Sara Nielsen

Position Setter

Height 5'11"

Class Junior

Hometown Glen Ellyn, Ill.

High School Benet Academy

NIL Opportunities Contact

bio stats

AWARDS & HONORS

2020-21 (SENIOR)

Played in eight matches with five starts at setter
Tallied 161 assists with 43 digs
Recorded a season-high 44 assists in season-opening victory over Baylor (Sept. 25)
Seven matches with double-digit assists

2019 (JUNIOR)

Played in all 26 matches as the setter and appeared in all 96 sets
Led the team with eight double-doubles, including a 40 assist and 14 dig performance in the season finale against West Virginia Nov. 30, 2019
- 42 assists, 11 digs; vs South Carolina, 09/07/19
- 24 assists, 13 digs; MOREHEAD STATE, Sep 12, 2019
- 41 assists, 11 digs; at UNLV, 09-21-19
- 32 assists, 10 digs; at Oklahoma, Oct 05, 2019
- 44 assists, 13 digs; WVU, Oct 10, 2019
- 34 assists, 11 digs; at Texas, Nov 23, 2019
- 48 assists, 12 digs; IOWA STATE, Nov 27, 2019
- 40 assists, 14 digs; at WVU, Nov 30, 2019
Recorded a season-high and career-high 48 assists against Iowa State Nov. 27, 2019
Broke 40-or-more assists eight times and finished with 849 assists

2018 (SOPHOMORE | MINNESOTA)

Academic All-Big Ten selection
Saw action in 19 matches with 40 sets played in her sophomore season at Minnesota
Finished with 18 assists, four service aces and seven digs
Added two assists and first collegiate ace against North Carolina (8/25)
Recorded five assists, an ace, block and dig in win over Georgia Southern (9/1)
Season-high six assists vs. Maryland (9/22)
Provided an ace and two assists in the win over Northwestern (10/3)
Posted two digs in the win over Northwestern (1/13/18)

2017 (FRESHMAN | MINNESOTA)

Saw action in four sets during her freshman season at Minnesota
Made her collegiate debut in the 3-1 win over Louisville (8/26) and played in one set
Saw action against Michigan State
Recorded her first collegiate assist at Nebraska (9/29), finishing with three assists
Matched a season-high three assists at Rutgers (10/28) and added a season-high two digs

High School/Club

Played for Benet Academy and Mizuno Sports Performance Volleyball
2016 Under Armour All-America honorable mention
Ranked 69th in Prepvolleyball.com’s Senior Aces
First-team all-state selection
Helped Benet to sectional and conference championships in 2015 and a regional championship in 2016
All-conference selection in both 2016 and 2015 and honorable mention status as a sophomore
Had 968 assists, 122 digs, 28 aces, 26 blocks and 63 kills
Played five years at Sports Performance and won the 18-Open national championship, a world championship and was a 2015 AAU All-American
Played in the European Global Challenge with the U22 BIP Midwest Team in Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia
Honor Roll student at Benet Academy

ACADEMICS

PERSONAL

Daughter of Rob Nielsen, Gwen Nielsen and Chris Gambol
Has one older brother, Connor Nielsen
Mother, Gwen, played volleyball at Northwestern, and aunt, Kelly, played volleyball at Purdue
Step-father, Chris, played football and ran track at Iowa
He also played in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts, San Diego Chargers, Detroit Lions and New England Patriots
Father, Rob, played water polo at West Point