Volleyball: Glenz sisters do it again

Verndale’s Shania Glenz celebrates near the end of a game against Nevis. (Kelly Humphrey, Brainerd Dispatch)

By Jeremy Millsop

November 20, 2015 at 8:58 PM

With the focus back on volleyball, Jordyn and Shania Glenz led the Verndale Pirates to a trailblazing volleyball season.

The stress and worry the sisters endured last season after learning their mother and Verndale head coach Shelley Glenz was diagnosed with cancer is now a distant memory.

Shelley Glenz is now cancer free and that freed both varsity veterans to focus on the court and help Verndale win the Park Region Conference, win the West Subsection 5-1A title, win the Section 5-1A title, advance to the program's first state tournament and finish the season 29-7.

They also helped themselves to repeat honors as Brainerd Dispatch All-Area Players of the Year.

"It was much easier this year," said Shania Glenz. "I wasn't worried about things going on at home. I could fully focus on the game. I didn't have to think about what was going on with my mom. It was great. It was so much more fun."

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Jordyn Glenz

Year: Senior

School: Verndale

Position: Middle hitter

Season stats: Finished with 426 kills and a 0.365 hitting percentage, 355 digs, 21 set assists, 78.5 blocks and 30 ace serves on 94.4-percent serving.

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Shania Glenz

Year: Junior

School: Verndale

Position: Middle hitter

Season stats: Finished with 535 kills and a 0.432 hitting percentage, 177 digs, 11 set assists, 43.5 blocks and 35 ace serves on 93.7-percent serving.

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Being the older sister, the steady, quiet sister in a family of three completely different and unique young women, Jordyn Glenz's sense of responsibility took over.

"I think that being the captain last year I realized I needed to be that leader, not only for my sisters, but for our entire team," said Jordyn. "I realized I played a very important role on my team and that's not something that can be taken lightly."

It's that personality trait that Shania respects most about her sister on the volleyball court, too.

"Her level-headedness," said Shania. "If we're in a stressful game and we really need her, she doesn't freak out. She doesn't overdo it. She just holds the team together and keeps us all working on the same page and calm."

On and off the court, Jordyn Glenz is calm, calculated and rarely gets rattled. At least she doesn't show it. She finished the season with 426 kills and a .0365 hitting percentage. She added 355 digs, 21 set assists and 30 ace serves on 94.4-percent serving. Maybe her best stat, however, was 78.5 blocks for the 5-foot-9 three-sport athlete.

"That's something that I like to do - I like blocking," said Jordyn Glenz. "That's one of my favorite parts of the game is to get a nice block. During the offseason I tried to focus on becoming a better blocker because that helps the whole team. If you can get a block, that's a confidence booster for the whole team."

Jordyn did reach 1,000 career kills and had already surpassed 1,000 career digs.

While Jordyn Glenz did much of the grunt work, the little things, the calming leadership, Shania Glenz was filling the highlight reel with ferocious, powerful kills and neck-twisting quick tips. It's a style of play that fits the junior's outgoing personality.

"Shania, obviously she leads in kills on our team, but she goes out of her way to be positive and motivating for the whole team," said Jordyn Glenz. "She's usually outgoing, more so than I am, and that might come from being the middle child, I don't know. She does a good job of doing that for our team."

Shania Glenz finished the season with 535 kills and a 0.432 hitting percentage. She added 177 digs in limited back-row play. She tallied 11 set assists, 43.5 blocks and 35 ace serves on 93.7-percent serving.

She reached 1,000 career kills and became the school's all-time kills leader during the Pirates' 3-0 East Subsection 5-1A quarterfinal victory over Bertha-Hewitt. She unseated her aunt Stephanie (McGrane) Jensen. Shania Glenz also reached 1,000 career digs this season. Look for her to get more digs next year as she's focused on becoming a better defensive player.

"I don't know if we have anyone that will be able to play back row for me next year," said Shania. "Our libero we have is kind of young. I think I'll be most likely playing back row next year so I'm going to need to work on that, improve my passing to help my team."

Jordyn Glenz plans on studying accounting next year in college. Where that will be she's unsure. Whether she'll play one of the three sports she excels in is also undecided.

For now, Shania and Jordyn and their freshman sister, Morgan Glenz, will cherish getting Verndale to its first state tournament.

"Obviously going to state was amazing," said Shania. "We did it the first time at Verndale. I went with such a great team. We all just work well together and feed off one another. All the accomplishments we achieved this year are great. It just shows how much hard work and time we put into this and how much we really cared about it and love it."

Jordyn Glenz loved beating a long-time rival to get to state.

"I had a really fun time when we beat Browerville, which isn't a good thing to say, but after we lost to them last year it was devastating for me," said Jordyn. "To be able to advance was great. Then to take Nevis in the final after playing them earlier and knowing that would be a difficult game because it was a close match. That final point when Allison (Olsson) got the block was just an amazing feeling."

All-Area Volleyball Players of Year

2015: Shania & Jordyn Glenz, Verndale

2014: Shania & Jordyn Glenz, Verndale

2013: Bridget Bednar, Pierz

2012: Emily Miron, WDC

2011: Sydnie Mauch, Brd; Brittney Noon, WDC

2010: Courtney Volkmann, WDC

2009: Courtney Volkmann, WDC

2008: Brigetta Berg, WDC

2007: Katie Kimman, Pierz

2006: Annie Adams, C-I

2005: Erin Cusac, PRB