Nora Holtan Named AVCA First Team All-America

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced its 36^th annual All-America teams for Division III on Tuesday and Gustavus star setter Nora Holtan (So., Rochester, Minn.) has been named to the First Team, while Lauren Hanson (So., Redwood Falls, Minn.) received Honorable Mention. The awards will be presented Nov. 16 at the NCAA Division III Women’s National Championship banquet in Oshkosh, Wis., where the 2016 Division III AVCA Player of the Year will be announced. The NCAA Division III National Quarterfinals begin Nov. 17.

Holtan becomes just the sixth Gustie to earn All-America honors, and second in consecutive seasons after Alyssa Taylor earned Third Team honors last year. Holtan also joins Amy LeClaire-Sachs (1984) Linn Erickson (1985, ’86), Valerie Flom (1985, ’86) and Deborah Jungwirth (1986) as Gusties to be named All-America.

The All-America award caps a decorated sophomore season for Holtan as she was named the 2016 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Player-of-the-Year as well as AVCA All-Region. Holtan became the second straight Gustavus volleyball player to be named MIAC Player-of-the-Year in the 27 years of the award. Last season Holtan was named AVCA Central Region Freshman of the Year.

“This is a well deserved and great honor for Nora to be named to the All-America First Team,” Head Coach Rachelle Sherden said. “I’m very proud of her but not because she was named an All-American. I’m proud of the extraordinary drive and determination that she brings to the gym every day and her unrelenting commitment to this program and to her teammates. I’m proud that she represents this program and Gustavus humbly and to the utmost degree as student-athlete who competes fiercely with grit and integrity, who works exceptionally hard in and out of the gym, and who has a heart the size of Texas for the people around her.”

Holtan directed traffic on the floor all season long for the Gusties, recording 1,255 assists (9.96 per set), marking the third most single season assists by a Gustie since 1992. Her assist total was the highest in the MIAC by more than 300. Holtan also surpassed the 2000-assist mark in her young career and currently ranks sixth in program history with 2,199 assists. The Rochester Mayo product was a true all-around player this season with 184 kills (1.46 per set), 292 digs (2.32 per set), 33 blocks (0.26 per set), and 29 aces (0.23 per set). Her .298 hitting percentage ranked third in the MIAC. In conference matches only, Holtan hit at a .358 clip, which was best in the league.

Hanson receives All-America Honorable Mention after leading the Gusties on the attack with 419 kills, averaging 3.38 per set, to go along with a .218 hitting percentage. Her 419 kills were second most in the MIAC and mark the second most single season kills by a Gustie since 1992. Hanson’s All-America Honorable Mention award comes after receiving AVCA All-Region and MIAC All-Conference.

Gustavus claimed its second consecutive MIAC Playoff title this season and won its first match at the NCAA tournament since 1986. With only one regular contributor graduating, the future looks promising for Gustie volleyball.

AVCA Release