LIBERAL, Kan. – After two of the best seasons in Seward County volleyball history, every Lady Saint from the 2018 sophomore class has been signed after All-American setter Giovanna Kuntze signed with Division I Youngstown State on Monday afternoon in the All-American Room.
Kuntze had a breakout sophomore season for the Lady Saints, earning a plethora of awards including First Team All-Jayhawk West, Jayhawk West Most Valuable Player and NJCAA First Team All-American. She became the first 1st Team All-American since 2004, the fifth 1st Team All-American in program history and the first setter in Seward history to be named an All-American.
Her 1,242 assists and 10.80 assists per set ranked fourth in the country this season and helped push her into the record books. Her assist total was the 8th best in Seward County single season history, while her 1,726 career assists is the 7th most in program history. Her two 54 assist performances against Hutchinson (Oct. 28) and Snow (Sep. 15) is the second most assists recorded in a single match since the scoring switched to 25-point sets in 2008 and is the most in a four-set match.
The ability the place the ball exactly where her teammates needed the ball paid dividends throughout the season for the Lady Saints, as the team led the country in points per set (18.7). She also helped lead Seward County to a 32-3 season, including a perfect 16-0 mark in the Jayhawk West to capture back-to-back conference titles.
Kuntze will play for first year head coach Aline Scott who is tasked with rebuilding a Penguin program that went 8-22 a season ago playing in the Horizon League.
[Email Signature]