Eric Viney
MITCHELL, S.D. – The Dakota Wesleyan University volleyball team has brought its recruiting class up to 11 members with the signing of three new recruits, head coach Eric Viney announced this week.
Karlee Huber, Maggie Stehly and Elizabeth Mahsem will join the Tiger volleyball team for the 2012 season. All three will be freshmen, and they join a recruiting class that already includes talented players from around South Dakota and the region.
Huber comes to the Tigers after a three-year varsity career at Rapid City Stevens High School. The 5-foot-6 outside hitter/defensive specialist helped the Raiders to a 21-4 record, a conference title and a fourth-place finish at the Class AA state tournament in 2011. Stevens also took seventh and went 20-5 in 2010. As a senior, Huber recorded 143 digs, 102 kills, 21 blocks and 11 service aces. She earned honorable mention all-conference honors and academic all-conference and all-state accolades in her career.
“The addition of Karlee to our roster is one that will provide our program great benefit in the short and long term,” Viney said. “She has a strong personal drive to be the best player she can be, while at the same time getting her teammates to achieve their greatest success.
“Karlee is a technically sound outside hitter that players with a lot of energy and hustle and brings her ‘A’ game to every match. I’m anxious to see how she improves and progresses in our program this season.”
Mahsem joins the Tiger squad after a three-year varsity career at McFarland High School in McFarland, Wis. As a senior, the 6-foot middle hitter recorded 225 kills, 73 total blocks and 65 digs. She recorded 238 kills and 61 total blocks as a junior. She helped her team to a regional title and a second-place conference finish as a senior, and earned first team-all conference honors as a senior, second team as a junior and honorable mention as a sophomore in 2010.
Mahsem finished her career with 588 kills and 174 total blocks and was named the team’s best offensive player in 2011. She also lettered three years in track, and was a member of the honor roll in high school.
“We are very fortunate to sign Elizabeth this late in the recruiting season,” Viney said. “She is a very talented player, and normally this time of year is very difficult to find a player with as much talent as Elizabeth.
“Elizabeth has a lot of strong, positive qualities to her game. She is a balanced middle blocker that can change games as both an attacker and blocker. She also has an intimidating presence about her while she is on the court; she players much taller than her actual 6-foot height.”
Stehly played varsity volleyball at Sioux Falls Roosevelt High School, and also played club volleyball in Sioux Falls throughout high school. The 5-10 libero helped the Rough Riders to the Class AA championship game each of the past two seasons at the state tournament. Roosevelt finished second to Sioux Falls Lincoln in 2010 and 2011.
“Maggie is a very talented defensive specialist that will help bring some consistency to our ball control both as a passer and defender,” Viney said. “She has a lot of playing experience in big matches with her time at Roosevelt and the club teams she has played with the past few years. Maggie’s playing experience, competitive attitude and length as a taller defensive specialist will be great additions to our roster for the next few seasons.”
Viney’s latest three signees join a group of eight recruits that signed earlier this offseason. Seven of the 11 recruits are from within South Dakota’s borders, and one each come from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska. DWU starts the 2012 season Aug. 24-25 at the Northwestern Red Raider Tournament in Orange City, Iowa.
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