Northern Lights Wraps Up Trip, Basic Skills

#1 posting 7.20.2008
your daily dose of girls volleyball news & information

EUROPEAN TRIP
Here are the final photos and blog entry of Northern Lights European trip. The destination on this day: Paros Island. Mollie Geske closes out the blog writing for day 17 and 18.

BASIC SKILLS
The College Volleyball Coach examines the basic skills need to get on the floor. (hard hitting is down the list). CVC also looks at why more international players are playing at the college level these days. The last paragraph hammers home the point.

next up: tomorrow

Three (or Four) Coaching Hires

#1 posting 7.18.2008
your daily dose of girls volleyball news & information

COACHING NEWS
Margaret Essler will return to coach New London-Spicer for the third time. She will be co-coach with Mimi Knutson, a former coach at Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa. They replace Kay Czarnetzki who resigned after last season. From the West Central Tribune.

Long time Minneota assistant Stephanie Hennen has been hired as head coach. From the Marshall Independent.

Kelli Kurth will return as Lincoln HI's head volleyball coach. Last couple lines in the Marshall Independent.

SCHEDULE
Marquette has released their 2008 volleyball schedule.

NATIONAL TEAM
Incoming 6-3 Illinois freshman Michelle Bartsch has made final 14 players on the way to 12 for the U.S. Women's Junior National Training Team.

EUROPEAN TRIP
Here are the photos from day 10 of Northern Lights European Trip. They journey from Athens to Paros Island.

Next up: tomorrow

Olympian Berg, Wisconsin #10, More Athens

#1 posting 7.17.2008
your daily dose of girls volleyball news & information

OLYMPIAN BERG
Former Gopher Lindsey Berg has been selected to the American Olympic team. Berg also was on the 2004 team.

RECRUITING CLASS
Wisconsin has the tenth rated recruiting class in 2008 according to prepvolleyball.com.

TICKETS
The Gophers have season tickets available now, and will have single game tickets available starting Monday.

SCHEDULE
North Dakota State has released their 2008 volleyball schedule.

EUROPEAN TRIP
Northern Lights continue their journey across Europe with a blog entry from Natalie Walseth (awesome in Athens) and more Athens photos on day nine plus another blog entry, this time from Elly Braaten.

Next up: tomorrow

Sauk Rapids Needs Coach, MSU #7

#1 posting 7.16.2008
your daily dose of girls volleyball news & information

RECRUITING CLASS
Michigan State has the 7th best recruiting class according to prepvolleyball.com.

COACHING NEWS
Sauk Rapids is looking for a volleyball coach. Former coach Paul Meyer is now the head coach at Waldorf College in Iowa. From the St. Cloud Times.

Katie McGuine has been Director of Operations for Purdue. She was DO at Iowa the last two years. She also was the head coach at Pine Island. She is a grad of Rochester Lourdes and MSU Mankato.

NORTHERN LIGHTS TRIP
Here are the photos from Northern Lights European trip day seven on the travel from Berlin to Athens. Day 7s blog is by Lauren Grant. The photos on day 8 are all Athens.

Next up: tomorrow

Berlin Day 2, Minnesota Volleyball Clinic

#1 posting 7.14.2008
your daily dose of girls volleyball news & information

BERLIN NORTHERN LIGHTS
This is day six of the Northern Lights tour of Europe. It is day two of their Berlin stay. Here are the photos, here is the blog haiku style by Kristin Amermann of Eagan.

VOLLEYBALL CLINIC
Here is the tentative schedule of the Minnesota Volleyball Coaches Clinic to be held at Sauk Rapids on July 30, and 31. The All Star game is on the 30th.
speakers this year include Northwestern coach Keylor Chan, Bemidji State coach Donna Palivec,
MSU Mankato coach Dennis Amundson, SW MN State coach Terry Culhane, St. Benedict coach Carol Howe Veenstra, Waldorf coach Paul Meyer, Central Lakes coach Jane Peterson, former Apple Valley coach Walt Weaver, Marshall coaches Dan Westby & Jon Hagerle, FBA coach Franz Boelter, and Mabel-Canton coach Lonnie Morken.
If you haven't registered you can do so here, or you can register at the door.

Next up: tomorrow

London to Berlin, America Tops China

#1 posting 7.13.2008
your daily dose of girls volleyball news & information

GRAND PRIX
The Americans beat China 3-2 in the Grand Prix. The USA trailed 2-1. Former Gopher Lindsey Berg started as setter. The USA is #4 in the world according to the polls.

NORTHERN LIGHTS IN EUROPE
Here is day four of the Northern Lights photos and Sophie McBride's blog as they moved from London to Berlin.

Day five was spent in Berlin. Here are those photos and Danielle Dombek's blog.

Next up: tomorrow

NORCECA Champs

#1 posting 7.11.2008
your daily dose of girls volleyball news & information

NORCECA TOURNAMENT
The US Youth National team swept Mexico in the championship of the NORCECA Youth Continental Championship in Puerto Rico. The Americans will now head to India for the FIVB championships next year. Tori Dixon and Ashley Wittman each had 10 points in the win.

Before that the Americans swept host Puerto Rico in the semis on Wednesday. Tori Dixon has her photo on the article as she led the team with 13 points.

GRAND PRIX
The Americans lost to Cuba in five in the third Grand Prix contest. Former Gopher Lindsey Berg plays for the team.

COACHING NEWS
Lincoln HI is still looking for a volleyball coach. No one has applied yet. Late in the article from the Marshall Independent.

Angie Mlinar has been hired as the director of volleyball operations at Iowa. Mlinar was a grad assistant at Alabama the last two years. Mlinar is originally from St. Paul, Nebraska.

EUROPEAN TRIP
In day three Northern Lights went from London to Sanstead. Here are the photos. Ellen Senf writes the journal for day 3.

RETURN HOME
North Dakota player Amanda Polzin returned to Hutchinson to do a camp. From the Hutchinson Leader.

CONFERENCE NEWS
South Dakota and North Dakota will join the Great West Conference in all sports, not just football.

Next up: tomorrow

Ohio Preview, USA vs Japan, Northern Lights in London

#1 posting 7.10.2008
your daily dose of girls volleyball news & information

SEASON PREVIEWS
Ohio has released their 2008 season preview. Amanda Andersen of Centennial could see time at the middle or opposite.

GRAND PRIX
The Americans were playing Japan today in the Grand Prix. Japan led 2-1 with the USA up 9-6 in game four when I posted this morning. Here is the live information on how it ended up.

EUROPEAN TRIP
There are several 16 and 17 year old players from Mizuno Northern Lights touring Europe right now. They began their trip in London on July 8th and will travel to Berlin and then end in Greece on July 20th. They will be playing several Youth and professional volleyball teams from those areas. Here are photos from day 1 when they group arrived in London and day 2 when they toured London landmarks.

Next up: tomorrow

Star of the North Results, St. Thomas' Italy Trip

#2 posting 6.26.2008
your daily dose of girls volleyball news & information

STAR OF THE NORTH
Worthington Prairie Fire beat Ada-Borup in the Star of the North 18c tournament last weekend. Worthington was the #3 seed in the tournament.

In the 18ab tournament FM Select, the #5 seed, beat Faribault Red.

JCC Juniors won the 16ab Tournament over Minneota JO.

In the 16c bracket Spring Grove beat Prairie Fire.

ITALY TRIP
St. Thomas has returned from their Italy trip. They played and beat two club teams during their tour.

Next up: tomorrow

Illinois' European Trip, McDonald of Northfield

#1 posting 6.14.2008
your daily dose of girls volleyball news & information

TRIPS
Illinois was 9-1 on their recent European trip.

AWARDS
Setter Katie McDonald of Northfield was named the Raider's athlete of the year. She does a Q&A with the Northfield News.

Next up: tomorrow

Flygare Decides, Awards, St. Thomas to Italy

#1 posting 6.3.2008
your daily dose of girls volleyball news & information

COLLEGE DECISIONS
5-6 Setter Marcie Flygare of Minnesota Valley Lutheran is headed to Bethany Lutheran in Mankato.
Flygare is the 57th known Minnesota 2008 volleyball player to decide on a college. She is the 8th player known player headed to a D3 school.

AWARDS
UM Duluth volleyball coach Jim Boos is the only member of the school to be honored by the now defunct North Central Conference with the Legacy Award.

Megan Groen of Renville County West won the Hengstler-Ranweiler Award. Groen is an outside hitter in volleyball. From the West Central Tribune.

TRIPS
The St. Thomas volleyball team will be leaving for Italy on June 4th for a nine day trip.

JERSEYS FOR BRAZIL
Ever wonder what to do with those old, used, volleyball jerseys? Ever wonder what to do with those old, used volleyball/tennis shoes? We have got a GREAT use for them!
The Augsburg College volleyball team (MN Select alumni: Julie Jenkins & Laura Harms) recently played volleyball in Brazil. As part of their trip they participated in a social service project in one of the poor areas of Rio de Janeiro. Underprivileged children in Brazil play volleyball on rough, cement courts wearing no shoes. Jerseys are like gold to ALL the children and young adults in Brazil. The group’s tour guide indicated Americans throw away used shoes that these children would consider new. Minnesota Select will collect used volleyball jerseys, used warm up shirts, and tennis shoes. Those wishing to make donations can do so by bringing their items to Ralia. Scott will collect the items within his office. Thank you for caring and donating items that would mean more to children in Brazil than you or I could ever imagine

SUMMER CAMPS
If you haven’t done so already, please register online for the MN Select Summer camps you intend to. Many camps are nearing capacity… If you are interested in private lessons over the summer months, email us at privatelessons@mnselect.com to schedule… Also, Velocity has organized an opportunity for MN Select members to train with them this summer. Fliers about this opportunity are available at Ralia. MN Select is also planning some other opportunities geared toward returning players for this summer and this fall so stay tuned…

Thanks to the readers that help make this site go. Your information is appreciated.

next up: tomorrow

Augsburg in Brazil, Augustana Coaching Change

#1 posting 5.14.2008
your daily dose of girls volleyball news & information

TRIPS
The Augsburg volleyball team spent 8 days in Brazil. There are diaries and photos of the trip to the land of the Samba. Of course the Brazilian Beaches were part of the trip along with beach volleyball.

Purdue beat a Czech team 3-2 on day 3 of their European Trip.

COACHING NEWS
Assistant coach Ashley Buckley is the new head volleyball coach at Augustana. She played volleyball at Sioux Falls Roosevelt and was a captain at Penn State. She was known as Ashley Pederson then. She replaces Kim Sudbeck who resigned yesterday. From the Sioux Falls Argus Leader.

Nick Whaley is the new volleyball coach at Winona Cotter. He will be the third volleyball coach in three years at Cotter. Whaley was the baseball coach at St. Mary's. From the Winona Daily News.

AWARDS
New London-Spicer volleyball coach Kay Czarnetzki received the Robert L. Lindsay Meritorious Service Award by the North Country Region USA Volleyball Association.
Also picking up the Lindsay Award was Dave Schmidt head of the Rochester Youth Volleyball Association (scroll).
The third to be honored is Michyl Dalager of Marshall.

Brooke Monson of Austin was named Riverland CC female Athlete of the year. From the Austin Post Bulletin.
From the West Central Tribune and Rochester Post Bulletin.

ACCIDENT DEATH
Caitlin Calgaro of Cherry was killed in a car crash on April 28. She played volleyball and was in the band. Her funeral was postponed so the band trip to Chicago could continue as scheduled. From the Duluth News Tribune.

Next up: tomorrow