Former Wisconsin, Minnesota Preps See Team Success, Post Season Honors

Chris Fitzgerald November 16, 2018 @ 03:49 PM

They had been coaching against each other for years, and now they are both having one of the record books in separate divisions. Kim Wudi, Head Coach at UW-Eau Claire has her Blugolds in the Final Four of the NCAA Division III Tournament while Green Bay Head Coach, Abbey Sutherland who was formerly the coach at UW-Stevens Point has just earned Horizon League Coach of the Year while guiding the Green Bay Phoenix to a regular season conference title while hosting the conference tournament this weekend.

The Blugolds have had a historic season with multiple postseason honors, first with Wudi being named WIAC Coach of the Year, Midwest Region Coach of the Year, and US Marine Corps/AVCA Coach of the Year behind a 7-0 WIAC record, over 30 wins, and a final four appearance (UW-Eau Claire plays Calvin College Friday at 4 PM Central which can be streamed live on ncaa.com). Madelyn Pashibin of UW-Eau Claire was named 1st Team All American, a 5’11 Senior Middle Hitter who prepped at Minneapolis Southwest. Madi Surprise, a Senior who prepped at Kimberly High School and played for Wisconsin Volleyball Academy earned Honorable Mention Honors.

Other Wisconsin natives to earn All American honors for NCAA Division III were outside hitter April Gehl of UW-Stevens Point, Gehl prepped at Hilbert. UW-Whitewater, Brittany Robinson of Menomonee Falls was named 3rd Team All American.

Former Minnesota prep players were also part of the NCAA Division III All American teams starting with Nora Holtan from Gustavus Adolphus who played at Rochester Mayo, Hunter Weiss of College of St. Benedict who prepped at Shakopee, and Madison Weiss from St. Benedict who also prepped at Shakopee. Mariah Halvorsen of Wayzata earning Honorable Mention honors at Northwestern in St. Paul. Also earning Honorable Mention was Kate Holtan of Gustavus Adolphus from Rochester Mayo, Brittany Luethmers of Gustavus Adolphus from Prior Lake, Morgan Malley of Augsburg from Fillmore-Central, Kalley Schwitters of Northwestern from Central Minnesota Christain, and Macey Terhell of Augsburg from Osceola, WI,

Abbey Sutherland, a West Bend native, had plenty of NCAA Division III hardware while being the head coach at UW-Stevens Point. In her first season at Green Bay, she has led the Phoenix to a 13-3 conference record, a regular season conference title which results in the Phoenix hosting the Horizon League tournament this weekend as well as a bye into the semifinals. Sutherland is assisted by Korey Schroeder who is a Kaukauna native, and has spent time coaching for Wisconsin Ice Volleyball Club, Wausau Newman Catholic, and UW-Platteville.

As for the Phoenix, they took home plenty of the postseason awards starting with Taylor Wolf, who prepped at Waconia High School in Minnesota and played for Northern Lights earning Player of the Year as well as Offensive Player of the Year in the conference. Maddie Yoss, who won two state titles at DSHA and played for Wisconsin Premier, earned Setter of the Year. Vanessa Buman of Fox Valley Lutheran High School and FC Elite earned Defensive Player of the Year.

Miranda Wucherer, a top recruit 2018 recruit from Brookfield Central High School and Milwaukee Sting was on the Horizon League All-Freshman Team playing for Northern Kentucky.

Wisconsin Prep Players For UW-Eau Claire (Name - High School)

Jessica Coyne - Verona

Amber Karn - Middleton

Kendra Baierl - Columbus Catholic

Jenna Phillips - Kettle Moraine

Madi Surprise - Kimberly

Krista Meyer - Germantown

Minnesota Prep Players for UW-Eau Claire (Name - High School)

Taylor Scalia - Stillwater

Arianna Barrett - Lakeville North

Abby Volk - Willmar

Libby Macken - Centennial