BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) announced its annual volleyball awards on Wednesday.
Gustavus junior outside hitter Marlee Turn was selected by conference coaches as the MIAC Offensive Player of the Year, while St. Scholastica senior defensive specialist Alcia Draper earned her second consecutive MIAC Defensive Player of the Year honor, and Gustavus first-year defensive specialist Maren Sundberg was named MIAC Rookie of the Year. Gustie head coach Rachelle Sherden was celebrated by her peers as the MIAC Coach of the Year.
Turn (Jr. | Kennedy, Minn. | Kittson Central) averaged 3.82 kills and 4.08 points per set against conference opponents in 2022 to help lead the Gusties to a perfect record in league play. Turn hit .255 over 11 conference matches and added nine assists, six service aces, and 103 digs in her 33 sets played. She is the MIAC’s first Offensive Player of the Year recipient in volleyball; the conference previously recognized a Most Valuable Player/Player of the Year award winner from 1990-2021. MIAC Defensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year honors were added in 2001.
Draper (Sr. | Williams, Minn. | Lake of the Woods) averaged 5.73 digs per set against conference foes in 2022, collecting 229 over 40 sets. The senior also contributed 26 assists, five service aces, and five kills in 11 MIAC matches. Draper becomes the seventh player in MIAC history to repeat as Defensive Player of the Year, having earned Co-DPOY honors with Gustavus’ Hailey Embacher last season.
Sundberg (Fy. | Eagan, Minn.) posted a digs-per-set average of 4.85 in 39 conference sets during her debut season. She added 43 assists and 11 service aces on the offensive side of the ball as well. Sundberg is the third Gustavus player to receive MIAC Rookie of the Year honors, joining previous winners Nora Holtan (2015) and Kate Holtan (2017).
Sherden (13th season) was recognized by her peers as MIAC Coach of the Year for the third time in her career after guiding Gustavus to an undefeated season in conference play. Sherden’s Gusties went to five sets just once in league action this season and swept their last three matches en route to the program’s eighth regular-season title all-time. Sherden was previously awarded MIAC Coach of the Year in 2015 and 2018.
In addition to the individual awards, 22 players were named All-Conference and five received honorable mention distinction. All awards were nominated by and voted on by the 12 MIAC head volleyball coaches; any nominated player not selected as All-Conference but still receiving votes from at least three coaches was named honorable mention.
Twelve of the 22 All-Conference selections also received the honor in 2021. St. Olaf senior middle blocker Katelyn Lannom (Minnetonka, Minn.) became the 57th player in recorded conference history to be named All-MIAC three times in volleyball, while Bethel graduate setter Hannah Wilhite (Louisville, Ky. | Christian Academy of Louisville) became the 18th player to earn the distinction four times.
2022 MIAC Volleyball Awards
| 2022 MIAC Volleyball Offensive Player of the Year |
| Position |
Name |
Institution |
Class |
Hometown | High School |
Previous Selections |
| OH |
Marlee Turn |
Gustavus |
Jr. |
Kennedy, Minn. | Kittson Central |
-- |
| 2022 MIAC Volleyball Defensive Player of the Year |
| Position |
Name |
Institution |
Class |
Hometown | High School |
Previous Selections |
| DS |
Alcia Draper |
St. Scholastica |
Sr. |
Williams, Minn. | Lake of the Woods |
2021 |
| 2022 MIAC Volleyball Rookie of the Year |
| Position |
Name |
Institution |
Class |
Hometown | High School |
| DS |
Maren Sundberg |
Gustavus |
Fy. |
Eagan, Minn. |
| 2022 MIAC Volleyball Coach of the Year |
| Name |
Institution |
Previous Selections |
| Rachelle Sherden |
Gustavus |
2015 | 2018 |
| 2022 MIAC Volleyball All-Conference |
| Position |
Name |
Institution |
Class |
Hometown | High School |
Previous Selections |
| RS |
Kevin Boysen |
Augsburg |
Sr. |
Rochester, Minn. | Mayo |
2021 |
| OPP |
Kirstin Cotter |
Bethel |
Sr. |
Duluth, Minn. | East |
2021 |
| DS |
Alcia Draper |
St. Scholastica |
Sr. |
Williams, Minn. | Lake of the Woods |
2021 |
| RS |
Sarah Elliott |
Gustavus |
Sr. |
Lombard, Ill. | Glenbard East |
2021 |
| MB |
Jade Fullerton |
Augsburg |
Sr. |
Arden Hills, Minn. | Mounds View |
-- |
| OH |
Emma Guest |
Saint Benedict |
Jr. |
Oak Grove, Minn. | Saint Francis |
-- |
| OH |
Gabby Heying |
Saint Benedict |
Sr. |
Waite Park, Minn. | St. Cloud Cathedral |
2021 |
| OH/RS |
Eliza King |
Macalester |
Sr. |
Novato, Calif. | San Marin |
2021 |
| MB |
Katelyn Lannom |
St. Olaf |
Sr. |
Minnetonka, Minn. |
2019 | 2021 |
| OH |
Ciarra McNally |
Saint Mary’s |
Jr. |
Lewiston, Minn. | Lewiston-Altura |
2021 |
| OPP |
Catherine Moore |
St. Olaf |
Jr. |
Lake Elmo, Minn. | Mounds Park Academy |
2021 |
| OH |
Jessica Remer |
St. Scholastica |
Sr. |
Grand Forks, N.D. | Sacred Heart |
-- |
| DS |
Selena Rodriguez |
St. Olaf |
Sr. |
St. Paul, Minn. | North |
-- |
| OH |
Maggie Rosen |
St. Catherine |
Jr. |
Clear Lake, Wis. |
2021 |
| DS |
Jenna Rubbelke |
Hamline |
So. |
North St. Paul, Minn. |
2021 |
| DS |
Kelsie Sealock |
Bethel |
Sr. |
Plymouth, Minn. | Osseo |
-- |
| S |
Audrey Spolidoro |
Saint Benedict |
So. |
Cottage Grove, Minn. | East Ridge |
-- |
| DS |
Maren Sundberg |
Gustavus |
Fy. |
Eagan, Minn. |
-- |
| OH |
Tiffany Tellez |
St. Catherine |
Fy. |
Peoria, Ariz. | Xavier College Prep |
-- |
| OH |
Marlee Turn |
Gustavus |
Jr. |
Kennedy, Minn. | Kittson Central |
-- |
| S |
Kasie Tweet |
Gustavus |
Jr. |
Adrian, Minn. |
-- |
| S |
Hannah Wilhite |
Bethel |
Gr. |
Louisville, Ky. | Christian Academy of Louisville |
2018 | 2019 | 2021 |
| 2022 MIAC Volleyball Honorable Mention |
| Position |
Name |
Institution |
Class |
Hometown | High School |
Previous Selections |
| OH |
Jancyn Appel |
Carleton |
Sr. |
Kansas City, Mo. | The Pembroke Hill School |
2021 (AC) |
| MH |
Madison Fagan |
St. Catherine |
Fy. |
Orange Park, Fla. | Oakleaf |
-- |
| OH |
Kayla Gjerde |
Augsburg |
Sr. |
Afton, Minn. | Stillwater |
2019 (AC) | 2021 (AC) |
| S |
Kaia Lill |
Concordia |
Jr. |
Bismarck, N.D. | Century |
-- |
| OH |
Abbie Stigler |
Saint Mary’s |
Fy. |
Menomonee Falls, Wis. | University School of Milwaukee |
-- |