Volleyball

MIAC announces 2024 Volleyball Awards

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) announced its annual volleyball awards on Wednesday.
 
Conference coaches selected Gustavus senior setter Kasie Tweet as the MIAC Offensive Player of the Year, while St. Olaf junior defensive specialist Morgan Ryan received the MIAC Defensive Player of the Year honor, and Augsburg first-year outside hitter Ava Carlson was named MIAC Rookie of the Year. Gustie head coach Rachelle Sherden was celebrated by her peers as the MIAC Coach of the Year.
 
Tweet (Sr. | Adrian, Minn.) was named MIAC Offensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season after leading all setters with an average of 12.56 assists per set in conference matches. Tweet surpassed 4,500 career assists in 2024 to become the program’s all-time leader, helping the Gusties to a third consecutive undefeated conference season in the process. She is the third consecutive Gustie to receive Offensive Player of the Year honors in volleyball, joining Kate Holtan (2021) and Marlee Turn (2022), and the first to repeat since fellow Gustavus setter Nora Holtan won three in a row from 2016-18.
 
Ryan (Jr. | Chanhassen, Minn. | Minnetonka) was selected MIAC Defensive Player of the Year after leading the conference in digs (256) and digs per set (6.56). The junior exceeded 30 digs in three MIAC matches and had more than 20 digs in six. She is the first Ole in program history to be named MIAC Defensive Player of the Year.
 
Carlson (Fy. | Cloquet, Minn.) received MIAC Rookie of the Year honors after hitting .205 and averaging 2.51 kills and 2.67 digs per set in 39 conference sets. She also led all first-year players with an average of 2.94 points per set in her debut season. Carlson is the first Auggie in program history to receive MIAC Rookie of the Year honors.
 
Sherden (15th season) was recognized by her peers as MIAC Coach of the Year for the fifth time in her career and the third straight season. Sherden’s Gusties became the first team in MIAC volleyball history to go three consecutive seasons without a conference loss, winning the tenth regular season title in program history. Sherden was previously awarded MIAC Coach of the Year in 2015, 2018, 2022, and 2023.
 
In addition to the individual awards, 22 players were named All-Conference, and three received honorable mention distinctions. 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.
 
Seven of the 22 All-Conference selections also received the honor in 2023. Hamline senior defensive specialist Jenna Rubbelke became the 19th volleyball player in recorded MIAC history to be named to four straight All-Conference teams. Three players - Gustavus junior defensive specialist Maren Sundberg and senior setter Kasie Tweet, and Saint Benedict senior setter Audrey Spolidoro - received All-MIAC distinction for the third time, a feat achieved by 63 volleyball players in recorded conference history.
 
The MIAC Volleyball All-Playoff Team will be announced the week following the MIAC Playoff Championship.
 
| 2024 MIAC Volleyball Awards |