LEXINGTON, Ky. – For the third consecutive year, Gustavus volleyball setter Nora Holtan (Sr., Rochester, Minn.) has been named AVCA First-Team All-America. Holtan becomes the first player in Gustavus program history and 31st in the nation to earn three First-Team All-America honors. Kate Holtan (So., Rochester, Minn.) and Brittany Luethmers (Sr., Prior Lake, Minn.) were both named AVCA All-America honorable mention.
Nora Holtan
It’s been a year of threes for Nora Holtan as she is also a three-time All-Region Team member and three-time MIAC Player of the Year. Nora, the most decorated student-athlete in 50 years of Gustavus volleyball, finished her career as the program’s all-time assists leader with 4,528 during her four seasons. She also ended her career with 1,194 digs (7th/program history) and 650 kills (32nd/program history). Nora is the only player to wear the Black and Gold with at least 4,000 assists, 1,000 digs, and 500 kills.
During her senior season, Nora led the Gusties to their second MIAC regular season championship and third MIAC playoff title in the past four years, as well as their fourth consecutive NCAA tournament appearance. She started all 30 matches and played all 113 sets throughout the year, playing a large part in Gustavus’s 27-3 overall record. The Rochester Mayo product averaged 10.16 assists and 2.5 digs per set. Nora also totaled 169 kills and posted a .283 hitting percentage. Her 31 aces were fourth most on a strong serving team.
Kate Holtan earns AVCA All-America honorable mention honors for the second consecutive season after leading the Gustavus attack with 382 kills (3.38 per set) along with a .214 hitting percentage. Kate’s 38 service aces were most on the team. She also averaged 3.73 digs per set with a total of 422, which was second most on the team. The Rochester Mayo product finished the season with 50 blocks after starting all 30 matches and playing all 113 sets. Kate tallied 16 double-doubles in kills and digs, which is third most in a single season in program history.
Luethmers is an AVCA All-America honorable mention for the first time after leading the Gustavus back row with 551 digs (4.88 per set). She finished her career with 2,292 digs, which is 37 shy of the program record. Luethmers was strong on the serve with 34 aces and helped on the set with 127 assists. The senior libero played in all 113 sets this season and posted a .974 receiving percentage.
Kate Holtan
Brittany Luethmers
congrates super stars