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Title IX Spotlight, Volleyball

TITLE IX SPOTLIGHT, Volleyball

CSP celebrates the 50th anniversary of Title IX

1.27.23

By: Patrick Rydeen

ST. PAUL, Minn. – In honor of the 50th anniversary of the passage of Title IX, the Concordia-St. Paul athletic department will be spotlighting its nine female athletic programs throughout the 2022-23 school year. The third spotlight is the CSP volleyball program.

The amount of ways that Title IX has had an impact on my life is infinite. I can say without a doubt, I would not be the same person I am today without my experiences as a collegiate volleyball player. This sport has taught me resilience, mental toughness, how to push my boundaries and most importantly how to be a positive teammate and leader. All of these qualities have helped me be successful in my profession and personal life after college. I am forever grateful for having had the opportunity to be a college athlete, it has made me a better person in so many ways!
CSP assistant coach and hall of famer Whitney Meierotto-Simon '09
2022 volleyball team photo
The 2022 Concordia-St. Paul volleyball team

PROGRAM QUICK FACTS

  • First Season as a Varsity Sport: 1970
  • NCAA Division II-record Nine National Championships: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017 
  • 20 NCAA Tournament appearances, including 19 trips to the Sweet Sixteen
  • 12 NCAA Region Championships
  • 14-time NSIC Champions (6 undefeated NSIC campaigns)
  • Sports Imports Division II Female Athlete of the Year (all sports): Maggie McNamara, 2009
  • CoSIDA Academic All-America of the Year: Riley Hanson, 2016
  • Winningest Coach in NCAA History (minimum 10 seasons): Brady Starkey (574-75, .884 winning percentage)
Title IX has given women representation that empowers them to make great achievements as people and as athletes, and it has enabled me to follow my dreams in both my academic and athletic careers.
CSP junior outside hitter Makenna Berger
2009 NCAA Championship Point
Golden Bears secure three-peat and perfect season with sweep of West Texas A&M at Gangelhoff Center in 2009 title match
The effects of Title IX on our program has been significant because of the rise in participation in volleyball throughout Minnesota and the country. Our program benefits from the large number of talented athletes that are taking advantage of the opportunities they have because of the work done over 50 years ago by the creators of Title IX. We honor the work they did by molding strong people that will continue building and fighting for the inequalities that are still prevalent in our society today.
CSP head coach Brady Starkey

TEAM SPOTLIGHT

2009 Golden Bears

  • Won the program's third consecutive NCAA Division II National Championship on their home court
  • Registered a perfect 37-0 record, losing just five of 116 sets on the season
  • Had three First Team All-Americans (Maggie McNamara, Emily Palkert, Mary Slinger) and two Second Team All-Americans (Megan Carlson, Sadie Kessler)
  • Continued an NCAA record 75-match win streak (spanning from 2008 to 2010), an 85-match NSIC win streak (2007 to 2011) and a 61-match home win streak
  • Led the nation in kills per set (15.36) and assists per set (14.50) while ranking second in hitting percentage (.317)
  • Had 17 wins over top-25 opponents, including six in the top-10

PROGRAM RECORD HOLDERS

  • Career Kills – 1,898 – Emily Palkert (2007-10)
  • Career Digs – 2,349 – Mary Slinger (2006-09)
  • Career Assists – 7,351 – Maggie McNamara (2006-09)
  • Career Service Aces – 173 – Hope Schiller (2015-18)
  • Career Total Blocks – 540 – Joy Wubben (2001-04)
  • Career Attack Percentage – .402 – Riley Hanson (2013-16)
01 DEC 2007: Concordia - St. Paul defeats Western Washington for the national championship during the 2007 NCAA Division II Women's Volleyball Championship hosted by Washburn University and held at Lee Arena in Topeka, KS. Photo: © Jeff Jacobsen / NCAA Photos
06 December 2008: Concordia University Golden Bears vs. Cal State San Bernardino Coyotes during the Division II WomenÕs Volleyball Championships held at the Gangelhoff Center on the Concordia University campus in St. Paul, MN. Concordia defeated Cal State San Bernardino 3-2 to win the Division II National Title. Carlos Gonzalez/NCAA Photos
2011 Trophy Celebration
14 DEC 2013 Concordia-St. Paul wins the Division II Women's Volleyball Championship game held at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, IA for the 7th time in a row. Concordia-St. Paul won over BYU-Hawaii in 3 straight sets. Conrad Schmidt/NCAA Photos
2017 NCAA Championship Trophy Celebration

CSP HALL OF FAME

  • Carol Pietrich, '67
  • Mary Langholz, '74
  • Cindy Pummill, '78
  • Linda Voetberg Paschka, '78
  • Peggie Jackson, '79
  • Carol Moss Rose, '79
  • Ruth Wagner Hagenow, '80
  • Cynthia Wulf McGrath, '80
  • Debra David Kelzer, '82
  • Rhonda Hintz Whitcomb, '84
  • Connie Michna Huberty, '85
  • Christine Alsbury Piepkorn, '86
  • Tracy Anderson Olson, '87
  • Connie Kiedrowski, '88
  • Dana Schmid, '91
  • Jodi Sieling Nilsen, '93
  • Heather Miller Whitcomb, '95
  • Marla Garbers Anderson, '96
  • Karen Koegel Chamberlain, '97
  • Jill Kalvik, '05
  • Tia Lindberg Schlundt, '05
  • Joy Wubben Tietz, '05
  • Kelsey Kyro Peel, '06
  • Cailin Terhaar Minor, '06
  • Jessica Lucia Bray, '07
  • Whitney Meierotto-Simon, '09
  • Maria Steinhagen Sperl, '09
  • Sadie Kessler Murphy, '10
  • Maggie McNamara, '10
  • Mary Slinger Heiken, '10
  • Emily Palkert Davis, '11
  • Megan Carlson Brown, '12