Contact: Lou Groce, Director of Media and Information, 920-229-8157
GRINNELL, Iowa – Cornell College senior defensive specialist Kylea Weber was a unanimous First Team All-Midwest Conference volleyball selection and was named the 2014 Midwest Conference Player of the Year, while her coach, Jeff Meeker, was named the Coach of the Year for the third consecutive season.
This is Weber’s third appearance on the First Team All-MWC list and joining her on the First Team are teammates Taylor Dicus and Lauren Ahart. Dicus, the Rams’ middle blocker, has also been named First Team All-MWC for the third straight season. Weber tallied a league-leading 552 digs, while Dicus blocked a league-high 112 balls. Ahart finished eighth in the league with a .248 hitting percentage.
Meeker’s third straight selection as Coach of the Year has been matched only by Lake Forest College’s Beth Pier form 1999-2001.
St. Norbert College’s Heidi Spies was a unanimous First Team pick after finishing fourth in the conference with 290 kills and a .274 hitting percentage, making it her second straight First Team All-MWC selection. After being named Second Team All-MWC for three straight seasons, the Green Knights’ Breanne Brocker has earned a spot on the First Team.
A unanimous First Team selection, Sophomore Brittany Avonts of Lake Forest College has now earned a spot on the First Team for two straight seasons after leading the league in hitting percentage (.345).
Ripon College’s Emily Gary earned her second straight First Team All-MWC honor and earned her third sport on the all-conference list. Finishing off the First Team was Carroll University’s Jenna Shea, who earned her first All-MWC nod.
Cornell’s Mariah Brandly and Diamond Boyd were named to the Second Team, making it five representatives from Cornell on the All-MWC Teams. Ripon’s Abbi Williamson led the conference with 953 assists and was named to the Second Team for the second straight season, while Carroll’s Kelly Sloyan earned Second Team honors for the second time in her career.
After leading the MWC in kills (330), Rose Griffin was named to the Second Team and is Knox College’s first all-conference honoree since the 2010 season. Outside hitter Terese Swords of Lawrence University, Lake Forest’s Paige Jespersen and St. Norbert’s Aubree Antosch were also Second Team honorees.
The 2014 Midwest Conference Tournament begins tomorrow at Cornell with No. 2 St. Norbert facing off against No. 3 Carroll at 4:30 p.m. The second semifinal features No. 1 Cornell against No. 4 Lake Forest at 7:00 p.m. The winners will meet in the championship match at 1:00 p.m. Saturday.
|
Coach of the Year |
|
|
|
|
Jeff Meeker |
|
|
Cornell College |
|
Player of the Year |
|
|
|
|
Kylea Weber |
Sr. |
DS |
Cornell College |
|
First Team |
|
|
|
|
Kylea Weber |
Sr. |
DS |
Cornell College |
|
Heidi Spies |
Sr. |
MH |
St. Norbert College |
|
Taylor Dicus |
Sr. |
MB |
Cornell College |
|
Brittany Avonts |
So. |
MB |
Lake Forest College |
|
Emily Gary |
Jr. |
MB |
Ripon College |
|
Breanne Brocker |
Sr. |
OH |
St. Norbert College |
|
Jenna Shea |
Sr. |
DS |
Carroll University |
|
Lauren Ahart |
So. |
MB |
Cornell College |
|
Second Team |
|
|
|
|
Abbi Williamson |
So. |
S |
Ripon College |
|
Kelly Sloyan |
Jr. |
OH |
Carroll University |
|
Mariah Brandly |
Jr. |
RS/OH |
Cornell College |
|
Rose Griffin |
Fr. |
RH/OH |
Knox College |
|
Terese Swords |
Jr. |
OH |
Lawrence University |
|
Diamond Boyd |
So. |
OH/RS |
Cornell College |
|
Paige Jespersen |
So. |
OH |
Lake Forest College |
|
Aubree Antosch |
So. |
DS |
St. Norbert College |