This was year for firsts for the St. Cloud Technical & Community College Cyclones Volleyball team. The team placed fifth in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) DIII Volleyball National Tournament after snagging the NJCAA Region XIIIA title for the first time.
“It was truly a joy to watch these student-athletes play this past weekend,” said Director of Campus Life, Missy Majerus. “Their team work and competitive spirit were on display as they rallied together to come from behind numerous times. Congratulations to Coach Smith and the 2017 Cyclones Volleyball Team!”
The Cyclones traveled to Rochester, MN, for the tournament and played their first match Friday, Nov. 10, against Columbus (Ohio) State. The Cyclones lost the first two sets but pulled ahead to win set three before losing set four.
Later Friday, the Cyclones took on Queensborough and beat the team, winning three of four sets.
On Saturday, Nov. 11, the Cyclones secured fifth place at the tournament, beating Northampton in a close five-set match.
In post-play awards, Kalie Jergens was named to the NJCAA DIII Volleyball All-Tournament team.
Coach Heidi Smith, in her seventh season, states, “I am very proud of this group. We worked through challenges with the mindset of being great teammates and focusing on our goals. I want to thank our sophomores for their wonderful leadership and hard work. I also want to thank our athletics support staff, Nate Hiestand and Missy Majarus, for their support and dedication to our student athletes and athletics. We could not be successful without their support!”
The Cyclones finished the season 25-7 overall and 11-3 in conference.