SIOUX FALLS – In another winning and history-making season, the University of Sioux Falls Volleyball Team had a young squad that took some big steps in 2019. The Cougars racked up a fourth straight winning season as they have totaled 71 victories in that same time span.

"There certainly were some positives from which to anchor our future, but right now we want to show appreciation for the best achievements and achievers from our year," said USF Head Coach Joel McCartney, whose team set 18 team or individual game, season and career records. "Although we were disappointed with the inability to host our annual awards banquet, we are excited to honor our recipients from the 2019-20 season with this announcement," he said.

Season Review –
The Cougars were led by a senior trio of KaSandra Springer (NSIC All-Conference), Abby Feyereisen (NSIC All-Conference) and Allie Maloney as they ran off a program-best 11-0 record to open the season, which included garnering national attention. USF, which opened the season by winning 22 straight sets, including seven straight 3-0 wins, was nationally ranked for the first time in program history, entering the AVCA poll at No. 24 on Sept. 16. From there the Cougars moved up to No. 19 in the national poll and opened the NSIC with three straight wins in 3-0 fashion.

"Even though we were plagued with injuries that did not allow our program to put our best foot forward at the end of the year, we had and incredible start to our season and were proud to become nationally ranked following a really successful preseason," said McCartney.

As a team USF set marks for service aces per set at 1.82, digs per set (15.85) and reception percentage (.940) while recording the second best mark in school history in kill per sets at 13.40 (sixth in the NSIC) and points per set at 16.96. USF also had the program's third-best 12.13 assists per set total on the year.
 
Team Honors
USF had several student-athletes rank among the league's top 20 while earning numerous top 10 program totals at USF.  Following the 2019 season, McCartney handed honors to several USF standouts on the squad. Those honorees included -

Best Server -- KaSandra Springer

Best Passer -- KaSandra Springer

Best Setter -- Krista Goerger

Best Attacker -- Abby Feyereisen

Best Blocker -- KaSandra Springer

Best Digger -- Allie Maloney

Most Improved Player -- Hayley Fox

Most Valuable Player -- KaSandra Springer

Springer finished her career at USF with the team's MVP honor for 2019 and was the team's "Best Server", "Best Passer," and "Best Blocker." In total, she set three school records. In 87 sets in 2019, Springer had 349 kills for 4.01 per set, which set a school record and ranked seventh in the NSIC.  She totaled 349 kills for sixth all-time at USF for a season on 955 attacks, which also ranked sixth in a season at the school.

Springer led the NSIC in service aces with 42 (4^th all-time at USF in a season) at .48 per set, which set another USF season mark. She was also third in the league with 4.74 points per set (412.5 points), which was yet another USF school mark. 

She also had six aces in three sets three times to set a school game mark. In addition, her total of 281 digs ranks eighth-best for a season with her digs per set at 3.23 ninth at USF. Springer finished her career with 452 kills on 1,317 attacks and had 83 service aces.  

"KaS(Springer) is the most versatile athlete to ever play for the Cougar program," said McCartney. "Her laying out for a dig is as equally impressive to the pressure she can create for the opponent from the service line or at the net," he said.

Senior Abby Feyereisen was named USF's "Best Attacker." In 2019, Feyereisen, who finished her career at the all-time leader in hitting percentage at .334, had season totals of 262 kills on 572 attack attempts for a .360 hitting mark, which ranked fourth in the NSIC. She also finished 15^th in points with 314 or 3.34 percent. As noted, she tied a USF match mark of .750 (16-1-20). In her career, she had 592 kills for eighth all-time at USF with her 1,335 attacks ninth for a career at USF. With 259 career total blocks, she ranks fifth all-time for a career at USF.

"Abby had another great season for us, especially at the net offensively," said McCartney. "She is one of the quickest athletes off two feet that we have coached and her explosive tempo was a huge asset for our system."

Junior Krista Goerger was selected "Setter of the Year." And, for good reason, she took over USF's career lead in assists with 2,397 in 264 sets since 2017. She also ranks second in assists per set at 9.08 for her career and second in services aces at 0.34 per set.  Goerger ranked sixth in the NSIC with 975 assists in 94 sets or 10.37 per set, which set a season record at USF. She also ranks second in a season at USF with 10.36 per set in 2018. In 2019, Goerger was 12^th in the NSIC with 0.32 services aces per set with 30 on the season. Also she set a school record with seven service aces in four sets against Northern State on Nov. 9, 2019.

"Krista is such a mature and talented setter," said McCartney. "She shaped our offense and led our emotional intensity throughout the season.  We are looking forward to having another great year with her on our court," he said.

In her one season at USF, Allie Maloney made an impact at USF. She set a program record for digs in a three-set match with 29 against Upper Iowa on Oct. 5, 2019. During the season, she also surpassed the 2,000 dig threshold in her career by totaling a team-high 404 – fifth all-time for a season at USF. With her average of 4.30 digs per set, Maloney ranked 10^th in the NSIC and is second all-time for a season at USF. In 2019, she also recorded four kills, 13 service aces and had 69 set assists. She also registered the third-best reception percentage of .961 at USF in a season.

"Allie's youthful energy was a great addition to our program this season and we are all very thankful of her decision to finish her college career as a USF Cougar," said McCartney.

Earning the "Most Improved" honor was freshman Hayley Fox, who played in 52 sets and 24 matches with 72 kills or 1.38 kills per set. She totaled 11 digs, 15 total blocks, including three solo locks. Five times Fox had six or more kills and totaled 81 points. She had a career-best 14 kills and .323 hitting percentage in the season finale vs. Minot State on Nov. 15, 2019.

"Hayley continued to grow quickly throughout the season both in her individual skills and in her competitive performance," said McCartney. "If she continues to commit herself to the process; we believe she is a terminating force for our immediate future."

Record Breakdown ( 18 total records of team/individual by career, season and games)

Career (2) – Abby Feyereisen, attack percentage .334 (592-146-1335), 2015-19; Krista Goerger, 2,397 (264 sets), 2017-19)
Season (5)– KaSandra Springer, kills per set at 4.01; service aces per set, 0.48; reception percentage, .978 (459), points per set, 4.74 (87 sets); Krista Goerger, assists per set, 10.36
Game – Team (5) – Kills, three sets, 57, vs. Bemidji State, 10-19-19; Attack Attempts, 142, vs. SCSU, 10-26-19; Service Aces, 14, vs. MSU Texas, 9-13-19; Assists, 65, vs. Minot State, 11-15-19; and Digs, 71, vs. SCSU, 10-26-19
Game – Individual (6) – Allie Maloney, digs, three sets, 29, vs. SCSU, 10-26-19; Abby Feyereisen, attack percentage, .750 (16-1-20) vs Concordia St. Paul, 9-21-2019; KaSandra Springer, Kills-3 sets, 17, vs. Bemidji State, 10-19-19, and vs. SCSU, 10-26-19; Attack Attempts, 3 set, 45, vs. SCSU, 10-26-19; Service Aces, 3 sets, 6, Montana State Billings, 9-6.19, SD Mines, 9-7-19, and MSU Texas, 9-13-19; Krista Goerger, Services Aces, 4 sets, 7, Northern State, 11-9-19.