Class of 2018: Wisconsin Sending Solid Talent To NCAA DII Programs
Wisconsin has only one NCAA DII school in UW-Parkside, but has plenty of talent to send it’s top prep players out of state. The Northern Sun (NSIC) conference is volleyball powerhouse for NCAA DII, comprised mostly of schools from Minnesota, The Dakotas, Nebraska, and Iowa. Wisconsin talent has found great success in this conference and will continue to send great players to these schools. There are also a number of Division II schools on the coast, a great way for athletes from the Midwest to get a taste of sun year round and play collegiate volleyball at the same time.
In honor of the NCAA Division II National Tournament underway this Thursday, here is a list of some Wisconsin prep volleyball players from the Class of 2018 who will be playing at the NCAA Division II level.
Amber Rowoldt – Lakeside Lutheran – Top Select/Capital Volleyball Academy
Committed to Palm Beach Atlantic
Palm Beach Atlantic has a campus where you are steps from the Atlantic Ocean just an hour North of Miami. This school is not just sunshine and ocean breeze (although that is nice), they also have a top notch volleyball program that is 25-3 and a 2 seed in the South Region of the NCAA Tournament. Amber Rowoldt will be bringing with her a dynamic and athletic swing from the outside that led Lakeside Lutheran to a WIAA Division 2 state title. In the semifinal round she had 19 kills and followed that up with 29 kills in the championship match. Rowoldt was a 1st Team All State pick and All Tournament Team selection. At 5’11 and an approach just short of 10 ft. she will be a great fit for Sailfish (which did have a tournament cancelled due to Hurricane Irma this season).
Grace Novotny – DSHA – Milwaukee Sting
Committed to Michigan Tech
Sharkey will be heading North to Houghton, MI which is home to Michigan Tech, part of the GLIAC, a very strong volleyball conference comprised of NCAA DII schools from Upper and Lower Michigan. Michigan Tech qualified as an 8 seed in the National Tournament. Novotny is one of the highest ranked Prep Dig Wisconsin Class of 2018 members who will be playing NCAA DII. Novotny can play outside or libero, whatever her team needs her to be. She is accustomed to playing high level volleyball for DSHA and Milwaukee Sting, with DSHA going to state all four years of her high school career. Novotny closed out her career with over 600 digs this past season and was a 2nd Team All State selection.
Sidney Hegg – Neenah – FC Elite
Committed To Southern Indiana
Hegg will be heading to Southern Indiana which is in Evansville, Indiana and part of the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC). Hegg was a major part of Neenah’s 2016 state championship run. With two high powered outsides in Hope Werch and Addie Barnes, it was Hegg who was able to keep the middle honest and provide a solid block. With a lot of power and the ability to hit off one foot she will be a great fit for Screaming Eagles. This past season Hegg had 250 kills and just under 100 blocks. She was a 1st Team pick for the Fox Valley Association and Honorable Mention All State.
Briana Sharkey – Madison Edgewood – Capital Volleyball Academy
Committed to Michigan Tech
Sharkey will join Novotny on the Michigan Tech team that already has two Wisconsin natives (Halie Hart of Westosha Central and Olivia Ghormley of Pulaski) Sharkey, with soft hands and a setter at 5’11 she will be a great fit at the Division II level. She was also an All Area Wisconsin State Journal selection.
Greta Paszek – Arrowhead High School – Milwaukee Sting
Committed To Bemidji State
Paszek was part of a loaded Arrowhead team that was full of athletes, Paszek is no different. At 6’0, Paszek has the long arms and athleticism to cover quite the range at the net and is a very physical blocker that can play on either pin. For Arrowhead High School this year she had 303 kills and earned Honorable Mention All State Honors.
Future Rivals
The following athletes will be seeing each other in the GLIAC or Northern Sun for the next four years. Once again, great volleyball from Wisconsin will be continued to be seen in our neighboring states.
GLIAC
Michigan Tech
Grace Novotny – DSHA – Milwaukee Sting
Briana Sharkey – Madison Edgewood – Capital Volleyball Academy
Northern Michigan
Abby Fortune – Appleton North – Wisconsin Volleyball Academy
Alyssa Milski – Oregon – Capital Volleyball Academy
Lake Superior State
Halle Grulke – Hustiford – Wisconsin PoWer/Fusao
NSIC
Bemidji State
Greta Paszek – Arrowhead – Milwaukee Sting
Winona State
Madison Rizner – Richland Center – Wisconsin Select
Cori Meyers – Nicolet – Wisconsin Premier/Milwaukee Sting
UM-Duluth
Maddie Gordon – West Allis Hale – Wisconsin Juniors
Minnesota State – Mankato
Ashley Bruehlman – Argyle – JK Elite