Peru State Poised to Return to Winning Ways in 2018

PERU – It wasn’t exactly a season to remember for Peru State in 2017 as the Bobcats went 13-20 overall and 10-9 in the Heart of American Athletic Conference.

But, that’s in the past and head coach Laurie Schroeder is excited to look ahead to better things in 2018 as the Cats look to rebound from their first losing season in five years.

“This year we have strong front-row leaders who are ready to show our competition that the ‘cats are back,” Schroeder said. “Their leadership has influenced our freshmen defensive specialists, whom have quickly proven they belong on the court. I love seeing how teams evolve through preseason, who steps up as a leader, and how our freshmen adjust to a fast-paced game.”

Getting off to a fast start won’t be easy for Peru State with seven of its first matches coming against teams ranked in the top 25 in NAIA according to the preseason poll. Peru State also must replace two-time HAAC Defender of the Year Christina Viera and two-time HAAC Honorable Mention selection Brooke Rudebusch.

Here is a position-by-position look at Peru State for 2018.

Setters

Darlene Quinonez Holguin, 5’5, Jr., Las Cruces, N.M.

Taylor Thompson, 5’10, Sr., Norfolk, Neb.

Hannah Burianek, 5’7, Fr., Lincoln, Neb.

Thompson was a huge get for the Bobcats as a transfer from Grace University. She had 968 digs and 857 kills at Grace University and will be part of Peru State’s 6-2 offense. Holguin redshirted a year ago and looks to be the other setter in the Bobcat system. Burianek is a freshman from Lincoln High.

Pin Hitters

Mallory Matthies, 6’0, Soph., Omaha, Neb.

Claire Cudney, 5’9, Soph., Marysville, Kan.

Emily Meyer, 5’10, Soph., Sabetha, Kan.

Kira Shapiro, 6’0, Sr., Omaha, Neb.

Sarah Brown, 5’6, Fr., Seward, Neb.

Yorgelys Jaspe, 5’10, Sr., San Carlos, Venezuela

Hannah Sexton, 6’0, Jr., Beatrice, Neb.

Rylee Pieper, 5’9, Fr., Western, Neb.

Pyper Roseberry, 5’9, Fr., LaVista, Neb.

Right side Shapiro has been an honorable mention selection the past two seasons in the HAAC and led the Bobcats with 332 kills last season (2.7 per set) while hitting .259. Jaspe redshirted last year, but the year before she was a Second-Team All-HAAC player. Freshman Pieper will likely figure into the equation after leading Meridian to back-to-back Class D-1 runner-up finishes. Roseberry will be redshirting this fall. Cudney had 223 kills a year ago and 24 blocks and Matthies had 93 kills and 31 blocks. Sexton had 66 kills in 56 sets last year and Meyer had 13 in 16 sets.

Middles

Cami Ruiz, 5’11, Sr., Bogota, Columbia

Tyra Mollhoff, 5’11, Soph., Lincoln, Neb.

Alyssa Childers, 5’9, Fr., Lincoln, Neb.

Nadja Janjevic, 6’0, Sr., Podgorica, Montenegro

Janjevic returns after being a Second-Team All-HAAC performer last year and led the Bobcats with a .334 hitting percentage and 102 blocks while also having 215 kills. Mollhoff had 37 kills in 35 sets as a freshman. Ruiz is a transfer from Texas A&M International. Childers is a freshman from Lincoln High.

Liberos/DS

Alexis Cox, 5’7, Fr., Brighton, Colo.

Arianna Waschkowski, 5’6, Fr., Bellevue, Neb.

Cheyenne Birkle, 5’5, Fr., Holden, Mo.

Cox was a CHSAA All-State Honorable Mention selection in high school last year and Led her 3A class team in digs with 357. Waschkowski is a freshman from Bellevue East.