ST. PETER, Minn. – Sophomore volleyball player Nora Holtan (Rochester, Minn.) and senior men’s cross country runner Thomas Knobbe (Decorah, Iowa) have been selected as the Gustavus Adolphus College September Female and Male Student-Athletes-of-the-Month, presented by Thrivent Financial and voted on by the Gustavus Sports Information Department.
Nora Holtan
Volleyball
Hometown: Rochester, Minn
High School: Mayo
Major: Undeclared
Parents: Doug and Betsie Holtan of Rochester, Minn.
Coming off her third MIAC Volleyball Setter/Libero of the Week Award this Monday, Holtan was honored twice in the month of September by the conference. Guiding the Black and Gold to a 13-3 overall record (4-1 MIAC), Holtan is the MIAC leader in assists (621) and assists per set (9.7).
During the week of Sept. 7-10, the Gusties had their home opener and competed in the Loras College Tournament and won four of their five matches behind a big-time performance from Holtan. The setter finished with 203 assists, 29 kills and 35 digs in the five matches and was named to the Loras All-Tournament Team for her performance.
Holtan earned her second-straight MIAC Volleyball Setter/Libero-of-the-Week award as she led the Gusties to a 3-0 mark Sept. 14-17, recording 120 assists (10.00 per set), 26 digs and 22 kills. Holtan had a career night in the team’s 3-2 upset of No. 12 Bethel to open MIAC play. The sophomore recorded an impressive triple-double with 55 assists (11.00 per set), had 16 kills with no errors (.593), and 22 digs, all career-highs for Holtan. She went on to add 65 assists over the weekend in a 3-0 win over Lakeland and a 3-1 win over Dominican.
Thomas Knobbe
Men’s Cross Country
Hometown: Decorah, Iowa
High School: Decorah
Major: Public Accounting
Parents: Joseph and Cheryl Knobbe of Des Moines, Iowa
The Gustavus men’s cross country team and Knobbe have found success in 2016 as they entered the USTFCCCA Division III National Coaches’ Poll for the first time since November of 1990 on Sept. 21. The Gusties ranked No. 23 in the Week Two NCAA Coaches’ Poll.
Knobbe has helped set the pace for the Gusties in the first four meets of the season with top-five team finishes in each. Knobbe posted back-to-back MIAC Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week honors Sept. 6 and Sept. 13. In each event in 2016, Knobbe has placed in the top-10. Additionally, he finished in first place at the Gustavus Alumni Meet Sept. 10 with a career-best 5k time of 15:53.2. The senior also recorded a second place finish at the Crown Invite and a third place finish at the St. Olaf Invite.