ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— Entering his first season at the helm of The University of New Mexico volleyball team, Jon Newman-Gonchar has announced the addition of two high school prep student-athletes and a graduate transfer set to join the Lobos ahead of the Fall 2019 season.
The Lobos add depth at two vital positions, the setter position and the libero position, with Maddie Freiwald, Alena Moldan and Chloe Clark.
From Littleton, Colorado, Freiwald transfers to UNM from Butler University in Indianapolis, Ind., where she competed for the Bulldogs the last three seasons. The 6’0” incoming Lobo played in 67 matches and 149 sets as a setter, recording a total of 59 kills, 773 assists, 140 digs, 65 total blocks and 12 service aces. In 2018, Freiwald posted her most-successful collegiate season with 106 digs, a team-high 511 assists, eight service aces and 44 total blocks (two solo, 42 assisted). The Colorado native averaged 8.52 assists per set and 1.77 digs per set while playing in 21 matches, starting 15, and 60 sets.
On Oct. 6, 2018 against Villanova, the setter set a career high with 18 digs and three service aces.
After redshirting in 2015, Freiwald had a strong freshman season. As a freshman, Freiwald tallied 30 kills and 222 assists as well as 20 total blocks (one solo, 19 assisted) in 30 matches and 63 sets. The 222 assists ranked second on the team. In a match against Xavier on Oct. 27, Freiwald recorded 49 assists, seven digs, six kills and four blocks.
“Maddie is a terrific addition for our program,” Newman-Gonchar said. “It was important for us to bring in a player with experience playing at a high level. Maddie brings just that- a wealth of experience playing in a good volleyball conference and comes in with a great skill set for us to build off of.
“Most importantly, we knew from the very first conversation that she was the type of person we wanted in our program. She is humble, hungry to be great, and grateful for this opportunity – all high character traits that we know will make her a great Lobo.”
Freiwald majored in critical communication and media studies at Butler and will pursue a Master’s in health administration at UNM.
A libero from Lakeville, Minn., Moldan will join the Lobos after a successful high school career while attending Lakeville South High School.
Moldan excelled in the classroom, graduating in the top 15 percent of her class, was named to the Dean’s List, and received recognition for Academic Excellence in math, history, world language, science and English in 2016, 2017 and 2018. She was also a member of the National Honor Society.
On the court, the 5’7” libero earned first team all-state in 2018, all-conference honorable mention in 2016 and 2017 and was named to the Minnesota State All-Tournament Team in 2018. In 2018, Moldan also earned second team all-metro, and was named to the Under Armour All-American Watch List after being on the AVCA Phenom List in 2017.
Throughout her high school career, Moldan recorded 1,097 digs, and most recently recorded 443 digs (4.6 digs per set), 43 service aces, 81 assists, and 467 service receptions in 97 sets played.
Moldan was named a team captain in 2018, in which her team went on to win the South Suburban Conference, the section championship and placed third at the Minnesota State Tournament. Moldan also was a member of the conference championship team in 2017 and the section championship in 2016. In 2016, her high school team won the Marshall Tournament Championship and again finished third at the state tournament.
The daughter of Marty and Gwen, Moldan intends to major in biology at UNM. On why she chose UNM, Moldan said, “UNM has everything I could possibly ask for with amazing academics and a great athletics program.”
Clark joins the Lobos from Pearland, Texas and chose UNM, “because of the amazing opportunity to play volleyball at a higher level and receive a great education. The atmosphere, location, and people were all major factors that made my decision so easy.”
While attending Glenda Dawson High School, Clark earned academic all-district, won the Dawson Eagle Award, was a Dawson Ambassador, an AP scholar with distinction and made A/B honor roll. Her high school team went undefeated in 2017 to win the district championship.
The daughter of Kevin and Susan Clark, the 5’6” libero intends to major in biology at UNM.
Clark, Moldan and Freiwald complete the 2019 volleyball class, joining Fanny Skogsfors, Kaitlynn Biassou, Uxue Guereca and Yamelis Mojica.
In total, the Lobos add two liberos, an opposite and an outside attacker, a setter, a middle blocker, and a player who can play as a middle blocker or outside hitter.