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PREP VOLLEYBALL: Abbey Pederson: 2017 Marshall Independent Fall Female Athlete of the Year

Cover design by Sam Thiel Canby senior Abbey Pederson was named the Marshall Independent Fall Female Athlete of the Year.

CANBY – It was quite the senior season for Canby’s Abbey Pederson. The soon-to-be University of South Dakota volleyball player hit a number of milestones and earned plenty of accolades during her final season as a Lancer.

This past season the Lancers finished with a 24-8 record. Along the way Pederson reached several individual milestones. She surpassed the 2,000 career assist mark, 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career digs. Those career milestones leave Pederson not only as one of the most decorated players to ever put on a Lancer uniform, but also one of the most decorated players in the state’s history.

“It was really cool,” Canby coach Amy Wagner said. “I went to one of the last section coaches meetings and we talked about her triple-triple. We could only find a couple of other kids that have done that. It’s just so fun to see her reach those goals that she’s had at an early age. She achieved those goals out of adversity. It would been easy for her to just not work hard after getting hurt. She went the other way and got stronger.”

This past season Pederson earned all-state honors and also was named Co-Player of the Year in the Camden Conference. Pederson can add one more title to her decorated career. Pederson has been named the 2017 Marshall Independent Fall Female Athlete of the Year.

“It was really special,” Pederson said. “I’ve been working towards those goals since eighth grade. It’s just amazing that it happened. I couldn’t have done it without my teammates.”

Like she had her entire career Pederson did a bit of everything for the Lancers this past season. The senior setter recorded 376 kills, 535 assists and 255 digs.

“I think her understanding of the game is her greatest strength,” Wagner said. “She’s always had an understanding of the game. She has a good idea of what’s going. We are always watching college volleyball and talking about how she could be better and distribute the ball better. I’m sure at times she gets sick of the constant feedback. In the long run it gave her a better of idea how the game of volleyball works.”

Pederson has been starting for the Lancers since she was an eighth grade. During her 10th grade season Pederson tore her ACL towards the end of the basketball season. Pederson said that the rehab process was difficult, but she was willing to do whatever she could to make sure she didn’t miss her junior year.

“I tore it towards the end when playoffs were starting,” Pederson said.“I missed the rest of basketball season and missed my entire JO volleyball season. That was throughout the whole spring. I rehabbed a bunch in the summer and was able to get back my junior year.”

Wagner said that missing that time gave Pederson a better appreciation for the game.

“That was very difficult,” Wagner said. “She tore that when she was a tenth grader. She missed the club season. It was very difficult, both mentally and physically because of the rehab process. Just to watch her on the sideline and not being able to compete was tough. In the long run it probably made her a better player. She realized how much she wanted to play and didn’t take that for granted anymore. She got back and never looked back.”

Over the past five years Wagner said that Pederson has provided a level of stability for the Canby program. She said the consistency that Pederson provided will be hard to replace moving forward.

“She’s provided consistency,” Wagner said. “She’s started for such a long time. I think it was her ninth grade year that she started attack as well. She just provided offense and defense. Usually a setter runs the floor and distributes the ball. She always did a good job of that, but we also looked for her to terminate the ball as well. She’s been such a force and such a consistent kid for so long that it’s going to be very unique not to have her in the gym.”

With Pederson’s volleyball as a Lancer over she has now turned her attention to the next chapter of her volleyball career. In the fall of 2018 Pederson will officially be a member of the University of South Dakota volleyball team.

“I’m super excited,” Pederson said. “I’m kind of nervous. It’s going to be hard to manage my time. I’m excited for the next step. I’ve met a couple of the other recruits and I’m just really excited. I’ve always known I wanted to play volleyball at the next level. I couldn’t imagine being done after this season. It’s special and I’m really grateful for the opportunity.”

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