A talented group of recruits and transfers will take the court for the Augsburg volleyball team in 2017, Head Coach
Jane Becker has announced.
The incoming class will join an Augsburg volleyball squad that has established itself as one of the elite programs in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in recent years. The Auggies have earned MIAC regular-season titles in three of the last four years, while reaching the NCAA Division III national tournament in 2013 and 2014. Becker enters the 2017 season, her eighth at Augsburg, with a 137-68 (.668) record at Augsburg, including a 52-25 (.675) mark in MIAC play.
Here is a look at the 2017 Augsburg volleyball incoming class. The players listed have made deposits to attend Augsburg this fall. Information has been supplied by the recruits.
Tayah Barnes
(Preston, Minn./Fillmore Central HS)
• Defensive Specialist/Libero
• Played club volleyball for Falcon Fire
• Member of conference champion and state runner-up team in 2013
• Member of conference champion team in 2014, digs leader
• In 2015, digs leader, reached 1,000 dig plateau, All-Three Rivers Conference
• In 2016, All-Three Rivers Conference and All-State honoree, digs leader
• Academic All-Conference all 4 years
Corrina Evans
(Blaine, Minn./Blaine HS)
• Middle Hitter
• Played club volleyball for Blaine JO (2 years) and Minnesota Volleyball Academy (3 years)
• Named All-Northwest Suburban Conference in both junior and senior years at Blaine HS
• Team captain senior year
• Member of Blaine HS squad that reached Section 5AAA semifinals in 2016, finishing 18-10 overall
Madelyn Nierengarten
(Foley, Minn./Princeton HS)
• Outside Hitter
• Played club volleyball for Princeton JO (4 years), Minnesota Premier (1 year), Granite City Juniors (1 year)
• 4-year starter at Princeton HS
• 2-year captain at Princeton HS
• All-Conference in junior and senior season
• All-Academic award all 4 years at Princeton HS
Talana Rudzitis
(Nowthen, Minn./Legacy Christian Academy HS)
• Setter
• Played club volleyball for Crossfire (Champlin, Minn.)
• All-Minnesota Christian Conference first-team honoree in 2016 at Legacy Christian Academy HS
• Academic award honoree at Legacy Christian Academy HS
• Team reached section semifinals in 2016
Leah Schmirler
(Milwaukee, Wis./Nicolet HS)
• Outside Hitter
• Played club volleyball for Wisconsin Juniors
• Member of three-time conference champions at Nicolet HS, team won regionals all four years
• All-Conference Honorable Mention
• Team's Teammate Award, Academic Excellence Award, Most Improved Player Award, Coach's Award and Four-Year Varsity Player Award
• Nicolet Scholar-Athlete Award
• Michael Janasik Scholarship Award
Ellie Schwartz
(Woodbury, Minn./Hill-Murray HS)
• Outside Hitter
• Transfer from St. Thomas; played volleyball at UST in 2016 (12 matches)
• Played women's basketball at Augsburg in 2nd half of 2016-17 season.
• 2016 St. Paul Athena Award-winner
• Woodbury Magazine's Prep All-Star 2015
• Holds Hill-Murray record for single-season kills (419)
• All-Metro East Conference 2015
• All-State Honorable Mention 2015
• Team captain 2015
• Section 4AA champion 2013, 2015
• Class AA state tournament runner-up 2013
• Class AA state tournament consolation champion 2015
• Wells Fargo/Class AA State All-Tournament Team 2015
• MNVBCA All-Star Game 2016
Ciashia Shiongyaj
(St. Paul, Minn./Johnson HS)
• Defensive Specialist/Libero
• Played club volleyball for Minnesota Volleyball Academy; MVA Team Player Award in 2016-17
• 2-year varsity letterwinner for St. Paul Johnson HS
• All-Conference honoree in 2016
• Academic Honor Roll in 2014-15
• Academic Letter Award in 2015-16
• National Honor Society in 2015-16 and 2016-17
• John A. Johnson Key Awards Medal
• St. Paul Johnson HS Senior Leader (White Cord) and Honors Distinction graduate (Gold Tassels)
Hanna Weinzierl
(New Richmond, Wis./New Richmond HS)
• Middle Hitter/Right Side Hitter
• Played club volleyball for Smash and Kokoro 18-1s (2017)
• All-Middle Border Conference honorable mention in 2014 at New Richmond HS
• All-Middle Border Conference first team in 2015 at New Richmond HS
• All-Middle Border Conference second team in 2016 at New Richmond HS
• Team captain in 2016 at New Richmond HS
• Academic honors in 2016-17 at New Richmond HS
Lily Weiser
(Prescott, Wis./Prescott HS)
• Outside Hitter
• Transfer from Minnesota State-Moorhead,
• Played club volleyball for Kokoro Volleyball
• 2015 Middle Border Conference Player of the Year at Prescott HS
• Three-time All-Middle Border Conference at Prescott HS; twice named to First Team, named to Second Team one year
• 933 career kills in three varsity seasons, including 417 in senior year; also had 341 digs, 156 blocks and 71 service aces in senior year
• Three-year letterwinner
• Team's Outstanding Hitter Award in both 2014 and 2015
• Member of Prescott HS teams that were unbeaten in conference play in both 2014 and 2015
