Women's Volleyball 5/11/2020 10:46:00 PM

Top Moments of the Decade: Volleyball posts another dream season in 2019

The Hawks advanced to their second NCAA Final Four in the last three years under legendary coach Tracy Rietzke.

The greatest decade in the history of Rockhurst Athletics ended with another spectacular post-season run by the RU volleyball team. The 2019 Hawks advanced to their second NCAA Final Four in the last three years under legendary coach Tracy Rietzke.

Rockhurst captured the GLVC regular season and tournament titles and advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight for the third time in five years. The Hawks finished the season with a 33-8 record and ranked seventh in the final AVCA Division II National Poll.

Rietzke, who was named the 2019 AVCA/USMC National Coach of the Year, announced his retirement in April after coaching the Hawks for the past 32 years. He retires with 1,277 career wins and ranks fourth in career wins among all NCAA women's volleyball coaches.

"I would like to thank my current players and former players for their commitment to the program as well as the many assistants. All of you have contributed to the success of our volleyball program as well as the legacy and winning tradition we have established," Rietzke said.

Over the past six years, the Hawks have a 240-53 overall record, including a 120-21 mark in GLVC regular season play. Rockhurst has appeared in six NCAA Tournaments and captured three Midwest Regional titles while winning 15 of 21 NCAA matches since 2014.

The Hawks won their third NCAA regional championship last December in Romeoville, Illinois. Rockhurst defeated 10th-ranked Hillsdale, 14th-ranked Lewis and 17th-ranked Ferris State to win a trip back to the Elite Eight.

Rockhurst posted a 3-0 win over Carson-Newman (Tenn.) in the NCAA national quarterfinals in Denver. The Hawks' dream season fell one game short of reaching the national championship match, falling to second-ranked Nebraska-Kearney, 3-1, in the national semifinals.

Senior outside hitters Karli Reichert and Alyssa Woodman ended their college careers as two of the top players in school history. Reichert was a first team AVCA All-American for the second year in a row. Woodman earned AVCA All-American honorable mention honors earning third team All-American honors in 2018.

Reichert, the GLVC Player of the Year, and Woodman collected All-GLVC first team honors along with junior setter Dani Prusha. Senior middle hitter Mary Rolf and freshman libero Jadyn Makovicka were named to the All-GLVC second team.

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