Northwest Signs Four for 2011 Season
KIRKLAND, Wash. - Northwest University head volleyball coach, Jessie Dietrich, announced the signing of four student athletes for the 2011 season. Three freshmen and a junior college transfer comprise the group.
Alivia Johnson (Coeur d’Alene, Idaho) is a transfer from North Idaho College along with incoming freshmen Olivia VanDlac (Snohomish, Wash.), Arika Zwack (Whittier, Calif.), and Julia Smith (Kalispell, Mont.) have all signed letters of intent to play for the Eagles.
Olivia VanDlac plans on majoring in Communications at NU and played her prep volleyball at Glacier Peak High School. She was a three-time varsity letter winner in basketball and volleyball and was named first team All-Wesco Conference in 2010 and was an All-Wesco honorable mention in 2009. VanDlac was voted team MVP three consecutive years and earned WIAA (Washington Interscholastic Athletic Assoc.) honors for maintaining an outstanding grade point average. Her Glacier Peak basketball team finished 7th in the WIAA state tournament.
Arika Zwack attended Whittier Christian High School (Calif.) and was team captain of her 2010 team. Arika was also named first team all-league and second team all-area in 2010 and helped lead her team to the 2009 city championship. Zwack was a second team all-league selection in 2008 and 2009. Zwack plans on majoring in Communications while attending Northwest U.
Julia Smith graduated and played for Stillwater Christian School (Mont.) and was a three-time team captain in volleyball while lettering in both basketball and volleyball in all four years of her high school career. Smith also earned all-state honors four consecutive years in volleyball at SCS. She will be an Elementary Education major at the university.
Alivia Johnson graduated from Lake City High School (Idaho) in 2009 and lettered in two varsity sports (basketball and volleyball). Johnson will be a Business Administration major at Northwest U.
“I am very excited for our four incoming recruits,” commented Coach Dietrich. “These four ladies will add depth to our core of returning players and I believe they will make an immediate impact. Olivia will be fighting for a starting outside hitter position from the get-go. Arika will be looking to fill our hole in the middle blocker position due to graduation. Julia will add to our already solid defense and Alivia will be a great utility player ready to step in wherever we need her.”
The Eagles will open their season with eight straight matches on the road. They will travel to southern California for the Cougar Classic at Azusa Pacific for five matches and begin play on August 18 against Holy Names University. They will then return to Kirkland and will play Seattle Pacific in an exhibition match on August 24 in Seattle and then hit the road again to open conference play against the College of Idaho in Caldwell on Sept. 2 and Eastern Oregon in LaGrande on Sept. 3, before returning home to open their home season on Sept. 9 against in-state rival Evergreen State.
The 2010 Eagle team finished fourth in the Cascade Collegiate Conference with an 11-7 conference record and an overall mark of 16-10, the best record for a NU team since 2006. Two Eagles were named to All-CCC first team and one received honorable honors.