BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — The MIAC announced its 2022 volleyball awards on Wednesday, highlighted by conference Offensive Player of the Year honors for Marlee Turn (Jr., Kennedy), Rookie of the Year honors for Maren Sundberg (Fy., Eagan), and Coach of the Year honors for Rachelle Sherden. Turn and Sundberg added All-Conference honors to their accolades, while Sarah Elliott (Sr., Lombard, Ill.) and Kasie Tweet (Jr., Adrian) both received the All-Conference nod as well.
Earning the first conference honors of her career, Turn ended the regular season with 331 kills, a .286 hitting percentage, 21 service aces, and 276 digs. Turn has posted double-figure kills in all but two matches this season, notching a season-high 21 against Carleton on Sept. 30. Turn has eclipsed the 10-dig mark 15 times this season, including a career- and season-high 31 against regionally ranked Cornell College on Oct. 11, helping her to a team-leading 15 double-doubles. Turn’s 3.85 kills per set is the best by any player in the conference this season, and she currently ranks second in points per set (4.20). Turn’s selection marks the second year in the row the Gusties have earned Player of the Year honors and the sixth time in the last seven years the award has been given.
In her first year as a Gustie, Maren Sundberg certainly proved herself as a top defender in the conference, earning MIAC Defensive Player of the Week honors three times this season, ranking second in the conference for digs per set at 5.40 and fifth for digs overall (497). Sundberg has eclipsed the 20-dig mark in nine matches for the Gusties this season and ranks second on the team in service aces with 28. Sundberg is the first Gustavus rookie in five years to earn the award, as Kate Holtan was last to pick up rookie honors in 2017.
Senior Sarah Elliott receives All-Conference honors for the second year in a row, recording double-digit kills in 14 matches for the Gusties this season. Playing in all 27 of the Gusties competitions, Elliott has hit over .300 in 11 matches, earning her eighth in hitting percentage on the conference leaderboard with an overall percentage of .271. Elliott finished the regular season with 73 total blocks, good for fourth in the conference.
After posting 879 assists this season, Kasie Tweet earned the first conference honors of her career. Tweet picked up 13 double-doubles as well, trailing Turn by two for the team lead, after adding double-digit digs 13 times this season for a total of 256 this season. Tweet posted a career-best 49 assists and season-high 16 digs against Coe College on Sept. 24, while her 34 service aces are first on the team. Tweet has helped the Gusties to a No. 8 national ranking in assists per set, while she sits at No. 25 in the nation in individual assists per set.
In her 13th season as head coach for the Gusties, Rachelle Sherden earns her third MIAC Coach of the Year honor after guiding the Gusties to their eighth regular season championship, fifth undefeated MIAC season, and 12th MIAC playoff appearance. Sherden also earned the honor in 2015 and 2018.
The No. 14 Gusties begin post-season play Thursday evening, hosting Saint Benedict for a 7 p.m. MIAC semifinal playoff matchup.