March 30, April 5, 6, 2025
Registration is closed for the March 30th Attacker Academy
Clinic Overview
The spring high school skills academies are position-specific, high-intensity skill training designed for athletes with prior experience playing volleyball. Each academy, led by the Michigan Tech Husky Volleyball coaching staff and current players, will provide 5 hours of focused instruction designed to improve the athlete's skill set.
Local coaches of all levels are welcome to attend and observe the teaching of the skills first-hand and the opportunity to collaborate with the MTU coaches and players. There is no cost for coaches to attend. However, we do require coaches to pre-register for each clinic by emailing Mallory Nickelson at mnickels@mtu.edu.
What to Expect
Setter Academy: Setter-specific footwork, movements, ball-handling, placement, consistency, offensive decision-making, and game strategy.
Libero Academy: Libero/defensive specialist-specific footwork, movements, reading/anticipation, defensive efficiency, and serve receive.
Attacker Academy: Hitter-specific footwork and form, blocker-specific footwork and form, transition work, approach patterns, scoring strategy, and reading/anticipation.
Daily Schedule
Check-In: 8:30 am - 9:00 am at the SDC front counter
Clinic: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm (includes a 1-hour break, lunch will not be provided)
- Session 1: 9:00 am - 11:30 am
- Lunch Break: 11:30 am - 12:30 pm (bring your own)
- Session 2: 12:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Location
SDC Varsity Gym
Special Requirements
Please bring individual water bottles for participants. Knee pads are recommended but not required.
Cost
$75/participant for each academy, $180/participant for all 3 academies
Payment in full is due at the time of registration.
Registration Information
Registration opens TBA
Registration is available online, in person at the SDC Ticket Office, or by calling the SDC Ticket Office at 906-487-2073. Payment in full is due at the time of registration. A confirmation packet will be emailed to participants after they register and are also available at the link below.
CONFIRMATION PACKET FORMS
Attacker School - Sunday, March 30, 2025
Registration Opens: Monday, November 18 at 8:00am
Registration closes Sunday, March 23 at 11:59pm.
Participant Max: 80
Setter Academy - Saturday, April 5, 2025
Registration Opens: Monday, November 18 at 8:00am
Registration closes Saturday, March 29 at 11:59pm.
Participant Max: 80
Libero School - Sunday, April 6, 2025
Registration Opens: Monday, November 18 at 8:00am
Registration closes Sunday, March 30 at 11:59pm.
Participant Max: 80
Parking Information
Visitors may use Lots 22 or 24, located outside the main entrance of the SDC, for parking during camps. There is no overnight parking. Please do not park in the UP Health System and Rehab Services lot (north end of the SDC).
Questions?
Michigan Tech Recreation: 906-487-2975, sportscamps@mtu.edu
Camp Coordinator: Mallory Nickelson, 906-487-2595, mnickels@mtu.edu
Meet the Coaches
Cindy Pindral was named the eighth Head Coach of Michigan Tech Women's Volleyball in December 2024. Pindral returns to the Huskies after being an Assistant Head Coach, Assistant Coach, and Volunteer Coach with the Huskies for seven seasons from 2016 to 2022.
During her seven years with the Huskies, the team held a 139-62 overall record. Tech went to four straight NCAA Tournaments from 2017-21 and won a pair of regular-season GLIAC championships in the spring of 2021 and then repeated in the fall of 2021. The 2017 Huskies earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament for the first time for the program since 2009. The 2019 squad swept Missouri-St. Louis in the first round of the tournament for the first NCAA win since 1995. The 2021 team also advanced to the NCAA Midwest Regional Semifinal after a five-set victory over Wayne State.
Pindral was involved with nearly all phases of the program, including skill development, recruiting, scouting, practice planning, film breakdown, and team travel. She also served as the lead coach for the Huskies' youth programs, including the Little Huskies Volleyball Club, All-Skills Camps, and position-specific clinics.
As a student, Pindral was the starting setter at the University of Florida during the 2008-09 season, leading the team in assists and the Gators to the NCAA Sweet 16 appearance, an SEC championship, and a No. 10 national ranking. Pindral then transferred to the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and was a three-year starter. She was named the Student-Athlete of the Year for the 2009-10 season and a CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2011. Pindral was also named to the 2011 Capital One Division II Academic All-District VII Volleyball Team, leading the Mountain Lions' offense with an average of 9.76 assists per set. She graduated with the sixth-highest assist total (2,151) in school history and the second-highest since the advent of rally scoring and the 25-point set. Her 976 assists in 2011 and 943 assists in 2009 are the two highest assist totals in the 25-point era. She earned a third-team all-RMAC selection in 2011, a second-team selection in 2009, and was named RMAC Setter of the Week twice during her career.
Pindral played the 2012 winter season professionally in the Italian Serie C League as the starting setter for Gio Volley in Aprilia, Italy. She was named to the All-Tournament Team and earned the "Best Setter" award at the Gio Volley Tournament that season.
Pindral holds a Bachelor of Arts in Geography and Environmental Studies from UCCS and a Master of Science in Energy and Environmental Policy with a Graduate Certificate in Sustainability from Michigan Tech. She has been employed as the Department Administrator for Social Sciences at Tech and was also the Manager of Sustainability Projects and Outreach.
Pindral began her coaching career with Colorado Juniors Volleyball Club where she was a head coach, assistant coach, and the club's lead setting coach over three seasons. Most recently, she has also been involved with Keweenaw Volleyball Club as an administrator and coach. She has also worked camps at the University of Texas, the United States Air Force Academy, and UCCS. She is an active member of USA Volleyball, American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), and is IMPACT Certified.
Mallory Nickelson was named an Assistant Coach with the Michigan Tech volleyball team in February 2023. She was a four-year starting libero and setter at future GLIAC member Roosevelt University and was recently an assistant coach for two seasons at UW-Stevens Point Lyndsay Kooi. The Pointers were 52-16 overall and went to the NCAA Tournament both seasons, advancing in 2022 while also being WIAC Tournament runners-up earlier that season.
As a student-athlete, Nickelson played for former Michigan Tech assistant coach Nic Paquiz at Roosevelt. She was the team captain in 2020-21 and graduated with the second-most assists in school history. She was an all-conference selection in 2019, a three-time academic all-conference team member, and received the 2021 Roosevelt University Presidential Award for Social Justice. Nickelson set the single-match school record for assists with 68 in a five-set win over Indiana South Bend in 2019, earning her NAIA National Player of the week.
Nickelson coached and developed student-athletes at UW-Stevens Point who earned First Team and Honorable Mention All-America honors, the WIAC Player and Newcomer of the Year, and multiple all-conference selections. She assisted in all areas of the Pointers' program and specialized in training defenders and setters while also recruiting, planning team travel, player development, opponent scouting, and academic advising.
Nickelson coached three years at the club level and was the head coach of the 17 National Team at Wisconsin Ice Volleyball Club out of Stevens Point for two seasons. She also spent a season with the 15s group at New Wave Volleyball Club out of Darien, Illinois.
At Roosevelt, Nickelson earned a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in Journalism and Media Studies & English with a minor in Integrated Marketing Communications in December 2020. She finished a Master's of Science from UW-Stevens Point in Community and Organizational Leadership in May 2023 where she worked on programming focused on student-athletes in their final year making the transition out of college sports.
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