ELMHURST, Ill. — The St. Mary’s (Ind.) College volleyball team topped Lawrence University 3-0 in a nonconference match on Friday at Elmhurst Invitational.
St. Mary’s (2-0) won 25-17, 25-16, 25-12.
Meaghan Gibbons had 15 kills and Katie Hecklinski added 14 for St. Mary’s, which had a .300 hitting percentage as a team.
Megan Conley led Lawrence (0-4) with four kills.
ELMHURST, Ill. — The No. 19 Elmhurst College volleyball team stopped Lawrence University 3-0 in a nonconference match on Friday at the Elmhurst Invitational.
The Bluejays (1-0) won 25-12, 25-15, 25-13.
Alli Rogers paced Elmhurst with 12 kills, and Hannah Nimrick had 28 assists.
Rachael Wuensch and Arianna Neumeyer had four kills apiece for Lawrence (0-3).
MILWAUKEE, Wis. — The Wisconsin Lutheran volleyball team topped Lawrence University 3-1 in a nonconference match on Tuesday at the Kern Center on the MSOE campus.
The Warriors won 25-15, 19-25, 27-25, 25-13.
Courtney Pattison had 11 kills and 16 assists to pace Wisconsin Lutheran (2-0).
Arianna Neumeyer picked up eight kills and 16 digs for the Vikings (0-2).
MILWAUKEE, Wis. — The Milwaukee School of Engineering volleyball team took three close sets from Lawrence University in a season opener on Tuesday at the Kern Center.
The Raiders won 25-21, 25-20, 27-25.
Hannah Pekarek had 12 kills and Abby Born picked up 28 assists to pace MSOE. Arianna Neumeyer had seven kills and 17 digs to pace the Vikings (0-1).
APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University volleyball team will add six new faces when it takes to the court this fall, Vikings coach Matt Schoultz announced today.
Bryttany Dove of Altoona, Iowa, Katie Kumbalek of Houston, Texas, Arianna Neumeyer of Manitowoc, Wis., Claire Vinopal of Park Ridge, Ill., and Nicole Witmer of Plainfield, Ill., are set to join the Vikings. Lawrence also gets sophomore Elizabeth Arco, a basketball standout playing her first season of volleyball.
“The 2015 class has talent that will help us with our ball control and offense,” Schoultz said. “I am extremely excited about this group and how they will fit into our team for the 2015 season.”
Elizabeth Arco, Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett High School, 6-1, Middle Hitter
Arco was a three-year varsity player and three-year letter winner for Bartlett High School. Arco earned All-Upstate Eight Conference honors as a senior. Arco also competed earned three letters in basketball and was a starter for Lawrence as a freshman. Academically, Arco was a four-year honor roll student and two-year member of the National Honor Society. The daughter of Al and Carole Arco, she plans to major in psychology.
Bryttany Dove, Altoona, Iowa/Southeast Polk High School, 5-8, Outside/Defensive Specialist
Dove was a two-year varsity player and two-year letter winner for Southeast Polk High School. Dove earned All-CIML-CIC Eastern Conference honorable mention as a senior. Dove also earned two letters in track and field. Academically, Dove earned three academic letters and received the Lamp of Knowledge pin. Dove has played club volleyball for IPVA, I80, Powerplex and Johnston VBC. The daughter of James Dove and Diana Johnson, she plans to major in Spanish and economics.
Katie Kumbalek, Houston, Texas/Cypress Creek High School, 5-6, Defensive Specialist/Libero
Kumbalek was a one-year varsity player and one-year letter winner for Cypress Creek High School. Kumbalek earned the Cypress Creek Cougar Award as a senior. The award is for “hard work on and off the court, dedication and respect of the game, teammates, coaches and positive attitude.” Academically, Kumbalek is an Honors Graduate, cum laude, a member of the National Honor Society and Academic All-District 17-6A selection in volleyball. Kumbalek has played club volleyball for Willowbrook Volleyball Club. The daughter of Steve and Betsy Kumbalek (both Lawrence alumni), she plans to major in film studies.
Arianna Neumeyer, Manitowoc, Wis./Lutheran High School, 5-7, Outside Hitter/Defensive Specialist
Neumeyer won three volleyball letters for Manitowoc Lutheran High School. She was a first-team All-Olympian Conference selection as both a junior and senior. Neumeyer also was named to the Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter All-Area Team as a junior and senior. Neumeyer helped lead her team to a conference championship in 2012 and a WIAA regional title in 2014. Neumeyer also competed in basketball and softball and was a multiple all-conference selection in both sports. Neumeyer plans on playing basketball at Lawrence. Academically, Neumeyer is a member of the National Honor Society, was an Olympian Conference Senior Scholar Athlete, Wendy’s High School Heisman School Winner, earned the President’s Award for Educational Excellence and was on the Honor Roll. Neumeyer has played club volleyball for Lakeshore Storm, Wisconsin Volleyball Academy and FC Elite Volleyball Club. The daughter of Troy and Lisa Neumeyer, she plans on majoring in biology (marine).
Claire Vinopal, Park Ridge, Ill./Maine South High School, 5-8, Outside Hitter/Defensive Specialist
Vinopal was a one-year varsity player and one-year letter winner for Maine South High School. Vinopal earned Academic All-Central Suburban League honors. Academically, Vinopal was a Chicago History Fair superior state finalist for best medical documentary. She played club volleyball for The Edge Volleyball Club. The daughter of Paul Vinopal and Patricia Ginnis, she plans on majoring in neuroscience.
Nicole Witmer, Plainfield, Ill./Joliet Catholic Academy, 5-11, Rightside Hitter/Middle Hitter
Witmer won two letters for Joliet Catholic Academy. Witmer helped her team to a state tournament berth and a second-place finish in 2014. Witmer earned the Most Improved Player award in as a junior and senior. Academically, Witmer is a National Honor Society member, Honors Program Student, President of Student Council as a junior and senior and Scholastic Bowl captain. Witmer played club volleyball for Belusa United Volleyball Club. The daughter of Mark and Debbie Witmer, she plans on majoring in English.
Lawrence opens its season on Sept. 1 when the Vikings travel to the Milwaukee School of Engineering to play MSOE and Wisconsin Lutheran College.
A championship-winning coach and five former student-athletes will be inducted into the Lawrence University Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame on Oct. 16.
Long-time swimming and diving coach Kurt Kirner will be enshrined with two-sport star Shannon Arendt LaRoux, runners Courtney Miller Cameron and Shelley Ebert Navis, basketball star Felice Porrata and baseball star Steve Blomberg.
The induction ceremony takes place at the Blue and White Dinner at the Warch Campus Center on Oct. 16, and the inductees are also introduced at the Hall of Fame football game vs. Carroll University at 5 p.m. on Oct. 17 on Roberts Field at the Banta Bowl.
Steve Blomberg ’74
Steve Blomberg’s athletic career at Lawrence was brief, but the Brookfield, Wis., native stands as the finest hitter in school history.
Blomberg played two seasons of baseball at Lawrence before signing with the Kansas City Royals. He went on to play five seasons in the minor leagues and reached as high as Double-A before retiring.
A standout running back, Blomberg played varsity football as a sophomore and rushed for more than 1,000 yards, breaking or tying six school records along the way.
An outfielder on the baseball team, Blomberg was a career .481 hitter, hitting .485 in 1971 and .475 in 1972. Blomberg, whose season batting average record stood for 24 years, is the only player in Lawrence history to hit .400 in back-to-back seasons. A two-time All-Midwest Conference selection, Blomberg also earned Topp’s District All-America honors twice.
Known for his powerful bat, Blomberg posted a career .915 slugging percentage and still holds the season record at .984. He set career records with 12 home runs and seven triples and set season records with seven triples, nine home runs and 30 runs batted in. Blomberg continues to hold the game record of three homers.
Lawrence’s 1972 team tied with St. Olaf College for the Midwest Conference championship, the Vikings’ first league title.
During his one season of football, Blomberg was a first-team all-conference selection and was named the team’s Most Valuable Back. The Vikings finished 6-3 as Blomberg ran 204 times for 1,060 yards, a 5.2-yard average, and caught 16 passes for 239 yards.
Blomberg tied All-American Chuck McKee’s season record of 78 points scored in the process. He also broke the season records for punt returns, punt return yards, kickoff returns, kickoff return yardage and kickoff return average.
After playing five seasons in the minor leagues, Blomberg retired after playing the 1976 season with the Shreveport Captains of the Double-A Texas League. Blomberg hit .248, belted 38 homers and drove in 149 runs during his pro career.
A salesman for Waters Industrial Supply Co., Blomberg and his wife, Jeanne, have two children, Sam and Rebecca, and live in Waukesha. He also has a son, David, who resides in Huntington Beach, Calif.
Courtney Miller Cameron ’04
Courtney Miller displayed consistent excellence in cross country and collected a fistful of Midwest Conference track championships to stand as one of the great distance runners in Lawrence history.
A native of Rochester, N.Y., Miller is the only cross country runner in Lawrence history to finish in the top 10 at the Midwest Conference Championships four times and is one of just three four-time all-conference honorees.
Miller posted second-place finishes at the MWC Championships in 2001 and 2003 and took ninth in 1999 and 2000. Part of a stellar group of distance runners, Miller led the Vikings to MWC cross country titles in 1999 and 2001 and second-place finishes in 2000 and 2003.
Running in the toughest regional in the nation, Miller grabbed one of the few individual qualifying spots for the NCAA Division III Championships in 1999 when she finished 26th to earn All-Midwest Region honors. She went on to finish 128th at the NCAA meet.
Miller, who was twice named the MWC Performer of the Week, took home individual titles at the Beloit Old English Classic and the Wisconsin Private College Championships in 2001 and won the Lawrence Invitational in 2003.
Miller, who didn’t compete during the 2002-03 academic year due to injury, also starred on the track for the Vikings. Miller was named the Outstanding Performer at both the 2004 indoor and outdoor Midwest Conference Championships and won five individual track titles and one relay championship.
Miller capped her 2004 indoor season at the MWC Championships by winning the the 800 meters in 2:18.94 and taking first in the 1,500 in 4:47.70. She also placed third in the 3,000 and ran a school-record time of 10:38.70. Miller also holds the indoor mark in the 1,000 meters at 3:04.67. At the MWC’s outdoor meet, Miller won the 800 (2:19.93) and 1,500 (4:51.11) and took second in the 5,000.
Miller claimed her first league title when she won the 800 at the 2000 MWC indoor meet with a time of 2:19.78. She also was part of the winning sprint medley relay team at the 2003 indoor MWC Championships. Miller teamed with Shelley Ebert, Sarah Slivinski and Jess Moser for a winning time of 4:16.80. Miller also was chosen as a MWC Performer of the Week during both the indoor and outdoor seasons during her career.
Miller won the school’s Outstanding Freshman Athletic Award for Women and claimed the Ruth Bateman Award for excellence in scholarship, athletic ability and leadership by a female athlete.
Miller earned degrees in German and violin performance at Lawrence and went on to earn her master of music degree in violin performance from the University of Illinois. Miller plays with the Victoria Symphony, and she and her husband, Matt, live in Victoria, B.C.
Kurt Kirner
Kurt Kirner took Lawrence swimming to a new level as his teams won a pair of Midwest Conference titles and he coached nearly 200 league champions.
A native of Prairie du Sac, Wis., Kirner took over for another Lawrence Hall of Famer, Gene Davis, in 1991. He coached both the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams for the next 16 seasons before moving to Division II Hillsdale College.
Kirner’s men’s team won the Midwest Conference Championships team title in 1996 and 2000. Kirner was named the MWC Men’s Coach of the Year in 1996 and 2006 and was the Women’s Coach of the Year in 2007.
Kirner, who coached eight current Lawrence Hall of Famers, had a remarkable record in the biggest meets of each season. The Lawrence men posted an average finish of 2.6 at the MWC Championships, and the women’s average finish at the league meet was 2.9. Following his first season as head coach, the Lawrence men finished third or higher in the Midwest Conference in 13 of the next 15 seasons. The Lawrence women did the guys one better, finishing third or higher in the league in 14 of Kirner’s final 15 seasons.
Kirner saw a remarkable 187 swimmers crowned Midwest Conference champions during his tenure at Lawrence. The 1995-96 men’s team had a stunning 36 competitors take the top spot in 1996 as Lawrence won 12 individual titles and six relays at the MWC Championships. The women’s team set a best of 19 league champions in 1993 and had 18 in 1995.
Lawrence established itself as the state’s dominant private college program during Kirner’s tenure. The Lawrence women won eight team titles at the Wisconsin Private College Championships and finished second eight times. The Lawrence men won six titles at the Private College Championships and finished second 10 times.
Kirner also broke new ground for Lawrence swimming at the NCAA Division III Championships. Becky Wagenaar was Lawrence’s first female All-American and earned All-America honors three times. Tracy Maschman was an All-American in 1995 and 1996, and Chas Mitchell eared All-America honors on the men’s side in 1996.
Kirner’s teams were also great in the classroom as perennial winners of the Scholar All-America Team award from the College Swimming Coaches Association of America. The 1996-97 men’s team posted the highest grade point average in the nation.
In addition to his coaching duties at Lawrence, Kirner served as the building and programming director for the Buchanan Kiewit Wellness Center from May 1993-May 2006.
Kirner coaches the women’s swim team and is an assistant professor at Hillsdale College. He and his wife, Susan, have two sons, Quinn and Clayton.
Shannon Arendt LaRoux ’04
Shannon Arendt starred on the field and on the court for the Vikings. A standout infielder for the Lawrence softball team, Arendt also was a powerful outside hitter for the volleyball squad.
The Hortonville, Wis., native started for four years at second base and received postseason honors in three seasons. Arendt was an All-Midwest Conference selection in 2003 and 2004 and earned National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Great Lakes Region honors in 2001.
A career .324 hitter, Arendt batted in the No. 2 spot in the lineup and piled up 26 doubles, three triples and one homer while driving in 62 runs and scoring 88 times.
Arendt helped Lawrence to a 71-57-1 record in her four seasons, and the Vikings qualified for the MWC Tournament for three consecutive seasons (2002-04). Lawrence won the 2003 North Division title and hosted the four-team conference tournament.
Arendt was a force as an outside hitter on the volleyball court and earned All-Midwest Conference honors in 2002 and 2003. She also led Lawrence to its best season in school history in 2001 when the Vikings went 19-12 and finished third in the Midwest Conference.
Arendt’s name is all over the Lawrence records, and she ranks second with 1,357 career kills. A career .187 hitter, Arendt had three of the top six season kill totals when she graduated. She posted a career-high 27 kills in a match twice, and her 448 kills in 2003 led the team.
Arendt’s wicked serve accounted for 199 career aces, which is tops in Lawrence history. She also holds the record for aces in a match (12) and season (69). Arendt has three of the top four season totals for aces in Lawrence history.
A fine defensive player as well, Arendt ranked second in school history with 1,604 digs when she graduated. She also piled up 100 career blocks.
Arendt, who received a degree in biology with an interdisciplinary in psychology, received her nursing degree from Rush University. She works as an aesthetic nurse at Fox Valley Plastic Surgery. Arendt and her husband, Alex, have a dog, Gunner, and a cat, Gizzie.
Shelley Ebert Navis ’03
Shelley Ebert blazed to eight Midwest Conference track titles, set six school records and was a key contributor on a pair of conference championship cross country teams.
A two-time qualifier for the NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships, Ebert earned berths in the 800 meters for the 2002 indoor national meet and the 2003 outdoor championships.
Ebert continues to hold the school record both indoors and outdoors in the 800. She set the indoor mark of 2:18.01 at the 2002 NCAA Division III Championships and set the outdoor record of 2:14.30 in 2003.
A native of Janesville, Wis., Ebert dominated the 800 in the Midwest Conference for most of her career. She won the title indoors in the 800 for three consecutive years, 2001, 2002 and 2003. Ebert was named the Most Outstanding Performer at the 2003 MWC Indoor Championships.
Ebert took the title in the 800 at the MWC outdoor meet in 2002 and 2003 and also claimed the title in the 1,500 meters in 2003. Ebert was named the Most Outstanding Performer at the MWC Outdoor Championships in 2003. She also claimed three MWC track performer of the week awards.
A track team captain, Ebert also was a part of four school relay records and a pair of conference title winners.
Ebert teamed with Sarah Slivinski, Jess Moser and Courtney Miller to win the sprint medley relay at the 2003 indoor conference championships in 4:16.80. At the same meet, the 4×400 relay team of Ebert, Slivinski, Moser and Kim Boeckers finished second and set the school record of 4:09.03. The same relay team set the school record of 4:03.28 outdoors in 2003 and won the title at the MWC Championships.
The sprint medley relay team of Ebert, Slivinski, Sally Schonfeld and Kate Okenatez set the school record of 4:16.47 in 2000. The distance medley relay team of Ebert, Schonfeld, Moser and Katy Roll set the school record of 12:10.49 in 2002.
Ebert was part of an outstanding group of cross country runners and helped the Vikings to team titles at the 1999 and 2001 Midwest Conference Championships. The Vikings finished second in 2000 and took fourth in 2002.
Ebert earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Lawrence. She has a master’s degree in professional development from Winona State University and a post-master’s school counseling certificate from UW-Whitewater. She is married to another Lawrence cross country and track standout, Peter Navis ’03, and they live in Fort Atkinson with their two children, Rachel and Michael.
Felice Porrata ’05
Felice Porrata quietly went about her business on the basketball court at Lawrence and emerged as one of the greatest players in school history.
Porrata’s competent consistency resulted in spectacular career numbers, and she was just the second player in Lawrence history to be a four-time All-Midwest Conference selection. The native of Glenview, Ill., joined Hall of Famer Jackie Huss as the only other four-time all-conference pick. Porrata was a first-team selection in 2004 and 2005 and a second-team pick in 2002 and 2003.
Porrata scored 1,186 career points, which ranked only behind Hall of Famer Sarah O’Neil when she graduated. Porrata averaged 12.8 points per game while shooting 47.9 percent from the floor. Porrata also ranks third with 645 career rebounds (6.9 average), and she is the only player in Lawrence history with 1,000 points and 500 rebounds.
Not only was Porrata one of the league’s top scorers during her career, she also was a fine defensive player. Porrata ranked second in Lawrence history with 241 steals when she graduated and was second with 54 blocks.
A team captain, Porrata led Lawrence to three appearances in the four-team Midwest Conference Tournament during her four seasons. Lawrence made the tournament in 2002, 2003 and 2005.
The Vikings reached the conference championship game in 2005 and finished second in the league. Lawrence’s 18 wins in 2004-05 tied for the highest win total in school history and still ranks second all-time.
Porrata also played one season of softball and emerged as a contributor for the Vikings. Porrata played as a senior in 2005 and started 16 games in the outfield. The Vikings went 9-4 in Midwest Conference play, won the league’s North Division and hosted the Midwest Conference Tournament on their way to a 17-win season.
Porrata, who earned a bachelor’s degree in Spanish, lives in Kansas City, Mo. She works as a freight broker at Efreightship.
APPLETON, Wis. — More than 150 Lawrence University student-athletes have been named to the Academic All-Midwest Conference team.
Lawrence had 153 student-athletes meet the minimum grade point average of 3.33 during the 2014-15 academic year. The top team for the Vikings was women’s indoor track, which had 17 student-athletes honored. Other top performing teams were women’s cross country and women’s soccer with 13 selections apiece, women’s swimming and diving with 12 and men’s soccer and women’s outdoor track with 11 apiece.
A total of 1,859 student-athletes were selected across the conference, and that surpasses the total of 1,752 honored during the 2013-14 academic year.
APPLETON, Wis. — Lawrence University volleyball standout Terese Swords has been named to the All-Midwest Conference team.
Swords (Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township), a junior outside hitter, was chosen for the second team.
Swords, who was named to the all-conference team for the first time, piled up 107 kills in Midwest Conference play. Her 2.82 kills per set ranked 10th in the league. During conference play, Swords posted a .189 hitting percentage.
On the season, Swords picked up a team-high 221 kills and led the team at 2.33 kills per set. Swords, who compiled a .179 hitting percentage, also picked up 90 digs and 35 blocks.
Lawrence finished with a 9-17 overall record and took sixth in the Midwest Conference with a 5-5 record.
DE PERE, Wis. — The St. Norbert College volleyball team enjoyed a superb night on the attack and downed Lawrence University 3-0 in a Midwest Conference match on Wednesday at Schuldes Sports Center.
The Green Knights won 25-21, 25-15, 25-13.
Heidi Spies led St. Norbert (14-13, 8-1 MWC) with 14 kills and Breanne Brocker added 12. The Green Knights posted a .316 hitting percentage during the three sets.
Kayla Storm paced Lawrence (9-17, 5-5) with eight kills, and Terese Swords picked up seven.
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — The Lawrence University volleyball team’s rally fell just short in a 3-2 Midwest Conference loss at Lake Forest College on Saturday.
The Foresters won 21-25, 25-23, 25-23, 14-25, 16-14.
Paige Jespersen and Erin Sully had 15 kills apiece to lead Lake Forest (12-13, 6-2 MWC), and Torie Pasiewicz had 53 assists.
Arianna Cohen paced Lawrence (9-16, 5-4) with 12 kills, and Terese Swords added eight. Lauren Ray led the Vikings with 21 assists and Sydney Nelson picked up 15. Cyra Bammer led the Lawrence defense with 26 digs.
Lawrence got a kill from Megan Conley to close out a win in the first set, but Lake Forest pulled out a pair of close wins to take the second and third sets.
The Vikings evened the match at 2-2 by rolling through the fourth set. Lawrence jumped out to a 13-3 lead, and the Foresters never got closer than nine points the rest of the way.
Lake Forest built a 9-3 lead in the fifth set, but the Vikings rallied to cut the advantage to 11-9. Lake Forest then rattled off the next three points to lead 14-9. The Vikings came right back with a kill from Noelle Hele and a pair of aces from Bammer sandwiched around an attack error from Jespersen to tie to cut the lead to 14-13.
Kayla Storm’s kill for the Vikings tied the final set at 14-14. Jespersen came back with a kill to give the Foresters a 15-14 lead, and a block from the Foresters gave them match point.
