Kirkwood Volleyball Returns to the Nets

By Steve Carpenter/Kirkwood Community College

The Kirkwood Community College Women's Volleyball team is ready to hit the court this fall. The Eagles are coming off the 2009 season finishing the year ranked seventh nationally with a perfect 13-0 conference record and 35-10 overall record. Only one loss came from an unranked team.

Kirkwood just missed a berth to the NJCAA National Tournament as Des Moines Area Community College defeated the Eagles in the championship round of the regional tournament. Despite the loss, Heather Brus, Kamille Van Natta and Chanda Goedken were named to the Region XI (b) All-Tournament Team.

Chanda Goedken (Farley, Iowa) stepped up in her debut season as an outside hitter. Goedken received ICCAC Athlete of the Week honors after her performance at the ICCAC Crossover Tournament, recording 32 kills and 46 digs in the five match contest. Goedken completed her first season with 400 kills and 454 digs while receiving NJCAA Second Team All-American, Region XI (b) First Team All-Region, First Team ICCAC All-Conference and Kirkwood Freshman of the Year honors.

Competing in all 159 games last season, Ashley Goedken (Dundee, Iowa) returns to the Eagles lineup as a setter. Goedken played a solid offense with 809 assists which accounted for nearly half of the teams 1632 assists. She earned Region XI (b) Second Team All-Region and Honorable Mention ICCAC All-Conference Team honors.

Jordan Brackey of Lake Mills and Cedar Rapids native Kayla Schulte return up front for the Eagles. Schulte led the team in blocks with 166, and Brackey led the team in aces with 41. Amber Pitz, also from Farley, is back as a libero for the Eagles. After averaging 15 digs per game in one week-long stretch last year, she was named ICCAC Athlete of the Week. 

 Heather Brus joins the Kirkwood coaching staff after her two-year stint as an Eagle. In her freshman year, Brus made the Kirkwood Dean's list and received ICCAC First Team All-Academic honors. Last season, she earned NJCAA Second Team All-American, Region XI (b) First Team All-Region, First Team All-Conference and Academic All-American accolades. Brus plans to pursue her Business degree from Kirkwood while taking on her new role as an assistant coach.