A pair of area players have earned Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference honors for their play during the first week of the college volleyball season.
Kasson-Mantorville grad Hailey Buschwas named the NSIC Offensive Player of the Week, and Kenyon-Wanamingo grad Mara Quamwas named the NSIC Defensive Player of the Week.
Hailey Busch is a 5-foot-11 senior outside hitter at Northern State University. She was honored for her stellar play during the Concordia-Portland Tournament. She was named the tournament MVP as Northern State went 4-0. Busch had 54 kills, 4.5 per set, and had a hitting percentage of .448 for the tournament. She had double figures in kills in three of the four matches with a high of 16.
Busch also had 18 digs, six blocks, four assists and eight ace serves during the tournament.
Northern State (4-0) was ranked fourth in the nation in the preseason Division II national poll.
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Quam, a 5-7 sophomore libero, plays at Minnesota State University, Mankato. She was honored for her defensive play in the USI Invitational. Quam was named to the All-Tournament team and helped the Mavericks go 4-0 at the event.
She compiled 60 digs during four matches and averaged 5.0 digs per set. She had a match-high of 17 digs and added 10 ace serves in the tournament.
Minnesota State (4-0) was ranked 10th in the nation in the preseason Division II national poll.
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The Gustavus Adolphus College volleyball team has been tabbed the team to beat in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference this season, claiming eight of a possible 11 first-place votes in the annual Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
Gustavus also is the nation’s No. 7-ranked team in Division III after advancing to the NCAA Tournament national quarterfinals in 2017.
The Gusties feature Mayo grads and sisters, Noraand Kate Holtan.
Nora Holtan is a two-time MIAC Player of the Year and 2017 AVCA First Team All-America. She is a 5-8 senior. Kate Holtan was the 2017 MIAC and Central Region Rookie of the Year and AVCA honorable mention All-America outside hitter. The sophomore also stands 5-8.
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Byron grad Mitaya Johnson, a 5-6 junior setter, also is a member of the Gustavus team.
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Rochester’s Marcus Sherelssuffered a right hamstring injury during the Minnesota Vikings’ third preseason game this past Friday against Seattle.
Sherels, who is again expected to make the roster as the team’s punt returner, has not practiced since suffering the injury. Sherels, a backup defensive back, was hurt while playing on defense against Seattle. He also excels in punt return coverage.
Vikings rookie cornerback Mike Hughes, the team’s top pick in the 2018 draft, is slated to return kickoffs. Hughes is battling an injury and has yet to practice this week.
"I’m not allowed to talk about injuries," Vikings special teams coach Mike Priefersaid Monday. "I hope they are back for Week One and ready to roll."
The Vikings close preseason play at 7 p.m. Thursday at Tennessee. It seems unlikely either Sherels or Hughes will play in the game.
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Byron grad Jack Nelsonis back for his second year as an assistant football coach at Winona State University.
Nelson is a wide receivers coach for the Warriors. Nelson was a quarterback at Winona State during his playing days, and he holds most of the school’s passing records, including most career passing yards and most career touchdown passes.
Winona State opens its 2018 season at 6 p.m. Thursday when it plays at Wayne State (Neb.).
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Caledonia’s Isaac Fruechtealso is an assistant coach/wide receivers coach at the college level. Fruechte is in his first full season at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
Fruechte spent two seasons on the practice squad of the Vikings after concluding his college career as a wide receiver at the University of Minnesota. Fruechte got to play the final game of the 2016 regular season for the Vikings.
He was then cut in training camp in 2017 and went back to Caledonia, where he helped coach the high school team. His father, Carl Fruechte, is the head coach at Caledonia, which won a third straight Class AA title in 2017.
La Crosse opens the season at 1 p.m. Saturday at Luther College.
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