GRAND FORKS, N.D. -  University of North Dakota head volleyball coach Jesse Tupac announced the signing of five future Fighting Hawks. With this announcement Tupac has finalized the Fall 2022 roster for North Dakota volleyball; bringing in a combination of size, talent, and NCAA experience to compliment the returning athletes. The incoming group includes two high school freshman, and three graduate transfers; and features athletes from three different countries (Sweden, Canada and the USA).  The five newcomers are Olivia De Jong from Surrey, British Columbia, Sophia Ortquist from Las Vegas, Nevada, Erika Lindqvist from Angelholm, Sweden, Marissa Stockman from Clear Lake, Wisconsin, and Sierra Ward from Belle Fourche, South Dakota.

"We couldn't be more excited to announce our incoming fall 2022 athletes," Tupac said. "This group brings a wealth of experience playing at the NCAA level and in post-season play and adds an incredible amount of talent and depth to our current roster that has been getting better every single day. The future is very bright for UND volleyball, and I cannot wait for our fans to see this collection of players battling together on the court this fall."

The five newcomers join the four fall signees announced previously: Paige Barber, Maddie Lipetzky, Izzy McCormick, and Katy Riviere. In total, UND will be bringing in nine new athletes for the Fall 2022 season, Tupac's first at the helm of the Fighting Hawks.

Olivia De Jong, 5-9, Freshman Libero, Surrey, B.C. (Ecole Salish Secondary/Velocity 18-1)
De Jong joins UND after a standout career on the hardwood and in the sand during her prep years in Canada.  De Jong was a three-year Varsity Starter for her high school program, competing for Altitude Academies under coaches Piotr and Kaya Marciniak, and competed for Velocity Volleyball Club based in British Columbia. During her freshman season, in which she competed as an Outside Hitter, she received the Commitment to Excellence award. De Jong has also been honored with a selection to train with Team British Columbia in 2021 at the libero position. No stranger to the sand, De Jong has competed extensively on that surface, and earned a top five finish at the 2021 u17/18 British Columbia Beach Provincials. 

Tupac on De Jong: "Olivia is a phenomenal libero and an even more impressive human being.  From the first time we saw her pass in Serve Receive, to the very first phone call we had, it has been clear that Olivia fits everything we were looking for here at UND. She is incredibly hard working, always looking to help her teammates, and brings a robust skill set to our program. Her experience playing on the sand allows her to read and see the game at an incredibly high level, and we can't wait to have her put that into play in our gym." 

De Jong on why she chose UND: "I chose North Dakota because of the instant connection I had with the coaches. I feel honored that I will be coached by Coach Jesse and Coach Kristen. The beautiful facilities and strong community confirmed that UND is where I belong!"

Sophia Ortquist, 6-0, Freshman Middle Blocker, Las Vegas, Nev. (Nevada State HS/Vegas Aces Volleyball Club)
Ortquist comes to Grand Forks from Nevada State High School. During her time as a Varsity starter, she was named to the All-State first team in Division 4A for Nevada Women's Volleyball in 2021-22. Along with that honor, Ortquist was also recognized by the Nevada Coaches Association as an All State First Team member. The Nevada Middle Blocker didn't stop there; along with her All-State honors, Ortquist has earned the Liberty High School Athletic Award and First Team All-Conference for the 2021-22 season. Ortquist played club volleyball for Vegas Aces Volleyball Club.

Tupac on Ortquist: "We are ecstatic to have Sophia joining our UND family. Fans of our program will notice immediately the impact that Sophia can have on a match. She is a fierce blocker, and an unrelenting attacker in every phase of the game. Her athleticism allows her to make big plays on both sides of the ball, and her calm and competitive demeanor allows her to succeed regardless of the situation or adversity she may be faced with."

Ortquist on why she chose UND: "I chose UND because of the amazing community. The academic and athletic department welcomed me with open arms and established a connection that helps make their students better, not only in the classroom and on the court, but also in life."

Erika Lindqvist, 6-2, Graduate Student Middle Blocker, Angelholm, Sweden (Delaware State/San Jose State/Allebergsgymnasiet/ Swedish Junior National Team)
Lindqvist is transferring to UND after two previous stops at other NCAA institutions. In 2018, Lindqvist spent a redshirt season on the roster for the San Jose State University Spartans of the Mountain West Conference, and then transferred to Delaware State where she competed for the last three seasons. The incoming transfer brings four years of collegiate playing experience to The Betty, which includes a 2021-2022 season at DSU that ended with a MEAC Regular Season Championship, a MEAC Tournament Runner-Up finish, and an invitation to compete in the NIVC post-season tournament.

Prior to entering the collegiate scene, she was a two-time MVP for her high school team. Lindqvist was also named to the All-Star Team at U18 Swedish National Championship Tournament in 2016 and named to the All-Star Team at U20 Swedish National Championship Tournament in 2018. She also has extensive experience representing Sweden on the international stage, having earned a spot on the Swedish Junior National Team from 2015 to 2018.

During her international career, Lindqvist has earned two gold medals (U19 Swedish National Championship Tournament in 2015 and U23 Swedish National Championship Tournament in 2017), four silver medals (NENZA Tournament with the Swedish Junior National Team in 2015, U18 Swedish National Championship Tournament in 2016, Knallecupen with RIG in 2016, and at the Youth Grand-Prix Tournament in 2017), and three bronze medals (NEVZA Tournament with the Swedish Junior National Team in 2017, U20 Swedish National Championship Tournament in 2017, and the U20 Swedish National Championship Tournament in 2018).

Along with her athletic honors, Lindqvist has earned various academic honors. She received academic honors in her three semesters at San Jose State (Summer and Fall 2018, Spring 2019). At Delaware State, Lindqvist was named to the President's list through all her semesters (Fall 2019, Spring and Fall 2020, Spring and Fall 2021). And she earned MEAC All-Academic Honors in 2021 and 2022. Delaware State honored her with the Stellar Scholar-Athlete Certificate in 2022. Lindqvist also competed for Delaware State on the Track and Field team in the High Jump event.

Tupac on Lindqvist: "Erika is a long and athletic middle blocker with a ton of high-level playing experience. From her time at San Jose State and Delaware State competing at the NCAA level, to her time in Sweden representing her country in international play. She is a phenomenal athlete and mover, and is going to be a dominant offensive threat both in front of, and behind, the setter. Her breadth of experiences both on and off the court help Erika to be great as a leader and role model.  We are so excited for her to join our team and bring that experience and perspective with her."

Lindqvist on why she chose UND: "I chose UND because the coaches, players, and campus made me feel like home. When I went to visit, everyone was so welcoming, and I loved the energy I saw on the court. The coaches are so passionate, and they made me excited about the possibilities and potential of the team. I was looking for a school with a great community, and I found it at UND."

Marissa Stockman, 6-2, Graduate Student Middle Blocker/Right Side, Clear Lake, Wis. (Florida State/Illinois State/River Falls HS)
Stockman joins the Fighting Hawks with four years of NCAA volleyball experience, including three NCAA post-season appearances; and has played as both a middle blocker and a right side attacker.  She competed previously for Illinois State University in 2018, and then for Florida State University from 2019-2021. During her freshman campaign at ISU she started all 33 matches for the Redbirds, covering 114 of 115 sets as a true freshman. During that first season, she was named to the Missouri Valley Conference All-Freshman Team and led the league and her team in hitting percentage (.355). She finished her first season as second on the team in points with 320 and finished first in blocks with 114; helping lead ISU to the NCAA tournament.

After her freshman season, Stockman transferred to Florida State where she started the 2019 season without making a hitting error on her first 33 attacks. During the 2020 season, she averaged 1.39 blocks per set. In total, over three seasons (including the abbreviated COVID spring season), Stockman competed in 29 matches and 65 sets for the Seminoles, including two trips to the NCAA tournament. In total, Stockman comes to UND with a collegiate career hitting percentage of .332 while averaging .868 blocks/set.

Before entering the college scene, Stockman was named First Team All-State Wisconsin and First Team All-Tournament Wisconsin in 2017, as well as garnering First Team All-Conference honors. She helped her team finish with a 43-1 record during her senior season and helped lead them to a state runner-up title. 

Tupac on Stockman: "We are ecstatic to have Marissa joining us here at UND. She is a one of a kind player and person with an amazing personality. Her enthusiasm and drive to make UND volleyball great is infectious. She has had enormous success as an NCAA athlete already and will bring incredibly valuable postseason experience with her to Grand Forks. Her versatility to play multiple positions, and her size and physicality are undeniable. Our fans should be very excited to see her in action this fall."

Stockman on why she chose UND: ""I chose UND because of the environment of the athletics department along with the campus and town feeling like home. The facilities are all beautiful and I am so excited to be coming back north!" 

Sierra Ward, 5-11, Graduate Student Outside Hitter/Right Side, Belle Fourche, S.D. (Black Hills State/Belle Fourche HS)
Ward joins UND after a prolific playing career at Black Hills State in South Dakota. She has recorded 632 kills and 176 blocks in her career, having competed for BHSU as an outside hitter, right side attacker, and middle blocker. She ended her time with a .229 hitting percentage and career highs of 20 kills and seven blocks. In the 2021 season, Ward earned Offensive RMAC Player of the Week, BHSU Athlete of the Week (2x), and BHSU Warrior of the Month. She also received RMAC Honorable Mention All-Conference during her sophomore through senior years.

Along with her athletic honors, Ward has been a CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree, named RMAC Academic 1st Team All-Academic (2020), RMAC Honor Roll (2020-21, 2021), and named the BHSU TRIO Tutor of the Year (2021). She earned the Schallencamp award in 2021, which is given to BHSU male and female student-athlete with highest GPA. As a chemistry major, she has held a 4.00 GPA while playing volleyball and sitting as the Vice President on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee.

Prior to her time at the collegiate level Ward was a standout prep player at Belle Fourche High School. While competing at BFHS, Ward broke a series of records in the state of South Dakota in 2017, including: most kills in a season (510), most kills/game (5.4) and most kills in a single match (34). As a captain her senior year, she led her team to a fourth-place finish in the State Class A Tournament and finished as a First Team All-State and Academic All-State honoree. Ward was also a three-time Black Hills All-Conference award winner.

Tupac on Ward: "Sierra is a rockstar player and human being. She has had an impressive career at Black Hills State, and has shown her versatility and ability to play multiple positions in whatever role her team needs her in. Sierra was our first commitment after our staff took over at UND, and she really set the standard for the quality of player and person we were looking to bring into the program. She is going to change the world, and we are so lucky and excited that the next step on that journey takes her here to UND as a member of our program."

Ward on why she chose UND: "I chose UND because I loved the team culture, and it had a good master's in chemistry program. I was super impressed by the new coaches coming in."