Can Maddie Lipetzky make a bigger impact in her second season on the Division I volleyball court.
The 2022 Shakopee High School graduate had a role in her first season at the University of North Dakota last season. She made 15 starts and appeared in 19 matches as the the Fighting Hawks finished with a 12-18 overall, 9-9 in the Summit League.
Lipetzky was a standout in her career for the Sabers as a middle blocker and an outside hitter. In her four-year career, she finished with 896 kills, 341 blocks, 441 digs and 98 ace serves.
The 6-foot Lipetzky left the Shakopee program No. 1 in career blocks. She made the All-South Suburban Conference team three times (2019, 2020 and 2021) and was honorable mention in 2018.
Lipetzky was also selected to the Minnesota Volleyball Coaches Association’s all-state team in both her junior and senior seasons. She was a ninth-grader on the Sabers’ 2018 quad that won the Section 2AAA title and took fifth at state.
It was the program’s fifth state appearance in its history. Shakopee won three straight Class 3A state titles from 2007-2009.
The Sabers fell short of state in both 2019 and 2021, despite Lipetzky helping the team to a combined record of 44-12 in those two years. In 2020, Shakopee played only 12 matches with no postseason due to the COVID-19 pandemic, going 9-3.
North Dakota returns its top two kills leaders from last season and four of its top five, so the team has the talent back to improve on last year’s 12 wins. Lipetzky was sixth on the team in kills last season and was third in blocks.
She had season-best 11 kills in her fifth-career match, a three-set win over Indians State. Lipetzky also had a season-high six blocks in that victory.
Lipetzky also chipped in 34 digs in her first collegiate season and four ace serves.
The Fighting Hawks will open the 2023 season in the Bobcat Classic in Bozeman, Montana Aug. 25-26. The team will face Kennesaw State, Montana State and Oregon State in three matches.
Summit League play begins Sept. 21 at the University of Denver.
The last time North Dakota made the NCAA Tournament was in 2017 when it finished the season with 30 wins (30-8 overall). The team lost to Minnesota in the first round the NCAA Championships.
The Gophers also beat North Dakota in the first round of the NCAAs in 2016.
Source : SW News Media
