Wilber announces recruiting class for 2021

MITCHELL, S.D. – After a historic 2020 season, the Dakota Wesleyan University volleyball team has solidified its recruiting class for the 2021 season with 11 new signees. According to head volleyball coach Lindsay Wilber, this year's recruiting class is an athletic class with a great amount of potential and is expected to have an immediate impact on the program.

 "I am excited for our 2021 class to join us this fall," she stated. "It was a really different year recruiting wise due to the pandemic, so I had to rely on references from coaches and game film. However, the potential for this group of future Tigers is endless and I look forward to them impacting our program immediately."

 Abby Brunsing

 Freshman, 5-10, Wagner Community High School, Outside Hitter

 Brunsing finished her career as a five-year starter and four-year letterwinner along with 1,346 kills, 1,048 digs, 99 aces and a .292 career hitting percentage. She was named to the All-State First Team in 2019 and selected to the All-State Second Team in 2020. She received All-Conference honors all four years at Wagner Community High. Brunsing was named Max Preps Player of the Week twice and was nominated as the Midco Player of the Year during her sophomore and junior campaigns. She was also an Adrenaline 50 Selection in 2019 and 2020 as well as an Elite 8 Award recipient. Brunsing competed for the CPAC Volleyball Club and earned four varsity letters on both the basketball and track and field teams. In the classroom, she maintained a 4.0 GPA.

 Kaylee Johnson

 Freshman, 5-8, Hendricks High School, Outside Hitter

 As a five-year starter and six-year letterwinner, Johnson compiled 1,170 digs, 631 kills, 130 blocks and 36 set assists in her career. She was selected to the All-Conference team in 2020 and earned All-Conference Honorable Mention accolades in 2019. Johnson also competed for the Elite Alliance Volleyball Club and was an Estelline-Hendricks SoDak 16 qualifier in 2019. The six-sport varsity athlete was also a member of the basketball, golf, cross-country, gymnastics and track and field teams. In the classroom, Johnson was a member of the Academic Honor Roll.

 Callie Slagter

 Freshman, 5-6, Willmar High School, Defensive Specialist

 Slagter culminated her career with 637 digs, 85 aces, 866 serve receptions and a 92.3% serving efficiency. She was both a four-year letterwinner and starter at Willmar High and received All-Conference Honorable Mention status in 2018 and 2019. Slagter also led the team to three conference championships and was a member of Kandi Elite Volleyball Club. Her club team finished top-10 nationally in 2019. She also competed on the basketball and softball teams and was a two-year starter in both sports. Academically, Slagter was a member of the National Honor Society.

 Brianna Duerre

 Freshman, 5-11, Webster Area High School, Middle Back/Right Side

 Duerre was a three-year starter and letterwinner. She was voted as the team's Hardest Worker and tabbed as the Most Improved Player on the court. Her performance at the net also earned her Webster Area Athlete of the Week honors. Duerre also competed for club teams Matchbox and the Kusler Klinics. Outside of volleyball, she was a member of the track and cheer teams at Webster Area High. In the classroom, she earned Student of the Month honors and was a member of the Academic Honor Roll.

 Rachel Fiedler

 Freshman, 5-9, Selby Area High School, Outside Hitter

 The five-year starter ended her career with 1,509 digs, 1,046 kills and 249 aces. Fiedler paced the Wolverines to three conference championships and a fourth-place finish at the state tournament in 2017. She served as the team captain for three years and was a four-year All-Conference selection. Her performance on the court earned her multiple Most Valuable Player accolades including Defensive Most Valuable Player. Fiedler also competed on the basketball team where she was a five-year starter. In the classroom, she was a member of the Academic Honor Roll and National Honor Society.

 Mackenzie Weber

 Freshman, 5-7, Brookings High School, Setter

 As a one-year starter, Weber accumulated 254 assists, 115 digs and 20 aces over her senior season. She also competed for the Pentagon Volleyball Club and was a scholar athlete. Weber was a member of the National Honor Society as well.

 Tess Jones

 Freshman, 5-6, Verndale Public High School, Outside Hitter/Setter

 Jones was a four-time starter at Verndale Public High and was tabbed to the All-Conference team in 2019 and 2020. She earned both All-Conference Honorable Mention and All-State Academic status in 2020. Jones compiled 1,105 digs, 532 set assists, 414 kills, 95 aces and 36 blocks throughout her career and was selected to the Brainerd Dispatch All-Area Team her senior year. She served as the team captain for two seasons and earned the Team Spirit Award all four years. Jones also competed on the Verndale Club Volleyball team as well as the softball, tennis and basketball teams. In softball and basketball, she started for three seasons. As a junior, she was tabbed to the All-Conference team in 2019 in softball. On the court, she served as team captain as a senior and was honored with the Team Spirit Award for three seasons. In the classroom, Jones was a member of the Academic Honor Roll and the National Honor Society.

 Haley Hesse

 Freshman, 5-10, Valentine High School, Middle Back/Outside Hitter

 Hesse compiled 448 kills, 74 blocks, 149 digs and 10 aces as a two-year starter and three-year letterwinner. She was tabbed to the All-Conference team in 2019 and 2020. She also received All-State Honorable Mention status in 2019. Her performance also saw her selected to the All-State Academic team for three years. Hesse also competed on the Valentine Volleyball Club. At Valentine High, she was a three-year starter on the basketball team and earned All-State Honorable Mention accolades as a junior. In basketball, she was also selected to the All-State Academic team as junior and senior. Academically, Hesse participated in the Duke TIPS program and was a Harvard School of Physicians Scholarship nominee. She was also a member of the Academic Honor Roll and the National Honor Society.

 Odalite Pankratz

 Freshman, 5-8, Freeman Public High School, Opposite

 Pankratz started all four years at Freeman Public High and was named to the All-State Academic team as a senior. She started all four seasons and finished her career with 417 kills, 576 digs, 210 assists, 58 blocks and 138 aces. During her playing career, Pankratz was a three-time selection on the All-Conference team and qualified for the SoDak 16 Team in 2019 and 2020. She also competed on the basketball and track and field teams. She received a pair of varsity letters in basketball and earned the team's Defensive Award as a sophomore. On the track, she was a two-time state qualifier and four-year letterwinner. Pankratz claimed the high-jump event top placement at the 2019 conference meet and earned a seventh-place finish in the event at the state meet as a junior. Academically, she was a member of both the National Honor Society and Academic Honor Roll and earned the Presidential Outstanding Academic Excellence Award.

 Gracie Olivier

 Freshman, 5-4, Sully Buttes High School, Defensive Specialist

 Olivier earned five varsity letters in volleyball and culminated her career with 400 digs, 10 aces and 13 assists. She also competed on the basketball and track and field teams as well as choir and yearbook. Olivier was a one-year letterwinner on the track and was a state participant in percussion in band.

 Kerrigan Schultz

 Freshman, 5-9, Bridgewater-Emery High School, Setter/Right Side Hitter

 Schultz was tabbed to the All-State Academic team in 2020 and ended her career as a four-year letterwinner and three-year starter. She amassed 1,256 assists, 691 digs, 51 blocks, 283 kills and 132 aces over four seasons at Bridgewater-Emery High. She led the team to back-to-back state tournament appearances in 2019 and 2020 and was tabbed to the All-Conference team as a junior and senior. Schultz also participated in the SD Coaches All Star Volleyball Match and was voted as the team's Most Valuable Player twice. She also competed on the basketball and track and field teams as she garnered four varsity letters in basketball and two varsity letters in track. Her performance on the court warranted All-Conference honors. Schultz was also a member of the Academic Honor Roll and National Honor Society.