Averaged 4.30 kills per set during the week
Mya Pfeifer (MSU Moorhead)
- Totaled 33 kills across three victories while averaging 2.75 kills per set
- Hit .329 over the three-match stretch
- Recorded a team-high 12 kills and hit .391 in a win over Minnesota Duluth
- Added 12 kills while hitting .579 against Mary
- Finished the weekend with nine kills against Minot State
- Posted 19 total blocks, including eight against the Beavers
Paige Decker (Minnesota Duluth)
- Averaged a team-best 4.12 points and 3.62 kills per set while hitting .446 across three match-es
- Recorded the second-best hitting percentage in the NSIC for the week
- Averaged 0.85 blocks per set
- Hit .423 or better with at least 15 kills in all three matches
- Posted 15 kills while hitting .464 against MSU Moorhead
- Recorded 16 kills, five block assists, and a career-high five digs against Jamestown
- Finished with 16 kills, four blocks, and four digs against Northern State
Katelyn Schroeder (Northern State)
- Led Northern State with 46 kills during a 3-0 week against Minot State, Bemidji State, and No. 19 UMD
- Averaged 4.18 kills per set and led the NSIC with 5.05 points per set
- Added five service aces, nine blocks, and 22 digs
- Recorded a week-high 21 kills against Bemidji State
- Hit a week-best .414 with 13 kills and just one attack error against Minot State
- Posted a double-double with 13 kills and 11 digs against the Beavers
Aubrey Gates (Sioux Falls)
- Led Sioux Falls with 38 kills across 12 sets, averaging 3.17 kills per set
- Recorded 15 kills against Augustana, 12 against Concordia-St. Paul, and 11 against Winona State
- Hit .286 for the week with 38 kills on 98 attempts
- Hit .391 with 11 kills against Winona State
- Added five block assists and nine digs
- Finished with a team-high 40.5 points across three matches
Leah Jones (Southwest Minnesota State)
- Totaled 42 kills across three matches, averaging 3.82 kills per set
- Recorded 17 kills while hitting .357 in a sweep of No. 2 Wayne State
- Added six kills in a sweep of Winona State
- Finished with 19 kills in a five-set match against Concordia-St. Paul

DEFENSE
Reagan Jansen (Augustana)
- Totaled 51 kills and 40 digs across three matches
- Averaged 4.25 kills, 3.33 digs, and 4.92 points per set
- Recorded a kill-dig double-double in all three matches
- Posted 22 kills and 14 digs in a five-set match against Sioux Falls
- Added 15 kills and 12 digs in a four-set win over Minnesota State
- Finished with 14 kills and 14 digs in a sweep of then-No. 13 St. Cloud State
- Led the NSIC with 59 total points and ranked third in points per set
- Added six service aces and four total blocks
Sophie Ketterling (Jamestown)
- Recorded 14 digs in a sweep of Mary
- Added 16 digs and 22 serve receptions against Minnesota Duluth
- Posted a season-high 28 digs in a sweep of Bemidji State
- Finished a perfect 35-for-35 in serve receive attempts during the week
- Averaged 5.80 digs per set
Addison Foor (Minnesota State)
- Posted a .956 serve receive percentage on 45 receptions
- Led the team with 28 digs, averaging 2.55 digs per set
- Added three blocks across three matches
- Totaled 27.5 points during the week
Maci Martini (MSU Moorhead)
- Totaled 59 digs across three victories
- Averaged 4.92 digs per set
- Recorded a career-high 39 digs against Minot State
- Added 12 digs and nine kills in a win over Minnesota Duluth
- Registered her 1,000th career dig in the victory over the Beavers
Ashley Yost (Northern State)
- Led Northern State with 46 digs during a 3-0 week
- Averaged 4.18 digs per set
- Anchored a defense that held opponents to a .153 hitting percentage and forced 68 attack er-rors
- Added seven assists
- Recorded a week-high 19 digs against Minot State
- Reached double-digit digs in all three matches
Maci Lerseth (Sioux Falls)
- Recorded 44 digs across 12 sets, averaging 3.67 digs per set
- Posted a team-high 19 digs against Concordia-St. Paul
- Added 15 digs in Sioux Falls’ five-set road win over Augustana
- Finished with 10 digs in a sweep of Winona State
- Contributed five service aces and seven assists during the week
- Helped Sioux Falls finish with a 2-1 record
Mia Berg (Wayne State)
- Averaged 3.09 kills and 1.45 blocks per set while hitting .350 across three matches
- Recorded a double-double with 13 kills and 10 blocks in a win over No. 13 St. Cloud State
- Added 12 kills and six blocks in a victory over Minnesota State
- Averaged 3.86 points per set during the week

SETTER
Ava Bertsch (Jamestown)
- Recorded 17 assists and four digs in a sweep of Mary
- Added 25 assists and three digs against Minnesota Duluth
- Posted 22 assists and one service ace in a sweep of Bemidji State
- Averaged 21.3 assists and 6.4 assists per set during the week
Jadyn Lester (Minnesota State)
- Totaled 102 assists across three matches, averaging 9.27 assists per set
- Added three service aces to extend her NSIC-leading average in aces per set
- Recorded eight kills on 22 attack attempts
- Led the Mavericks with 41 digs
Ava Nilsson (Northern State)
- Directed Northern State’s offense to 12.00 kills per set and a .246 hitting percentage during a 3-0 week
- Totaled 118 assists while averaging 10.73 assists per set
- Recorded a double-double with 40 assists and 10 digs in a win over No. 19 Minnesota Duluth
- Added 46 assists and nine digs in a victory over Bemidji State
- Contributed 21 digs, seven blocks, three kills, and one service ace during the week
Hollie Peterson (Sioux Falls)
- Recorded 134 assists across 12 sets, averaging 11.17 assists per set
- Registered a week-high 50 assists in a five-set road win over Augustana
- Added 41 assists against Concordia-St. Paul and 43 against Winona State
- Finished the week with 25 digs, four service aces, six kills, and five block assists
- Recorded a double-double with 41 assists and 10 digs against Concordia-St. Paul
- Directed an offense that hit .366 in a sweep of Winona State
Sydney Thein (Southwest Minnesota State)
- Led SMSU with 73 assists across three matches
- Tied her season high with 29 assists in an upset win over No. 2 Wayne State
- Added 19 assists in a sweep of Winona State
- Recorded 25 assists in a five-set match against Concordia-St. Paul
- Averaged 6.64 assists per set and added 13 digs
Braya LaPlant (St. Cloud State)
- Ranked second among NSIC setters with 12.70 assists per set
- Helped guide the Huskies to 14.90 kills per set, the third-highest mark in the NSIC for the week
- Averaged 1.70 digs, 0.90 points, and 0.80 blocks per set
- Recorded a season-high 55 assists and eight digs at No. 2 Wayne State
- Posted the highest assist total in a four-set match by an NSIC setter during the week
- Registered 38 assists and three block assists in a sweep of Winona State
- Added 34 assists, five digs, and two solo blocks at Augustana
Molly Romano (Wayne State)
- Averaged 12.18 assists and 2.36 digs per set across three matches
- Recorded a double-double with 50 assists, 10 digs, and two service aces in a win over Minnesota State
- Added 45 assists, nine digs, and three blocks in a victory over No. 13 St. Cloud State
- Helped lead Wayne State’s offense throughout a strong three-match stretch

 
NSIC Volleyball Players of the Week
8/31/26
O: #18 Linnea Nesheim - Northern State
D: #1 Sophie Ketterling - Jamestown
S: #9 Ava Nilsson- Northern State
9/8/26
O: #3 Makenna Nold - Concordia-St. Paul
D: #1 Sophie Ketterling - Jamestown (2)
S: #17 Molly Romano - Wayne State
9/14/26
O: #18 Linnea Nesheim - Northern State (2)
D: #1 Maya Vibeto - Minot State
S: #9 Ava Nilsson- Northern State (2)
9/21/26
O: #15 Channatee Robles - Wayne State
D: #18 Elyse Karrels - Minnesota Duluth
S: #9 Ava Jones - Minnesota Duluth
9/28/26
O: #17 Madeline Guetzkow - Minnesota Duluth 
D: #19 Ella Walker - Sioux Falls 
S: #9 Ava Jones - Minnesota Duluth (2)
10/5/26
O: #13 Ava Athman - Bemidji State
D: #4 Chloe Hanel - Wayne State
S: #14 Braya LaPlant - St. Cloud State
10/12/26
O: #3 Makenna Nold - Concordia-St. Paul (2)
D: #14 Ashlynn Schroeder - SMSU
S: #14 Braya LaPlant - St. Cloud State (2)
10/19/26
O: #2 Katelyn Schroeder - Northern State
D: #14 Ashlynn Schroeder - SMSU (2)
S: #9 Ava Nilsson- Northern State (3)
10/26/26
O: #3 Makenna Nold - Concordia-St. Paul (3)
D: #1 Sophie Ketterling - Jamestown (3)
S: #9 Ava Jones - Minnesota Duluth (3)
11/2/26
O: #4 Chloe Hanel - Wayne State
D: #14 Ashlynn Schroeder - SMSU (3)
S: #7 Kiylah Franke - Augustana

About the NSIC
The NSIC is a 16-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 27 team national championships and crowned 128 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.