Long Beach State University Athletics
Women's Volleyball Adds Kjersti Norveel to Incoming Class
6/13/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Long Beach, Calif. - Head coach Brian Gimmillaro has announced another addition to his 2016 signing class, welcoming Norwegian middle blocker Kjersti Norveel into the Long Beach State women's volleyball program. Norveel is from Tønsberg, Norway, and becomes the sixth newcomer to the LBSU roster for the upcoming indoor season, joining previous signees Ashley Anselmo, Morgan Dewyer, Hailey Harward, Hannah Pauling and Yizhi Xue.
"I'm very happy to have her," said Gimmillaro of Norveel. "She's a good player, very mature, a good student, good athlete and she has experience playing. We needed more depth in the middle and she provides that. With her, it gives us a really balanced team; we will be stronger in all areas by adding a good, experienced middle."
Norveel attended the University College of Southeast Norway, Buskerud and Vestfold last year, and played for her hometown team, Tønsberg, in Norway's Mizuno Ligaen. During the 2015-16 season she was the top blocker in the country with 37 total blocks in 12 matches, 14 more blocks than the next closest player. She also finished fourth in total points and was ninth in attacking.
The 6-foot-1 Norveel had 12 or more kills four times in 12 matches, recording a season-best seven blocks in the second match of the season. She also recorded three or more blocks in seven of her team's first nine matches.
She also brings lengthy international experience, playing a total of six international matches with the Norwegian National Team. Norveel also competed in the Northern European Volleyball Zonal Association (NEVZA) championships, winning a bronze medal with Norway in the U19 competition in 2013, then taking a silver medal at the 2014 competition.
In 2012 and 2013, Norveel played in the U16 and U17 Norwegian Championships, winning best middle blocker in both U17 competitions. At the U16 level in 2012, she was the best blocker and best attacker, winning a silver medal in that competition. In 2015, Norveel won another silver medal at the U19 Norwegian Championships, again claiming the honor of best middle blocker. She has been a member of the Norwegian National Team camp as recently as March 2016.
Norveel will be eligible to play in the 2016-17 indoor season, and she will also be a contributor to Long Beach State's beach volleyball program.
