For Immediate Release
Monday, September 14, 2026
NSIC Media Relations
Media Packet

NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
#18 Linnea Nesheim (OH, 5-10, Jr., Sioux Falls, S.D. / Lincoln HS) - Northern State
- Led Northern State to a 2-0 start in conference play with two sweeps
- Led the NSIC with 5.50 kills per set while hitting .439
- Hit above .400 and recorded at least 15 kills in both matches
- Recorded 20 points, 18 kills, 9 digs, and 2 block assists while hitting .471 against MSUM
- Accounted for the first three points and five of the final nine points in third-set comeback against MSUM
- Named NSIC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season (8/31/26)

NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#1 Maya Vibeto (L, 5-4, Jr., Minot, N.D. / Our Redeemer’s Christian School) - Minot State
- Averaged an NSIC best 7.50 digs per set
- Matched her season high with 25 digs against Bemidji State
- Recorded 20 digs against Minnesota Duluth
- Led the Beavers’ defense with 45 digs over the weekend
- Added 6 assists

NSIC Setter of the Week
#9 Ava Nilsson (S, 6-0, Jr., Mansfield, S.D. / Warner HS) - Northern State
- Led the NSIC with 14.50 assists per set 
- Guided a Wolves offense that hit .377 over two wins
- Had 42 against Minnesota Crookston and 45 against MSU Moorhead
- Posted a season-high 15 digs and 3 service aces in a sweep of the Dragons
- Added 26 digs while committing only 1 error across two matches
- Assisted on 6 of Northern State’s final 9 points in a third-set comeback against MSU Moorhead
- Named NSIC Setter of the Week for the second time this season (8/31/26)

Others Under Consideration
OFFENSE
Reagan Jansen (Augustana)
- Totaled 26 kills, 31.0 points, and 3 service aces across two matches
- Recorded 9 kills and 9.5 points against St. Cloud State on Sept. 11
- Tallied 17 kills, 3 service aces, and 21.5 points in a win over Minnesota State on Sept. 12
Ava Athman (Bemidji State)
- Led the Beaver offense to a 2-0 start in NSIC play, improving BSU to 10-0 overall and 24 consecutive sets won
- Totaled 33.5 points in matches against Minot State and UMary
- Recorded 27 kills while hitting .434
- Added 4 assists and 4 service aces
- Recorded 1 solo block and 7 block assists, averaging 1.33 blocks per set
- Ranks sixth in the NSIC in aces per set
- Ranks third in the NSIC and 44th in NCAA Division II in points per set
Makenna Nold (Concordia-St. Paul)
- Led CSP with 4.75 points per set during a 2-0 week
- Recorded her 1,000th career kill in a win over Sioux Falls
- Posted two double-doubles on the weekend
- Tallied 19 kills, 4 blocks, and 14 digs in a win over Southwest Minnesota State
- Recorded 11 kills, 4 aces, 3 blocks, and 15 digs in a win over Sioux Falls
Gracie Adamson (Jamestown)
- Recorded 16 kills, 1 service ace, and 18.0 points in a win over MSU Moorhead on Sept. 11
- Added 7 kills and 8.0 points in a win over Minnesota Crookston on Sept. 12
- Totaled 23 kills, 1 service ace, and 26.0 points across two matches
Madeline Guetzkow (Minnesota Duluth)
- Helped the Bulldogs to a 2-0 weekend
- Averaged 4.0 kills and 4.33 points per set
- Posted a .475 hitting percentage, third highest in the NSIC
- Averaged 4.67 digs and 0.67 blocks per set
- Recorded 14 kills, 8 digs, and 3 block assists while hitting .360 against UMary
- Hit .667 with 10 kills and a season-high 20 digs against Minot State
- Recorded her fifth double-double of the season against Minot State
Leah Jones (Southwest Minnesota State)
- Led the Mustangs with 28 kills while hitting .296 on the weekend
- Recorded 11 kills against Concordia-St. Paul
- Posted a season-high 17 kills while hitting .366 against Winona State
Delaney Miller (Wayne State)
- Averaged a team-best 3.33 kills per set in road sweeps of Minnesota State and No. 8 St. Cloud State
- Recorded 12 kills in a 3-0 win over Minnesota State
- Was one of three players with a team-high 8 kills in a 3-0 victory over No. 8 St. Cloud State
Abby Ongna (Winona State)
- Totaled 30 kills across two matches while hitting .423
- Recorded 31 points, 3 digs, and 2 blocks for the week
- Averaged 4.29 kills and 4.43 points per set
- Tallied a season-high 17 kills and hit .364 against No. 12 Southwest Minnesota State
- Added 3 digs against Southwest Minnesota State
- Recorded 13 kills and hit .526 in a win over Sioux Falls
- Added 2 blocks against Sioux Falls

DEFENSE
Maya Wente (Augustana)
- Recorded 7 total blocks against St. Cloud State on Sept. 11
- Added 1 block in a win over Minnesota State on Sept. 12
- Totaled 8 blocks across two matches
Ella Vander Velden (Bemidji State)
- Recorded 9 blocks in matches against Minot State and UMary, helping BSU improve to 10-0 and open NSIC play 2-0
- Contributed 10 points for the Beavers
- Added 1 serve reception and 6 digs
- Ranks 11th in the NSIC in aces per set and 14th in blocks per set
- Ranks 10th in the NSIC in total blocks
- Added 5 kills
Sophie Ketterling (Jamestown)
- Recorded 24 digs and 23 serve receive attempts in a 3-1 win over MSU Moorhead on Sept. 11
- Added 13 digs and 4 serve receive attempts with just 1 error in a 3-0 win over Minnesota Crookston on Sept. 12
- Totaled 37 digs and 27 serve receive attempts across two matches
- Averaged 18.5 digs per match
Savannah Meyer (Minnesota State)
- Led the team with 33 digs across two matches
- Led the team with 4.71 digs per set
Ashley Yost (Northern State)
- Anchored the Wolves’ defense during a 2-0 start to conference play
- Recorded 18 digs in each sweep victory
- Totaled 36 digs across two matches
- Helped hold opponents to a combined .176 hitting percentage
Ashlynn Schroeder (Southwest Minnesota State)
- Led the Mustangs with 37 digs during NSIC opening weekend
- Recorded 20 digs and 2 assists against Concordia-St. Paul
- Added 17 digs and 5 assists in a 3-1 win over Winona State
Reese Johnson (Wayne State)
- Averaged 4.50 digs per set in road sweeps over Minnesota State and No. 8 St. Cloud State
- Recorded 13 digs and 1 service ace in a 3-0 win at Minnesota State
- Added 14 digs and 2 service aces in a 3-0 sweep of No. 8 St. Cloud State

SETTER
Madison Tripp (Bemidji State)
- Recorded 78 assists during a 2-0 weekend to open NSIC play
- Added 6 kills while hitting .400
- Recorded 1 service ace and served without an error
- Added 20 digs and 1 assisted block
- Totaled 7.5 points on the weekend
- Ranks 14th nationally in assists per set and 41st in total assists
Ava Jones (Minnesota Duluth)
- Helped UMD open conference play with a 2-0 record
- Recorded career assist No. 2,000 in a win over UMary and moved into 11th place on UMD’s all-time assists list
- Directed the Bulldogs to a league-leading .379 team hitting percentage
- Totaled 77 assists, averaging 12.83 assists per set
- Added 3 service aces, 4 block assists, and 3 kills
- Recorded 40 assists and 2 service aces against UMary
- Finished with 37 assists, 5 digs, 3 block assists, and 2 kills against Minot State
Tatem Schmidt (Southwest Minnesota State)
- Led the Mustangs with 59 assists on the weekend
- Recorded her third and fourth double-doubles of the season
- Finished with 28 assists and 11 digs against Concordia-St. Paul
- Posted a season-high 31 assists and 16 digs in a win over Winona State
- Added 3 service aces against Winona State
Molly Romano (Wayne State)
- Averaged 10.17 assists per set while leading Wayne State to road sweeps of Minnesota State and No. 8 St. Cloud State
- Recorded 32 assists, 4 kills, and 2 service aces in a win over Minnesota State
- Added 29 assists, 3 kills, and 2 service aces in a sweep of No. 8 St. Cloud State
 
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)

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.