Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin Athletes Pick Top Division 3 Programs
Photo Cred: Amber Arnold Photos – Madison.com April can be a very exciting month for Seniors, it can also be stressful, emotional, and insert any other way one can feel nearing the end of high school. I’m sure a lot…
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Continue ReadingPhoto Cred: Amber Arnold Photos – Madison.com
April can be a very exciting month for Seniors, it can also be stressful, emotional, and insert any other way one can feel nearing the end of high school. I’m sure a lot can relate that “Senioritis” is at an all time high, the tug and pull between parents and their 18 year old “kids”, all the feels. However, this is the time of year where plenty of athletes are making their final decision as to where they will be heading to college. After people have probably asking the past year where they are going to college, there is now an answer. Here are some members from the Class of 2019 who will be heading the Division 3, looking to make a major impact.
In working with different athletes, clubs, and colleges here are just a couple of observations I’ve made and some FYI’s about D3 schools, conferences, and trends in our network.
-Nebraska has plenty of NAIA schools, but only had one Division 3 school in Nebraska Wesleyan located in Lincoln, Nebraska. They play in the American Rivers Conference which is comprised mostly of all private liberal arts schools in Iowa.
-Minnesota has two main Division 3 conferences in the MIAC and the UMAC, a large Division 2 conference called the Northern Sun (NSIC) which is one of the toughest conferences in the country for volleyball with teams from the Dakotas, Nebraska, Iowa, and Minnesota.
-The majority of Iowa Division 3 schools are in the American Rivers Conference, while Grinnell College and Cornell College are in the Midwest Conference with teams from Illinois and Wisconsin.
-Wisconsin has Division 3 schools that are state schools such as UW-Eau Claire, UW-Oshkosh, and UW-Stevens Point that make up the WIAC, but also have plenty of private Division 3 schools that compete against teams from Iliinois and Iowa, however there are only two NAIA schools in the state (Viterbo and Cardinal Stritch).
Here are some athletes who will be heading the D3 route for some of the top programs in their conference, their region, and even the nation.
Sheridan Dettman – Watertown (WI) – Capital Volleyball Academy – Libero
Committed To UW-Eau Claire
Eau Claire had one of the best seasons in school history this past year in advancing to the final four. Dettman will be heading there after an incredible high school season for Watertown where they were ranked in the top ten most of the year in Wisconsin’s largest class. Dettman plays club for Capital Volleyball Academy where she has a really solid platform where she can take great pace off the ball and serve receive with the best of them.
Rachel Aasby – Lourdes Academy (WI) – One Wisconsin – Outside Hitter
Mazie Nagel – Stratford (WI) – Outside Hitter
Committed To UW-Oshkosh
Both of these athletes were some of the top in the division in the state of Wisconsin, being named 1st Team All State in Division 3. Aasby played in three state tournaments including two championship games where Nagel played her Junior and Senior year at the state tournament taking home runner-up honors her Senior year. Six rotation outside, Aasby brings a six rotation finesse style while Nagel is going to swing hard and play with her heart on her sleeve. Two great pickups by the Titans who are always a tough out when it comes to WIAC tournament play.
Brianne Korducki – Watertown (WI) – Capital Volleyball Academy – Front Row Utility
Committed to UW-La Crosse
Dettman and Korducki have always been on the same side of the net, but will now be facing each other over the next four years. Korducki had 378 kills for the Goslings last season and was a major go-to hitter enroute to a Regional Title and a Sectional Runner-Up. She will be joined at UWL by Maddy Weisensel who is a Wautoma prep and member of Wisconsin Ice.
Amanda Smith – Tipton (IA) – Setter/UT
Amber Rickert – Dike-New Hartford (IA) – Flight – RS/MB
Taylor Richards – Ankeny (IA) – CIS – Pin
Committed to Central
Central is picking up a few athletes who have had some success on the courts of the US Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, picking up some state tournament hardware. Smith was a dual threat for Tipton as they went on to finish runner-up in Class 3A to Carroll-Kuemper. She was a double-double machine where it would be common for her to pick up double digit assists and kills in a match. Rickert has played her high school ball for perennial power Dike-New Hartford where she was a Class 2A 1st Team All State nominee. Richards is a pin out of Ankeny who was able to play in the state tournament as well this past fall in Class 5A.
Taylor Ohm – Hartford (WI) – Wisconsin Premier – Libero
Committed To UW-Platteville
Ohm has been a consistent force for Hartford High School North of Milwaukee where she has been rock solid as a libero. This past club season she played for Wisconsin Premier who also has Keri Walker who will be heading to NCAA Division 2 Northern State. Ohm has been a huge part of the foundation that Hartford is building in their program. She moves well, has a solid platform, and is a really solid pick up by Platteville.
Natalie Clayberg – Pella (IA)
Committed to Wartburg
Clayberg was a member of Pella’s state tournament team which this year was a little bit of an upset beating Clear Creek – Amana in the Regional final. A solid all around player, Clayberg had over 200 kills and nearly 300 digs on the season. Wartburg is always one of the top programs in the American Rivers Conference.
Sydney Olson of [program_tooltip program_id='429186' first='Kandi' last='Elite']Sydney Olson – Willmar (MN) – Kandi Elite – MB/PIn
Committed to Gustavus Adolphus
Olson might be one of the better athletes you’ll find in Western Minnesota. With a hockey background to go along with volleyball, Olson is a middle blocker who could play on the pin as well. Her high school team, Willmar was one win short of the state tournament, but her club team of Kandi Elite out of Willmar has been producing some top talent with athletes heading to the Summit League (D1), Northern Sun (D2), and now the MIAC (D3). Gustavus was one of the top teams in the region last fall before being upset by Minnesota-Morris in the D3 National Tournament.
Madi Parson – Camanche (IA) – Outside Hitter
Committed to Coe
Parson will be pulling double duty at Coe College in Cedar Rapids. An all around athlete who will be playing volleyball and softball for the Kohawks, she was one of the top kill leaders in Eastern Iowa last fall earning 2nd Team All State Honors. On the softball diamond she will join an Coe team who is consistently ranked in the top 25 and always a threat to make the national tournament. Will she be able to be part of multiple national tournaments in different sports?