From Casper College To University Teams: Volleyball Players Making Waves

Casper Press Release by Lisa Icenogle:

Five Casper College Volleyball players have committed to play at the university level. The five players who signed were Mia Hutchinson, Amelia Piekut, Katarina Vulic, Licia Echevarria, and Paulina Dziedzic.

From Star Valley, Wyoming, Hutchinson will head to the College of Idaho. An all-around outside hitter for the T-Birds, she had 583 kills, 64 aces, and 431 digs during her career at Casper College. In addition, Hutchinson received All-Region, Player of Year, All-Tournament Team and All-American recognitions in 2023. The College of Idaho Coyotes ended their 2023 season 19-14 overall and 16-6 in conference play. The school plays in the Cascade Collegiate Conference of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.

Amelia Piekut, Warsaw, Poland, signed to play with the University Louisiana Monroe Warhawks. Piekut, a right-side hitter, had 415 kills, 48 aces, and 361 digs during her two years at CC. Piekut was named to the 2023 All-Region team. The Warhawks went 7-24 overall and 3-13 in conference in 2023. The NCAA Division I Warhawks compete in the Sun Belt Conference.

Katarina Vulic, Belgrade, Serbia, is moving on to play for the Crusaders at William Carey University. The setter ended her career at Casper College with 1,552 assists, 74 aces, and 328 digs. Vulic was recognized with All-Region, Setter of the Year, and All-Tournament Team honors in 2023. The Crusaders ended the 2023 season with a record of 15-20 and 7-8 in conference play. The team plays in the NAIA Southern States Athletic Conference.

Licia Echevarria, Lehi, Utah, will play for the Cotton Blossoms of the University of Arkansas at Monticello. As a defensive player for the T-Birds, Echevarria had 372 digs, which helped the team’s communication on the court. The NCAA Division II Cotton Blossoms play in the Great American Conference. The team went 1-27 overall and 1-15 in conference play.

Paulina Dziedzic, Nowy Sacz, Poland, has signed to play with the Cumberland University Phoenix. As a middle blocker for the Thunderbirds, Dziedzic finished with 247 kills, 48 aces and 105 blocks and received All-Tournament Team honors. The Phoenix went 19-18 overall and 8-4 in conference play and are part of the NAIA Mid-South Conference.

“I’m very proud of all five of these players; their success and work ethic on and off the court is so strong that they will succeed throughout life,” said Head Coach Angel Sharman. “I have enjoyed the two years with them, and I look forward to watching them grow at the next level,” she added.