BURNSVILLE, MN – With the season approaching rapidly, Morgan Schnabel of the University of Mary volleyball team was named as a 2019 Northern Sun Player to Watch with the release of the conferences preseason coaches poll. This is the second straight season that Schnabel has represented the Marauders on the preseason player to watch list.
 
Entering her third season with the Marauders, the Lehr, ND native looks to provide experienced leadership along with dominant play on the court this season. Wearing number 11, Schnabel led the Marauders in kills, kills per set, and points during her sophomore year campaign. In her 23 starts, Schnabel paced the Marauders with 178 kills, 98 digs, 14 blocks, and seven service aces last season. 23 of her 178 kills came in a career high performance against Black Hills State. Schnabel not only provided over powering kills for the Marauders but she also was a stellar defender as well, proving to be one of the leaders on the team in digs. Schnabel recorded two double-doubles on the season with kills and digs. She recorded 14 digs and 14 kills against Minnesota Crookston followed immediately by a 12 digs and 12 kills performance against Bemidji State.
 
With one year behind her, Marauders head coach Korie Tetzlaff enters her second season at the helm of a young but experienced group of players. The Marauders return 15 players from last season, including all of the starters.
 
This includes team leaders in kills, assists, digs, and blocks.
 
UM returns the teams top five leaders in kills including Morgan Schnabel and Katja Berge who were 1, 2 on the team in the category.
 
Natalia Cruz and Breanna Donarski will be back on the court for the Marauders as well. The pair of Marauders split time at Libero last year, with Cruz leading the team in digs.
 
The Marauders also had two athletes split time at setter, Sydney Murphy and Brittany Brusven will both return for the 2019 campaign. Murphy led the team in both assists and service aces.
 
Madison Bergthold, the Marauders leader in blocks, returns for UMary this season. She isn't the only defensive wall returning for the Marauders, the top five leaders in blocks will all be back for UMary.
 
The Marauders, who begin practice on August 19 are projected to finish 16th in the 2019 NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll. Northern State is the favorite to repeat as conference champs with Minnesota Duluth and Concordia, St. Paul coming in closely behind in second.
 
The Marauders open up their season at the Keweenaw Classic in Houghton, Michigan. They will kick off NSIC play with a home game on September 20 against Southwest Minnesota State.
 
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