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Mustangs Hire New Volleyball Coach
Mustangs Post Fifth Consecutive Winning Season
Cheever A Second-Team All-Region Selection
Cheever Named To All-GPAC First-Team
Andersen Named To Academic All-District Team
Cheever Receives GPAC And Region III Honors
Cheever And Pedersen Named To All-Tourney Team
Kotlik Named Setter Of The Week
Mustangs Snap Dordt's 55-Match Winning Streak
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Laura Andersen |
Amber Bohnker |
Morningside volleyball players Laura Andersen, Amber Bohnker, Kellsey Kock, and Katie Kotlik have all been named 2006 Daktronics-NAIA Volleyball All-America Scholar-Athletes.
Andersen, a 5-6 senior defensive specialist from Omaha, Neb., has a 3.91 cumulative grade point average (GPA) and is majoring in advertising. Andersen averaged 4.17 digs per game as the Mustangs’ starting libero this season. She had 25 digs in a 3-0 victory against Peru State College on Sept. 1 and 31 digs in a 3-1 loss against College of St. Mary on Aug. 27 to set new Morningside records for a three-game match and a four-game match, respectively.
Bohnker, a 5-10 junior outside hitter from Underwood, Iowa, has a 3.57 cumulative GPA with a majors in advertising and business administration with an emphasis in marketing. She averaged 1.19 kills and 1.12 digs per game this season.
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Kellsey Kock |
Katie Kotlik |
Kock, a 5-11 senior outside hitter from Breda, Iowa, has a 3.83 cumulative GPA with a major in elementary education. She averaged 0.88 kills, 0.68 blocks, and 0.62 digs per game as one of the Mustangs’ starting outside hitters.
Kotlik, a 5-8 junior setter from Bellevue, Neb., has a 3.93 cumulative GPA with majors in political science and Spanish. She averaged 10.23 assists and 2.64 digs per game and led the Mustangs with 39 ace serves for an average of 0.31 ace serves per game. Kotlik ranks fourth in Morningside history with 2,112 career assists and sixth with 141 career ace serves.
Daktronics-NAIA Volleyball All-America Scholar-Athletes must be of at least junior status and have a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher.
Morningside posted an 18-17 record during the 2006 season for its fifth consecutive winning season.
Click here for the complete list of 2006 Daktronics-NAIA Volleyball All-America Scholar-Athletes.
 Morningside College has named Rick Pruett as its new head volleyball coach announced Mustangs’ athletic director Jerry Schmutte.
Pruett comes to Morningside from William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa, where he served as head volleyball coach for the past four seasons. Pruett was previously the head volleyball coach at Concordia University in River Forest, Ill., and at Midland Lutheran College in Fremont, Neb. He guided all three schools to 20-win seasons.
He replaces former Morningside head coach Aaron Nelson, who resigned following the completion of the 2006 season.
“I am very pleased to announce Rick Pruett as our new head volleyball coach,” Schmutte said. “He brings several important assets to the table. He is energetic, he has significant experience as a head coach at the collegiate level, and he has enjoyed success everywhere he has been.”
Pruett led William Penn to a pair of runner-up finishes in the Midwest Classic Conference standings over the last four years. He guided the Statesmen to a 23-17 record in 2003 and then led the team to a 24-17 record for the most wins in William Penn history and the program’s first-ever NAIA regional tournament appearance in 2004.
“This is a great move and a great opportunity for me,” said Pruett. “Morningside has had a successful volleyball program over the years and the cupboard is not empty because there are some great players on this team. I remember coaching against Morningside when I was at William Penn and I was impressed by their athletes’ knowledge of the game and how they played the game. I’m also excited about the opportunity to coach in what is probably the toughest NAIA conference in the country.”
Pruett said Morningside’s location also played a prominent role in his decision as he grew up in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and his wife Kari’s family is from Hartington, Neb.
His coaching career began at Midland Lutheran, where he was an assistant coach for two years before he was promoted to the head post in 1997. Pruett guided the Warriors to a 19-12 record in 1997 and to a 21-13 mark in 1998.
Pruett was the head volleyball coach at Concordia from 1999 to 2002, where he took over a program that won just three matches in 1998. He led Concordia to a winning record in his third season there with a 17-15 mark, followed by a 22-17 record in 2002 for the second highest victory total in the school’s history. His 2002 team finished second nationally in the NCAA Division III with an average of 24.54 digs per game.
Pruett is a 1992 graduate of Dakota Wesleyan University.
Morningside College’s volleyball team posted an 18-17 record in 2006 for its fifth consecutive winning season following records of 19-15 in 2005, 23-13 in 2004, 24-17 in 2003, and 26-9 in 2002. The Mustangs finished in seventh place in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) standings with a 7-9 league record.
Mustangs Break Single-Season Dig Records
Morningside had 2,613 digs for an average of 21.07 digs per game to break its former single-season records of 2,494 digs in 2001 and 19.67 digs per game in 2002.
The Mustangs had 93 digs in a 3-0 win against Peru State College on Sept. 1 to break their former three-game match record of 88 digs against Southwest State University in 1995. Morningside had 119 digs in a 3-1 loss against the College of St. Mary on Aug. 27 to tie its record for a four-game match.
Morningside also tied a school record for solo blocks in a five-game match with 10 in a 3-2 loss against Dakota State University on Sept. 26.
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Cara DeStigter |
Laura Andersen |
DeStigter Breaks Single-Season Dig Records
Cara DeStigter, a 5-11 sophomore outside hitter from Sioux City, led the Mustangs with a school-record 531 digs for an average of 4.39 digs per game. DeStigter broke the former Morningside single-season record of 484 digs by Theresa Kathman in 1995 and shattered the former Morningside single-season standard of 3.94 digs per game by Kathman in 1994.
DeStigter also set a Morningside record with 31 digs in a 3-1 loss against Azusa Pacific University on Sept. 15 to break the former four-game match record of 29 digs by Monica Casper against the University of Northern Colorado in 2000.
Andersen Breaks Two Libero Dig Records
Laura Andersen, a 5-6 senior defensive specialist from Omaha, Neb., had 25 digs in the Mustangs’ 3-0 victory against Peru State College on Sept. 1 to break the former Morningside libero three-game match record of 24 digs by B.J. Rohlena last season against Dakota State University. Andersen had 31 digs in the Mustangs’ 3-1 loss against College of St. Mary on Aug. 27 to break Rohlena’s former Morningside libero four-game match record of 26 digs last season against Bethel College.
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Cassie Cheever |
Katie Kotlik |
Cheever Ties Ace Serve Record
Cassie Cheever, a 6-0 junior middle blocker from South Sioux City, Neb., had six ace serves in a 3-2 loss against the University of Sioux Falls on Sept. 20 to tie the Mustangs’ record for a five-game match.
Cheever led the Mustangs with 455 kills for an average of 3.67 kills per game. She led the Mustangs with a .342 attack percentage for the sixth highest single-season percentage in Morningside history and her average of 3.67 kills per game was the ninth highest average in school history. Cheever had the Mustangs’ top individual kill performance of the season with a career-high 25 kills against Sioux Falls on Sept. 20.
She had 35 solo blocks and 92 block assists for the ninth highest single-season totals in Morningside history. Her average of 1.02 blocks per game also ranked ninth in the Mustangs’ annals.
Cheever has amassed 1,224 kills during her career for the sixth highest total in Morningside history. Cheever also ranks sixth in the Mustangs’ record book with 80 career solo blocks and 250 career block assists.
Kotlik Leads Mustangs In Assists And Ace Serves
Katie Kotlik, a 5-8 junior setter from Bellevue, Neb., led the Mustangs with 1,268 assists for an average of 10.23 per game and with 39 ace serves for an average of 0.31 per game. She raised her career totals to 2,112 assists and 141 ace serves for the fourth and sixth highest totals, respectively, in Morningside history.
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Andra Pedersen |
Catie Bobier |
Pedersen Is Mustangs’ Block Leader
Andra Pedersen, a 5-11 junior middle blocker from Blair, Neb., led the Mustangs with an average of 1.19 blocks per game for the fifth highest single-season average in Morningside history. She also led the Mustangs with 43 solo blocks and 95 block assists for the fifth and seventh highest single-season totals, respectively, in Morningside history.
Bobier Excels In Dig Department
Catie Bobier, a 5-10 sophomore outside hitter from Westfield, Iowa, came up with 449 digs for an average of 3.77 per game for the seventh highest single-season dig total and the fifth highest single-season average in Morningside history.
 Cassie Cheever, a 6-0 junior middle blocker from South Sioux City, Neb., has been named to the second team of the 2006 NAIA All-Region III Volleyball Team.
Cheever pounded 455 kills for an average of 3.67 kills per game to compliment an average of 1.02 blocks per contest this past season. She led the Mustangs with 24 double figure kill performances and had the Mustangs’ top individual kill performance of the season with 25 against the University of Sioux Falls on Sept. 20.
Cheever received first-team All-Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) honors this year and was a second-team All-GPAC performer as a freshman and sophomore. She ranks sixth in Morningside history with 1,224 career kills, 80 career solo blocks, and 250 career block assists.
Morningside posted an 18-17 record during the 2006 campaign for its fifth consecutive winning season.
Click here for the complete 2006 NAIA All-Region III Volleyball Team.
Cassie Cheever, a 6-0 junior middle blocker from South Sioux City, Neb., has been named to the 2006 All-Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Volleyball First-Team as selected by the league’s head coaches.
Cheever, a second-team All-GPAC performer each of the previous two seasons, pounded 455 kills for an average of 3.67 kills per game to compliment an average of 1.02 blocks per contest. She led the Mustangs with 24 double figure kill performances and had the Mustangs’ top individual kill performance of the season with 25 against the University of Sioux Falls on Sept. 20.
Cheever ranks sixth in the Morningside record book with 1,224 career kills, 80 career solo blocks, and 250 career block assists.
Cara DeStigter, a 5-11 sophomore outside hitter from Sioux City, was named to the All-GPAC second-team for the second straight season. DeStigter led the Mustangs with 531 digs and an average of 4.39 digs per game to break the former Morningside single-season records of 484 digs by Theresa Kathman-Trees in 1995 and 3.94 digs per game by Kathman-Trees in 1994. DeStigter had a season’s high 31 digs against Azusa Pacific University on Sept. 15.
DeStigter also pounded 431 kills for an average of 3.56 per game and had 33 ace serves.
Andra Pedersen, a 5-11 junior middle blocker from Blair, Neb., was named to the All-GPAC honorable mention list. Pedersen averaged 2.15 kills, 1.03 digs, and 1.19 blocks per game. Her average of 1.19 blocks per game was the fifth highest single-season average in Morningside history.
The Mustangs posted an 18-17 record in 2006 for their fifth consecutive winning season. The Mustangs finished seventh in the GPAC standings with a 7-9 league record.
Click here for the complete 2006 All-GPAC Women's Volleyball Team.
 Laura Andersen, a senior defensive specialist from Omaha, Neb., made the third team of the 2006 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VII Volleyball Team as selected by College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Andersen has a 3.91 cumulative grade point average (GPA) with a major in advertising.
Andersen had 429 digs for an average of 4.17 digs per game this past season. She set libero school records with 25 digs in a three-game match against Peru State College on Sept. 1 and with 31 digs in a four-game match against College of St. Mary on Aug. 26.
Student-athletes must be of at least sophomore status and have cumulative GPAs of 3.20 or higher to be eligible for the EPSN The Magazine All-Academic teams.
 Cassie Cheever has been named the Hauff Mid-America Sports/GPAC Volleyball Player of the Week and the NAIA Region III Volleyball Player of the Week after she helped lead the Mustangs to four victories in their five matches last week.
Cheever averaged 3.61 kills and 1.44 blocks per game to lead the Mustangs to four victories in five matches. The Mustangs defeated Mount Marty College 3-1 last Wednesday and then went 3-1 at last weekend’s Hastings College Bronco Invitational, losing only against 10th ranked Azusa Pacific University.
She had a week's high 16 kills in the Mustangs' triumph at Mount Marty. Cheever averaged 3.50 kills and 1.50 blocks per game at the Bronco Invitational to make the all-tournament team. She led the Mustangs in kills in three of their four matches, with a high of 14 kills in a 3-1 win against Friends University.
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Cassie Cheever |
Andra Pedersen |
Cassie Cheever, a 6-0 junior middle blocker from South Sioux City, Neb., and Andra Pedersen, a 5-11 junior middle blocker from Blair, Neb., were both named to the all-tournament team at this past weekend’s Hastings College Bronco Invitational volleyball tournament.
Cheever averaged 3.50 kills and 1.50 blocks per game, while Pedersen averaged 2.57 kills and 1.64 blocks per contest to help lead the Mustangs to a 3-1 record and a second place finish at the tournament.
Cheever led the Mustangs in kills in three of their four matches, with a high of 14 kills in a 3-1 win against Friends University. Her best blocking effort was a three-solo, six-assist performance in a 3-0 sweep of Illinois Institute of Technology.
Pedersen had three solo blocks and five block assists in a 3-1 loss against 10th ranked Azusa Pacific University. She also had 13 kills against Azusa Pacific for her top kill total of the tournament.
Morningside has won nine of its last 10 matches to improve its record to 11-4 going into this Wednesday’s 7:30 p.m. home match against the University of Sioux Falls.
 Katie Kotlik, a 5-8 junior setter from Bellevue, Neb., has been named the NAIA Region III and the Hauff Mid-America Sports/Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Setter of the Week after she helped lead the Mustangs to a stunning 21-30, 28-30, 30-26, 30-28, 15-7 victory against Dordt College on Sept. 5 in Allee Gym.
It was Dordt’s first GPAC loss since the 2002 season and ended a 55-match GPAC winning streak for the Defenders.
Kotlik dealt a career-high 59 assists in the Mustangs’ triumph to go along with six digs, two kills, two ace serves, one solo block, and a career-high six block assists.
Kotlik is averaging 11.80 assists per game for the season and is the Mustangs’ leader with 14 ace serves. She ranks seventh in Morningside history with 1,257 career assists and 10th with 116 career ace serves.
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Cassie Cheever |
Cara DeStigter |
Morningside rallied from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Dordt College 21-30, 28-30, 30-26, 30-28, 15-7 on Sept. 5 in Allee Gym to hand the Defenders their first GPAC volleyball setback in four seasons.
The Defenders, who ran the table on their way to GPAC titles in 2003, 2004, and 2005, had won 55 consecutive conference matches prior to the defeat.
Cassie Cheever pounded 22 kills and was joined in double figures by Cara DeStigter with 19 and Andra Pedersen with 10 to lead the Mustangs’ attack. Kellsey Kock just missed twin figures with a career-high eight kills.
DeStigter added a career-high 22 digs for her fifth double-double in the Mustangs’ last six matches.
The Mustangs won their fifth match in a row to improve to 7-3 and level their GPAC record at 1-1. Dordt, ranked 11th nationally in the NAIA’s pre-season poll, slipped to 4-2 overall and 1-1 in the conference.
Katie Kotlik dealt a career-high 59 assists for the Mustangs to go along with one solo block and a career-high six block assists.
Cheever was also a defensive force at the net with one solo block and five block assists.
Aside from DeStigter’s career-high dig effort, the Mustangs also received double figure performances from Catie Bobier with 18 digs, Laura Andersen with 16, and Jericho Johnson with 10.
Click here for complete match statistics.
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