2019 WAC Volleyball Season Wrap Up
2019 WAC Volleyball Season Wrap Up
Complete Release in PDF
NM STATE'S HARTt NAMED AVCA HONORABLE MENTION ALL-AMERICAN
NM State senior middle blocker Megan Hart was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division I All-America Honorable Mention Team. She was one of 42 players nationally to earn honorable mention honors. The WAC Player of the Year and WAC Tournament MVP, Hart ranked second in the WAC in hitting percentage (.378), fifth in blocks (1.03), eighth in points (3.40) and 10th in kills (2.80). She finished her career as NM State's all-time leader in hitting percentage (.358) and is the 12th All-American in NM State history.
NM STATE FALLS AT NO. 14 SEED BYU IN NCAA TOURNAMENT
The NM State volleyball team fell in straight sets (25-7, 25-23, 25-19) to No. 14 BYU in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Aggies concluded their 2019 season with a 27-4 record. The Cougars outperformed the Aggies in kills (41-32), assists (38-31) and blocks (7-5) in the sweep. Brigham Young also finished the match with a .386 hitting percentage, including hitting .520 in the first set. Savannah Davison shined in the loss as she finished the match with 12 kills, five digs and a .348 hitting percentage. In her final collegiate match, Megan Hart tallied three kills, two digs and three blocks. Analyssa Acosta chipped in with 11 digs while Ashley Anselmo added six kills on .357 hitting.
KANSAS CITY LOSES TO UNLV IN FIRST ROUND OF NIVC
After winning the first set, Kansas City fell in four sets (25-23, 20-25, 23-25, 13-25) to UNLV in the first round of the NIVC in its first-ever postseason appearance. Kansas City was out-hit .236 to .135 and out-blocked 11-6 in the loss. Melanie Brecka led the Roos with 12 kills and 10 digs for her fifth double-double of the season, while Alicia Harrington tallied 11 kills, eight digs and two service aces. WAC Setter of the Year Alli Schomers had 33 assists to go along with seven digs and two aces, while libero Alex Ratzlaff finished with 15 digs and two aces on the match. The Roos ended their historic 2019 campaign at 17-12, their second winning season in a row and seventh in the last eight years. Of the 12 losses, 10 came to AVCA Top 100 squads and three came to Top 50 teams.
NM STATE'S HART NAMED AVCA ALL-MIDWEST REGION
NM State senior middle blocker Megan Hart was selected to the AVCA All-Midwest Region Team. She was voted to the 14-player All-Midwest Region Team by coaches who are AVCA members. The WAC Player of the Year, Hart ranked second in the WAC in hitting percentage (.378), fifth in blocks (1.03), eighth in points (3.40) and 10th in kills (2.80).
ALL-WAC TEAMS ANNOUNCED
NM State senior middle blocker Megan Hart was named WAC Player of the Year, while Kansas City's Alli Schomers earned Setter of the Year honors. Meanwhile, Chicago State's Megan Klavitter repeated as Libero of the Year, Grand Canyon's Klaire Mitchell was named WAC Freshman of the Year and NM State's Mike Jordan was named WAC Coach of the Year.
Hart earned WAC Player of the Year honors after averaging 3.03 kills on .370 hitting with 1.05 blocks and 3.64 points per set in WAC play. She was WAC Offensive Player of the Week once this season.
Schomers was named WAC Setter of the Year after leading the league with 10.98 assists per set in conference play. She posted seven double-doubles in WAC matches.
Klavitter repeated as WAC Libero of the Year after leading the WAC in digs (334) and digs per set (5.66) in WAC play. She was twice named WAC Defensive Player of the Week this season.
Mitchell earned WAC Freshman of the Year honors after ranking second in the WAC in assists (9.90) and 10th in digs (3.02) in conference play. She had nine double-doubles in WAC matches and was named WAC Defensive Player of the Week once.
Jordan led his team to the first undefeated season in WAC play since 2015 and the first 16-0 mark since 2010. The Aggies led the WAC in five of seven statistical categories in conference play en route to their sixth WAC regular-season title. He earned the award for the seventh time.
NM STATE WINS WAC TOURNAMENT TITLE
Top-seeded NM State swept past No. 5-seed Utah Valley (25-12, 26-24, 25-21) in the semifinals and second-seeded Grand Canyon (25-17, 25-23, 26-24) in the championship match to earn its fifth WAC Tournament title. Aggie middle blocker Megan Hart was named tournament MVP after averaging 4.00 kills on .311 hitting to go along with 1.00 blocks per set.
All-Tournament Team
Savannah Davison, NM State
Teagan DeFalco, Grand Canyon
Alicia Harrington, Kansas City
Megan Hart, NM State (MVP)
Klaire Mitchell, Grand Canyon
Kazna Tarawhiti, Utah Valley
FIVE WAC PLAYERS MOVE INTO WAC CAREER RECORD BOOKS
Five WAC players made their way into the Top 10 in the WAC career record books. The players and statistical categories are listed below.
| Player |
School |
Category |
Total |
Rank |
| Megan Hart |
NM State |
Hitting Percentage |
0.358 |
10th |
| Makaila Jarema |
Utah Valley |
Blocks Per Set |
1.72 |
3rd |
| Megan Klavitter |
Chicago State |
Digs Per Set |
4.7 |
7th |
| Tijana Milojevic |
Seattle U |
Digs Per Set |
4.5 |
T-8th |
| Megan Klavitter |
Chicago State |
Total Digs |
2145 |
2nd |
| Seren Merrill |
Utah Valley |
Total Digs |
1508 |
8th |
| Tijana Milojevic |
Seattle U |
Total Digs |
1488 |
10th |
CSU'S KLAVITTER RANKS IN SINGLE SEASON TOP 10
Chicago State senior libero Megan Klavitter ranked in the Top 10 in the WAC single-season record books both overall and in WAC play. Overall, her 629 digs ranked tied for sixth, while her digs per set average of 5.29 ranked tied for seventh. In WAC play, her 334 digs ranked third, while her digs per set average of 5.66 ranked fourth.
WAC STAT LEADERS
NM State led the WAC in hitting percentage (.262), opponent hitting percentage (.122), assists (12.54), kills (13.61) and blocks (2.89), while California Baptist and UT Rio Grande Valley led the league in service aces (1.53) and Grand Canyon was tops in digs (15.55).
Individually, Grand Canyon's Annabelle Kubinski was tops in hitting percentage (.394), while Utah Valley's Kazna Tarawhiti was tops in kills (3.81). Kansas City's Alicia Harrington was tops in points (4.34) and teammate Alli Schomers led the WAC in assists (10.32). California Baptist's Elizabeth Gilley was tops in service aces (0.40), Utah Valley's Makaila Jarema led the WAC in blocks (1.64) and Chicago State's Megan Klavitter was tops in digs (5.29).
In WAC matches only, NM State led the league in hitting percentage (.264, opponent hitting percentage (.128), assists (12.86), kills (14.05) and blocks (2.92), while UTRGV was tops in service aces (1.58) and Grand Canyon led the league in digs (15.13).
Individually in WAC matches, Kubinski led the league in hitting percentage (.436), while Kansas City's Alicia Harrington was tops in kills (4.07) and points (4.61), Schomers led the WAC in assists (10.98) and teammate Alex Ratzlaff was tops in service aces (0.43). Jarema led the league in blocks (1.54) and Klavitter was tops in digs (5.66).
NM STATE GOES UNDEFEATED IN WAC PLAY
NM State finished the WAC schedule with a perfect 16-0 record. The Aggies are the first undefeated team in WAC play since 2015 and the first 16-0 mark since 2010. NM State also won its sixth WAC regular-season title since joining the league in 2005 and fourth in the last five years.
GCU HITS SEVERAL MILESTONES
Grand Canyon posted several milestones this season, including qualifying for the WAC Tournament for the first time. GCU hit the 20-win mark on Nov. 2 when it defeated Utah Valley for the first time in program history. With 24 wins, the Lopes posted the GCU Division I record for victories in a season. With a 9-1 record on the road, the Lopes blew away the Division I mark for most wins on the road, as the previous mark was three in both 2013 and 2014.