2019 AVCA DIVISION III ALL-AMERICA TEAM
MINNEAPOLIS -- Augsburg University volleyball players
Corrina Evans (JR, Blaine, Minn./Blaine HS) and
Kayla Gjerde (SO, Afton, Minn./Stillwater HS) were named as Division III All-Americans by the American Volleyball Coaches Association, it was announced on Tuesday. Evans was named as a third-team All-American, while Gjerde was named an honorable-mention All-American. It's the first All-America honor for both players, after both were named as
AVCA All-Central Region honorees last week for the first time.
The honors for Evans and Gjerde bring to 13 the number of Augsburg volleyball All-Americans honored since 2013.
Ashley Peper was a first-team honoree in both 2013 and 2014, and a second-team honoree in 2015;
Colleen Ourada was a third-team honoree in 2013 and 2014;
Emily McCourt was a second-team honoree in 2013, and
Taylor Linn was a second-team honoree in 2017. Auggies have been named honorable mention All-Americans, by virtue of earning All-Region first-team honors, four times prior to this year --
Courtney Lemke in 2014, Linn and
Macey Terhell in 2016, and
Morgan Malley in 2018.
A three-time All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference selection, Evans has been one of the most dominant middle blockers in the conference throughout her Augsburg tenure. In 102 sets his season, Evans accumulated 274 kills (2.69 per-set), along with a team-best 124 blocks (25 solo, 1.22 per-set). Her blocks per-set average ranks
second among MIAC players and
ninth among NCAA Division III players nationally (as of Nov. 17). Her block total currently ranks 15th-best nationally. Evans hit at a team-best .316 attack percentage, fourth-best in the MIAC. She had 14 matches with double-digit kills and 23 matches with 3.0-plus blocks this season.
Her blocking prowess was a big part of Augsburg's status as one of the top blocking teams in the country.
As of Nov. 17, the Auggies rank sixth among all NCAA Division III teams in blocks per-set (2.33) and ninth in total blocks (268.5), both totals now second in the MIAC.
In 88 career matches (327 sets), Evans already holds Augsburg's school records for career total blocks (346) and block assists (297), while her 50 solo blocks are tied for sixth-most. Her 1.06 career blocks per-set average is currently tops in school history. She has 847 career kills (2.59 per-set), standing ninth in school history in kills and ninth in kills per-set, along with 170 digs and 19 service aces.
Gjerde, a
first-time All-MIAC selection this season, has established a reputation as one of the best "six-rotation," all-around players in the conference -- a player that rarely leaves the court and plays all six spots in a team's rotation. In 103 sets this season, Gjerde accumulated a team-best 289 kills (2.81 per-set), hitting .229. She finished second on the team with 301 digs (2.92 per-set) and recorded 49 blocks (three solo, 0.48 per-set). She recorded 12 kill-dig double-doubles this season, and had 16 matches with double-digit kills and 15 matches with double-digit digs.
Her 2.81 kills per-set average
ranks 13th among MIAC hitters, and she is one of just four MIAC players to have 275-plus kills and 275-plus digs this season.
In her two seasons at Augsburg (59 matches, 212 sets), Gjerde has 554 kills (2.61 per-set), hitting .219, with 522 digs (2.46 per-set), 100 blocks (six solo, 0.47 per-set) and 15 service aces. Her 2.61 career kills per-set average currently ranks seventh in school history.
The duo are the heart of an Augsburg squad had another outstanding season, reaching the NCAA Division III national tournament for the second straight season and fifth time in school history. Under 10th-year head coach
Jane Becker, the Auggies finished 23-7 overall and 8-3 in conference play, its 14th season in school history with 20-plus wins and fourth in the last seven years. Augsburg has reached the MIAC postseason playoffs four straight seasons, six times in the last seven years and eight times in the last 11 years.
(NOTE: Story includes information taken from Augsburg's All-MIAC volleyball release and Augsburg's All-Region volleyball release.)
