Nov. 14, 2012
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IOWA CITY, Iowa — Two prep standouts, Corinne Gajcak and Alyssa Klostermann, will join the University of Iowa volleyball program in 2013, head coach Sharon Dingman announced Wednesday.
“It will be fun to have both Corrine and Alyssa in our gym raising the level of play because of their athleticism and competitive spirit,” said Dingman. “Both of them have the leadership quality a coach wants to see in a setter and potential libero. The greatest thing they will bring to our program is their excitement about wearing the Hawkeye uniform. They are so eager to join us and be a part of growing the success of the program. I anticipate both of them having an immediate impact.”
| 2013 Recruiting Class | |||
| Name | Pos. | Ht. | Hometown (High School) |
| Corinne Gajcak | L | 5-9 | Lisle, Ill., (Naperville North) |
| Alyssa Klostermann | S | 5-10 | Dubuque, Iowa (Wahlert Catholic) |
Gajcak, a 5-9 libero from Lisle, Ill., was named All-DuPage Valley Conference as a senior. A four-year starter for Naperville North High School, she was a two-time floor captain. Gajcak was named team captain and team MVP as a senior. She led her team to two conference titles and two third place finishes. In 2012, Gajcak was selected to play in the IHSA All-Star Game, named to Under Armour’s Preseason All-America Watch List, selected to the Daily Herald’s DuPage County All-Area Team, named to the Chicago Sun Times top 50 players list – Chicagoland Area, heralded as one of the top 30 seniors in IHSA by sportstownchicago.com and named to Prepvolleyball.com’s top 251 players list. She led her club team, Sports Performance Volleyball Club, to a third place finish at the 2011 AAU National Championships. Gajcak is a four-time academic all-conference selection and four-time High Honor Roll member.
“Corrine has played and trained at a high level, so her volleyball IQ will benefit our team,” said Dingman. “She has great skills and a fiercely competitive drive. While she will be competing with some veteran defensive specialists in our program, she is up for the challenge.”
“Iowa has so much to offer athletically and academically,” said Gajcak. “I love the girls on the team and the entire coaching staff, and I am really looking forward to playing great competition in the Big Ten. I visited several schools but I had this feeling immediately at Iowa that it was the right fit for me. It is the overall Iowa Hawkeye atmosphere that is so amazing and spirited. At Iowa, I know that I will be getting a great education while competing at a high level in volleyball.”
Klostermann, a 5-10 setter who hails from Wahlert Catholic High School in Dubuque, was named first team All-Missouri Valley Conference and academic all-conference as a senior. She was also named to the 2012 Iowa High School Senior All-Star Game. As a junior, Klostermann was named all-conference and special mention all-state after leading her team to the state semifinals. She was named a “Super Sophomore” by Prepvolleyball.com. Klostermann played club volleyball for the Iowa Rockets, helping the team place fifth at the USA National Volleyball Tournament, where she was named to the all-tournament team. Klostermann was also a member of the 2012 Iowa High Performance volleyball team that placed fifth in the international division. A multi-sport athlete, she earned all-state, all conference and all-area honors in soccer and was a member of the state, and 4×4, championship track teams. Klostermann has garnered the Wahlert Academic Award of Achievement and is a three-time recipient of the Eagle Award of Excellence, giving to students who carry a 4.0 GPA. A student senate class representative, she is a national honor society member and Fellowship of Christian Athletes member.
“Alyssa is as athletic as any setter in the conference,” said Dingman. “I see her making tremendous strides in her first year as a college setter. She will benefit from having a mature group of hitters to set. Alyssa will be such an asset to our program with her speed and jumping ability.”
“I have always dreamed of playing for the Hawkeyes,” said Klostermann.