Talented and versatile; Vikings have high expectations for 2024

By Becky Walz,

Playing focused will be the key for the Decorah volleyball team in 2024.
With five returning letter winners and a host of young hopefuls ready to wear the red and blue, the Vikings have the experience needed to have a good season. Now it’s just a matter of putting it together and staying focused when the season starts.
Putting the team together is head coach Gina Holthaus who is in her 10th season guiding the squad. Assisting her will be Jackie Hoyme.

Working together
The Vikings of 2023 featured four seniors — Maddy Fromm, Olivia Christopher, Sydney Kipp and Lydia Frank.
During the conference season, the Vikes went 2-8 overall and ended the year with a 14-18 mark.
Regional play began at home with Mason City with Decorah winning 3-1 (25-19, 23-25, 25-18, 25-22). Then it was on to Xavier who ended the Vikes’ season 3-0 (11-25, 15-25, 5-25).
Through 91 sets, the Vikings had 720 kills and 2,493 attack attempts, averaging 7.9 kills per set. At the service line, the Vikes went 1,495-for-1,656, with 194 aces. Decorah athletes provided 675 assists, 1,182 digs and 128 total blocks (72 solo, 56 assists).

Those graduated
Four seniors factored in for Decorah last year.
Fromm was a second team All-NEIC honoree as she recorded her 500th career assist during the season. She provided a total of 299 during her senior campaign, along with 125 kills, 151 digs, 16 total blocks and served 219-for-260 with a team-high 49 aces.
Providing 89 kills, 32 digs and 20 total blocks (7 solo, 13 assists), Christopher, an outside hitter, was a member of the academic all-state team with Kipp. Frank also took the court.

With a letter
Coach Holthaus has six returning letter winners to rely on this season.
Defensive specialist Ellie Rolfs was named first team all-conference a season ago. She had 297 digs, averaging 3.3 per set. In addition, she served 267-for-294 with 33 aces.
Earning a second-team nod from the NEIC, McKinley Massman (outside hitter) pounded 149 kills, putting up 1.6 per set. She also provided 79 digs and 10 blocks.
Leah Holland (middle hitter) led the Vikes in kills with 160, an average of 1.8 per set and was second in blocks with 29 (18 solo, 11 assists) to go with 75 digs. From the service line she had a 93.7 percent efficiency as she went 118-for-126 with 10 aces.
As Decorah’s second setter, Dylin Thompson is set to return to the court after dishing out 231 during her sophomore season. She also provided 180 digs and served up 24 aces as she went 221-for-245. Kelby Kerndt was another force at the net last season, recording 99 kills and 11 blocks in addition to 46 digs. Defensive specialist Sara Johanningmeier came up with 154 digs and was 92.3 percent from the service line (227-for-246) with 30 aces.

Looking ahead
Seniors looking to make their way onto the court are Edyn Bateman (right side hitter), Brynnah Hanson (defensive specialist), Savannah O’Reilly (setter) and Ella Stille (defensive specialist).
“We are blessed to have a great group of young ladies returning to our gym,” said Coach Holthaus. “Our summer workouts were very well attended and several of our girls completed their lifting requirements with many of these girls also playing some type of club ball over the winter.”
Despite the talent, Coach Holthaus is looking for some initiative.
“As always, just getting the girls to buy in and work with each other and trust the process. As mentioned before we have many returners but will also need to put some new people in as well. How quickly they fit in and work together will obviously be important,” she noted.
With the season opening last week, the Vikings will have their work cut out for them. Coach Holthaus sees Charles City as the team looking to win the conference crown. However, if Decorah puts in the effort, the wins will come.
“I feel that we will compete with everyone in our conference. I would like to think that we can and will challenge for the top but that requires a day to day focused effort on skills and working together. I’m excited to get into the gym with these ladies as they are fun to be around and love the game of volleyball. I am extremely hopeful that we will have a great season and feel good about our accomplishments at the end of the season. It’s a special group of seniors who have really stepped up and played a lot of volleyball.”

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