Skylights ink two new spikers

The 2013 season was a magical one for the Montana State University-Northern volleyball team. But with a great senior class departing the program, Northern’s roster will certainly have a new look to it next fall.

And 2013 Frontier Conference Coach of the Year Bill Huebsch has announced the addition of two new players to the 2014 Skylight recruiting class. Huebsch recently announced the signings of Belgrade’s Taylor Woolman and Kylie Pasieka out of Saskatchewan.

Woolman is a 6-1 middle blocker who starred for the Belgrade Panthers. She was a two-time Class A All-State and three-time Central A All-Conference selection in volleyball. She led the Central A conference in blocking her junior and senior year and aces senior year, and she was in the top four as a hitter both years. She also led the Panthers to back-to-back undefeated conference seasons her junior and senior seasons.

Woolman is also a member of the Panther basketball team, where she was an All-Conference performer as a junior. In all, she has helped the Panthers to three straight appearances in the Class A state volleyball tournament, as well as two straight trips to the Class A state basketball tourney.

Woolman has been a member of National Honor Society for three years while earning several academic all-state awards and achieving a 3.82 GPA. She has also been an active member in the community, volunteering for the Toys for Tots program for four years and participating in various community projects.

She decided during her recruiting visit that Northern was where she wanted to go to college and play volleyball. The welcome from Coach Huebsch, the assistant coaches and team, the success of Northern Volleyball and the outstanding nursing program made it an “easy decision,” she said.

Woolman is the daughter of Richard and Frances Woolman. She also has family in Chinook. She plans on pursuing a career in pediatric nursing.

Pasieka is a 5-7 defensive specialist who hails from Wakaw, Saskatchewan, Canada. She has played on her school volleyball team, the Wakaw Warriors, for the past seven years. During her high school career, Pasieka received three gold and one silver Provincial Medals. With her club volleyball team, she has received one gold, one silver and one bronze Provincial Medal.  Pasieka was named a 17U All-Star Player and received MVP at several volleyball tournaments. She will play this position for her club volleyball team, the Jr. Huskies out of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, starting January 2014.

In 2012, Pasieka was selected to play as a Defense Specialist on an elite volleyball team, MVP China. This involved multicultural exchange with Shanghai Sports Institute in Shanghai, China. The team traveled to Shanghai in December 2012, where she made many friends and exciting memories. Pasieka has also been a multi-sport standout, competing in high school track and field and badminton. She has received many track and field aggregate medals. This past badminton season, Pasieka competed as a single player, winning her pre-district and district, before advancing to Regionals.  She has received many Female Athlete, Badminton, and Track & Field awards for her school. 

Pasieka said she “instantly felt a connection with coach Huebsch and is really looking forward to the challenge of working with him and playing for MSU-Northern. She is a dedicated player and hard worker, and is excited for the next step in her volleyball career.  She said she fell in love with the small town of Havre and found everyone to be friendly and welcoming. Growing up on a farm in Saskatchewan, she felt right at home during her visits to the school, she added.

Pasieka is the daughter of Lyle and Chantal Pasieka. She has been on the High Honours Program throughout elementary and high school.  She is hoping to receive a biology degree at MSU-Northern and eventually obtain a degree in sports nutrition.  She is also interested in obtaining a degree in education.