United Athletic Conference

 

Stephen F. Austin outside hitter Leah Powell and Sam Houston defensive specialist Hannah Baker have been named the Western Athletic Conference Offensive and Defensive Volleyball Players of the Week, respectively, for the week of September 27 through October 3. Additionally, Baker was also named WAC Freshman of the Week.

 

Powell, a sophomore from Copperas Cove, Texas, was nearly unstoppable last week as she led the Ladyjacks to a pair of sweeps to remain undefeated in WAC play. On the week, Powell posted a .439 hitting percentage with just one error as she averaged 3.17 kills per set. In the sweep of Tarleton, she managed 12 kills on an astounding .611 hitting percentage. This also marks the fifth time this season that Powell has reached double digit kills, despite averaging just over 22 swings per set.

 

Baker, a freshman from Deer Park, Texas, reigned in two awards this week as she led the Bearkats to a 2-0 start in league play. She anchored the Kats back line as she turned in back-to-back 24-dig outings, helping Sam Houston win six of seven sets last week. In addition to averaging 6.86 digs per set, Baker also recorded six assists and four service aces. On the season, her 5.12 digs per set continue to pace the WAC in that category.

 

Other offensive nominees included: California Baptist's Christine Graf averaged 2.75 kills per set, including 14 total kills in the Lancers' big win over NM State… Chicago State's Yanlis Feliz managed 5.43 kills per set on .214 hitting as the Cougars finished the week with record of 1-1… Grand Canyon's Annabelle Kubinski hit a .355 clip as she averaged 2.83 kills per set to lead the Lopes to a pair of sweeps last week… NM State's Lia Mosher added to her impressive efficiency numbers as she posted 2.75 kills per set on .500 hitting across a pair of Aggie matches… Sam Houston's Morgan Janda averaged 12.00 assists per set while adding 10 total kills in the Kats' perfect week… Seattle U's Eve Kerschenbaum tallied back-to-back double-digit kill matches, finishing with 10 against NM State and 13 against GCU… Tarleton's Lauren Kersey finished the week averaging 4.00 kills per set on .317 hitting to lead the Texans in both categories… UT Rio Grande Valley's Sarah Cruz turned in a dominant performance against Lamar, finishing with 12 kills on just 21 swings to lead the Vaqueros to a sweep… Utah Valley's Kazna Tanuvasa helped push the Wolverines to a four-set win over Chicago State as she recorded 18 kills on .395 hitting.

 

Other defensive nominees included: California Baptist's Paige Johnstone averaged 5.13 digs per set, including 27 total digs in the Lancers' come-from-behind win over NM State on Saturday… Chicago State's Mesalina Severino secured eight blocks last week, highlighted by a five-block outing in a sweep of Dixie State… Grand Canyon's Teagan DeFalco posted 40 total digs across just six sets to average 6.67 digs per set in the Lopes' pair of sweeps last week… Stephen F. Austin's Kayla Grant tallied 1.33 blocks per set for SFA in a pair of WAC sweeps… Tarleton's Ana Costas ended the week averaging 4.86 digs per set as she recorded 34 total digs across two matches… UT Rio Grande Valley's Luisa Silva Dos Santos registered a career-high eight blocks in the Vaqueros sweep last week… Utah Valley's Kristen Bell matched a career high with 18 digs while also adding a pair of blocks in the Wolverines' win over Chicago State.

 

Other freshman nominees included: California Baptist's Laura Walewska logged 11 kills on .226 hitting in a pair of matches with Grand Canyon and NM State… Chicago State's Berenice Almeyda filled up the stat sheet, finishing the week with 18 kills, six blocks, four aces, three assists and three digs across two matches… Grand Canyon's McKenzie Wise helped lead the Lopes past California Baptist and Seattle U as she averaged 3.17 kills on .220 hitting… Seattle U's Katlyn Sipes averaged 4.50 digs per set last week as she notched back-to-back double-digit dig performances… Stephen F. Austin's Valeria Rosado helped SFA to a pair of sweeps as she averaged 3.17 kills per set on .280 hitting to go along with 2.50 digs per set… Tarleton's Trinity Vinzant posted six kills and seven digs for the Texans last week… UT Rio Grande Valley's Luanna Emiliano helped in the Vaquero sweep of Lamar as she averaged 9.0 assists and 1.33 digs per set… Utah Valley's Natalie Palmer finished one dig shy of a double-double as she registered 16 assists and nine digs in the Wolverines' win over Chicago State.

 

NM State leads the WAC in overall hitting percentage (.255) and opponent hitting percentage (.154) and assists per set (12.27). The Chicago State offense has been rolling as the Cougars' 13.64 kills per set is good for tops in the WAC. Utah Valley leads the group in blocks per set (2.66) and WAC newcomer Sam Houston is the front runner in digs per set (17.55).

 

Individually, NM State's Lia Mosher leads the WAC in hitting percentage (.454), while Chicago State's Yanlis Feliz is the leader in kills (4.89) and points (5.4). Stephen F. Austin's Taya Mitchell leads the league in blocks (1.23) and Sam Houston's Hannah Baker paces the WAC in digs per set at 5.12. Madison Rohre of Abilene Christian is the top assister, posting 10.35 assists per set. Stephen F. Austin's Valeria Rosado leads the conference in service aces (0.52).

 

In WAC matches only, Stephen F. Austin is tops in hitting percentage (.283), while Sam Houston leads in opponent hitting percentage (.121), assists per set (14.00), and digs per set (21.71). UT Rio Grande Valley holds the lead in service aces (2.43) and Utah Valley leads the league in blocks (3.50)

 

Individually in WAC play, NM State's Lia Mosher is atop the league in hitting percentage (.444), while Utah Valley's Sadie Hamson is the top blocker at 1.69 per set. UT Rio Grande Valley's Sarah Cruz is the leader in kills (5.71) and points (6.6) and Sam Houston's Morgan Janda leads the WAC in assists (12.00). Valeria Rosado of Stephen F. Austin paces the league in service aces (0.70) and Sam Houston's Hannah Baker records the most digs per set in conference play (6.86).

 

WAC play rolls on this week as 10 teams take to the courts on Thursday beginning with NM State on the road at Chicago state. In other mid-week action, Lamar is set to visit Tarleton, UT Rio Grande Valley takes on Abilene Christian, Seattle U plays host to Utah Valley and Dixie State hits the road for a bout with California Baptist. In the lone Friday contest, Sam Houston State will welcome Stephen F. Austin in a battle of the top two Southwest Division squads.

 

Saturday's action gets underway as Chicago State is at home against Grand Canyon, Tarleton gets UT Rio Grande Valley on its home floor, Lamar visits Abilene Christian, Seattle U wraps up its homestand with a contest against Dixie State and Utah Valley travels to Riverside, Calif., for a meeting with California Baptist.

 

Volleyball drama was on full display in week one of action as both Abilene Christian and NM State won five-set matches after falling behind 0-2 after two sets. The Wildcats completed the feat against Incarnate Word on Friday, Aug. 27 as they fell 18-25 in set one and 21-25 in set two. They would go on to claim the match win behind three-straight set victories (25-21, 25-21, 15-11). In the win, ACU was led by Lindsey Toney's 29 kills and four aces while Madison Rohre added 53 assists.

 

Meanwhile, the Aggies picked up a five-set victory over UC Davis in their season opener. After dropping the opening two sets, NM State came storming back to win three straight (25-19, 25-20, 15-10) to claim its first win of the season. Shaney Lipscomb paced the Aggies in kills with 17 while Darian Markham held her own on the defensive end with a match-high 22 digs.

 

With twelve of the thirteen WAC schools first week of play coming at a pre-conference tournament, there was plenty of opportunity to shine against unfamiliar opponents. 11 athletes from five WAC schools earned honors for their play last weekend, including a trio of tournament MVPs. Abilene Christian's Lindsey Toney, Grand Canyon's Klaire Mitchell and Sam Houston's Morgan Janda each claimed MVP honors at their respective tournaments. Below is the complete list of athletes who garnered all-tournament team recognition:

 

Breanne Chausse, Sam Houston - Bearkat Invitational

Luanna Emiliano, UT Rio Grande Valley - New Orleans Invitational

Hannah Eskes, Grand Canyon - Idaho Volleyball Classic

Christine Graf, California Baptist - Georgia State Invitational

Morgan Janda, Sam Houston - Bearkat Invitational (MVP)

Ashley Lewis, Sam Houston - Bearkat Invitational

Klaire Mitchell, Grand Canyon - Idaho Volleyball Classic (MVP)

Madison Rohre, Abilene Christian - ACU Invitational

Luisa Silva Dos Santos, UT Rio Grande Valley - New Orleans Invitational

Lindsey Toney, Abilene Christian - ACU Invitational (MVP)

McKenzie Wise, Grand Canyon - Idaho Volleyball Classic

 

In week two of non-conference play, eight WAC athletes earned all-tournament honors, including Grand Canyon freshman McKenzie Wise who was named MVP of the GCU Invitational.

 

Berenice Almeyda, Chicago State - Windy City Classic

Jada Birkel, Abilene Christian - Wildcat Classic

Andrea Calderon, Chicago State - Windy City Classic

Teagan DeFalco, Grand Canyon - GCU Invitational (Outstanding Libero)

Hannah Eskes, Grand Canyon - GCU Invitational

Yanlis Feliz, Chicago State - Windy City Classic

Sydney Reed, Grand Canyon - GCU Invitational

McKenzie Wise, Grand Canyon - GCU Invitational (MVP)

 

WAC teams continued the trend in week three as eight athletes were named to all-tournament teams, highlighted by NM State's Shaney Lipscomb who earned MVP honors at the Colonel Challenge.

 

Katie Birtcil, NM State - Colonel Challenge

Teagan DeFalco, Grand Canyon - Portland State Tournament

Annabelle Kubinski, Grand Canyon - Portland State Tournament

Shaney Lipscomb, NM State - Colonel Challenge (MVP)

Darian Markham, NM State - Colonel Challenge

Makayla Pollard, Utah Valley - Lumberjack Classic

Kazna Tanuvasa, Utah Valley - Lumberjack Classic

Hannah Waters, Lamar - Lamar Invitational

 

The final week of non-conference tournament action resulted in seven more all-tournament honors, including Ariana Pagan who was named MVP of the SFA Tournament.

 

Katie Birtcil, NM State - Stetson Invitational

Kayla Brannon, Tarleton - Islander Classic

Payton Cerny, Stephen F. Austin - SFA Tournament

Carmen Kinsey, Tarleton - Islander Classic

Shaney Lipscomb, NM State - Stetson Invitational

Ariana Pagan, Stephen F. Austin - SFA Tournament (MVP)

Leah Powell, Stephen F. Austin - SFA Tournament

 

With the addition of several new programs to volleyball in the Western Athletic Conference, Stephen F. Austin is the coaches' pick to take home the regular-season trophy in the Southwest Division while Utah Valley earned the nod in the West Division.

 

Southwest Division preseason favorite Stephen F. Austin heads to the WAC following a 13-1 overall record and a regular-season title in the Southland Conference just last year. The Lumberjacks landed four of six possible first-place votes and 24 total points to finish atop the poll. Sam Houston was closely behind as they earned the remaining two first-place votes and 21 points. Tarleton saw its name in the third spot with 15 points followed by Abilene Christian who came in fourth with 13 points. UT Rio Grande Valley and Lamar rounded out the poll, finishing with 11 points and six points, respectively.

 

Coming off their first WAC Tournament Championship in school history, Utah Valley received four of the seven first-place votes and 34 total points to earn the top spot in the West Division. NM State earned the remaining three first-place votes to finish in second place with 33 points, followed by Grand Canyon which was slotted in third with 26 points. California Baptist picked up 20 points as they were selected fourth while Dixie State finished with 16 points to claim fifth. Chicago State collected 10 points for the sixth spot and Seattle U completed the West Division poll with six points of its own.

 

Utah Valley senior outside hitter Kazna Tanuvasa was selected as the WAC Preseason Player of the Year. NM State had the most players named to the preseason All-WAC team as the Aggies garnered four spots. Carly Aigner-Swesey, Victoria Barrett, Shaney Lipscomb and Lia Mosher each represent NM State on the Preseason All-WAC team. Joining them are Grand Canyon's Hannah Eskes and Klaire Mitchell, Sam Houston's Morgan Janda and Ashley Lewis and Stephen F. Austin's Taya Mitchell and Leah Powell. Along with the Wolverines, Chicago State, Dixie State and Tarleton each landed one player on the Preseason All-WAC Team. The Cougars' Yanlis Feliz, the Trailblazers' Megan Treanor and the Texans' Lauren Kersey each earned honors.

 

The Western Athletic Conference is a little bit bigger this season as Abilene Christian, Lamar, Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin have all joined the party. Due to the increase from eight teams to 12 teams, the league will play in a divisional format this season.

 

The Fall 2021 WAC Volleyball Tournament will be held Nov. 18-20 at the Pan American Center in Las Cruces, N.M. and will include the top eight eligible squads.

 

November 18, 2021 (Quarterfinals)

Match 1 - No. 1 Seed vs. No. 8 Seed, 10 a.m. MT

Match 2 - No. 4 Seed vs. No. 5 Seed, 1 p.m. MT

Match 3 - No. 2 Seed vs. No. 7 Seed, 4 p.m. MT

Match 4 - No. 3 Seed vs. No. 6 Seed, 7 p.m. MT

 

November 19, 2021 (Semifinals)

Match 5 - Winner Match 1 vs. Winner Match 2, 4 p.m. MT

Match 6 - Winner Match 3 vs. Winner Match 4, 7 p.m. MT

 

November 20, 2021 (Finals)

Match 7 - Winner Match 5 vs. Winner Match 6, 7 p.m. MT

 

The NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship return to its normal 64-team format following a 48-team bracket in Spring 2021. The bracket will consist of 32 automatic qualifiers and 32 at-large teams. The final site of the 2021 NCAA Championship will be Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The semifinals will be held on December 16 while the championship will be held on December 18.