For the past five years, Sarina Stortz (‘25) has been a driving force in the success of Luther’s women’s volleyball team. In her collegiate career, she has accumulated over 1,200 kills, 250 digs and almost 1,500 cumulative points in all. She is both satisfied with her accomplishments and eager to finish strong during her fifth year on the team.
Responses have been edited for clarity and length.
Q: In your time at Luther you’ve accomplished a lot in volleyball. What do you make of your overall experience on the team?
Sarina Stortz: My experience on the Luther volleyball team has been nothing short of incredible. This team is truly my family — they’ve pushed me to become the best version of myself, both on and off the court, and have always been there to support me. The bonds and memories we’ve built together are something I’ll carry with me long after my time here.
Q: What period of time on the team has been your favorite? What period would you go back and redo if given the opportunity?
A: My favorite time with the team has to be our trip to Texas — it was unforgettable. I wouldn’t change a thing because I’m leaving this program without regrets, knowing I gave my all every day and every time I stepped on the court.
Q: What has been your greatest personal accomplishment in volleyball thus far?
A: One of my greatest personal accomplishments in volleyball has been reaching 1,000 career kills this season, a milestone that means a lot to me. Last year I earned All-Conference honors, but this year, my hard work has taken me even further. I’m currently ranked fourth in both points and total kills in Division III volleyball.
Q: What is the reason for you playing for a fifth year?
A: I chose to play a fifth year because COVID took away so much from my senior year of high school leading into my freshman year of college, so this extra year gave me a chance to reclaim something meaningful from that time. Plus, I wanted the opportunity to play one more season with my volleyball family and make memories that will last a lifetime.
Q: How do you see the team performing in the future, after your departure?
A: Even though a lot of our starting lineup is graduating, I have no doubt the team will continue to thrive in the future. There’s some great talent coming up, and I’m confident they’ll rise to the challenge, building on our foundation and pushing this program.
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Volleyball student coach Finn Wallace (‘26) also weighed in on how he sees the team and Sarina Stortz in particular.
“Sarina is a total menace on the court and motivates the team a lot,” Wallace said. “[She] sets a high standard for the team to follow, which is really respectable.”
When asked more specifically about Stortz’s strengths, Wallace notes her leadership on the team and her ability to push her teammates to be the best they can be.
“Sarina’s a middle blocker by the book, but in the team’s culture, she is one of the biggest leaders and is always in the gym as well,” Wallace said. “She challenges her teammates constantly, for instance, during blocking drills. She makes sure people are pulling their weight as much as they can.”
Even when Stortz makes a mistake, she takes it with stride.
“When she makes a mistake, she doesn’t get down on herself and has a ‘next ball’ mentality, which is a hard thing to maintain since volleyball is so much about the errors you make in a game,” Wallace said.
Stortz and the women’s volleyball squad finished the season on November 6 in a four set loss against Simpson College.
