BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – Gustavus fifth-year setter Kasie Tweet (Adrian, Minn.) was named the MIAC Offensive Player of the Year, Rachelle Sherden was named the MIAC Coach of the Year for the third straight season (and fifth time in her 15-year tenure), and four Gusties earned All-MIAC honors alongside Tweet when the 2024 MIAC Volleyball Awards were announced on Wednesday, Nov. 13.

Joining Tweet on the All-Conference list were Lauren Klaith (5th, Rockford, Minn.), Maren Sundberg (Jr., Eagan, Minn.), Sophia Deyak (So., Iowa City, Iowa), and Leah Berg (Jr., Kenyon, Minn.).

Tweet compiled one of the best seasons and careers in Gustavus volleyball history, which is a significant statement considering the long-standing success of All-American setters like Nora Holtan '19 and Deb Jungwirth '86 in the program. In her fifth and final season, Tweet directed the Gustie offense with 1,061 assists – her fourth consecutive 1,000-assist season. She averaged 10.94 assists per set and 37.9 per match, both career highs for the Adrian native. She added 24 blocks, 50 kills, 33 aces, and 267 digs, which helped her become just the third player in program history on both the assist and dig career leaderboards.

In conference play, Tweet posted a MIAC-leading 12.56 assists per set and 402 total. Thanks to her direction, the Gusties compiled one of the best offenses in the league, hitting .263 with 15.51 kills per set. Nationally, Tweet's assists per set rank fourth in Division III, while her total assists are eighth. Among active Division III setters, she ranks second with 4,601 career assists, a mark that puts her 13th in any division of NCAA volleyball players. Tweet was selected as the MIAC Athlete of the Week four times this season, and became just the second individual in conference history to earn AVCA Division III National Player of the Week twice in her career. This is her second selection as the Offensive Player of the Year, and the Gusties' eighth of the last nine years.

Sherden has led the Gustavus volleyball team to a historic and successful season in her 15th and final at the helm, as the Gustavus Athletic Department announced that she will be promoted to the College's Assistant Director of Athletics and Senior Women's Administrator following the conclusion of the season. The team has seen incredible success under her leadership, completing its third consecutive undefeated conference season, 11-0, a first for any team in the MIAC. The Gusties claimed the regular season title and the No. 1 seed in the playoffs, dropping only two sets to all conference opponents. Sherden has directed the Gusties to six total MIAC regular season championships, while winning the league playoffs in six of the past eight seasons, with a chance at seven this upcoming weekend. She holds an overall record of 278-147 and is 112-45 in the MIAC. 

Klaith earned her second All-MIAC honor after posting dominant numbers for an outside hitter, leading the efficient Gustie offense with a total of 400 kills in the regular season. She averaged an even 4.0 kills per set and 13.8 per match. The Rockford native hit .299 overall, and chipped in 16 aces, 87 digs, 31 blocks, and a team-leading 435 points. She collected her 1,000th career kill against Concordia on Oct. 16, becoming just the 17th player in program history to reach the milestone, largely achieved in her last three seasons. In conference play, Klaith's 4.26 kills and 4.80 points per set were both league-leading marks. Her efforts helped the Gusties create one of the best attacking units in the country, ranking fourth in NCAA DIvision III with 14.07 kills per set.

Sundberg has been the anchor of the Gustie defense for the last three seasons, earning her third consecutive All-Conference nod. She totaled 175 digs in conference play and 496 overall, becoming just the fourth player to reach 1,500 career digs in program history. The Eagan native posted some of the best serve reception numbers in the MIAC, allowing just six errors on 80 attempts. She collected an even 5.0 digs per set in league play, adding 29 assists and a pair of service aces. She's the 61st player in conference history to earn at least three All-Conference honors and the sixth in program history, joining Tweet, Associate Head Coach Alyssa (Taylor) Maiers '16, Nora Holtan '19, Brittany Luethmers '19, and Kate Holtan '21. 

Deyak earned the first MIAC award of her career, as the sophomore middle led the MIAC in blocks (39) and was third in both hitting percentage (.321) and points per set (4.36). Overall, Deyak compiled 284 kills on 662 attempts for a .275 efficiency, adding six assists, eight aces, 43 digs, and 93 total blocks, 55 of which were solo. She collected at least a block in all but two matches this season, and added double-digit kills in 15 of her 29 matches. 

Berg also earned the first All-Conference selection of her career, finishing behind Deyak with the fourth-best hitting percentage in the conference. The Kenyon native collected 119 MIAC kills on 276 attempts with just 31 errors to hit .319 against conference opponents. Her 3.40 kills per set rank seventh in league play, while her 3.66 points per set are ninth. Playing in 18 matches this season, Berg has posted the second-best overall kills per set on the team with 3.41, also chipping in 42 digs and 13 blocks.

St. Olaf junior defensive specialist Morgan Ryan was named the MIAC Defensive Player of the Year, while Augsburg outside hitter Ava Carlson was named the Rookie of the Year. The conference will select its All-Playoff Team following the conclusion of the championship on Saturday. 

The Gusties (20-9, 11-0 MIAC) will host Saint Benedict (13-11, 8-3 MIAC) in the MIAC Playoff Semifinals Thursday at 7 p.m. at Gus Young Court. The Bennies, seeded fourth in the conference postseason, defeated No. 5 seed Augsburg 3-2 Tuesday night.