2015 MIAC FB Tour - Concordia

By Matt Higgins, MIAC

In late August, I visited nine schools in nine days and traveled a total of nearly 800 miles. And it was all totally worth it. As I file my ninth and final report from the 2015 MIAC Football Camp Tour, it's safe to say the annual trip around the league was again a rousing success, and hopefully the blogs and videos have everyone ready to see their favorite team in action starting tonight or Saturday.

That's right, the kickoff of the MIAC football season is upon us. Bethel starts things off at UW-Stout tonight (Thursday, Aug. 3) at 7 p.m., and the other eight teams make their 2015 debuts on Saturday. Follow all the action on the MIAC football scoreboard.

The camp tour concluded on Wednesday, Aug. 26, with the second half of my two-stop trip in Moorhead, Minn. I got to Concordia practice early for an impressive display by a Cobber team with annual high aspirations. 2015 will be no different, as the team returns a ton of talent but aims to replace one of the best QBs in school history. Griffin Neal is gone, but there I saw plenty of other reasons to be optimistic around Cobber camp.

My top four observations from last Wednesday's practice are below in "Four Downs" and be sure to check out our updated photo gallery with some images from Cobber practice, as well as a video with highlights and interviews with Head Coach Terry Horan, WR Brandon Zylstra and LB Levi Hintermeister.

Concordia has plenty of playmakers back
to fuel high hopes for the 2015 season.

FIRST DOWN - Next up after Neal

The top storyline in Cobber camp all season has been who will replace graduated star QB Griffin Neal, who started and excelled for three years and had a career record of 24-6 as a starter. After a spirited, three-man competition for the starting spot, Horan gave the nod to Alex Grove for Saturday's opener against Jamestown. During my visit, I thought Grove looked comfortable in the offense and threw some really nice passes, especially the intermediate routes. The junior from Willmar spent the last two seasons learning under Neal and preparing for this opportunity. All eyes will be on him when the Cobbers cruise into the 2015 season. His play will certainly go a long way toward determining the team's success ... but he won't be alone in the spotlight.

SECOND DOWN - Surrounded by Standouts

Grove may be a new starter at QB, but he walks into a dream situation for a new signal-caller. He's got two All-MIAC wide receivers back and four of five starters on the offensive line. Last season, Jon Baune and Brandon Zylstra combined for 77 catches, 985 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. Zylstra - one of the MIAC's most athletic and electric players - started the season with an injury but both are at full strength and ready for even bigger things as a senior. Horan stressed that Grove just needs to get the ball into the hands of his playmakers and let them do the rest, and with a veteran offensive line up front and experience in the backfield as well, the new QB finds himself surrounded by a ton of talent to ease the transition. If Grove can avoid the big mistakes and make the smart, efficient reads, the Cobber offense should continue to hum.

The Cobber defense works on tackling
fundamentals during last Wednesday's practice.

THIRD DOWN - Tackling machines

The Cobber defense was stout again in 2014, and despite some holes to fill on the defensive line - including 2013 Mike Stam Award winner Nate Adams - the team is loaded at linebacker and at defensive back. Erik Bye and Hintermeister shared the team lead with 54 tackles apiece last season, and both returns as senior captains and will be a huge key to the Concordia defense. Horan is also pleased with all the talent in the secondary, which he thinks improved throughout the season a year ago. I was really impressed with the way Concordia both stressed and coached fundamentals on defense during my visit to camp. They had several stations that focused on tackling, and even though it was the second week of camp guys were being coached up like it was the first day in pads. I was impressed with both the technique, and the safety, being employed by the defensive staff. Now it's easy to see why the Cobbers run out such sure tacklers every year. Concordia had the second-best scoring defense (17.3 ppg) and total defense (331.3 ypg) a year ago, and there's no reason to think the Cobbers won't be every bit as lethal on that side of the ball again in 2015.

FOURTH DOWN - 8-2 and beyond

Horan said before practice that they've certainly enjoyed their recent success . Concordia has finished 8-2 each of the past three seasons and was the only team to knock off MIAC champion Saint John's in the regular season in 2014. However, he said each of the past three teams were just a couple plays away from making a really nice run to either the MIAC title or into the NCAA Playoffs - or both - and he's right. This year the Cobbers expect to be in the mix again with the Johnnies, St. Thomas and Bethel, and will undoubtedly find themselves in close games and key situations against the MIAC's elite. If they reverse their fortunes in those big games, this could be the season the Cobbers take that next step. With strong senior playmakers on offense and a veteran defense, they'll lean heavily on their leadership in those big spots, and all that's left is to see how they respond.

CAMP TOUR COMES TO AN END

The MIAC Football Camp Tour has hit each of the nine schools, and just in time as the season officially kicks off tonight with Bethel visiting UW-Stout at  7 p.m., and the rest of the MIAC kicking off their seasons on Saturday. Below is the date I visited each school during the preseason trip around the conference, and be sure to visit the tour home page to see the blogs and videos from each stop on the tour to prepare for this weekend's games.

2015 MIAC Football Camp Tour

Tuesday, Aug. 18 -Gustavus - St. Peter, Minn.

Wednesday, Aug. 19 - Bethel - Arden Hills, Minn.

Thursday, Aug. 20 - Augsburg - Minneapolis, Minn.

Friday, Aug. 21 - St. Olaf and Carleton - Northfield, Minn.

 Monday, Aug. 24 - St. Thomas - St. Paul, Minn.

Tuesday, Aug. 25 - Hamline - St. Paul, Minn.

Wednesday, Aug. 26-  Saint John's and Concordia - Collegeville and Moorhead, Minn.

Re-live or discuss the tour on social media, as we've been posting on on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at each stop, and used the hashtag #MIACcamptour for both our football and volleyball treks around the MIAC. Kelsey has also done a great job on the first-ever MIAC Volleyball Camp Tour as well, and you can follow her progress on the blog or the Volleyball Camp Tour home page.

2015 MIAC FB Tour - Saint John's

By Matt Higgins, MIAC

Last Wednesday I finished off the 2015 MIAC Football CampTour where it all started. In 2013, Gary Fasching was taking over as the Saint John's head coach and we wanted to do a "changing of the guard" story on our site after he took over from the legendary John Gagliardi. So to do my interviews & research, I went up to Collegeville for a day, took in practice, talked to coaches and players and gathered the info I needed for my story.

My time at practice was even more enjoyable and insightful than I could have predicted, which led to me reaching out to a few other coaches and hitting a few other camps that fall. Last year (2014), we expanded it to include all nine teams, and here we are doing it again with a side of volleyball in 2015.

In my three visits to Saint John's, things have evolved a lot. The 2013 trip revealed a team hoping to improve, which it did to 7-3. Last year, the team hoped to take the next step, which it did with a 9-1 regular season, the MIAC title and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Playoffs. This year, there are a ton of major pieces back in place surrounded by another strong recruiting effort, and the Johnnies find themselves back in the role of the hunted, rather than the hunter. But along with that comes even bigger expectations, and the team revealed many of the same strengths that made them so good a year ago, while working to polish things up in a few areas.

My top four observations from last Wednesday's practice are below in "Four Downs" and be sure to check out our updated photo gallery with some images from Saint John's practice, as well as a video with highlights and interviews with Head Coach Gary Fasching, RB Sam Sura and LB Carter Hanson.

The Saint John's defense hopes to be
among the MIAC's best again in 2015.

FIRST DOWN - Sura's Sendoff

The 2014 MIAC MVP is back in the Johnnie backfield, so everything starts with Sam Sura's senior campaign. A year ago, he defined the term "workhorse," leading the MIAC in carries (301), rushing yards (1,769), rushing yards per game (147.4), and rushing touchdowns (19). However, Sura suffered an injury in a second-round Playoff loss to Wartburg and it completely altered SJU's game plan. This year, keeping him fresh and healthy for the team's biggest spots will be a key, so don't expect him to tote the rock more than 300 times again. He told me that he's happy to help out in the passing game or block if it helps the offense, but he's also ready to carry the load again if needed. Coach Fasching stressed the need for more balance this season, but it's got to feel pretty good knowing the MIAC MVP is there and ready to finish his career in remarkable fashion when you need him.

SECOND DOWN - Read your Keys

Aside from Sura, SJU can credit last year's title to a remarkable season on defense. The Johnnies led the MIAC in scoring defense (12.6 ppg allowed), yards allowed (325.4 ppg), interceptions (22), fumble recoveries (12) and was third in sacks (20). All-MIAC First Team LB Carter Hanson talked about how the Johnnies work on reading and reacting ... they work to combine the mental side of the game with the physical, and last season, the reads were often right and the reactions led to big stops or turnovers. The team has graduated a few standouts over the past two seasons, but has a lot back to expect further big things from the defense. Hanson and company certainly looked sharp in 11-on-11 drills during my visit, including impressive work against the pass and in the red zone when it went up against the first team offense. SJU is famous for not tackling during practice ... but they definitely still do some hitting. The linebackers and defensive backs certainly showed me some impressive physicality on my visit.

A little more balance could go a
long way for Saint John's in 2015.

THIRD DOWN - Improve through the air

I kind of covered this already in First Down, but any improvement through the air will not only boost the team's chances to repeat as MIAC champs, it would also make the team a legitimate threat to go deep in the NCAA Playoffs. The experience is there as Nick Martin returns under center, and standout WR Josh Bungum leads a deep crop of playmakers on the outside. Last year, Saint John's was eighth in the MIAC with 127.1 passing yards per game. A lot of that was the game plan to get a lead early and rely on the run game and defense, but even if that number crept up closer to 200 yards per game it would make the offense infinitely more dangerous. Fewer defenders in the box will make Sura even more dangerous, and a more balanced attack could have Saint John's soaring to new heights in Fasching's fourth season.

FOURTH DOWN - Reloading

Part of SJU's resurgence over the last two seasons can definitely be credited to some solid recruiting classes, and 2015 appears to be no different. The team had 213 players at practice during my visit, and some of the newcomers could definitely step in and contribute. If nothing else, the team should be deeper - particularly at running back behind Sura and on defense. If the Johnnies can successfully replace a couple departed All-Conference players on defense and fill out some of the offensive line and skill positions with some new talent, there's no reason the 2015 edition won't be even better than a year ago. The veterans certainly appeared to do a great job in the leadership department during my visit, and I really felt a sense of them incorporating the newcomers into the Johnnie football family, and getting them up to speed to step in and help.

CAMP TOUR RECAPS CONCLUDE THURSDAY

The MIAC Football Camp Tour has hit each of the nine schools, and we'll finish off another entertaining trip around the conference with our friends up in Moorhead, Concordia College. The full camp tour schedule is listed below with my date I visited each school. Visit the tour home page to see the blogs and videos from each stop on the tour.

2015 MIACFootball Camp Tour

Tuesday, Aug. 18 -Gustavus - St. Peter, Minn.

Wednesday, Aug. 19 - Bethel - Arden Hills, Minn.

Thursday, Aug. 20 - Augsburg - Minneapolis, Minn.

Friday, Aug. 21 - St. Olaf and Carleton - Northfield, Minn.

 Monday, Aug. 24 - St. Thomas - St. Paul, Minn.

Tuesday, Aug. 25 - Hamline - St. Paul, Minn.

Wednesday, Aug. 26-  Saint John's and Concordia - Collegeville and Moorhead, Minn.

Follow along with the tour on social media, as we've been posting on on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at each stop, and we'll be using the hashtag #MIACcamptour for both our football and volleyball treks around the MIAC. Kelsey has been crushing it on the MIAC Volleyball Camp Tour as well, and you can follow her progress on the blog or the Volleyball Camp Tour home page.

2015 MIAC FB Tour - Hamline

By Matt Higgins, MIAC

The 2015 MIAC Football Camp Tour stayed in St. Paul for its seventh stop, as I spent the afternoon at Hamline University on Tuesday, Aug. 25. Though it was getting near the end of Piper camp, the energy was still remarkably high and it was one of the most aggressive and physical practices I attended on the tour. This team is fired up.

Hamline nearly made it to .500 last season, and even getting to four wins was a huge step in the right direction for a program that appears to be on the rise under third-year Head Coach Chad Rogosheske. The Pipers have started carving out an identity as a smash-mouth team, and they're embracing that philosophy as they hope to continue their progress in 2015.

My top four observations from last Tuesday's practice are below in "Four Downs" and be sure to check out our updated photo gallery with some images from Hamline's practice, as well as a video with highlightsand interviews with Head Coach Chad Rogosheske, Senior RB Ryan Ferkinhoff and Junior DB Zach Schwalbach.

Hamline looked energetic and aggressive
during the MIAC Camp Tour stop in St. Paul.

FIRST DOWN - Slam Duncan

The majority of Hamline's offensive identity over the past three seasons has resided in the backfield in the form of now senior star RB Austin Duncan. He's already the Pipers' all-time leader in rushing yards (3,434) and touchdowns (25). Last season, Duncan ran for 1,237 yards and seven scores in just nine games. As a senior, Hamline will hope to ratchet down his carries a bit (228 in 2014) and hope for the similar bruising, dynamic style that has made him one of the MIAC's best throughout his career. However, keeping him healthy all season will be key, which brings me to my next point...

SECOND DOWN - Bring the Balance

The Pipers will need to find some other playmakers around Duncan to take that next step. Gone is QB Tim Bona, who had a solid season in 2014 with 2,115 passing yards and 13 scores. The new signal caller will benefit from the return of TE Phillip Sherman, who was ninth in the MIAC in receptions (43) and eighth in receiving yards (596) and he could be an even bigger part of the plan in 2015. Naji El-Araby and Nick Kampa are also back, and Ferkinhoff offers a great change of pace and solid receiving skills in the backfield to compliment Duncan. The balance extends to the other side of the ball, where Hamline hopes to have a good defense led by a strong secondary. Schwalbach (71 tackles) and fellow DB Anthony Hill (94 tackles) give the Pipers an athletic, aggressive back end, and Jonny Nguyen returns at LB. Hamline improved to sixth in points allowed (31.5 per game) and yards allowed (417.6 per game) and hopes to continue that trend in 2015.

Last Tuesday's visit to Hamline was
filled with big hits and big plays.

THIRD DOWN - Creating a Culture

As I alluded to in my intro, this is year three under Rogosheske's guidance, and each year the team gets a little crisper, a little more polished and a little more enthusiastic. Schwalbach told me that they embrace being one of the MIAC's "blue collar" schools and want to bring that same attitude and work ethic into each week. Rogosheske said that he's pleased with the direction the team is heading, and that this camp has more veterans and more guys that know what to expect, so things have moved quicker than his first two years. He said they're pleased with the step up to four wins in 2014, but he's cautioned his team that they still have a long way to go to reach their goals. This was my third year attending a Hamline preseason practice, and I have definitely noticed the evolution. They had a ton of energy during my visit, and it was one of the sharpest workouts I saw on the tour. It also featured some of the hardest hitting, especially from the aforementioned defensive backs.

FOURTH DOWN - Strength in Numbers

During each of Rogosheske's first two seasons, they've had single-digit senior classes. This year they increase a little, but next season (2016) they'll have their first group of more than 20 seniors and have much bigger classes in line behind them. The result of the increased numbers is twofold: there are more upperclassmen and, therefore, more leadership and more individuals to help instill that culture, and it also makes the team deeper and more able to put guys in spots to succeed. The increased roster is further evidence of the building going on in St. Paul, and as the roster and talent grows, so too should the win totals. Four was the magic number last season after winning just four total games over the four prior season (2010-2013). Getting to .500 this season would be continued evidence of that progress, and if Hamline could find a way to get to six or seven wins, heads would really start to turn toward Klas Field.

CAMP TOUR RECAPS CONTINUE WEDNESDAY

The MIAC Football Camp Tour has hit each of the nine schools, and this week we'll be finishing up with recaps from the final stops. Look for a report from Saint John's camp tomorrow, followed by Concordia Thursday. The full camp tour schedule is listed below with my date I visited each school.

2015 MIACFootball Camp Tour

Tuesday, Aug. 18 -Gustavus - St. Peter, Minn.

Wednesday, Aug. 19 - Bethel - Arden Hills, Minn.

Thursday, Aug. 20 - Augsburg - Minneapolis, Minn.

Friday, Aug. 21 - St. Olaf and Carleton - Northfield, Minn.

 Monday, Aug. 24 - St. Thomas - St. Paul, Minn.

Tuesday, Aug. 25 - Hamline - St. Paul, Minn.

Wednesday, Aug. 26-  Saint John's and Concordia - Collegeville and Moorhead, Minn.

Follow along with the tour on social media, as we've been posting on on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at each stop, and we'll be using the hashtag #MIACcamptour for both our football and volleyball treks around the MIAC. Kelsey has been crushing it on the MIAC Volleyball Camp Tour as well, and you can follow her progress on the blog or the Volleyball Camp Tour home page.

2015 MIAC FB Tour - St. Thomas

By Matt Higgins, MIAC

Hi again everyone. Sorry for the delay, but the 2015 MIAC Football Camp Tour is back on track. I finished off my trip around the league last week with visits to St. Thomas, Hamline, Saint John's and Concordia. However, the blogs and videos have fallen behind a bit due to the release of all our fall Previews & Preseason Coaches' Polls, as well as my long day in Collegeville and Moorhead, and a quick mini-vacation to Chicago from Thursday-to-Sunday to enjoy a little last-minute downtime before the craziness of the fall season.

But now we're back on track and we'll finish off the tour with a blog and video from each of the final four stops this week as the excitement builds toward kickoff on Thursday night. Also, look for our first Weekly Football Preview of the year on Thursday, and the return of our Athlete-of-the-Week awards and our popular Play-of-the-Week feature early next week.

Last Monday marked the sixth stop on the tour as I spent a great afternoon on the St. Thomas campus with Head Coach Glenn Caruso and the Tommies. Each time I visit a UST practice I'm ready to throw on a pair of shoulder pads and jump into the next drill because the practices are super high-energy, and super fun. It's just a great vibe, and last week's stop was no exception.

My top four observations from last Monday's practice are below in "Four Downs" and be sure to check out our updated photo gallery with some images from St. Thomas' practice, as well as a video with highlights and interviews with Caruso, Senior CB Mozus Ikuenobe and Senior TE Charlie Dowdle.

St. Thomas had a high-intensity practice
during the MIAC Camp Tour on Aug. 24.

FIRST DOWN - Culture & Atmosphere

As I mentioned in my lead-in, the first thing that jumps out to anyone attending a practice at St. Thomas is the energy and the tempo. It's a fun atmosphere to be around, and last Monday's high-paced practice revealed a team that is both excited for the upcoming season, but also extremely focused on the details (more on that in a minute). Caruso has created a culture that permeates the entire team, and it comes across in each interaction with his players. After practice, Ikuenobe mentioned several times the "essence of football," which is 11 guys all doing their job and working together as one unit. This philosophy is evident in the team's approach and preparation.

SECOND DOWN - Super-sized spring

During just week two of camp, St. Thomas certainly looked well ahead of schedule in terms of the finely-tuned details on offense, defense and special teams, and there's an easy answer for that beyond the number of returning starters. The team enjoyed its NCAA-allowed foreign tour, which lets teams travel and compete abroad to enhance student-athletes' experiences. Additional practice time comes with the tour exception, and the additional off-season work shows. The team spent 13 days in late May and early June in Italy, culminating with a June 6 game against Giaguari Torino. Caruso reminded me that their first foreign tour in 2009 resulted in a Playoff bid and run to the third round, and when they did it again in 2012 they reached the national championship game, so the additional off-season work and time for team bonding could have UST in position for big dividends yet again in 2015. The team was certainly sharp last Monday, and was particularly impressive and effective during several situational drills as they prepared for game situations.

The St. Thomas ground game could be among
the MIAC's best again in 2015.

THIRD DOWN - Offensive expectations

The sky appears to be the limit for this UST offense, after averaging a MIAC-best 44.4 points and 493.7 yards per game in 2014. John Gould eventually took the reins at QB and the senior returns after completing 65.6 percent of his passes for 1,425 yards and 16 TDs (vs. just six INTs). Dowdle is back at TE after leading the Tommies with a Gronkowski-like 49 catches, 704 yards and 13 TDs in the passing game, and both Jack Kaiser (654 rushing yards, 7 TDs) and Nick Waldvogel (496 rushing, 344 receiving, 13 total TDs) also return, along with a lot of talent on a big, physical offensive line. To top it off, RB Jordan Roberts transferred in from Division I South Dakota where he had more than 1,000 all-purpose yards over his first two seasons of college football. With Kaiser, Waldvogel and Roberts leading an unbelievable stable of backs and another strong St. Thomas defense on the other side of the ball, a usually-balanced offense could possibly tilt more toward the run in 2015.

FOURTH DOWN - Dial up the 'D'

During its recent run of success, the Tommies have typically been dominant on defense. They were very good in 2014, but hope for improvement back to that elite level in 2015. UST was third in the MIAC in points allowed (22.3 per game) and yards allowed (333.3 per game). The team picked off just eight passes, but was second in the MIAC in both sacks (21) and fumble recoveries (12). Ikuenobe is the lone All-MIAC selection in 2014 that returns this year for St. Thomas, as he was named a First Team CB a year ago. The Tommies graduated three other First Teamers and one Second Team selection, so there will be some holes to fill in 2015. However, junior DB Bennett Celichowski (44 tackles, three fumble recoveries) joins Ikuenobe in the secondary and senior Tim McClanahan (62 tackles, three sacks), and junior Jesse Addo (26 tackles, 5.5 TFL, two forced fumbles) are back to help UST re-load. The best recent St. Thomas defenses have been so balanced that there were rarely any statistical standouts, so if the team can work on more three-and-outs and Ikuenobe's well-described "essence of football" it should compliment a high-powered offense nicely for one of the MIAC's top title contenders.

CAMP TOUR RECAPS CONTINUE TUESDAY

The MIAC Football Camp Tour has hit each of the nine schools, and this week we'll be catching up with recaps from the final stops. Look for a report from Hamline camp tomorrow, followed by Saint John's on Wednesday and Concordia Thursday. The full camp tour schedule is listed below with my date I visited each school.

2015 MIACFootball Camp Tour

Tuesday, Aug. 18 -Gustavus - St. Peter, Minn.

Wednesday, Aug. 19 - Bethel - Arden Hills, Minn.

Thursday, Aug. 20 - Augsburg - Minneapolis, Minn.

Friday, Aug. 21 - St. Olaf and Carleton - Northfield, Minn.

 Monday, Aug. 24 - St. Thomas - St. Paul, Minn.

Tuesday, Aug. 25 - Hamline - St. Paul, Minn.

Wednesday, Aug. 26-  Saint John's and Concordia - Collegeville and Moorhead, Minn.

Follow along with the tour on social media, as I'll be posting on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at each stop, and we'll be using the hashtag #MIACcamptour for both our football and volleyball treks around the MIAC. Kelsey has been crushing it on the MIAC Volleyball Camp Tour as well, and you can follow her progress on the blog or the Volleyball Camp Tour home page.

2015 MIAC Volleyball Camp Tour- St. Olaf

By Kelsey Whaley

Well, we've arrived at the last stop of the MIAC Volleyball Camp Tour. It’s been an incredibly fun ride for me. I’ve had the chance to sit in and watch 11 of the 12 volleyball programs either practice or scrimmage during the preseason. Knock on wood, I made it through each one without witnessing a horrendous injury (or any injury at all for that matter).

The final stop on the camp tour was St. Olaf. The Oles were the host of the preseason scrimmage, so I had plenty of opportunities to see them in action. I didn’t even have to move courts after watching Hamline and St. Thomas. St. Olaf played Gustavus on court two right after Hamline’s scrimmage ended.

The coaching scenario at St. Olaf is a little different this season. For the past 22 years, Cindy Book has served as the Oles head coach. This fall, however, Coach Book is going on sabbatical. St. Olaf fans will still see a familiar face on the court. Walt Weaver, an assistant with the program the past few years, will serve as the interim head coach and will be assisted by Reid Vernon.

St. Olaf is looking to bounce back after two subpar seasons. The Oles have only won 3 games in the MIAC the past two season after finishing with a 7-4 conference record in 2012. While turnover and graduation did play a role in that, the seniors on the team especially want to get back to the winning tradition the program is used to.

That being said, here are my six observations from watching St. Olaf in their preseason scrimmage:

1. Coaching Situation- As I mentioned earlier, the coaching situation is unique at St. Olaf this season.

   

   Interim head coach Walt Weaver talks to the St. Olaf players
   before their scrimmage against Gustavus. Weaver was
   highly successful as a high school coach before becoming
   an assistant at St. Olaf. 

   With Coach Book going on sabbatical, the Oles promoted assistant coach Walt Weaver as the interim head coach. However, this isn’t Coach Weaver’s first rodeo at the helm. He has a long history with the sport of volleyball prior to his assistant coaching days at St. Olaf. He coached high school volleyball for a total of 33 seasons, 31 at Apple Valley and two at Lakeville North. In that time, he won three state championships, made the state tournament 14 times, won the school’s conference title 18 times, and won over 700 games. Weaver currently owns and directs the Midwest Volleyball Instructors Camps and Clinics with his wife and hosts a national clinic for coaches and players on the St. Olaf campus. In other words, Walt Weaver knows volleyball and is very familiar with the St. Olaf campus and traditions.
2. Belief in Tradition- The St. Olaf players believe in the winning tradition and history of their volleyball program. The Oles are only 5 years removed from taking a share of the conference title (they tied for first with St. Thomas in 2010) and winning the MIAC’s playoff championship (also in 2010). However, since then, the team has had some up and down seasons. They finished with a 4-7 record in 2011 before doing a full 360 to finish 7-4 in 2012. Since then, though, St. Olaf has finished the regular season with records of 1-10 and 2-9. Their players want to get back to championship form and return as one of the top teams in the MIAC conference.
3. Leadership at Setter- The Oles are lead by senior setter Kersten Bork. In her first three

   

   Senior setter Kersten Bork prepares to make a set during
   pregame warm ups.

   seasons at St. Olaf, Bork led the team in assists and finished in the top half of all MIAC setters each season. Her freshman year, she finished second in the conference with 1,150 assists while playing in every set of every match on the St. Olaf schedule. She knows what it takes to win both in the MIAC and Division III. She is the clear leader on the team, and if given the right assets, is fully capable of commanding St. Olaf’s offense.
4. Move without the Ball- The players at St. Olaf move without the ball very well. It’s easy for players to take a break and mentally check out if they aren’t involved in the play. However, this never seems to happen with the Oles. Every player is carefully watching the ball on both sides of the net. Defensive players move and make reads when the ball in on the other side of the court while the hitters come in for coverage when the ball isn’t set their way.
5. Waiting on Defense- Movement without the ball brings about good defensive coverage. As long as the St. Olaf players continue watching the ball, they will continue being in the right

   

   Junior libero Abby Slack dives for a ball during
    the preseason scrimmage

   positions on defense. Their blockers are rarely fooled by opposing setters, and their defensive specialists always seem to be sitting and waiting for the ball. The team is also extremely quick, which makes the transition from offense to defense easy.
6. Fill the Stands- Even though it was only a scrimmage, the St. Olaf students came out to support their team in a big way. They all sat on the edge of the stage and cheered their friends and classmates on in their scrimmage against Gustavus. This indicates that there will be quite the fan turnout during the regular season. What was really cool to see was that most of the fans who turned out to support the Oles were students themselves. The volleyball team will always have the fans on their side at home, which will make games in the Skoglund Center fun and exciting.

As always, thank you to Coach Weaver and Coach Vernon for letting me come to the scrimmage and talk with them during the break. Thanks to the players as well. St. Olaf will open play on September 1 when they host Crown College and Martin Luther in two nonconference games. They host Augsburg at home to open their conference season.

Where to Next?

Sadly, St. Olaf ends the 2015 MIAC Volleyball Camp Tour. Up next, though, is the regular season. If this camp tour isn’t an indicator, it’s going to be an extremely fun and competitive season. With so many quality teams, the MIAC is once again going to be one of the best volleyball conferences in the nation. No one is a shoe in to win the conference title, and it’s going to be a lot of fun watching the top teams duke it out.

Make sure to continue checking Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram throughout the year to stay up to date with all the latest MIAC volleyball action! I'll be going to at least one home game for every school and will post photos, videos, and updates on social media during games!