Concordia-St. Paul Athletic Hall of Fame
Joy (Wubben) Tietz was a driving force behind a major shift in the balance of power in NCAA Division II volleyball. The Prinsburg, Minnesota native joined a volleyball program that went 11-17 overall (6-12 NSIC) in 2000 and made an immediate impact as a freshman in 2001, helping the Golden Bears to a winning conference season (10-8) and an overall three win improvement (14-16).
The Bears were just scratching the surface in her freshman season. During her sophomore year, Concordia improved to 24-9 overall and a 13-5 league record and were ranked seventh in the final NCAA North Central Region rankings.
As a junior, (Wubben) Tietz and the Golden Bears stormed to a 15-1 NSIC championship campaign and finished 32-4 overall, winning the NCAA North Central Region championship, the first women’s team to win an NCAA regional in NSIC history and advanced to the NCAA Division II national championship match, finishing national runner-up.
As a senior, (Wubben) Tietz once again led CSP to a conference championship that included a perfect 14-0 league record, a conference tournament championship in the first year of the tournament and an NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearance, reaching the region championship for the second straight year. They finished 32-3 overall and ranked seventh in the country.
A consistent four year performer on the court, (Wubben) Tietz averaged at least 2.94 kills per set all four years. Her hitting percentage and blocks per set averages went up each year, starting at .256 pct. and 0.67 blocks as a freshman to .386 pct. and 1.42 blocks as a senior which ranked 15th and 17th in the country, respectively. The 1.42 blocks average remains a CSP single season record.
She ranked among the league leaders in hitting percentage all four years, culminating with a league best .386 hitting percentage as a senior, also ranking third in kills (4.32). She was the NSIC’s leader in blocks as a junior (1.27) and senior (1.41) and was also ranked second in the league in aces (0.57) and third in blocks (1.14) as a sophomore.
In a program that (Wubben) Tietz helped turn into a nine-time national champion, she remains the all-time leader in total blocks (540), ranks second in block solos (119) and points (2,073.5) and fifth in kills (1,603). Her top single season totals still rank among the school’s top-5 in block solos (2nd, 43 in 2002), total blocks (2nd, 169 in 2003), kills per set (3rd, 4.36 in 2004), service aces (3rd, 67 in 2002), among others.
As a senior, she became the first student-athlete in Concordia’s NCAA Division II era (1999-present) to be named a DII All-America First Team selection and was also named the NSIC Player of the Year and NSIC All-Tournament Team. She was also AVCA All-America honorable mention as a junior and a two-time All-NSIC First Team selection and two-time All-North Central Region pick. Her immediate impact netted her All-NSIC honorable mention honors as a freshman in 2001, as well. She was a three-time NSIC Player of the Week and two-time AVCA National Player of the Week during her senior year.
An excellent student, (Wubben) Tietz was also a rare four-time NSIC All-Academic Team honoree.
Following her playing career, (Wubben) Tietz has been an exceptional assistant coach in the Twin Cities area, helping the University of St. Thomas to seven MIAC championships along with three straight trips to the NCAA Division III Elite Eight (2010-12) culminating with a 2012 Division III national championship. She then moved across town and up to the Division I level with the University of Minnesota where she was an assistant for the Gopher program that reached the NCAA Final Four in 2016 and has been nationally-ranked annually in her time with the squad.
(Wubben) Tietz also serves as the associate director, travel coordinator and head coach of the Minnesota Select Volleyball Club program.
An early childhood education and parent education double-major from CSP in 2005, (Wubben) Tietz has put her degree in action as preschool director and lead teacher at South Shore Trinity Lutheran Church and Preschool in the White Bear Lake community.
(Wubben) Tietz will return to the Gangelhoff Center this fall as an assistant coach for Golden Bear volleyball. Joy is married to CSP alumnus Reed Tietz, a football and track & field standout during his time on campus (1999-03).
