College of Saint Mary Inducts Lebeda-Svehla into Athletic Hall of Fame
College of Saint Mary recently inducted Kristen Lebeda-Svehla of Blair, Nebraska, into the Athletic Hall of Fame. Lebeda-Svehla graduated from CSM in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and excelled in the sport of volleyball during her tenure at the University.
During her playing days from 1998 – 2001, the CSM volleyball team amassed a perfect, undefeated record of 50-0 in the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference. The Flames did not lose a regular season conference game or post-season conference tournament game during the four-year span earning four straight MCAC Championships. Lebeda-Svehla was a big part of the Flames’ success, earning the following honors during her career:
- Second Team NAIA All American 1999
- Two-Time First Team NAIA All American 2000, 2001
- Two-Time NAIA Region IV Player of the Year 2000, 2001
- Two-Time Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year 2000, 2001
- Three-Time First Team All-Region 1999, 2000, 2001
- Four-Time First Team All-Conference selection in Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference — 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001
- NAIA Academic All American 2001
“Kristen was one of those rare players that made everyone else around her better,” commented former head coach Paul Giesselmann (now head volleyball coach at Midland University in Fremont).
Lebeda-Svehla finished her career with 1,653 career kills, which ranks her second in the volleyball program’s all-time list. She is the career digs leader with 2,241 digs. She also has the top three yearly totals in digs and holds the school record for digs in a single game with 39 against College of the Ozarks in 1999.
Lebeda-Svehla teaches biology and physical science at Papillion La Vista High School, where she is also the head varsity volleyball coach.
