This is Carleton College
Located in Northfield, Minnesota
Total Enrollment: Carleton enrolls more than 2,000 students, drawn from 50 states and 46 countries.
Founded in 1866, Carleton is an independent and highly selective liberal arts college with a diverse student body, a talented faculty whose first priority is teaching, and a continued commitment to the liberal arts. Students who choose Carleton because of the collegeâs focus on undergraduate education, small class size, and strong sense of community.Carleton consistently enrolls more National Merit scholars than any other undergraduate college.
The Cowling Arboretum (the âarbâ) is one of my favorite places on Carletonâs campus. The Arb is massive! It is 800 acres, and it has fifteen miles of trails. Students also find it easily accessible because it is only a ten minute walk away from the Carleton College sign. One of the best aspects of the Arb is the large amount of wildlife that call the it their home.
Downtown Northfield is an extension of Carleton's campus. It's home to several coffee shops, thrift stores, restaurants, locally owned businesses and community events.
Campus Life
Carleton is an active learning and living environment by design. That means students arenât just academics. Theyâre community members as well. Nearly 96 percent of students live on campus â in dorms, interest and cultural houses, or town houses. This residential landscape fosters enduring friendships and connections, and creates an immersive college experience.
Our passion isnât limited to the classroom. Academic departments and offices from across the college bring a rich variety of visitors to campus each term. Catch a distinguished scientist, activist, or artist at the weekly convocation series. See professional dancers and musicians in the Kracum Performance Hall. Or join classmates for an intimate lecture on a specialized topic or check out a Knights Sport Event, thereâs always something interesting to see or do on campus.
Carletonâs beautiful campus is a great place to study and play. Learn in the state-of-the-art facilities for the sciences, arts, and humanities. Work out in Laird Stadiumâs weight room. Get some fresh air in our 800-acre arboretum or go climb on the rock wall in our Recreation Center.
First-Year Dorm Tour
With Knights Volleyball Alum, Stella Dennehy
Four Seasons at Carleton College
Studying Abroad - Off-Campus Studies at Carleton
Carleton College has a long and rich history of sending students abroad. The earliest Carleton programs in 1969-70 explored Japan, the Ivory Coast, and Puerto Rico. Off-Campus Studies is an integral part of the Carleton curriculum with a typical participation rate of nearly 70 percent. Each year, we offer 16-20 faculty-led programs to locations all over the world. Carleton also allows participation in a wide variety of programs sponsored by other organizations or universities.
Studying abroad is an essential part of the Carleton experience. Typically about 70% of Carleton students participate in an off-campus studies program at least once in their four years.
Thanks to Carletonâs trimester system, you can study off campus during winter or spring term without missing any of the regular volleyball season. Nearly 83 % of the Carleton student-athletes participate in one or more off-campus studies programs during their undergraduate years.
The Knights Volleyball team had 10 athletes study abroad in 2023 to six different countries.
YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL!
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At Carleton, you have time to explore and discover an academic field that piques your curiosity. You can take afternoon labs and studio courses because practice and games are carefully scheduled to optimize learning and competing.
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Carleton athletes have the same rich college experience as every other student. Youâll be able to take advantage of winter externships, summer internships, conduct research, participate in theater productions and concerts, and join student organizations.
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Carleton prepares students for broadly rewarding lives. Choosing Carleton isnât just about the next four years. Itâs about the next 40 years.
The Carleton women's volleyball program enjoys a pattern of success on the court, while maintaining the needed balance of student-athletes to be successful in a rigorous academic setting. The Knights participate in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC), which consists of 12 NCAA Division III private institutions.
Examples of the Knights' success on and off the volleyball court:
- 2024-25 season was the best program finish since 2016-17 season
- BATTLE 4 THE BELL CHAMPIONS (traveling trophy with our cross-town rival) â03,â04,â05,â06,â08,â13,â14,â15,â16,â17,â23
- 10 AVCA All-Americans
- 20 NCAA Tournament Appearances
- 3 MIAC Championships
- 10+ Seasons of All-MIAC Honorees
- 10+ Seasons of College Sports Communicators Academic All-District
- 17+ Seasons of receiving the AVCA Team Academic Award
- 20+ Seasons of Academic All-MIAC Awards
After an awesome spring of leadership training, your 2025-26 Carleton Volleyball team has officially locked in our theme for the upcoming fall season!
Introducing... đ˝đźđđ! đĽ Thatâs right, weâre talking:
Believe. Achieve. Nonstop. Grit.
This isnât just a word, itâs our mindset, our mantra, and our promise for the season ahead. Get ready to see us bring the BANG to every practice, every game, and every moment on and off the court. âď¸
2025-26 Season
Meet Coach Abby
Head Coach: Abby Walton
Abby Walton is entering her fourth season at the helm of the Carleton College volleyball program in 2025.
In her fourth season in Northfield, Walton led the Knights to the most program wins (13) since the 2016-17 season. In a season that saw much improvement from a year ago, the Knights finished the season 13-13 overall and 4-7 in conference play. Walton is responsible for a heightened energy around the program since her arrival in 2022. Walton had a program-changing win in front of a raucous crowd at West Gym in the 2023 season. The Knights came from behind in the fifth set to win a thriller over cross-town rival St. Olaf College. This win forever edges Walton and the Knights in history by bringing "The Bell" (the traveling trophy between the two programs) back to the east side of the river for the first time since 2017, ending a six-year winless streak against the cross-town rival.
Prior to Carleton, Walton has seven years of experience in the Big Ten conference, three seasons as a graduate assistant coach (2017-2020), and four years of playing experience at Michigan State University (2014-17).
Walton coached for three years as an graduate assistant coach at Michigan State under head coach Cathy George. In addition to her coaching responsibilities, Walton also served as the social media coordinator and assisted with recruiting.
Prior to her time on staff at MSU, she played for the Spartans, and was a four-year letter winner as a libero/defensive specialist. She appeared in 117 matches for the Spartans during her collegiate career. Walton finished her career with 971 career digs (2.70 per set) and 45 service aces. She was the recipient of the MSU Extra Mile Award as a rookie and earned the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award in 2017 as a senior. In her career, MSU finished with an overall record of 84-48 and helped MSU to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including a run to the 2017 Elite Eight, the second-best finish in program history.
While living in Michigan, Walton spent time coaching for both the FaR Out Volleyball Club and the Capital Volleyball Club in addition to diversifying her experience by working with the Michigan State Menâs Club Volleyball team.
Upon returning to her home state, Walton coached for Northern Lights Volleyball Club in Burnsville, Minn., the same club program that she played for while growing up. Walton was a prep volleyball All-American Honorable Mention and an All-State selection in 2013 as a senior at Lakeville North High School, where she was a two-time Minnesota state champion (2010 and 2012) and runner-up in 2011.
She holds two degrees from Michigan State University, earning a bachelor's degree in Advertising Management in 2018 and a master's degree in Education in Sport Coaching and Leadership 2020.
Abby and her husband, Matt, live in Lakeville with their son Brooks and dog, Bentley.
Assistant Coach: Luke Lopez
Luke Lopez came to Carleton in July 2024 as an assistant volleyball coach. Lopezâs specialty is working with the middle blockers and running our team blocking schemes.
In his first season with the Knights, Lopez contributed to the most program wins (13) since the 2016-17 season. In a season that saw much improvement from a year ago, the Knights finished the season 13-13 overall and 4-7 in conference play. Lopez is responsible for a dominating defensive presence at the net for the Knights this season.
Prior to Carleton, Lopez has nine years of experience as an head/assistant coach in both college and club, including one season with Pierce College (2016-17) , five with Minnesota Select (2017-21), and with Northern Lights (24-present).
Prior to working at Carleton, Lopez held a variety of positions at Minnesota Select Volleyball Club from 2017-21, overlapping in part with his three seasons as a coach at Rogers (Minn.) High School. He started the White Bear Lake (Minn.) High School boysâ program in 2023, the same year that he joined the Northern Lights Volleyball Club where he was on the staff for the 16-Black team that placed fifth at the 2024 AAU national tournament.
Prior to his time on staff at Pierce College (Calif.) Lopez, was a two-time state all-tournament player in high school.
Lopez completed his bachelorâs degree at Concordia-St. Paul in 2024 and is currently working on his masterâs degree at Concordia-St. Paul in sports administration.
Assistant Coach: Ida Steingas
Ida Steingas joined the Carleton College volleyball program as an assistant coach in July 2024, immediately bolstering the Knights' offensive capabilities. Steingas specializes in pin attacker development and offensive schemes.
An AAU All-American during her playing days, Steingas was a four-year letterwinner at UW-La Crosse, where she made two appearances in the NCAA Tournament in 2015 and 2016.
Steingas brings seven years of coaching experience from both the club and high school levels. Her coaching journey began as an assistant at West Salem (Wis.) High School (2016-17), followed by stints with the Minnesota Freeze and Minnesota North club programs.
Since 2022, Steingas has served as a coach at Northern Lights Volleyball Club in nearby Burnsville, Minnesota. She was on the staff for the 16-Black team that placed fifth at the 2024 AAU national tournament. But wait, there's more good news! Just this June, Coach Ida led her Northern Lights 16-Black team to an incredible victory, winning the AAU 16 Select National Championship at the AAU Nationals in Orlando, Florida! What an amazing achievement!
Steingas graduated from UW- La Crosse in 2017 with a bachelorâs in science degree in exercise sports science and earned her masterâs degree in occupational therapy from College of St. Scholastica in 2021.
What we look for in a potential Knight:
Academics: Student-athletes are students first. Your ability to put your academics at the forefront is of upmost importance.
Character: How athletes interact with their teammates, coaches, parents, etc. will show a lot about that athlete. Build your teammates up and be respectful to those around you.
Positive Attitude: Next ball mentality - we've all heard it, but can you execute it? When things don't go your way, how will you react? We look for athletes who can face adversity with a positive outlook and who can learn from each situation.
Athletic Ability: Your ability to perform within practice and in a game, as well as your willingness to accept coaching. We will look for your ability to rise to challenges and accept the pressures of different situations
Your Why: At Carleton Volleyball, we want to know your why. Why do you play this game? What keeps you coming back to the gym? Weâre looking for athletes who truly love volleyballâwho are competitive, driven, and excited by the challenge of building something special. If youâre someone who wants to grow, push yourself, and help shape the future of a program alongside great teammates, weâd love to learn more about what motivates you and what fuels your passion for the game.