Augustana’s Erika Bute Repeats POY

BURNSVILLE, Minn.- For the second consecutive season, Erika Bute was named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Libero of the Year, while joining Kia Kriener as a first-team all-conference honoree.

Bute, from Alden, Minnesota, has recorded 381 digs this season in conference play, the most in the NSIC. Bute also leads the NSIC in digs per set with 6.05. The all-conference honor is Bute's fourth all-NSIC honor after achieving first-team honors in 2022 and second-team honors in 2019 and 2021.

She currently has 2,242 digs in her career over the course of 432 sets. She ranks second in program history in digs, while also ranking second with 5.19 digs per set. Her 2,242 digs is third amongst active career leaders in all of DII, and 11th across all levels.

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Bute becomes the second Viking to earn NSIC Libero of the Year honors in back-to-back seasons, joining Tahlyr Banks who did the same in 2016 and 2017.

Kriener earned her first NSIC honors after earning a spot on the NSIC All-Conference first team. Hailing from Okoboji, Iowa, she has collected 241 total kills in NSIC action and averages 3.95 kills per set, both good for second in the conference. She has also performed well defensively of late, tallying double-digit digs in four of her last seven games.

Kriener knocked down a career-best 21 kills on Oct. 3 at SMSU, and has 682 kills and 378 digs in her career.

Augustana concludes the regular season this weekend with a senior day match Friday at home against No. 9 St. Cloud State.

Source: Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference